Kathy Zabinski, Author at Prague Morning

Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair will start flying between Prague and the Sicilian city of Catania.

The direct airline will begin operations on Tuesday, 31 October.

The carrier’s aircraft will operate between the cities twice a week – on Tuesdays and Saturdays. The journey time will be 2 hours and 15 minutes.

The cost of a one-way flight on a standard fare starts from CZK 850. For some dates, you can still find promotional offers for CZK 369 (e.g., for 31 October).

Note that direct flights on this route are currently operated by another low-cost carrier, Hungarian Wizz Air. It also flies twice a week, on the same days.

The increased competition should have a favorable impact on ticket prices.

Czech nationals will have the chance to join Ukraine’s defence forces to battle Russia’s invasion without fear of punishment at home, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala said on Thursday.

Under Czech law, it is illegal to join foreign armed forces without an exemption from the president who is the commander-in-chief of the Czech army. Violations are punishable by up to five years in prison.

CTK news agency reported this week at least 300 people had sought an exemption to answer Ukraine’s call for foreign volunteers to fight Russia’s invasion.

Fiala said after talks with President Milos Zeman on Thursday they had agreed to guarantee impunity for people who join Ukraine forces, rather than sort through individual requests.

The Czech Republic has been a NATO member since 1999.

The invasion of Ukraine, the biggest assault on a European state since World War Two, has caused unease in the former Soviet-era satellite states in central Europe, many of which border Ukraine and have seen an influx of refugees.

It has also prompted growing interest in joining domestic armies. The Czech defence ministry has reported a several-fold increase in the number of potential army recruits.

Are you looking for some new places to eat? Here is a list of newly opened businesses.

Aux Merveilleux de Fred
Address: Revoluční 8, Prague 1

If you have a weakness for the art of confectionery, head to the newly opened Prague branch of Aux Merveilleux de Fred for a tasting. Everything created here is under the guidance of the recipes of the French confectioner Frederique Vaucamps, who built a confectionery network with branches all over the world.

The goodies that have so far been enjoyed by guests in France, the USA, Canada and Japan are now also available to Czech guests. Be careful when you set out here – meringues, cakes, waffles, croissants and brioches in Aux Merveilleux de Fred are highly addictive.

Aux Merveilleux de Fred

The Winery
Address: Liborova 13, Prague 6

Bistro The Eatery, which has made it to the Michelin Guide thanks to its refined menu, has a freshly opened partner – a wine company called The Winery.

The owner David Šindelář arranged cooperation with 29 winemakers from Bohemia and Moravia, Austria, Germany, France and Italy, and the result is this brand-new winery in Břevnov. Judging by the bar they set with The Eatery, it is recommended that you don’t delay too much when visiting the wine bar as it gets busy very quickly without a reservation.

The Winery

Bistro & Bar Koule
Adress: Milady Horákové 54, Prague 7

A new establishment in Letná, you can enjoy a variety of mixed drinks, beer, and cheese. Their famous cheese balls are round and fried, and already became a hit in the city! They have a total of 15 types of cheese balls and 9 home dips. Cheddar, goat and blue cheese pieces are among the absolute favorites so far, be sure not to miss them from your order.

Bistro & Bar Koule

Moje první vinotéka
Address: Štítného 16, Praha 3

If you want to experience the exceptional atmosphere of the Moravian cellar in the city center- this is the place to go. You can have a drink in this Žižkov wine shop with a unique “underground” atmosphere.

They will offer you wines to drink mainly from Czech suppliers, as well as having the option to graze on pickled camembert, olives, or nuts. Soon, they are planning to expand the offer with a cheeseboard.

In December 2021, the UAE became the first country in the world to shift to a four-day workweek.

Inspired by the move, Belgium has also allowed its employees to work for four days a week, while also giving them the right to disconnect after work hours.

Those who want to subscribe to the new work regime will have to work 10 hours a day instead of the usual eight. The pay shall remain unchanged.

According to Euronews.com, Belgian prime minister Alexander de Croo told a press conference: “We have experienced two difficult years. With this agreement, we set a beacon for an economy that is more innovative, sustainable, and digital. The aim is to be able to make people and businesses stronger”.

The draft reform package agreed by the country’s will means that employees will have the right to request a four-day week and the employer must give solid reasons for refusal.

Over a 6 month period, employees will trial the 4 day work week and if they prefer they can return to a five-day week with no negative consequences.

The changes won’t be implemented immediately, but are expected to come into effect by the middle of the year.

After the UAE and Belgium, Spain, Scotland and Japan too have plans to permanently shift to four-day work-week. Scotland had launched a trial four-day workweek in September last year, which was a success.

Would you like to see this introduced here in the Czech Republic?

Hammering home the city of Ostrava’s transformation from an industrial coal and metal mining center in the 20^th century to the modern metropolis it is today, CHYBIK + KRISTOF has revealed plans for the Czech Republic’s tallest building: Ostrava Tower.

