International Contacts, Week 7

     First, there were some questions that you asked of me in earlier blogs that I would like to answer.  One person asked if students did not pass the test after “middle school”, did that finish their education.  They can go back and repeat the last year of the “middle school” and retake the examination.  If they plan on furthering their education, they must pass the test to move on.

     Someone else asked what happens to children that are taken away from their mothers if they are unable to take care of them on their own.  They go to orphanages, but if the mother can prove later on that she can care for the children, then she can get them back. There is a different mentality in Poland.  A woman is expected to find a husband and have children.  She is not to get a divorce because it is not recognized by the Catholic Church.   As I mentioned in an earlier blog, many couples are choosing not to have children because of the economic situation in Poland.

      Teachers are required to have a bachelor’s degree in order to teach children ages 2-6.  They must have a Master’s degree to teach once the children are 7 and ready to enter school.  Public kindergartens ages 4-6, have a teacher but no aide.  Private kindergartens have one or two aides depending on the budgets of their program.  Professional development is required.   How much must be done depends on who is in the office of the government.   A point system is used in order for teachers to get more pay and credibility.  After the first, second, and third years, the director meets with the teachers and talks about the points they have earned for that year.  Points are given for education, experience, and the opinion of the director.  After the first three years, teachers and aides continue to accumulate points and meet with the director at year five, 10, 15 in increments of 5 .

       Monika (personal communication, June 14, 2012) wants you to know that there are good things about the education program even though she likes America’s system better.  She is thankful that she had to take foreign language classes all the way through school.  She is very thankful for the English that she learned.

        My parent’s mother-in-law started as a teacher.  Because she was a very good teacher, and the director liked her, she was able to study while working.  Her education was free.  When she completed her Master’s degree, she became a director herself.  She worked with the Department of Education on committees and was even offered jobs in the government.  She turned them down because she loved being a director and she hoped that my parent and her son would move back to Poland so that she could be the grandmother while they worked.

         My parent has just gotten her AA degree in early childhood.  She applied to Old Dominion University to get her bachelor’s degree in early childhood.  Then she wants to get her Master’s degree in special education.  She wants to help people the way people helped her when she came to the United States.  She said that she feels like she will always be a 2^nd class citizen because she is from Poland, even when she achieves her citizenship in the United States.  I told her that she is just as much a citizen as I am once she gets her citizenship.  That made her cry…tears of joy!!!

      I have truly enjoyed my time with Miss Monika and learning about education in Poland.  All countries have issues that must be addressed.  Learning with and from each other, education in all countries can be great!