Various education and school issues in Poland. Opinions, stories, controversies.

creepy.... I had a colleague who forced students to do written exams with the cameras on their hands... I can't do that - I feel like a member of the Stasi....

Poland is too focused on products (exam results) and not on process (study habits, understanding processes rather than memorizing facts).

I remember the difference between statistics in the US and Poland. In Poland, as described to me by students, they mainly memorized formulas and equations and had no chance to actually use them.

In the US during tests they provided us with a sheet with all the formulas... most of the test was about knowing what formula to apply to what problem.. and finding the right answer too but that was only possible if we knew from the problem which of the half dozen or so formulas was appropriate. I had dreaded statistics but ended up enjoying it a lot.

The US system has problems too and is not to imitated by other countries but my natural inclination is to not put too much stock in high stakes test results....

No, it is normal and students are used to it already. :):)


That`s creepy.


Each student must develop those habits on their own.


The main difference can be seen in PISA tests - Polish students have always been ahead of Am ones in all categories, and in Maths they rock. :):) Do you think it is thanks to memorisation??? :):):)

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So that's where my taxes are going... on your fat a$$ ;))) Now I know why you have so much free time on your hands.


Sure, more tests, more exams, the more the merrier... for lazy leeches, sorry baboons :P


Good. Uncle Broniarz will certainly help you out ;)))

hahaha Yes, I see you are envious. To make you even greener with envy, I will tell you that I work only 9 months per year but am paid for 12. hahaha Thanks for your taxes - but you should still pay more so that I get a rise after holidays. hahaha


I detect you have bad memories connected with exams in the past. Did you pass the high school exam? Did you take it at all or you finished a vocational school?


No, I always rely on myself and it has never let me down. Don`t worry about me, that 1500 was only a little fraction of my earnings - actually, when he asked for a loan, I reached into the pocket and just took it out. Thank you again. buhahaha

Today, they took a foreign language exam - 95% chose English, of course. I don`t need to worry about becoming jobless. hahaha

Check the exam sheet here
rmf24.pl/raporty/raport-egzamin-osmoklasisty/2021/news-egzamin-osmoklasisty-2021-arkusze-cke-i-odpowiedzi-z-jezyka-,nId,5258988#crp_state=1

Contrary to Maths or Polish, English was banal. Reminds me of 6th grade exam in the past. I forgot to tell you the current primary school lasts 8 years.

How?
Two months and a few days of summer holidays
Christmas time - from 11 to 14 days
Winter break - 14 days
Easter - 1 week

It is good to be a teacher. Hey, anybody envious like Korki? Then why don`t you join our ranks?? :):):)


I already showed you difficult Maths and easy English.

How about Polish? See the sheet - this year students dealt with Pan Tadeusz by Mickiewicz but not only.

rmf24.pl/raporty/raport-egzamin-osmoklasisty/2021/news-egzamin-osmoklasisty-2021-arkusze-cke-i-odpowiedzi-z-jezyka-,nId,5254517#crp_state=1

Some exercises:
How can you explain the Judge`s statement: Every day I perceive the damage done to the youth who have no chance to attend schools which teach to live with people and the world. .

Funny exercise with calendar pages containing main topics and symbols from set texts. Do you recognise any books?

Which set book character displays moral courage?

Two topics for students` own texts, based on examples from set reading:

Essay - is it true that in difficult situations people get to know themselves.
Short story - Imagine that one of set text characters moved into your world. Write about your shared adventure during which the character was rewarded the title A Friend of Wisdom.

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Nobody recognised anything? Too bad. You lost contact with classic literature. :):) See below for clues:

Set texts for the primary school final exam include a few foreign titles:

A Christmas Carol (Dickens :):) )
Little Prince
Dead Poets` Society (optional)
Agatha Christie`s novel (optional)
Old Man and the Sea (optional)

How about Polish literature? One example:
The Labors of Sisyphus by Zeromski written in 19 th century. It shows school life in the Russian-controlled zone of partitioned Poland. Polish students, first passive and indifferent to national issues, slowly begin to resist the policy of Russification imposed by the Tsarist authorities.The Tsarist Russian occupiers try hard to indoctrinate Poles but it is obvious their endeavours will prove futile - hence, the title.

Why is this set text peculiar? Because I remember doing it in my primary school in communist times. Amazing, isn`t it? I still wonder if communists knew exactly what they were doing by making Polish students read it so extensively. I must say the book helped me understand a lot of things and develop my proper attitude towards indoctrination at the time. Coz we were also pressed and indoctrinated - e.g., learning Russian was compulsory from grade 5!

I still remember my essay that won the first prize in our school competition - I wrote about attitudes of young Poles under Russian occupation. They could be divided into 3 groups:

1. merrymakers mainly from rich families, they focused on partying, girls, games, fun.
2. loyalists - the ones who obediently followed all Russian rules and orders
3. patriots - the ones who decided to resist Russification.

Guess which group I wanted to belong to? hahaha

Here is a famous scene from the book which shows the moment of the national awakening in the passive class after they listen to a patriotic poem previously banned by Russian authorities.

youtu.be/O3efQ8yXmFg

What I like in Polish school in general is the fact that most teachers are decent people with open-minded attitude. They educate the youth about tolerance, discrimination, racism, phobias, nationalism coz they feel it is their moral duty and not because they are told to do so by their superiors or various organisations.

