Ārzemju latviešu skolotāju seminārs Rīgā jūlijā

Šī gada 4. un 5. jūlijā Tautiešu mēneša ietvaros Dziesmu svētku laikā Rīgā ieplānots rīkot Skolotāju semināru “Kopīgais ceļš uz valodu”, uz kuŗu aicināti izglītības darbinieki, kas pašreiz strādā latviešu sestdienas/svētdienas skolās un citās latviešu izglītības iestādēs ārpus Latvijas. Semināru rīko Latviešu valodas apguves valsts aģentūra (LVAVA) – valsts aģentūra, kas atrodas Izglītības un zinātnes ministrijas paspārnē – sadarbībā ar Pasaules brīvo latviešu apvienību (PBLA).

Seminārs ieplānots datumos, kad vēl nenotiek lielie Dziesmu svētku koncerti, un rīkotāji cer, ka visi ārzemju latvieši, kas būs sabraukusi uz svētkiem, būs jau ieradušies Latvijā. Rīkotāji arī mudina visus, kas pašlaik strādā latviešu skolās ārpus Latvijas un šai laikā plāno būt Latvijā, apmeklēt šo semināru, piedalīties, paust savu viedokli, iemācīties ko jaunu un sniegt tālāk citiem savu pieredzi.

Semināra ideja ir divu dienu gaŗumā “apzināt situāciju” un iztirzāt problēmas un atrast atrisinājumus. Ārzemēs dzīvojošie latvieši nav vienveidīga grupa. Ir “vecā” trimda – latvieši, kas jau gadu desmitiem dzīvo ārzemēs un ir dibinājuši skolas jau pirms 50 gadiem. Šajā kategorijā ir skolas, kas atrodas gan vecajos “Rietumos”, gan Krievijā. Ir “jaunā” trimda – latvieši, kas pēdējos gados ir dibinājuši skolas un bērnu nodarbības Eiropas Savienības valstīs. Katrai grupai ir savi izaicinājumi, bet mērķis visiem ir viens: latviešu bērniem, kas dzīvo ārpus Latvijas mācīt latviešu valodu un apzināties un izkopt savu latvisko identitāti.

Semināra galvenās tēmas būs latviešu valodas mācīšana un ar to saistītie izaicinājumi katrai trimdas kopienai. Viens no vislielākajiem šķēršļiem ir atrast mācību vielu, ko var izmantot mācībām bērnu grupām ar plašu valodas zināšanu spektru – no iesācējiem līdz bērniem, kam latviešu valoda ir mātes valoda. Ir vēl citas blakus tēmas, kas ir tikpat svarīgas: kādi vēl mācību priekšmeti būtu vēlami, lai veicinātu latviskas identitātes veidošanu; vecāku loma valodas mācīšanā; kā pasniegt vielu par Latviju saistošā un mūsdienīgā veidā nevis ar vecām mācību metodēm; kā izstrādāt skolai mācību programmu, kad daudzi mūsu trimdas/diasporas darbinieki nav profesionāli izglītoti skolotāji.

Citas tēmas, kam arī iecerēts pieskarties:

  • “Eiropas skolas”, kur mācās ES institūciju darbinieku bērni
  • Latviešu valdības pieredze pasniedzot latviešu valodu krievu skolās—tā saucamā “bilingvālā” izglītība—vai šo metodiku varam pielietot ārpus Latvijas?
  • Skolēnu un vecāku pieredze no ārzemēm pārceļoties uz Latviju un iekļaujoties Latvijas skolu sistēmā.
  • Vasaras nometnes un to loma latviskās izglītības veicināšanā.
  • Kur vislabāk Latvijā var atrast mācību vielu un kuŗa viela ir vispiemērotākā ārpus Latvijas dzīvojošiem bērniem.
  • Iepazīšanās ar LVAVA publicēto mācību vielu un lomu skolotāju izglītošanā.

Rīkotāji aicina visus pieteikties uz šo semināru, gan tos, kas jau gadiem ilgi māca, gan tos, kas tikai nesen sākuši darbu kādā skoliņā. Katram ir sava pieredze, katram savas problēmas, katram savi atrisinājumi, un jo biežāk visi savā starpā satiksies, jo labāk. Kopīgiem spēkiem varēs vairāk panākt.

Lai pieteiktos uz semināru, rakstiet Dacei Copeland dace.copeland@wmich.edu vai Dainai Grosai daina.gross@latviansonline.com līdz 2008. g. 29. februārim. Pieteikšanās anketu PDF formātā iespējams lejupielādēt šeit. Seminārs notiks Rīgas Lietuviešu vidusskolas telpās, Prūšu ielā 42a, Rīga.

 

Daina Gross is editor of Latvians Online. An Australian-Latvian she is also a migration researcher at the University of Latvia, PhD from the University of Sussex, formerly a member of the board of the World Federation of Free Latvians, author and translator/ editor/ proofreader from Latvian into English of an eclectic mix of publications of different genres.

Searching for family history online

By unveiling the online service Raduraksti in December, the Latvian State Historical Archives (Latvijas Valsts vēstures arhīvs) has put a smile on many peoples’ faces. For various archive users—from professional researchers to amateur genealogists—this new service will make researching family histories much easier.

