|
|
Post by jeanne on Feb 5, 2009 1:00:28 GMT 1
it is extremely hard to see the light from within. Yup, and this applies to both ends of the spectrum!  Well, here's something that we could really debate... Modern relativism would have us think so, wouldn't it? But I believe in the 'natural law' and I believe that humankind does have a code of 'moral' law which is common to all. Certain actions are universally regarded as evil...like murder. If Christianity is understood correctly, one recognizes, obviously, that anyone foaming at the mouth to kill muslims is not a Christian. |
|
|
|
Post by tufta on Feb 5, 2009 13:42:01 GMT 1
Thanks for possible explanations! I'll think abaout that.
|
|
|
|
Post by locopolaco on Feb 5, 2009 16:48:39 GMT 1
Well, here's something that we could really debate... Modern relativism would have us think so, wouldn't it? But I believe in the 'natural law' and I believe that humankind does have a code of 'moral' law which is common to all. Certain actions are universally regarded as evil...like murder. right, but i beleive one doesn't need religion to arrive at that conclusion. exactly, but christianity is used in twisted ways to achieve certain goals. same as islam or any other religion. what the religion does to it's followers is that they don't question the hierarchy of the church/mosque which leaves on exposed to whims of the powerful. f for example, gw tauts himself as this huge christian who takes directions from god, yet he directed american young men and women to go kill innocent iraqis w/o a real reason. he was also ok with torture etc.. see what i'm getting at? so besides twisting religion, he also twisted laws. there are a lot of people like that. look at all the catholic priests that perpetrated heinous crimes against young men. there are examples of so many misbehaviors in the name of religion throughout the history of mankind that it's hard to argue, for me, that religion is a good thing. it's a double standard at best.  |
|
|
|
Post by Bonobo on Feb 5, 2009 23:09:14 GMT 1
because a brilliant specialist is only interested in the narrow subject they are specializing.. the other stuff is meaningless to a focused mind. there is a great saying in america about what you describe polish people here: "jack of all trades, master of none". <- i'm definitely that. things bore me after a while. It is true. I am the same. I know a bit of everything but am a real expert at nothing in particular ( except for riddles at which I excel). ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D Booooring...... ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D It reminds me of my acquaintance who once went to work in Italy. He worked in a factory and was shocked to see how Italian workers can`t cope with simple problems that were beyond their work interest and prefered to wait for a specialist than solve sth by themselves. Their eyes opened wide every time he helped them and their typical comment was: What, you are an electrician/ plumber/ locksmith/bricklayer too??? I was ROFLing listening to his story because he was a very comical guy, a born comedy actor. |
|
|
|
Post by Bonobo on Feb 5, 2009 23:12:35 GMT 1
I think part of the answer has to do with attitude. Some Americans (either brilliant or not) simply see the U.S. as the center of the world, Yes, a problem with altitude. Americans place themselves much higher than the rest of us. That is a problem. A new Babel Tower. ;D ;D ;D (Unlike those of us who spend our time delving into the mysteries of Polish culture! ;D ;D ;D) Virtually relishing on it!!!:  polandsite.proboards104.com/index.cgi?board=polishfood&action=display&thread=488 |
|
|
|
Post by jeanne on Feb 6, 2009 2:57:23 GMT 1
Well, here's something that we could really debate... Modern relativism would have us think so, wouldn't it? But I believe in the 'natural law' and I believe that humankind does have a code of 'moral' law which is common to all. Certain actions are universally regarded as evil...like murder. right, but i beleive one doesn't need religion to arrive at that conclusion. Agreed. That's why I referred to it as 'natural law'...and that is a certain, universally understood code of right and wrong...known as 'morality'. Yes, this will always happen, as it is human nature. What you seem to be doing, though, is singling out people who adhere to organized religion, when this occurs throughout society. Even atheists have a 'religion' (that of not believing in God) and they can twist their beliefs also to the detriment of society. Organized religions, like every other institution, are made up of humans with their flawed nature. Catholic priests are not alone in their misbehaviors; you can find such actions among any group. What is sad is that the scandal associated with such actions, and the accompanying media coverage skew the reality that there are also very good priests and very good members of organized religions that are doing very productive and admirable work throughout the world. Anyone can say they are a rocket scientist, but unless they are designing them and launching them, they're not. Anyone can say they are a Christian, but unless they are doing their best to follow the teachings of Jesus, they're not. But if they are following those teachings, it helps society, not harms. |
|
|
|
Post by locopolaco on Feb 6, 2009 4:36:45 GMT 1
