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TEACHER TRAINING - BASIC AND SPECIALIST TEACHER TRAINING
Specific Legislative Framework
The legal act governing teacher training in university-type institutions is the Act of the 12th of September 1990 on Schools of Higher Education.
The legal act governing teacher training in schools of higher vocational education is the Act of the 26th of June 1997 on Schools of Higher Vocational Education.
The basic legal act governing teacher training in colleges is the School Education Act of the 7th of September 1991, and detailed rules for the functioning of colleges are defined in the Regulation by the Minister of National Education of the 12th of August 1997 on teacher training establishments, which is an implementing act to the above-mentioned law.
The general and detailed requirements, the model of a graduate and content of the curriculum for teacher training are defined in the Regulation by the Minister of National Education and Sport of the 7 September 2004 on teacher training standards.
The legal act which sets out qualifications required of teachers is the Regulation by the Minister of National Education of the 10th of September 2002 on the detailed qualifications required of teachers and the definition of schools and cases where teachers without a higher education diploma may be employed. The provisions defined in this act must be respected by all institutions providing training for teachers.
The Act of 27th of July 2005 "Law on Higher Education" is a new legislative act concerning higher education. This Act applies to both public and non-public higher education institutions.
A new regulation by the Minister of National Education and Sport of 7 September 2004 on teacher training standards was implemented in the academic year 2004/2005. Higher Education Institutions are to train teachers in two areas of expertise - a main one and an additional one - so the teachers are trained to teach 2 subjects or types of class. The number of hours devoted to the training of additional specialist teaching has been defined (minimum 400 hours in higher vocational studies and minimum 550 hours in magister degree studies). A percentage of teaching hours in the evening and extramural types of courses in relation to the day courses has been defined (minimum 80% in the evening courses and minimum 60% in the extramural courses) in higher vocational studies, in supplementary magister degree studies and in long (single-cycle) magister degree studies. The number of hours devoted to practical training has increased to 180. The language proficiency level required from the graduates of the pedagogical HEIs has been defined on the basis of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages designed by the Council of Europe.
Institutions, Level and Models of Training
The concurrent model of teacher training is a dominating model of teacher training in Poland. It applies mainly to training in pedagogical institutions including higher schools of teacher training, teacher training colleges and foreign language teacher training colleges. It also occurs in all higher education Institutions. In the framework of each study area the students can choose specialist training, which means that they can acquire their teaching qualifications during studies, parallel to their subject related training. For those who graduate with no specialist training but later decide to undertake the teaching profession, it is possible to acquire teaching qualifications during postgraduate studies or during in-service training. This constitutes an element of the consecutive teacher training model.
The following institutions are in charge of teacher training for all levels of education in Poland:
- Universities and teacher training schools (pedagogical academies) train teachers with various types of specialisation for schools at all levels; they mainly train teachers of general-education subjects for primary and secondary schools, teachers for pre-school education and early school learning, teachers and educators for educational and child care establishments, vocational guidance, pedagogical and psychological services (as well as other specialist units aimed at the support of children and youths) as well as school and pedagogical libraries. The School of Teachers for Special Education, prepares teachers for special schools and establishments of various types and at various levels. The Special Education Academy in Warsaw is the only higher education institution that provides teaching in the study area of special education with all the relevant specialisations. In Poland, apart from the academy mentioned above, there are 18 other research and teaching institutions (institutes, chairs, departments) that specialise in special pedagogy and in training teachers for special education.
- Academies of physical education train teachers in physical education and those to run remedial and compensation activities for schools and establishments of all types and at all education levels.
- Technical universities train teachers in vocational subjects for secondary schools, teachers of technical skills and, on a limited scale, teachers of general-education subjects covering mathematics and natural sciences for schools of all levels and types.
- Academies of fine arts and academies of music train teachers in fine arts and music for schools of various levels and types.
- Academies of economics, academies of agriculture, academies of medicine and the Academy of Mining and Metallurgy train teachers in vocational subjects for secondary vocational schools of various levels and types.
- Schools of higher vocational education train teachers in the various areas of specialisation for nursery, primary and basic vocational schools, further education establishments, school libraries as well as teachers of theoretical vocational subjects and practical vocational skills for secondary schools.
- Teacher training colleges train teachers in the various areas of specialisation for nursery, primary and basic vocational schools, educational and child care establishments as well as school libraries. They prepare for integrated teaching in grades from I to III and to subject teaching in grades IV to VI.
- Foreign language teacher training colleges train teachers one foreign language for primary and secondary schools.
A person, who has higher education with a relevant pedagogical qualification or has graduated from a teacher training institution (college) can undertake a teaching job in a school or other educational establishment of his/her choice, as a fully qualified teacher. According to the Regulation by the Minister of National Education and Sport of the 7 September 2004 on teacher training standards, the pedagogical component of studies has to include a minimum of 480 hours (psychology, pedagogy, teaching methods for a particular subject, additional subjects, practical training in a school). During day studies practical training at a school is usually organised in the second half of the cycle or upon graduation.
In Poland there is no final on-the-job qualifying phase. A teacher undertaking his/her first job is employed for a period of one year in order to undergo a "trainee" period (sta¿) required for promotion to the post of contract teacher. A trainee teacher in Poland is not considered to be upgrading his/her qualifications, but taking an initial position on the promotion scale.