Subtly shaped like an X, the 56-story, the 235-meters-tall tower is the latest piece of urban infill for Ostrava, as industrial lots have given way to new residential and cultural buildings such as Steven Holl’s 2019 concert hall.

Flaring at the base and pinnacle and cinched at the waist with a 90-degree turn between the top and bottom, each of the three points contains public spaces; a barrier-free ground floor to allow for a seamless transition for pedestrians from the plaza at base level and the local bus terminal, and a public bar, cafe, and restaurant with panoramic views of the city at the very top.

ostrava tower, a tall building cinched at the waste

In between those two terminuses will sit residential units, offices, a hotel, retail, and a “congress centre”.

“Rethinking the typology of the skyscraper,” said architect Michal Kristof, co-founder of CHK, in the project’s announcement, “and its function to serve the public and activate the urban environment, one of our core missions was to create a positive social impact in the heart of Ostrava. The studio’s intention was to create a simple but powerful form that acts as a beacon into the city center.”

close up view of crinkled glass curtain wall

Ostrava Tower will be wrapped in a “jittering,” pleated glass facade that closely follows the jagged floor plates of each story.

Aside from the aesthetic flair, increasing the complexity of the tower’s edges also corresponds to an increase in viewing angles.

A copper-colored metal brise-soleil will top the roof deck and undulate with the same sharp curves of the building below while shading guests.

Russia dropped its final game of the round-robin after losing 6-5 to the Czech Republic in one of the craziest games of the men’s Olympic hockey tournament.

The game ended Group B preliminary round play, with Russia taking the top spot with seven points, Denmark sitting second with six and the Czech Republic and Switzerland closing out the pact. The rest of the qualification round seedings will be finalized on Sunday when Group A and Group C finish play.

The Russians struck first at 4:51. Vladimir Tkachyov beat Simon Hrubec with a hard shot after a pressure-packed start to the game by the Russians. The Czechs would answer back at 12:37 when Tomas Kundratek’s shot beat a screened Ivan Fedotov, the first goal he allowed all tournament long in his third start of the tournament.

The game remained tied until 32:19 when Nikita Nesterov’s point shot blew through open ice and beat Hrubec to restore Russia’s lead.

But that’s when everything went bananas.

A penalty to Dmitry Voronkov at 37:34 proved to be extremely costly for the Russians, giving the Czechs a five-minute power play. David Krejci scored at 18:42 on a one-timer opportunity before Michael Spacek walked in and blasted a shot that squeaked past Fedetov’s blocker and in for the 3-2 goal.

The Czechs finally scored a 5-on-5 goal against Fedotov. At 43:14, Lukas Klok would use traffic in front of the Russian net to fire the puck in for his first goal of the tournament, giving the Czechs a two-goal lead.

At 3:50, Kirill Semyonov scored to make it 4-3 before Arseni Gritsyuk flew by a defender to tie the game at four apiece.

But the scoring wasn’t done. Russia took the lead back at 48:22 when Andrei Chibisov beat Hrubec with a shot that seemed to surprise Hrubec, who was unprepared for the opportunity. Speaking of surprise, Tomas Hyka scored 35 seconds later when his shot from below the goal line bounced off the leg of an unsuspecting Fedotov for the 5-5 goal.

The game required overtime to decide the victor, the second such game to go beyond the scheduled distance for the Czech Republic in a row. With Alexander Nikishin in the box for slashing, Lukas Sulak scored a power-play goal with 30 seconds left in the extra frame to give the Czechs the win, similar to the team’s result against the Swiss in the shootout two days prior.

The Norwegian airline Flyr will start flying from Prague to Oslo on April 7.

On Thursdays and Sundays, it will offer connections between Prague and the Norwegian capital Oslo, and from June 14 it will add a third connection every Tuesday.

Return tickets start at €99. The flight schedule foresees departures from Prague at 14:55 and from Oslo at 12:05.

Flyr is an LCC carrier based in Norway. The airline operates domestic services in Norway and popular destinations in Europe with Boeing 737-800 aircraft.

Flyr received an air operator’s certificate (AOC) from Norway’s Civil Aviation Authority on 17-Jun-2021 and launched passenger operations with Oslo-Tromsø service on 30-Jun-2021.

In addition to Prague, the carrier announced the launch of flights to Billund, Stockholm, Pisa and Edinburgh.

Oslo will thus become a destination with exceptionally high competition. Currently, only Norwegian offers a flight connection, while SAS is scheduled to return at the end of March.

Norwegian expects a gradual increase in the number of flights to once a day, SAS plans five flights a week.

Located on beautiful Na Orechovce street, in the historic area of Střešovice – where the buildings are inspired by old French architecture, you will discover the truly eloquent beauty of Indian cuisine- Tresind Indian restaurant.

This new and bustling Indian restaurant has opened its doors to the people of Prague to experience and indulge in the authentic flavours of India.

Tresind– inspired by the French word ‘tre’ meaning ‘very’ and ‘ind’ for its Indian background and heritage, this new restaurant opened at the beginning of 2022 to share their love for Indian food in a fine dining environment.