right, but i beleive one doesn't need religion to arrive at that conclusion. Agreed. That's why I referred to it as 'natural law'...and that is a certain, universally understood code of right and wrong...known as 'morality'. Yes, this will always happen, as it is human nature. What you seem to be doing, though, is singling out people who adhere to organized religion, when this occurs throughout society. Even atheists have a 'religion' (that of not believing in God) and they can twist their beliefs also to the detriment of society. Organized religions, like every other institution, are made up of humans with their flawed nature. Catholic priests are not alone in their misbehaviors; you can find such actions among any group. What is sad is that the scandal associated with such actions, and the accompanying media coverage skew the reality that there are also very good priests and very good members of organized religions that are doing very productive and admirable work throughout the world. Anyone can say they are a rocket scientist, but unless they are designing them and launching them, they're not. Anyone can say they are a Christian, but unless they are doing their best to follow the teachings of Jesus, they're not. But if they are following those teachings, it helps society, not harms. kinda. there are those who preach this "morality" that goes completely aganist mine. you could call atheism religion but it is not as it is not organized. big difference. flawed humans: unacceptable in such as positions of authority and trust as priesthood. you can't be making excuses for them. on the other hand, you are right as there are those "pure" ones that do the good work. so very few of those though. as to harm or not: i see it differently as i have seen too many people that believe in their righteousness so much that they are over the top. it's very prevalent here in the states. so, keep your 'morals' (or whatever) to yourself is pretty much the motto i go with many things in life. i guess i don't see as much faith in people as you jeanne. |
|
|
|
Post by jeanne on Feb 7, 2009 1:13:14 GMT 1
flawed humans: unacceptable in such as positions of authority and trust as priesthood. you can't be making excuses for them. on the other hand, you are right as there are those "pure" ones that do the good work. so very few of those though. i guess i don't see as much faith in people as you jeanne. Loco, ... Have you ever met a human who wasn't flawed in some way? I haven't. And I think most people of faith struggle with the help of their faith to become less flawed. Enjoyed the debate... |
|
|
|
Post by locopolaco on Feb 7, 2009 1:44:49 GMT 1
flawed humans: unacceptable in such as positions of authority and trust as priesthood. you can't be making excuses for them. on the other hand, you are right as there are those "pure" ones that do the good work. so very few of those though. i guess i don't see as much faith in people as you jeanne. Loco, ... Have you ever met a human who wasn't flawed in some way? I haven't. And I think most people of faith struggle with the help of their faith to become less flawed. Enjoyed the debate... jp2 counts, no? the opposites would be baker, swaggart ... and the list goes on. in their own eyes, they too seeked perfection. i'm gonna add the last president as i think he still thinks he's done good. |
|
|
|
Post by jeanne on Feb 8, 2009 0:28:56 GMT 1
He counts  But the point is, this is just a micro-fraction of the list, the highly visible ones. The list goes on and on, and it includes all of us;... this is human nature! ;D |
|
|
|
Post by Bonobo on Feb 22, 2009 21:54:41 GMT 1
Winter holiday is always two weeks in Poland. That is a nice break...ours is only one week, but we do have another week's vacation in April. So do we! ;D ;D ;D OK, showdown! Let everybody tell about their holidays!! In Poland school breaks up for: summer - 23.06 - 01.09 - 9 weeks. All Saints` Day - 1 Nov Independence Day - 11 Nov. Christmas and New Year - 22 Dec - 2 Jan - about 12 days Winter holidays, depending on the region, in January or February - 2 weeks. Easter - 8 days in March or April. Labour and Constitution Days - 1, 2, 3 May. Corpus Christi - one Thursday in May. Makes about 15 weeks of holiday. Almost 4 months. Not bad. What about you? |
|
|
|
Post by Bonobo on Feb 25, 2009 22:36:18 GMT 1
I remember the young Polish man that we knew a few years ago telling us that he cheated on his high school exams, his father cheated on his exams, and that he was sure his children would cheat on their exams. We were shocked at such a blatant acknowledging, but it is easy to see why this is so. I am always on guard while administering tests. My students, both at high school and uni, know that I am strict on cheating. Yet, they always try and I always collect a few cheat aids.
Cheating rampant in Polish universities 17.02.2009 Listen 4,31 MB
Last week was the end of the semester for Polish university students and I was lucky enough to take my first-ever exam in the Polish language (which is, by the way, one of the hardest languages in the world, seventh-hardest to be specific). While the details of the exam are not at all important or interesting for you, the phenomenon of cheating, so raging and rampant in Poland, stunned me.
Presented by Magdalena Jensen.
Now, I graduated from a respectable, quality university in the United States. I took many, many exams. Not once did I experience what I experienced last Tuesday at my university here. I also attend a respectable university in Poland – one of the best, in fact, yet it seems that that does not make much of a difference to Polish students. Allow me please, to give you a detailed run-down of my experience last week.
I waited outside of the classroom in a mass of students fervently glancing over notes, checking facts with each other and nervously biting their nails or twirling their hair. I was, however, probably more nervous than all of them, about to enter the hall and take an exam in Polish for the first time ever – and I had no idea what to expect. Yet, that is besides the point. When the professor arrived, we all filed into the classroom. Mass chaos ensued.
Immediately, people began locating what must have been considered ‘prime’ seats – which meant that everyone was piling into seats in the back of the classroom, near the windowsills, and generally as far from the front where it was assumed that the professor would sit, his head buried in a newspaper while his students took the exam.
I located a girl I vaguely knew, who helped me study a bit for the exam, and sat next to her. We exchanged the usual pre-exam small-talk – the basic point of which was that we both felt under-prepared and extremely nervous. Now, I know this girl from an economics class as well, and I know her to be somewhat of a nerd – very studious, hard-working and honest – or so I thought. What came next from her really stunned me.