Curriculum, Special Skills, Specialisation
Higher education institutions were not subject to any regulations on the curricular contents for teacher training. Both types of schools have, however, subject groups: field-specific and pedagogical including teacher practical training.
The training of teachers in higher education institutions is mostly provided within fields of study which prepare specialists for various professions (e.g. studies in the field of chemistry prepare specialists for work in industrial enterprises, research institutes and laboratories as well as teachers of chemistry). Within a field of study students may either choose specialist training and acquire teacher qualifications as part of their studies or complete studies without specialising and acquire teacher qualifications upon completion of post-graduate studies or qualification courses. Higher education institutions train mostly teachers in one specialist subject though recently they have also started to introduce studies covering two specialist subjects, mainly combining related specialisations (e.g. pre-school education with early school learning, mathematics with computer science or physics, chemistry with biology or physics, biology with environmental protection, etc.). Teachers may also be trained to teach a second subject during post-graduate studies, which usually lasts 3 to 4 semesters.
Syllabuses and curricula in higher education institutions are determined by their autonomous authorities. The General Council of Higher Education does, however, define the minimum curriculum requirements for individual fields of study and the minimum number of contact hours (the minimum number of hours for three-year licencjat courses is 2200 and for five-year "Magister" courses is 3000).
However, teacher training courses are normally not limited to the minimum number, and contact hours cover, depending on the field of study, 2300-2500 in three-year studies and 3300-3500 hours in five-year studies respectively.
The Minister of Education determines the qualifications required of teachers and the minimum number of hours assigned for pedagogical training. According to the regulations issued by the Minister, pedagogical training must comprise:
- a minimum of 510 hours in the 3-year cycle preparing to teach 2 subjects: 330 hours of theoretical preparation and 180 hours of practical training in a school
- a minimum of 480 hours in the 5-year cycle preparing to teach 1 subject (specialising in one major subject): 330 hours of theoretical preparation and 150 hours of practical training in a school
- a minimum of 600 hours in the 5-year cycle preparing to teach 2 subjects (specialising in one major and one minor subject): 390 hours of theoretical preparation and 210 hours of practical training in a school.
The act of the 20th of July 2001 on the amendment to the Act on Schools of Higher Education, to the Act on Higher Vocational Schools and on amendments to other relevant acts mentions a right of a relevant minister for higher education to define the teacher training standards including the characteristics of the graduate, the subjects to be taught, the scope of practical teacher training, curricula and required skills.
With respect to the teacher training colleges, there is no legislation defining the curricula for teacher training. Nevertheless, the subject groups are applicable: field-specific and pedagogical including a teacher practical placement.
Colleges are required to follow framework syllabuses issued by the Minister of National Education and Sport which determine the duration of studies, compulsory subjects or blocks of compulsory subjects as well as the number of hours assigned to these subjects and to the practical training in a school (the number of contact hours in colleges varies from 2300 to 2500, depending on the subject of specialisation). Teacher training in colleges provides specialist training which corresponds to the subjects taught in schools or activities carried out in further education establishments. Except for foreign language colleges, colleges prepare their students to teach two subjects.
Both higher education institutions and colleges provide full-time day, evening and extramural studies for teachers (According to the new Law on Higher Education of 27 July 2005 students - future teachers are offered a possibility of distance studies). All these types of studies follow the same syllabuses and curricula and apply the same standards.
Requirements concerning teacher qualifications are defined in the Regulation by the Minister of National Education and Sport of 10 September 2002 on the detailed qualifications required of teachers and the definition of schools and cases where teachers without a higher education diploma may be employed.
Teachers are fully qualified to teach in special or integration schools if they have acquired the teaching qualifications for the relevant level of education and the qualifications to work with pupils with a given type of disability. Teachers, who have graduated from a relevant specialist course in special pedagogy, completed a qualification course or the relevant postgraduate studies are qualified to be in charge of revalidation classes for pupils with disabilities in a school or in a boarding school.
Educational Staff responsible for Support and Guidance
The teacher "pedagog" and teacher psychologist are teachers responsible for support to teaching activities and for educational and psychological advice provided usually in schools.
The teacher "pedagog" and the teacher psychologist are responsible for supporting teaching activities and for educational and psychological advice usually provided in schools.
The teacher psychologist is trained in the field of psychology. The main responsibilities of the staff in this category include the identification of the strengths and weaknesses of the pupils, provision of psychological and pedagogical support and advice on the pupils' choice of future training and profession, organisation of actions to prevent and deal with behavioural disorders as well as supporting teachers in the implementation of the school care programme. They are not obliged to teach.
The teacher methodological adviser and teacher consultant are responsible for providing methodological advice and organisation of in-service teacher training courses.
The teacher methodological adviser offers his/her support in schools or in regional/ local in-service teacher training centres. He/she is responsible for provision of methodological support to teachers, and particularly new entrants to the teaching profession.
The teacher consultant prepares and runs in-service teacher training courses, including those related to education management, and also organises training seminars and conferences.
Other Educational Staff or Staff working with Schools
The following types of staff are employed in schools: administrative staff, economic staff, technical and service staff. Additionally support teachers are employed in schools for children with moderate and severe mental disabilities, for deaf, mute and blind children, and for pupils with multiple disabilities as well as for pupils with physical disabilities in grades 1 to 4 of primary school. In justified cases support teachers can be employed in grades 5 to 6 of primary schools and in gymnasia. Voluntary workers are also becoming more popular, e.g. persons following their replacement military service. |
