ERIC ED380365: The School in Democratic Society: A Course Plan for Poland's Future Teachers.

189 Pages·1994·2.8 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
SO 024 550
ED 380 365
Broclawik, Krzysztof; And Others
AUTHOR
The School in Democratic Society: A Course Plan for
TITLE
Poland's Future Teachers.
Ohio State Univ., Columbus. Mershon Center.
INSTITUTION
PUB DATE
94
189p.; Edited in Polish and translated to English by
NOTE
Barbara Malak-Minkiewicz. Edited in English by
Gregory E. Hamot.
Non-Classroom
PUB TYPE
Guides
Descriptive (141)
Reports
Use (055)
EDRS PRICE
MF01/PC08 Plus Postage.
DESCRIPTORS *Course Content; *Curriculum Development; Curriculum
Guides; Education Courses; Elementary Secondary
Education; Foreign Countries; Higher Education;
Instructional Materials; *Methods Courses; Preservice
Teacher Education; *Teacher Education Programs
IDENTIFIERS *Poland
ABSTRACT
This document details the development and
implementation of a course for teacher education in Poland. The
course, "The School in Democratic Society," was prepared between
September 1992 and December 1993 as a cooperative effort between the
Polish Ministry of National Education and the Citizenship Development
for a Global Age Program of the Mershon Center at The Ohio State
University. First, a definition is given of the main aspects of the
school's operation in a democratic society and their relevance to
Poland's present and future needs. Additionally, some new tea^hing
methods were explored and subsequently implemented in Poland. The
course covered: (1) "Role and Position of the Teacher";
(2) "Student
Rights and Responsibilities"; (3) "Parental Participation in
(4) "Schools and the Local Community";
Schools";
(5) "The
Distribution of Resources for Education";
(6) "Schools as an
Organization and as a Community"; and (7) "The Role of Schools in a
Democratic Society." Lesson plans, practical suggestions for
teaching, and auxiliary materials are included.
(EH)
***********************************************************************
*
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
*
from the original document.
***********************************************************************
Society:
in Democratic
The School
Teachers
for Poland's Future
A Course Plan
by
Krzysztof Broclawik
Barbara Malak-Minkiewicz
Marek Simlat
Marta Zahorska-Bugaj
Elibieta 2uchowska-Czwartosz
English
Edited in Polish and Translated to
by
Barbara Malak-Minkiewicz
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Office of Educational Reaearcn and improvement
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
CENTER (ERIC)
his document hail been reprOduced as
114
received from the ()sewn or ofgenization
orownetinc it
O Minor cnenoes nave been made to improve
Edited in English
nePrOduction quality
Points of view or opinions stateo m this docu
merit do not necessarily represent official
OERI position Or ool.cy
by
Gregory %. Hamot
-PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS
MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY
TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC).-
Copyright 1994, The Mershon Center
2
BEST COPY AVAILABLE
Citizenship Development for a Global Age Program
A Note to Readers of English
two-volume
This document is the English translation of a
It represents new
course plan developed for use in Poland.
designed to
ground in Polish teacher education -- a course
To our
highlight the role of school in a democratic society.
knowledge, it is the first of its kind in post-communist Central.
With this in mind, we would like to
and Eastern Europe.
congratulate the five Polish social scientists who developed this
breakthrough toward realizing the democratic ideal in post-
communist teacher education.
Gregory E. Hamot
Assistant Director
Richard C. Remy
Director
Columbus, Ohio
May, 1994
3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction
1
Rationale
17
Topic
Suggested Number of Class Hours per
18
Topic I: Role and Position of the Teacher
35
Topic II: Student Rights and Responsibilities
50
Topic III: Parental Participation in Schools
61
Topic IV: Schools and the Local Community
Education
72
Topic V: The Distribution of Resources for
78
Community
Topic VI: Schools as an Organization and as a
90
Topic VII: The Role of Schools in a Democratic Society
INTRODUCTION
Society" was
A course entitled "The School in Democratic
prepared between September, 1992 and December, 1993 as the result
National
of a cooperative effort between The Polish Ministry of
Education and The Citizenship Development for a Global Age
The
Program of the Mershon Center at The Ohio State University.
Mershon Center is an interdisciplinary organization that is
recognized internationally for its work in curriculum design,
The
developing instructional materials, and teacher education.
project was funded partially by the PEW Charitable Trusts of
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The authors of the syllabus (one political scientist, one
sociologist, one educational psychologist, and two social
psychologists), with consultation from American specialists in
education, spent four months (September - December, 1992) at the
Mershon Center of the Ohio State University working on the first
The primary specialists were Dr. Luvern
draft of the Syllabus.
L. Cunningham, Professor Emeritus of Education and former Dean of
the College of Education at the Ohio State University, and Dr.
Richard C. Remy, Professor of Education, Associate. Director of
the Mershon Center, and Project Co-Director.