She glanced around and shared the fact that she was extremely happy that there were so many of us sitting in the room to take the exam because that meant that she could pull out her little cheat-sheet with notes on it. Immediately, I was shocked. I too looked around and began to notice many people settling in, pulling out pens, pencils and ID cards… but also little tiny pieces of paper that they were securing in their sleeve cuff or between their legs.
I had always heard of sneaky ways to cheat – like writing answers all over ones thigh and wearing a very short skirt which my friend once explained to me was very popular in Korean high schools… but that was high school and this is university. I was, needless to say, shocked at the extent to which people prepared to cheat in Poland – and the extent to which it is just considered normal.
In the United States, people cheat a bit – you know, a quick glance over a colleague’s shoulder – but you can also be booted right out of university if caught, so no one ever thinks to make note cards. Yet, upon further discussion with my friends here, it seems that everyone just takes it as a normal part of exam time – cheating is embraced by students and professors tend to turn a blind eye.
It is very difficult for me to judge the students for cheating in this situation, especially because I have since learned that it is so absolutely normal for students to cheat in Poland. While I still find it an abhorrent practice, I also believe it is somehow a fault of the system. In this country, it is not required to attend the majority of lectures – so no one goes! Especially because they are mainly scheduled for the un-Godly hours of 8 or 9 am – really – I assure you that this is an unholy hour for any student. Not only that, but the lectures include books that are veritable tomes – so large and unwieldy that it is difficult to retain an information from them. So, I can understand the drive to cheat from that perspective.
But, what’s worse, is the so-called ‘blind-eye’ tendency that Polish professors and universities have adopted towards the phenomenon of cheating. Most professors do not even administer their own exams – they have graduate-level students or random proctors do it – and what do those people care if students have little note cards. Not to mention, if a student is stupid enough to get caught checking their cheat-sheet, the punishment is really not harsh. As I mentioned, in the US, students get immediately expelled. But, in Poland, students get a light slap on the wrist – a zero in the class – but obviously you can just take the class again the next year and take the exam over again.
I recognize that exams in Poland are unusually difficult – extremely so, in fact. But, I still have a hard time accepting this seemingly normal tendency of Polish students to cheat.www.polskieradio.pl/zagranica/news/artykul102911.html |
|
|
|
Post by Bonobo on Mar 1, 2009 22:59:12 GMT 1
|
|
|
|
Post by jeanne on Mar 2, 2009 17:47:05 GMT 1
OK, showdown! Let everybody tell about their holidays!! In Poland school breaks up for: summer - 23.06 - 01.09 - 9 weeks. All Saints` Day - 1 Nov Independence Day - 11 Nov. Christmas and New Year - 22 Dec - 2 Jan - about 12 days Winter holidays, depending on the region, in January or February - 2 weeks. Easter - 8 days in March or April. Labour and Constitution Days - 1, 2, 3 May. Corpus Christi - one Thursday in May. Makes about 15 weeks of holiday. Almost 4 months. Not bad. What about you? As I think I have mentioned before, individual states and local school districts have the liberty to decide on their own school calendars, so there is quite a bit of diversity as far as when school sessions start, end, and have their vacations. I know that schools in the southern US tend to go back to school very early (mid August) in order to be able to end earlier due to the summer heat. I will speak only to my state of Massachusetts in general and the district in which I work in particular: Children in Mass. must attend school 180 days per school year. In the past most schools began after the Labor Day holiday which is always the first Monday in September. Over the past 10 or so years, however, many have begun to go back the last week in August for about 3 days, giving the students the Friday off before Labor Day so that families can have one last long weekend before summer ends. My school district has been one of the few to continue to start on the Wednesday after Labor Day with Tuesday being an orientation day for staff only, EXCEPT, they have now decided that the '09-'10 year will begin for teachers Aug. 31st and for students Sept. 1st. This is because Labor Day is very late this year and school would not start until the 9th if we followed the usual course. The administrators are afraid that with a few snow days it is possible that school for the next term may not end until almost July. I was disappointed as I was greatly looking forward to the later start of school and an additional week of vacation, as I work the first 6 weeks of the summer and don't get the long vacation most school employees do. Anyway, schools usually get out mid-June and any snow days missed during the winter are tacked on then to fulfill the 180 day requirement. During the school year, holidays are as follows: September - Of course there is Labor Day if the school started before this day. In October Columbus Day (2nd Monday) November 11th, Veterans' Day Thanksgiving Holiday (4th Thursday in November). Our schools usually get out at noon the day before, have Thurs. and Friday off. December - Christmas Holiday usually begins at noon on the 23rd and runs until Jan. 2nd or the first weekday after New Year's Day. January - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - 3rd Monday. February - February vacation, one week; in Massachusetts it is the week of President's Day which is the 3rd Monday. March - no Holidays  unless Easter occurs in March, then our school district would have a half day for Good Friday and many others would have all of Good Friday off. April - April vacation; in Massachusetts this is usually the third week of the month coinciding with a Monday holiday of "Patriots' Day" which is a state holiday. May - Memorial Day, last Monday of the month. June - Term ends around 15th - 18th, plus any missed days for snow, floods, etc. In many districts there are also about 3 days during the year when students do not have school, but staff go for 'professional development.' These days are determined by local school districts. |