It will no longer be necessary to physically turn up on the archives’ doorstep to access some of the records. Admittedly only a small percentage of records are online so far, but by the end of 2008 the plan is to have all church records of all denominations digitalized. Headway also is expected on making available census data from 18th and 19th century tsarist Russia (which Latvia was a part of intermittently). So far on offer are Lutheran church records dating back to the middle of the 18th century, searchable by region or congregation. Available records only go forward in time as far as 1905.

The records contain a register of births and baptisms, including the names of parents and their profession, godparents’ details and name of the person who performed the baptism. Also available is a register of confirmations, engagement announcements, marriages and deaths.

You will be required to register as a user of this online service. Having reached the digitalized records, you will find that they are usually handwritten in German (using the old German orthography) or in Russian. Although you can zoom in to try to make more sense of the text, bear in mind that by increasing the size of the text you lose resolution and the text will become distorted. Deciphering the records may be tedious and time consuming.

The Latvian project was inspired by the Estonian Saaga service launched in 2005 by the Estonian Historical Archives. All Lutheran and Russian Orthodox church records from Estonia, as well as other documents, are available online.

Various other places provide tips and offer access to information regarding Latvian genealogy. One such site is the Ciltskoks blog, where an enthusiast shares his tips (in Latvian only) on searching the Web for specific Latvian genealogy sites.

Meanwhile, ciltskoks.lv provides an online tool to create your own family tree, complete with a photo and video gallery, a calendar and a travelogue section. You will need to register before you can use the site, but click on “Kas ir ‘boon’?” for a preview of what the site offers.

Also worth a mention is Roots=Saknes. The site was originally started in 1993 by Bruno Martuzāns at LATNET (the Latvian Academic Computer Network). Having received numerous requests for help from all over the world, and not being able to reply to many of them initially, he decided to set up a Web site that would at least point people in the right direction and contain tips on how to go about researching genealogy in Latvia. The site is in English and doesn’t look that flashy, but it is very helpful. 

Don’t forget the Latvians Online Looking for Friends and Relatives Forum where some of our helpful members also have a wealth of genealogy information to share with others.

Raduraksti

The Raduraksti site created by the Latvian State Historical Archives allows users to peruse church records, such as this one from Sunākste, to find information about genealogy.

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Daina Gross is editor of Latvians Online. An Australian-Latvian she is also a migration researcher at the University of Latvia, PhD from the University of Sussex, formerly a member of the board of the World Federation of Free Latvians, author and translator/ editor/ proofreader from Latvian into English of an eclectic mix of publications of different genres.

101 and more reasons for using YouTube 

You remember a Latvian song. It could be one from your childhood, or one you heard last time you were in Latvia. You’ve found the lyrics somewhere on the Web but now you have no idea what the melody is. What to do?

The answer is YouTube. Latvians worldwide have taken to this latest craze to hit the Web and have put up hundreds of examples of their favorite Latvian music, sports, TV programs and amateur home videos. 

We had a decent look at what’s up there in terms of Latvian-themed videos and potential uses of YouTube for Latvians. To start with, as with the rest of the Web, You Tube is a quagmire that needs to be waded through to reach the gems. But thankfully the gems are there and aren’t too difficult to find.

If you are a folk dancer, folk dance choreographer or a Latvian folk enthusiast, then type in “Latvian folk dancing” and you’ll get a whole range of performances from amateur to professional, from those performed by groups from the diaspora to those from Latvia. The fact is you no longer need to go hunting aimlessly for dances on the Web, they’re all there on one site.

Let’s return to the songs. How about the national and patriotic ones like “Gaismas pils,” the Latvian national anthem “Dievs, svētī Latviju!”, the awe-inspiring “Saule, pērkons, Daugava” and other legendary songs? They’re there. As are a whole host of Raimonds Pauls’ and Imants Kalnins’ compositions performed by a variety of different performers: choirs, pop singers, children’s groups (the strangest one was Dzegūzite performing a Pauls’ song in Russian).

Events from the Latvian center Gaŗezers feature quite often, as do song festival events both from Latvia and the United State. The recent Indianapolis song festival is well represented, particularly individual dances from the dance performance.

YouTube is not restricted to music and dance. Sport is big, too. Feel like watching women’s wrestling in the National Seniors Championship? It’s there. How about the Latvian hockey fans in Torino, Italy, last year? Or Andris Biedriņš’ season highlights in the most recent National Basketball Association season? Or dancesports competitions? All are there.

Also on YouTube are politics, protests, presidential speeches and interviews, and Latvian TV programs on a whole host of current affairs topics. It is great for tourists who are heading to Latvia and feel that the official tourist sites aren’t showing the whole picture. Key in words such as “Turaida” or “Brīvības piemineklis” and you’ll get tourists’ amateur videos showing Latvia from their perspective.

You’re bound to find the topic you’re looking for. Just don’t get too carried away. The site is a void you can get lost in for hours on end if you don’t keep an eye on the time. And don’t let your kids linger too long unsupervised. YouTube, just like the rest of the Internet, is a hotbed of unsavoury videos as well as the decent, wholesome ones.

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Daina Gross is editor of Latvians Online. An Australian-Latvian she is also a migration researcher at the University of Latvia, PhD from the University of Sussex, formerly a member of the board of the World Federation of Free Latvians, author and translator/ editor/ proofreader from Latvian into English of an eclectic mix of publications of different genres.