In the US we have a large emphasis on sports and less on the arts. What is it like in Poland? I build schools. Often when bidding the project 95 % of the money goes to sports facilities and the arts are only listed as an alternate if the money is there.
Well high school and collegiate sports are pretty much non existent. They don't have the kind of system we have back home in the states. Most of the athletes are members of sporting clubs, which I assume is pretty much like most European countries. These sporting schools do exist, but not on a large scale. Sports are pretty much expected in the U.S.
The Us is going towards this way too. KIds now compete through sports clubs outside of school because many school programs are managed so poorly by unqualified staff and biased caoches etc. Europe always seems to be more advanced than the USA
many school programs are managed so poorly by unqualified staff and biased caoches etc
I'd say it's not the coaches and staff, but the kids. Too many are "uncoachable". So all others are averaged down and the results for all are pretty poor. How on earth would you coach a 10 year old who weighs 200 pounds and just can't stop eating.
I'd like to say that there are more important things to teach teenagers than sports, in the high school context. Like things which would help them being intellectually richer, in order to open their mind, be aware of other people, other cultures, better learn to relate to other people in general, and evelop their skills of analysis which would be useful in various jobs in their adult life.
I believe that, as with religion, sport should be left to the kids' (or parents') initiative outside the school scene.
But please give some feedback about the available curriculum in Polish high schools. It's very interesting indeed. And do you think that the quality is declining, improving, or staying the same over the years ?
I believe that, as with religion, sport should be left to the kids' (or parents') initiative outside the school scene.
Agreed on religion, but I agree with outintheyard that there should be a few hours of sports activities per week in all schools, as long as it doesn't become the most important aspect of education as it, unfortunatelly does in many North American schools.
I can't speak about the curriculum at the present time, used to be pretty ambitious though.
Sport is good for the development of the body and learning about team working. But regarding the problem mentioned by Outintheyard, maybe school should first teach them about eating healthy food ;) That's another story...
Too many parents want there children to become star athletes and make much money as celebrity athletes. When in reality one out of millions ever makes it. But heck, many play the lottery too and those odds are worse. Humans?
Good point out! I played 2 sports in HS rugby and football. I was the homecoming captain of the football team but high schools sports mean nothing anymore outside of high school. Some of the all county all league players we had now work at ****** jobs and drink their problems away. Some of the ones who got scholarships are doing well though. Many kids see it as a way to get $ for college. Most dont' get scholarships though.
I think people need to give their kids realistic goals. Being a famous singer actor or athlete is just so unlikely! Most who even make it that far end up having extremely short careers and alot of them don't even make that much $. People are just ridiculously optimistic in the USA its discusting. I know a few buddies who i guarantee their optimism will catch up to them. Every1 thinks if they try hard they will always be the lucky one! This is just a bunch of BS though lol. Look at the statistics not the successes lol. IF for ever 1 success there r 200000000 failures u probably won't b a success!
Polish schools have the biggest emphasis on teaching science. Physical education is poor. If students seriously want to practise some sports, they should attend to optional schools or lessons. Of course they can go to specialized school, where they can improve their physical skills, but then they don't learn much other subjects... what is much worse. Art is... funny. Most of students will do nothing if they aren't interested (at ordinary, public high school). But we learn comprehensive science instead... too much useless stuffs i think :)
sounds like a sportsmans nightmare, i'm glad i wasn't born into that kind of academic crippling timetable, jesus, where is the time for fun when you've finsihed your five days at school with no physical activity, sounds like hell. If it wasn't for sports at school i would have probably gone further of the rails.
I'm not saying that the polish system is bad, however for somebody like me it would be too academically driven with no other releases, there is nothing like a good swimming lesson after a horrible math one :)
I haven't said we don't have sports at school at all :)
ow lol, soz, didn't realise, i was ok at school and actually now am pretty switched on and partially intellegent, maybe :) However sport was and is still where my natural talent and flair is. Nothing feels as good to me than when i'm partaking in sport, nothing.
I enjoyed English and Geography at school and also used to get up on the stage and act for the school plays, thats because i'm a showman and like performing to an audience :)
But i think Polish education system is not good.
what do you think is wrong with it?? how would you change it?
hmm, you know, when students are 13-16 years old they attend to Gimnazjum school, where they learn basics of science. Then they go to Liceum, where they choose several the most important subjects for them. But they recall everything again and learn the same things in more advanced way. It's bad, because at Liceum teachers should teach us a few choosen subjects above all. Gimnazjum works bad, because we should have already known basics at high school and not learn every subject once again, because finally we know everything and nothing and there is no time to improve these choosen subjects which will be useful at university.
that sounds really confusing, i would have a job just to work out your academic system after what you've just said. i think you should learn all the important subjects all the way through school and then specialise when you get to college or university, thats how its done here and it works pretty well.
we know everything and nothing
lol i love that, i always say to people, 'i know a lot about not very much' :) good one Panienka
wow having had a look at some of those websites, i think there is one simple problem with the polish school curriculum, its OVERCOMPLICATED. I mean really, there are five different types of secondary school that you can attend, what 11 or 12 year old in the 'WORLD' is going to know what subjects they are going to want to do???
ANother point is that peoples skills sometimes don't develop until they are into their 14 or 15th year of their lives. This is wh i beleive that you should have a 'set' secondary highschool 'NATIONAL' curriculum rather than having these five options. It baffles me how any 11 or 12 can make such decisions and even their parents, yes they know there kids but they aren't developed yet, you don't know whether they are going to be a maths specialist or maybe a historian surely. To me its total maddness.