|
|
|
Post by jeanne on Mar 2, 2009 17:51:45 GMT 1
Corpus Christi - one Thursday in May. One question...wouldn't the Thursday in May be Ascension Day? Isn't Corpus Christi usually in June? |
|
|
|
Post by Bonobo on Mar 3, 2009 21:10:36 GMT 1
Corpus Christi - one Thursday in May. One question...wouldn't the Thursday in May be Ascension Day? Isn't Corpus Christi usually in June? Hmmm.. it depends, it is a movable/mobile holiday. Last year and in 2005 it fell in May. |
|
|
|
Post by Bonobo on Mar 3, 2009 21:21:47 GMT 1
Children in Mass. must attend school 180 days per school year. That`s 180 weekdays, without weekends of course? More or less the amount of free time is the same as in Poland, except for Polish longer winter holiday - two weeks. It is funny. April break seems a bit artificial. But I suppose it originated from Easter holiday which used to be more popular once. Right? |
|
|
|
Post by jeanne on Mar 4, 2009 2:32:22 GMT 1
One question...wouldn't the Thursday in May be Ascension Day? Isn't Corpus Christi usually in June? Hmmm.. it depends, it is a movable/mobile holiday. Last year and in 2005 it fell in May. It fell in May last year because Easter had been the earliest it could ever be in March, but usually Corpus Christi is in June, isn't it? The Thursday in May that is a Holy Day is Ascension Day, and I assume that would be a holiday for you. |
|
|
|
Post by jeanne on Mar 4, 2009 2:40:24 GMT 1
That`s 180 weekdays, without weekends of course? Right, we never go to school on Saturdays or Sundays. Yes, it used to be Easter break. But Easter is, as you say, a movable feast, so the public school system needed something with a bit more stability to determine when the break would be. At least our April vacation in Massachusetts is structured around Patriots' Day which commemorates the start of the American Revolution here. Some school systems don't have both a Feb. and an April vacation, but have instead their break in March. |
|
gigi
Kindergarten kid
Posts: 1,470
|
Post by gigi on Mar 4, 2009 16:06:29 GMT 1
It is funny. April break seems a bit artificial. But I suppose it originated from Easter holiday which used to be more popular once. Right? Yes, it used to be Easter break. But Easter is, as you say, a movable feast, so the public school system needed something with a bit more stability to determine when the break would be. At least our April vacation in Massachusetts is structured around Patriots' Day which commemorates the start of the American Revolution here. Some school systems don't have both a Feb. and an April vacation, but have instead their break in March. In our district we have a long weekend off in mid-February (the Friday before President's Day as well as the Monday President's Day off). Spring Break always coincides with Easter (it is usually the week before Easter, then the kids go back to school the Monday after Easter). If Easter is in March, then so is our Spring Break. |
|
|
|
Post by Bonobo on Mar 4, 2009 16:33:20 GMT 1
In our district we have a long weekend off in mid-February (the Friday before President's Day as well as the Monday President's Day off). Spring Break always coincides with Easter (it is usually the week before Easter, then the kids go back to school the Monday after Easter). If Easter is in March, then so is our Spring Break. Isn`t this Easter break too offensive for non-Christians in your district? |
|
gigi
Kindergarten kid
Posts: 1,470
|
Post by gigi on Mar 4, 2009 17:28:03 GMT 1
Isn`t this Easter break too offensive for non-Christians in your district? Hence the name "Spring Break". Remember our previous discussion about "Winter Break"  |
|
|
|
Post by Bonobo on Apr 2, 2009 21:10:59 GMT 1
BTW, how do you call a situation when a teacher asks a student to come to the desk and read his/her homework or answer some questions about the stuff taught before? In Polish it is pytanie - asking, and you get a mark for it. Marks from tests plus asking give final grades. Is such method still used in US? Here it is used practically on every lesson as it disciplines students (in theory at least) to learn systematically. We would refer to your 'asking' as an 'oral exam'. I don't think that oral exams are that prevalent in High School. I think that it is used more frequently for post-graduate university exams where students need to 'speak' what they have learned. (In elementary school, we sometimes use it for our special educ. students who cannot express themselves in writing but who have mastered the information.) Hmm, I suppose the US lags behind. The method is widespread in Poland, from primary schools to universities.... I wouldn`t call it an exam in case of schools, though, as it is less formal, shorter and gives a student a mark, one of many during the term, not a final grade. |
|
|
|
Post by jeanne on Apr 3, 2009 23:05:00 GMT 1
Hmm, I suppose the US lags behind. The method is widespread in Poland, from primary schools to universities.... I wouldn`t call it an exam in case of schools, though, as it is less formal, shorter and gives a student a mark, one of many during the term, not a final grade. Well, in that case we can also refer to it as 'oral quiz', 'oral test', or just an 'oral assessment'. p.s. 'Oral exam' also refers to what the dentist does when you go for your check-up! ;D |
|
|
|
Post by Bonobo on Apr 13, 2009 17:54:46 GMT 1
Government against sexual education in schools
thenews.pl
06.04.2009
Poland's Ministry of Education has opposed including sexual education classes on every school's curriculum.