16th November is the Day of Tolerance, also celebrated in Poland. Traditionally, students and art teachers make exhibitions.

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Tolerance Day continued. BTW, a few weeks ago I had to make a report on my contribution into our school education programme. Each school has such a programme and each teacher is required to apply its content in practice. So, among others, I proudly admitted I am tolerant towards students affiliated with LGBT or Women`s Strike.

True Christian attitude, isn`t it?

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The primary school final exam results have been announced.

Average results:
Polish 60%
Maths - 47%
English - 66%

Brainwash them by some Bs proegssivies. figures many teachers of if not majority were educated by soviets'. Do they have to take a little rainbow flags home? In my home they found their place in the bin after properly educated as to what a commie idea and a lie it was.

You see, your kids are educated properly at school while at home you brainwash them into sth opposite. You know that one day they might think their daddy is very infantile with all his phobias.

Yes, it just occurred to me that rightists have a huge problem with raising their kids. Most, if not all schools promote that tolerance stuff coz it is natural that we should teach kids to be decent citizens. Then a rightist father or mother tries to reverse what the school has taught.

Don`t you think it can badly influence such kids? Having to deal with two coompletely different attitudes they can get sort of schizophrenic in result.


What could your kids think when their rainbow flags obtained at school landed in the bin? If you continue imposing your ideology on them against school standard, you might hurt them a lot, do you realise it?

The same I did probably, when teachers invited lgbt members who unquestionably let him talk about wether the almighty father is a mother or a father. Distorting how one is to pray. If that ain't demonic, do tell us what it is

What a weak and disgusting generalisation.


And that is the root of the problem.


The problem is that school teachers are out of touch with ordinary people.


Of course!
Teachers need to learn to understand how parents feel and think,not the other way round.


Exactly, teachers need to stop preachimg, it is not their job, they need to go back to teaching and not brainwashing kids.

@Milo, school is raising kids to some extent too, I think it's unavoidable. School taught me patriotism, for example, to some extent tolerance (towards Jews, for example), that neo-Nazism is bad, etc. And I'm grateful for that.

Btw, children aren't parents' property. They are their own people and may have different views than their parents (and they have the right to have them).

Well, the balance must be there. There are generally accepted standards and no parent can just say no to it. And if they do they have to home school. If a parent wanted his kid to be taught that for example Catolicism is the only option and all the other Faith's should be crushed even by force would that be ok?

Yes, that`s the best option for a rightist parent.


Yes. I see it when I observe students throughout school years. Some stay the same as they were in the first year but many change. For better, of course. :):)


There is no time to think about each parent. The curriculum is very tight. :):) You don`t like school as it is ? - take Lenka`s advice. How simple. :):)

Which is to be expected in any Polish school


Who gave you that idea? In a public school that would depend on it's local community, parents, teachers and the principle. There is a program to be followed by the ministry of education.

Defending your children from bad influence is not the same as trampling other children. If their parents don't want the best for their kids, that's their choice.

I think all that is good.


Exactly my point, I don't think it is any more.

For me, the job of teachers is to educate not to indoctrinate.

I feel that Pawian is a biased person with his attitude towards "Rightists" and is not fit to be an unbiased educator.

Every school is raising kids and promoting certain values. The actions as posted on Pawian's pics are not the work of a single teacher.

@Lenka
Understood.
But I still don't think that is a teacher's role.
Educate not indoctrinate.

@Milo, but when I wrote that school taught me patriotism you stated that it's good :) So is it education in this case or indoctrination?

@Paulina

How can a love of your country be indoctrination?
We are talking about patriotism here, love for your country,as opposed to nationalism which is a feeling of superiority over other nations.
Poles are not 1930's Germans......

But that is school teaching certain value. For some tolerance towards others is in the same category. Why teaching one is ok and the other isn't?

@Milo, you wrote yourself that teachers (and school in general?) should educate. I'm not saying that patriotism is bad. But educating would mean only teaching history, for example. Not patriotism. That would mean teaching a neutral version of history rather then from the point of view of the Polish nation, I suppose. Without the emotional bias (patriotism).

Because that is not the job of teachers.
Their job is to teach,not to indoctrinate with political views.


Yeah, I don't have a problem with that.Patriotism may or may not follow from that approach to education.
But that is fine.
I just hate the political indoctrination that seems to be happening in schools across Europe right now.

How about teaching evolutionism or non-divine universe creation if parents don`t believe in them? Or what if parents are flat earthers? Or how about teaching poetry ot literature by a guy who got the Nobel Prize but has very liberal views? etc etc

You see, everything in education can be called indoctrination today.

That is why I don`t care when I hear such silly suppositions. I just do my job which I know must be done and don`t look behind. Simple.

@pawian

I don't have a problem with any part of your post.
Because I do not see a.political agenda in any of that.
For me, that is an education like the one that I had.
A wide selection of views.
It is the narrow minded, this is how you should think, stuff that I hate.
And teaching kids that right wing thinking is wrong and left wing thinking is right is unacceptable and teachers have no right to step into politics.