This first stage of work was devoted to defining the main
40
aspects of th6 school's operation in a democratic society and
their relevance to Poland's present and future needs.
The
Additionally, some new teaching methods were explored.
ii
suggestions for
second phase took place in Poland, where detailed
procedures
the content of the course and teaching methods and
were developed.
iii
6
R;TIONALE
1. Basic Assumptions
forty years of communism in
When looking back on more than
be dissatisfied with
Poland, one can find many reasons to
Teachers were probably in a position
schooling in our country.
On the level of doctrine, they were
to be disappointed most.
type" of society -
recognized as an important pillar for the "new
generation.
forming and enlightening the young
- responsible for
inclined to specify
In practice, however, Communist leaders were
strict
harshly the practice of teachers by enforcing
As a consequence,
subordination to bureaucrats and politicians.
perceived them as more or less
many within Polish society
voluntary agents of indoctrination.
their children obeyed
Parents were concerned whether or not
hostile
teachers' demands enough to avoid trouble, and they were
They
school.
toward the politically imposed authority of the
their children.
could hardly influence the formal education of
The majority limited themselves to indirect control over
didn't fit
schooling by correcting the child's knowledge when it
the family's standards and values.
authoritarian
Often, students did not like school and its
There was no sort of authentic bond between the
atmosphere.
influence
school and the community, nor could the community
schooling in any respect.
2
this
Therefore, it is now an object of consensus that
Polish
unsatisfactory condition of Polish schooling must change;
Yet, this necessity for change
schools have to be democratized.
has a deeper justification: a need to educate the young
generation for life in a free and democratic society.
it is
Democracy as a political system is unstable as long as
Modern
exclusively a political system and not a type of society.
Democracy is a mode
democracy is more than a form of government.
of associated living. It assumes freedom, justice, and equality
It asks for participation and responsibility from
for everyone.
It is
In a democracy, nothing is decided in finality.
everyone.
No static "final product" of
a process of continuous change.
The "democratic ideal" fulfills
this process can be identified.
itself in the ways individuals and groups act and interact with
each other. Thus, the democratic ideal implies that "education
It
for democracy" should be based on democratic experiences.
requires school to become a democratic environment in the sense
of both a democratic climate and democratic means.
The postulate for school democratization is often questioned
from the point of view of the nature of the school itself.
School is organized in a hierarchic way, and the teacher's role
If these principles
is defined through the concept of authority.
were rejected, the execution of the school's fundamental
However, what can and
functions would be inhibited considerably.
should be rejected for the sake of the educational process are
blind discipline, coercion, arbitrary rules, and disregard for
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3
in the school means
In essence, democracy
the students' dignity.
than a lack of tyranny, well
nothing more (and nothing less)
justice, sensitivity toward
established and clear regulations,
authority based on
rights, and teacher
and respect for students'
that schooling
Also, it should be stressed
professional mastery.
There are other domains of
exclusively.
does not mean classes
self-governments) that
activity (e.g., students and teachers'
authentic democratic rules
should be organized on the basis of
and procedures.
democratize schools
Release from communism does not
emerged that are
Moreover, many obstacles have
automatically.
Political
the present.
related to the transitory character of
changes and results in
instability disrupts necessary legislative
Economic crises
educational leadership.
a "revolving door" of
school reform and make
limit some recognized possibilities for
situation of teachers and many
the already difficult financial
students more difficult.
of democratic
There are barriers created by the lack
formal
Very often, the main agents of
experiences as well.
do and how to
education do not know precisely what they can
expressing
They have problems with
initiate democratic changes.
with reaching
mutual expectations, with compromising, and
They do not know
agreement on issues of school and education.
and procedures.
patterns of behal'ior that honor democratic values
"democratization of
As an effect of such a situation, the slogan
0
4
superficial rather than authentic
the school" leads frequently to
untouched.
Old structures and habits remain
activity.
prospective
The purpose of this course is to empower
change toward democracy in
teachers to take on the challenges of
Undoubtedly, since democratic values
the Polish school system.
the teacher who is
prevent "autocratic temptation," only
to the
committed to democratic values can contribute
Such values are responsible for
democratization of the school.
solutions and actions, even if
an inclination toward democratic
The course
consuming.
they are difficult, complicated, and time
If it will give
values.
we propose is linked to this type of
utility of
preservice teachers the possibility to recognize the
will be
democratic skills and procedures for school life, they
and procedures
able to improve and develop further these skills
throughout their teaching careers.
preservice teachers
To achieve the intention of this course,
goals.
should have the opportunity to realize two overarching
cognitive
First, they should be offered the opportunities to gain
insight into the actuality and potential of Polish schools in the
Therefore, not only do they have to
context of democracy.
investigate the present situation of education in Poland, the
to
character and consequences of reforms, the barriers for them
but
hurdle, and other pertinent aspects of the present situation,
also possibilities for development based on the Polish
experience, the practice of other countries, and democratic
values and principles.
10