According to the ministry, obligatory sex classes are unconstitutional.
MEN explains that parents have the right to bring up their children as they see fit, teaching them morality and religion in agreement with their beliefs.
But sexual health campaigners disagree.
"If parents do not agree with Darwin's theory, it does not mean that their children can skip biology lessons", argues Maria Keller-Hamela from Nobody's Children Foundation, who supports sexual education.
Michal Baran, however, from the Youth Catholic Association claims that, "It is absolutely unacceptable for the state to take the role of parents in bringing up children." Baran explains that teaching sexuality should be accompanied by morality lessons.
In January, the Union of Polish Teachers signed an agreement aiming at propagating sexual education in Polish schools. During sex classes pupils were to learn how to protect themselves against HIV and AIDS and how to practice birth control.
Because of the government's objection to the plan, starting from the new school year, sexual education classes will become an extra-curriculum activity only for those who are willing to take part in them.
.................................................................
Education boom and challenges
Polish Market
2009-03-31
There are 94 public colleges supervised by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education in Poland today, including 35 State Higher Professional Schools. A further number of about 300 privately run colleges operated in Poland in 2008, thereby substantially improving the scope of available education.
The number of students in higher education schools has grown from 394,000 in the 1990/1991 academic year to almost 2 million today. The national academic student rating in the 19-24 years group has reached 48%– one of the largest in Europe. It must be added, however, that Poland's education has a mainly quantitative character – as is revealed by the latest Central Statistical Office report ("Students in higher schools of eudcation in Poland in the 2007/2008 academic year").
1,937,000 students were registered in all types of schools of higher education in Poland at the beginning of the 2007/2008 academic year. 501,000 persons commenced courses in the first year of studies, 14,000 more than in the previous year, including almost 10,000 more in privately run schools. The greatest number of first year students entered economic and administration courses, accounting for 23 % of all first year students.
The number of students attending full-time courses was 940,000, with 997,000 studying in other types of course. Public colleges educated 1,276,000 persons in first and second degree studies and in M.A. and M.Sc. studies which was 1.9 % less than in the 2006/2007 academic year, while 660,000 persons attended private colleges, which was 3 % more than in the previous year. 63 % of all students attended full time courses in public colleges, with only 21% of the total number studying in private colleges.
The number of foreign students in Polish schools of higher education is steadily increasing, the number being 14,000 in 2007/2008, 2000 more than in the 2006/2007 academic year.
The number of graduates has also risen substantially, 394,000 left higher education schools in the 2005/2006 academic year, compared with 410,000 in 2006/2007. A greater interest is also evident in post-graduate studies. There were 173,000 such students enrolled in the 2007/2008 academic year, 15 % more than in the previous year. (Central Statistical Office – "Students in schools of higher education in Poland in the 2007/2008 academic year').
But the quality of university education in Poland does not match other statistics. Even Poland's topmost ranking public universities like the Jagiellonian University in Kraków and the University of Warsaw are placed among the lower four hundred in the so-called "Shanghai list" – the prestigious ranking of the world's best universities. The Ecole des Mines de Paris competitive list places not a single Polish university among the best 400 world universities.
The global economic crisis is also being sensed by private colleges, the number of which is expected to drop from around 300 to around 100 – according to their vice-chancellors. Barbara Kudrycka, Minister of Knowledge and Higher Education in a recent conference spoke on "Achievements and tasks facing privately university education in Poland" admitting: "The only way out for private education is consolidation of colleges". She suggested that apart from linking together private colleges with the purpose of improving the level of education, such higher schools should make the courses they offer more attractive by enhancing quality, friendly contacts with students, IT infrastructure and databases in libraries.