Ok my second point, i may be wrong but it seems that Polish children/Adults go to school until they are 19!!!!!! Where is the choice in this???? is it compulsary or what?? when i finish school at 16 i get the choice whether or not i want to continue onto the college/university path. I certainly don't have to slog it out unitil i'm 19!!!!!!!!!!!!.
I mean maybe i'm totally wrong here but this just seems a farsicle system where children and their families are firstly, made to make decisions too early about the future they will lead. Secondly they are committed to school until 19, you should have a choice at 16, otherwise your wasting another 3 years of your working life doing something you don't want to do.
First of all I would like to thank Panienka for her insight into the system of polish schools. Second, I would like to say the US could learn some of this, but Tornado is right. What a confusing mess it seems to be in structure of polish schools. Hopefully it will reorganize over time. The 19 year old situation is an interesting argument. One might argue that this would bring about more maturity in the individual here in the US. So basically the US seems to lenient in the public sector and polish to confusing. Change in either will happen over time. It may take generations of thought o make either system better.
well that certainly does make it look a little better, the website was a bit misleading i think. thanks for the link. i still think having to make big choices from primary to seconday school is a bit too soon for both parent and 11-12 year old children.
So with the greatest respect to Poles and the Polish system, why do a lot of the 'best' of Poland's students come to England to study on the 'English curriculum' to attain a degree of some sort??
Surely this is something Poland needs to address, part fo the reason people are leaving Poland is because of the educational system, then when they have achieved their degree, some prefer to stay in their new found home and find rewarding careers here in the UK. Thefore Poland is losing some of its best Brains.
So a question to Poles and maybe non-poles, what can be done about this??
I have never experienced it but i have heard many times that generally it's easier to study abroad than in Poland. And Poles can improve there foreign language. And maybe they bank on a good job there in future. And employers in Poland often prefer hiring those people. And a lot of different reasons i think :) Don't eat me now i just write what i know
Poland and North America should learn from Ireland, Good auld fashioned Catholic schools, where sports and arts are the least of your worries, a strong hand and cane will toughen you up, and a good old fashioned molesting 3 times a week is good for the soul.
Religion 2 times a week, will tell you all you need to know about the world, how abortion is performed with a coat hanger, how Mary was a virgin, how you are all born sinners and you are all going to hell and not Dante's holiday camp 9 circle thing, I remember sex education, a woman had a big picture of a sperm and said " this is not a tadpole" with amazing effectiveness 40 kids simultaneously thought tadpole.
It never did me any harm, the hair growing on my tongue has nothing to do with it.
i still think having to make big choices from primary to seconday school is a bit too soon for both parent and 11-12 year old children.
Agreed. At 12 kids have a problem to decide what they want for dinner, let alone decide what they will do for a living the next 40 or so years. I'd say even at the age of 16 it's a tad early to make career commitments.
The current system resembles pre-WW2 one. I'm not sure what they were thinking. The 8+4/5 (or 8+2+[3]) seemed to work quite well.
i have heard many times that generally it's easier to study abroad than in Poland.
I studied in the Poland, US and Canada and I would agree. To those in the know Polish universities present an excellent value. Take medical studies for instance. I have know a few Americans who got their MD degrees from Polish Medical Academies, and they had no problems with their diplomas being recognized in the US or Canada. A native Pole with the exact same diploma and in better standing will have a much harder time getting a position in North America. Sometimes it's a question of a little bit of discrimination (for the lack of a better word), other times it's a question of ignorance on the part of North Americans. They simply do not have a clue about the level of education in Polish academia, and the stringent academic standards typical of many Polish Universities.
I have a suggestion. As I can see visitors of this site come from all over the world, let's all describe what our high school studies consisted of. It would be interesting to see what is available to students when they chose their high school options, and what students prefer to choose, in different countries.
OK, so I'm in the French-speaking part of Belgium and graduated from high-school in 1989. Here is what I had, expressed as hours per week (one hour actually being a "period" of 50 minutes). It was a "public", or "state" school, meaning no fee and everybody allowed to attend (no selection). It was what we call the "general studies", lasting six years from the age 12 to 18 normally:
1. Mandatory common stuff: - History + Geography = 3 hours per week - French = 5 (as mother tongue) - Philosophy = 2 (you could chose Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim or atheist) - Sports = 3 - Drawing and painting = 1 (only during the 3 earliest years of high schools) - Music = 1 (only during the 3 earliest years of high schools) - Computer sciences = 2 (only during the 3 latest years of high schools)
2. Mandatory math and sciences (you're allowed to choose if you want 3 or 5 or 7 hours per week for each) (sciences go with + 1 hour of laboratory practice)
3. Foreign languages (available at 4 or 2 hours per week, and you must choose at least one language at 4 hours per week - the possible choices were: English, German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish)
4. Options (that's the stuff you can choose additionally if your previous choices for math/sciences/languages still allowed you to fill your timetable with more hours)
- Geography = 4 (in addition to the above-mentioned mandatory common lessons) - Sports = 4 (in addition to the above-mentioned mandatory common lessons) - Economics = 2 - Latin = 4 or 2 - Ancient Greek = 4 or 2
Now some things changed since then. I think you can't choose so many options anymore.
And I have a question about Polish high schools: do you ever learn Latin? If so, do many pupils still learn it?