At Tresind you will elegantly dine while enjoying your favourite timeless classics with a modern twist or sample their special daily menu which gives you a taste of the best dishes they have on offer.

The daily menu changes every weekday and is served from 11 am to 3 pm at a fixed price, which gives you the opportunity to try the new variety of aromatic flavours they have on offer.

Popular dishes on offer are chicken tandoori and butter chicken which are loved by many. Tasty street food dishes, authentic in flavour can also be found, along with the options to have dishes made gluten-free and vegan.

Unique to any other Indian restaurant in Prague, Tresind makes you feel at home when visiting. This special space is the perfect location to dine with family and friends, where you will treat yourself to a first-class gastronomic experience allowing you to make fond memories.

tresind prague

Looking ahead to Valentine’s Day, Tresind will offer a special hand-crafted Valentine’s Day menu which will be the perfect date night for all couples.

Here you will find a special multi-course feast for 2, treating you to all the best dishes on offer including starters, main course, and dessert; plus prosecco, wine, tea and coffee.

This special menu is on offer for CZK 999 per couple. This fabulous meal is the perfect Valentine’s Day to experience the best food and great company.

Tresind also hosts a range of private events. Whether you’re looking for a special birthday party, corporate event, or wedding reception, their spacious event room is available and can accommodate up to 250 people.

Your event will be a superior first-class experience, excellent service and, of course, phenomenal food.

For an exclusive home delivery service, Tresind can be contacted via phone or their website, where you can experience the taste of India at home.

To book the limited and premium Valentine’s Day menu, please contact the restaurant as soon as possible to make a special reservation.

tresind prague

Article written by Kathy Zabinski, Literacy Coach at International School of Prague

Oral language, speaking and listening, is an important foundation for learning to read and write. Understanding this, the International School of Prague’s Early Childhood Foundation’s program provides young children with both informal and structured opportunities to grow as speakers and listeners. Children build their vocabulary, begin to internalize sentence structures, and develop listening skills to build social connections and to learn new information.

The International School of Prague is extremely fortunate to have Ms. Kathy Zabinski (left), a literacy, pedagogical, and thinking expert, as our ISP ES Literacy Coach. She works with all of our teachers and teaching assistants from Early Childhood to Grade 5, focused on maximizing student learning and progress in literacy. (Read the Learning Story about Ms. Zabinski’s work with teachers.)

This year our Early Childhood Foundations’ teachers have engaged in a professional inquiry exploring the relationship between oral language, reading, and writing. Working with renowned early literacy experts, Matt Glover and Kathy Collins, and collaborating with international school teachers around the world, we are studying how students tell stories.

Matt Glover is an international literacy consultant who frequently speaks on topics related to nurturing writers of all ages, early reading, and supporting children’s intellectual development. Kathy Collins has worked closely with the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project at Columbia University. She presents at conferences and works in schools all over the world to support teachers in developing high-quality, effective literacy instruction in the elementary school grades. Matt and Kathy are authors of many books about early literacy development and co-authored I Am Reading: Nurturing Young Children’s Meaning Making and Joyful Engagement with Any Book.

As Matt and Kathy write, “When we can notice and name how children are composing language in one area, we can use that knowledge to support how they compose language in another area.” For example, if we notice a child making connections across pages and using that to say more about each page in her writing, we can then ask her to try this when reading.

Our professional inquiry with Matt and Kathy is focused on different aspects of language use, including the quantity of language produced, sentence complexity, and experimenting with language. We observe children closely and reflect on what we are noticing, how this might inform instruction, and the ways in which this matters for children’s learning.

Each month we have been able to meet together virtually with Matt and Kathy, and our colleagues from other international schools to discuss what we are noticing. Together we are working to develop a framework for intentionally using one area of language development to help children progress in another area.

As our professional inquiry progresses, we continue to observe and think about students’ use of language. This very act of looking closely at our students and discussing our observations enriches our teaching practices on an ongoing basis.

Not only is our team of teachers in ISP’s Early Childhood Foundations program already highly experienced in nurturing early literacy development, they are playing a key role in developing pedagogy that will improve literacy learning around the world. ISP’s Early Childhood Foundations program is exceptional precisely because our team of educators continues to grow the expertise to better support the children’s learning.

Curious about the Early Childhood Foundations at the International School of Prague? Join our Virtual Open Days – Register here.

To encourage broader participation, ISP will introduce significant reductions to the fee structure for 3 and 4 year-olds next school year. #inspire #engage #empower

Kathy Zabinski, Literacy Coach at International School of Prague:

A graduate of Stanford University with a degree in cross-cultural psychology, Kathy went on to earn a Masters in Reading. For the past 25+ years, she has worked in international schools in six different countries around the world.

As a literacy leader, Kathy plans and implements opportunities for teacher development, collaborating with teachers and teaching assistants with a focus on student learning. At the heart of Kathy’s practice as a Literacy Coach is a belief that “for classrooms to be places of learning for students, schools must be cultures of thinking for teachers” (Project Zero, Harvard University). This results in the ongoing refinement of teaching practices as colleagues teach and learn together.

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