|
|
|
|
Post by Bonobo on Apr 19, 2009 18:07:49 GMT 1
At last, read about the Polish education system. The pill The present educational system in Poland was introduced in 1998/1999. Many things were changed concerning administration, financing, inspection, supervision, guidance, teachers rights and duties. Pre-school education underwent certain changes.According to the new Educational Act of 2002, pre-school education is treated as the first level of the education system and starting from 2003/2004 school years it will be compulsory for children of six years old. This education stimulates the general development and gives the primary reading skill and basic mathematics. Pupils of 7-12 attend primary school, which is also compulsory. Primary education is divided into two cycles: the first cycle (grades 1-3) at which beginning learning is offered, and the second cycle (grades 4-6) at which systematic learning is provided. Primary schools operate on the basic of general educational plan mat determines the minimum weekly number of lesson periods of particular subjects. The main components taught at the lower level of the primary school (grades 1-3) re: Polish language, social and natural environment and mathematics, crafts and technology, art and music and physical education. In the lower grades one teacher teaches all subjects, while in the higher grades each subject has a different teacher and usually pupils change classroom for each subject. After completing primary school pupils can choose different secondary education, which is free of charge. General secondary schools provide pupils with general education, with the possibility of receiving the graduation certificate of general education. Those who have passed the final examination called matura" may apply to universities. Those who do not want to study at university and those who have not taken the matura" examination may continue their education in post - secondary vocational schools. Secondary schools of vocational education prepare qualified workers and others with equivalent qualification. They also provide general secondary education. The purpose of these schools is to meet the demand for qualified workers, and they also provide young people with the opportunity of acquiring secondary education and taking the matura" examination. Students can choose post-secondary education. They are trained as nurses, accountants, administrative personnel for enterprises and hotels, computer specialists, librarians. After secondary school students can take higher education. There are various types of higher education institutions in Poland. We have such institutions as: universities, polytechnics, economic academies, agricultural academies and others. The biggest academic centre is Warsaw, which has the largest student enrolment, the greatest number of higher education institutions and the largest number of teachers. Day studies in state higher schools are free of charge. www.partners-in-education.com/pages/poland/The_Polish_School_System.htmlEverywhere in Poland the school year begins at the 1st of September and ends around the 25st of June (last Friday of the month). Students have 2 months and a week of vacation in summer, 2 weeks in February and some days off around Christmas and Easter. Teachers have about 5-6 weeks of summer vacations as they have to spend the rest of the summer preparing material and the teaching programme for the following school year. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Education_in_PolandEducation in Poland starts at the age of six (or seven) years in primary school (Polish szkoła podstawowa). Next is the lower secondary level consisting of three years in gymnasium (gimnazjum), starting at the age of 13, ends with an exam. This is followed by upper secondary level, which has several alternatives, the most common being the three years in a liceum or four years in a technikum. Both end with a maturity examination (matura, roughly equivalent to British A-levels examination and quite similar to French baccalauréat), and may be followed by several forms of upper education, leading to licencjat or inżynier (Polish equivalents of Bachelor's degree), magister (Polish equivalent of Master's degree) and eventually doktor (Polish equivalent of Ph. D. degree). HistoryThe Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth's Commission of National Education (Polish: Komisja Edukacji Narodowej) formed in 1773 counts as the first Ministry of Education in the history of humankind.During partitions of Poland and Second World War, much of Poland's education was carried on in secret (see Education in Poland during World War II and Flying University). The education in the People's Republic of Poland had on one hand vastly improved the literacy of all students, on the other hand some sciences (especially history and economics) have suffered from communist preference to propaganda over facts. Polish education system was reformed in 1999. Primary school was shortened from 8 to 6 years, and high school was changed from 4 year liceum into 3 year gymnasium and 3 year liceum. GradingThere are a few slightly incompatible grading systems used in the Polish education. Lower education In the lower education the old system used up to the early 1990s was: * 2 (niedostateczny, insufficient) * 3 (dostateczny, sufficient) * 4 (dobry, good) * 5 (bardzo dobry, very good) The grades were used to rate each student's performance at the end of a school year and getting a 2 meant that the student would have to repeat the class or correct the grade by taking an additional exam (egzamin komisyjny) before a committee specially assembled for the exam. Grades 3 and higher allowed to proceed to the next class. The grades given for individual assignments, exams etc. during the school year were based on the same scale, but allowed also intermediate grades, made by adding a plus, a minus or, in case of some teachers, a double minus, to the base grade. These "fractional" grades had no official recognition in the system of final grades, but the common practice was to base the final grade on the average of all the grades accumulated over the year. Fulfilling all the expectations usually meant a 5, with 5+ being occasionally given as an "exceeds expectations" grade. The