Polish schools, similarly to other European countries, do not focus closely enough on social and civic competences. Not enough attention is still paid to teamwork, mutual help, open discussions on sensitive matters, joint undertakings for the local community, student initiatives and autonomy.
According to the International Civic and Citizenship Education Study conducted in over 20 countries around the world, there is a large gap between how students and teachers view the school in Poland. The teachers think that students are very autonomous and that their opinions are heard, whereas young people feel they have little influence on school life and learning processes.
Reports from internal school evaluation suggest that only 6% of students feel that they can suggest how to decorate the classroom, and only 4% of children think they can influence the rules or the evaluation system. There is a big difference between what students experience and what the principal or the teachers think of their participation in school life.
Do you know what students think about the level of participation they have in your school? Do they feel that they have a real say in what decisions are taken and that their opinions are taken seriously? Organise an anonymous survey and find out!