full scale was therefore: * 2, 2+ * (3=), 3-, 3, 3+ * (4=), 4-, 4, 4+ * (5=), 5-, 5, (5+) (where "=" did not mean "equals" but was a common way of writing "a double minus" by those teachers that used such grades) In the early 1990s the system was extended by introducing new grades, 1 and 6. * 1 (niedostateczny, insufficient) * 2 (initially mierna, poor, later renamed dopuszczający, passing) * 3 (dostateczny, sufficient) * 4 (dobry, good) * 5 (bardzo dobry, very good) * 6 (celujący, excellent) In the new system, 1 is the failing grade, 2 to 5 are normal passing grades, and 6 means that the student exceeded the expectations. The system is used like the old one. Adding minuses to a 6 is extremely uncommon. The performance that is better than 5 but does not deserve a 6 is usually graded 5+. So the full scale is: * 1, (1+ is rare) * (2=), 2-, 2, 2+ * (3=), 3-, 3, 3+ * (4=), 4-, 4, 4+ * (5=), 5-, 5, 5+ * 6 (6- is rare too) Grades below the lowest official passing grades, that is 3=/3- in the old system or 2=/2- in the new one, in case of some teachers mean that an extra examination is necessary before passing the student. Because getting a 1 (2 in the old system) in any subject means that the student has to repeat the year, including all subjects that were passed, the teachers are very reluctant to give a failing grade and usually allow some form of special examination in the last weeks of the year to correct the grade to 2 (respectively 3). For the same reason, the failing grades are usually only given in the "important" subjects (like Polish language or mathematics). Students in Polish schools typically learn one or two foreign languages at schools. Generally, in 2005/06 the most popular obligatory foreign languages in Polish schools were: * English - 67.9% * German - 33.3% * French - 13.3% * Spanish - 10.2% * Russian - 6.1% * Italian - 4.3% * Latin - 0.6% * Others - 0.1% In 2005/06 there were 49,200 students in schools for national minorities, most of them in German, Kashubian, Ukrainian and Belarusian. Some remarks for Irish teachers by an Irish who spent 5 years in Poland.intercultural-education-ireland.blogspot.com/2008/11/polish-educational-system.htmlPrimary School:Children in Poland do not start primary school until they are 7. Before that age, however, there are many options open to parents to start schooling their children. From the age of 3, children may be enrolled in a crèche or a pre-school. However, this is not obligatory. What has been obligatory from 2004 is that at the age of 6, children must attend zerówka (‘the zero class’) – a preparatory year during which children learn how to function in a classroom setting: they learn how to cooperate through play, they develop their concentration skills, and they do the groundwork which will enable them to tackle the skills of reading and writing during their first year in primary school. At 7 then, they are ready and fully-equipped to join the mainstream school system. Pupils spend 6 years in primary school (until they are approximately 13). Marking:Something noteworthy about the primary level system in Poland, and indeed about the educational system there in general, is that there is a very strong emphasis on testing and marking. Even from a young age, children are fully aware that the mark, as the end-aim for a piece of work, is what really counts (you might hear them ask about the ‘note’ for a piece of work. This is a mistranslation of the Polish word nota which means ‘mark’ or ‘grade’). Of the young children I taught, I found that giving ‘good’, ‘very good’ or ‘excellent’ as comments for work was often met with the enquiry as to what that translated into in mark-terms: did I mean a 5? Or a 6? The following is a rough guide to the Polish marking system and how it corresponds to the Irish system: 6 (= A++) (a really excellent mark) 5+ (= A+) (a little less excellent than a 6) 5 (= A) 5- (= A-) 4+ (= B+) 4 (= B) 4- (= B-) 3+ (= C+) 3 (= C) 3- (= C-) 2+ (= D+) 2 (= D) 2- (= D-) 1 (= E/F) Polish parents may enquire about marks or grades for their children’s work and the above breakdown may help to put our system into a context they can understand. Sometimes these marks are used to grade homework, as well as class tests or behaviour. If a child behaves badly, he or she may receive ‘1’ for that day’s class. For Polish teachers, marking is one of the first lines of defence in the discipline battle. The threat of ‘1’ before an impending parent/teacher meeting is usually quite effective! Second Level: GimnazjumThe current structure of the educational system in Poland is something relatively new. Until 1999, pupils spent eight years in primary school and four years in secondary school. Now, pupils spend six years in primary school, three years in gimnazjum (lower secondary school) and three years in an upper secondary school (szkoła średnia), such as a liceum. For many Polish pupils, the 6 years spent in second level education is an intense and demanding time. The subject load is heavy, and the emphasis on marking and testing is greater than ever. At the end of 3 years in gimnazjum, pupils have to sit a ‘competency test’ – something akin to our Junior Cert, except that the test comes in two parts. The first part deals with the humanities: Polish, history, and cultural and artistic knowledge. The second part is science-oriented: biology, chemistry, physics and astronomy, geography, and mathematics. From the academic year 2008/2009, a third part – testing foreign languages – will be added to the exam. The system at this point gets a little complicated. To understand it better, a comparison could be made to the points system Irish pupils go through after Leaving Cert. In Poland, a points system comes into play after their gimnazjum competency test (as well as after their liceum final exam). After gimnazjum, the more points you have, the better the liceum you will attend. A ranking of licea is published yearly in the national newspapers. This ranking is based primarily on the results of Matura (the equivalent of our Leaving Cert) and the individual achievements of pupils in each school. The ranking is a source of prestige for schools but also a source of pressure for principals, teachers and pupils to maintain their ranked position on a year-by-year basis.
For those wishing to attend the better-ranked licea, competition and pressure for points after the gimnazjum competency test is generally fierce. The test itself counts for the highest number of points, but points can also be awarded for, among others, sporting and artistic achievements, class marks at the end of the final year at gimnazjum, and achievement at competitions. The phenomenon of ‘the competition’ (konkurs) is not something we are entirely familiar with in Irish schools but is an extra dimension to the Polish system – pupils are encouraged to deepen their knowledge, widen their experience base, and, of course, gain extra points by attending inter-school competitions. These may be of an academic, sporting, or artistic nature and they start as early as primary school, continuing right through secondary school. Liceum:After this intense time of competition and points-counting in gimnazjum, pupils move on to liceum or upper secondary school. There are different types of upper secondary school, the most typical being the traditional structure that we are used to in Ireland, but pupils can also choose to attend a vocational school, a technical school, a music school or an art school (in the case of the final two, pupils would normally have already attended a music/art primary school and gymnazjum). In the more traditional structure, the pupils take a range of subjects – some familiar to Irish students and some not. Polish, of course, is compulsory, as is at least one foreign language, with a great deal of pupils taking English or German. Less familiar subjects include Sociology and Politics (WOS), as well as Health and Safety (Przysposobienie Obronne), and Preparation for Family Life (Przygotowanie do Życie w Rodzienie). P.E. and Religion -P.E. and religion are compulsory for all pupils. When it comes to religion, pupils can choose between a traditional religion class and an ethics class. Neither type of class is subject to examination and if a pupil does not wish to attend, he/she can withdraw from the class but only with the written consent of his/her parents (this applies until the pupil is 18). When pupils start at liceum, they are expected to choose a class ‘profile’, slotting themselves into the type of class grouping most suitable for their future studies or career. There are many different types of profile, for example: maths, journalism, or the humanities. A pupil from a maths profile class would spend the bulk of his or her time on maths and related subject areas, but would also have to attend classes in the compulsory subjects. After three years in upper secondary school, pupils sit their Matura exam. Exams must be sat in Polish and a foreign language (written and oral). After that, it is compulsory to sit a written exam in one other subject. All exams (except Polish which is one level for all) can be taken at two levels – lower or higher – and the pass mark is 30%. Like the Irish Leaving Cert, getting into third level education involves a points system. This system is quite recent and until a few years ago, universities demanded that prospective students sit an entrance exam as well as their Matura exam. This has been all but done away with now, making the system much fairer but no less competitive. Read an article by an acquaintance of mine: A typical school day of a Polish kid culture.polishsite.us/articles/art374fr.htm |
|
|
|
Post by Bonobo on Apr 19, 2009 19:08:05 GMT 1
So the full scale is: * 1, (1+ is rare) * (2=), 2-, 2, 2+ * (3=), 3-, 3, 3+ * (4=), 4-, 4, 4+ * (5=), 5-, 5, 5+ * 6 (6- is rare too) I still find the scale not enough for my needs. That is why I also use up and down arrows to have strong or weak marks which are at the very border of achievement, e.g., 5  is a strong very good, which is close to 5+. And I don`t think that 6- or 1+ are rare. I use them often. This shows that English teachers are underprivileged because they can`t be jobless. They must work 24/24. |
|
|
|
Post by Bonobo on Sept 20, 2009 20:59:47 GMT 1
This year the curriculum for primary schools has been changed. I think for worse. My son who goes to 1st grade is going to learn the first letter in October. The sad thing is he already reads and writes at home, also in English. He took a thick book with him on vacation, he regularly does homework for home English class. He learnt to read and write in zero class in the last year of kindergarten. I think we can call it preschool class.
My wife remarked: the curiculum that the 1st graders have now is much lighter than zero class in kindergarten.
This is a new tendency: make curriculums easier in all types of schools. Yes, kids are burdened wit ha lot of material and homework. Mu oldest son who has the old curriculum in 4th grade has a lot of work to do at home.
He complains but we are glad that teachers are so demanding. The competition is going to be fierce soon. We want to send him to a good junior high school, but he needs to do well at competence tests at the end of primary school. He can do it because the guy takes intelligence after us, but he is too lazy. We have to force him to learn.
I predict that in a dozen years` time Polish students going to Western schools won`t excell in everything like now.
|
|
|
|
Post by locopolaco on Sept 21, 2009 16:13:08 GMT 1
This year the curriculum for primary schools has been changed. I think for worse. My son who goes to 1st grade is going to learn the first letter in October. The sad thing is he already reads and writes at home, also in English. He took a thick book with him on vacation, he regularly does homework for home English class. He learnt to read and write in zero class in the last year of kindergarten. I think we can call it preschool class. My wife remarked: the curiculum that the 1st graders have now is much lighter than zero class in kindergarten. This is a new tendency: make curriculums easier in all types of schools. Yes, kids are burdened wit ha lot of material and homework. Mu oldest son who has the old curriculum in 4th grade has a lot of work to do at home. He complains but we are glad that teachers are so demanding. The competition is going to be fierce soon. We want to send him to a good junior high school, but he needs to do well at competence tests at the end of primary school. He can do it because the guy takes intelligence after us, but he is too lazy. We have to force him to learn. I predict that in a dozen years` time Polish students going to Western schools won`t excell in everything like now. you know, i think that is the trend all over the west.. USA has been dumbing down for quite a while now.. it's really sad to see.. now the rightwing crazies want to teach creationism only.. no darwin.. this is very, very sad and will not help this country at all. ignorance will bring USa to it's knees faster then bush ever could. |
|
|
|
Post by valpomike on Sept 21, 2009 17:04:35 GMT 1
This is just your thinking, if you can call it that, but what do you know, you think we have a great leader. We had a great leader in Bush, and now we have nothing but a person who only cares for his own, ACORN, and others. I wish we had Bush back again, and back to good times, when most, who wanted to work could.
Our schools are still very good, but you would not know, since you don't have children or grandchildren in them. I do, and I check on our schools in my area, and make sure we don't, dumb down, or we can all become Loco's.
Mike
|
|
unless Easter occurs in March, then our school district would have a half day for Good Friday and many others would have all of Good Friday off.
