Topic: I am a student

Author: Anna Rabiega

Addressee:

high school / technical school student

Core curriculum:

• old curriculum:

standard level:

4. Education and work in Poland and in the European Union.

The student:

1) lists the rights and duties of a student; searches for provisions of educational law that guarantees them (e.g. in the act, the school's statute) and provisions contained in other legal acts (e.g. in the Constitution of the Republic of Poland).

extended level:

10. Education in the 21st century.

The student:

1) presents the role of the school and non‑formal education in today's information society.

• new curriculum:

standard level:

VI. Selected problems of public policy in the Republic of Poland.

The student:

4) presents the possibilities of continuation of education (first degree and uniform Master's studies, vocational training schools); explains the method of improvement of one's professional qualifications.

The general aim of education:

The student recognizes various aspects, also legal aspects, of everyday life problems and gives possible methods of solving them.

Learning outcomes:

The student:

• analyses the principles of school operation.

• specifies the school authorities.

• explains what student self‑government is and analyses its role in school.

Key competences:

• communicating in a foreign language,

• digital competence,

• learning to learn,

• social and civic competences

• sense of initiative and entrepreneurship,

• cultural awareness and expression.

Teaching methods:

• discussion,

• brainstorming,

• metaplan,

• teaching conversation using interactive scheme.

Forms of work:

• group work,

• whole‑class activity.

Material & equipment needed:

• computers with loudspeakers/headphones and internet access,

• multimedia resources from the e‑textbook,

• interactive whiteboard/blackboard, felt‑tip pen/a piece of chalk.

Lesson plan overview (Process):

Introduction:

1. The teacher presents the goal of the lesson: You will analyse the functioning of the school and student self‑government.

2. The teacher informs students that they will work using the fishbone method, and their task will be to determine the function of the school. If necessary, the teacher explains the method to the students. The teacher draws a fishbone diagram on the board and places a problem to be solved “What are the functions of the school?” in its head. The students give their suggestions – next to the main fish bones the teacher writes down the names and explanations of the functions given by the students, next to the smaller bones – specific examples of tasks and activities undertaken by the school in the exercise of a given function. After finishing of the task, the teacher asks students to compare their ideas with „The school functions” scheme in the abstract and asks for a comment: Did they include all functions? Was any of them missing?

3. The teacher initiates a short discussion about the functions of the school which seem to be most important to students and asks for their justification. Students present their suggestions and arguments. At the end of the discussion, the teacher asks the willing/selected student to summarise it.

Implementation:

1. The teacher divides the class into groups of five. The teacher informs the students that they will work using the Metaplan method and explains it, if necessary. The students' task is to jointly identify the problem they see in the school, which they would like to solve. First, the students do short brainstorming sessions in groups and then choose the problem they would like to analyse using the Metaplan method. The teacher distributes flipchart sheets and markers to groups. Students should put the results of their work on paper in the form of a poster:

RFZxfQPpKXh51

Grafika przedstawiająca, jak powinien wyglądać przygotowany przez uczniów plakat. W jego centrum znajduje się "problem". Reszta plakatu podzielona jest na cztery równe części. Lewy górny róg przeznaczony jest na odpowiedź na pytanie "how is it?". Prawy górny to pytanie "how should it be?". Lewe dolne pole to miejsce na odpowiedź na pytanie "why is it not as it should be?". Prawy dolny róg to miejsce na odpowiedź na pytanie "what to do?".

Before starting the task, students should read the interactive scheme “The rights of a student council”, discuss it and use the information contained therein in their work. The teacher also asks students to pay attention to the different functions of school that they have identified in the previous exercise – they may become a source of inspiration for the projects prepared by the groups. The teacher sets the time for completion of the task, monitors their work and gives advice, if necessary.

2. After finishing the group work, the groups’ representatives present the results in turn. Other students can refer to the presented content, indicating the strengths of the suggested solutions and possible ways to improve the proposals.

Summary:

1. At the end, the teacher evaluates the work of the randomly selected group. The teacher asks the students for self‑assessment concerning the teamwork and the completed task. The teacher evaluates the work of selected students.

2. Homework proposal:

a. Refer to your school's statute and write down the student's rights contained therein, adding to each of them one example of prohibited or prescribed conduct with regard to the exercise of this right, e.g. „care during lessons as well as during breaks between classes” – the teacher is not allowed to leave the classroom during the lesson and leave the students alone, teachers are obligated to watch over the corridors during breaks between classes to ensure safety of students.

b. Listen to the abstract recording to review the material and new vocabulary. Then do the vocabulary exercise at the end of the chapter.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

I am a student

Probably everyone knows the statement that “we learn and relearn our whole lives”. However, apart from the so‑called informal education (i.e. learning at home, at work or during contacts with peers), the most common form of learning is associated with education at school. The school is a learning and educating institution, but the school is also a community of teachers and students.

School organs are people and groups of people with legally assigned competences. School authorities include:

• the school headmaster,

• the teachers’ council,

• the school council,

• the student self‑government.

For the good functioning of the school, the cooperation of all its bodies is necessary.

The student self‑government

The student self‑government is not only the „class three” (the class president, vicepresident and the treasurer), the students’ council, its chairman or board. It is not just a narrow group of people who have been entrusted with all the responsibility for what is happening at school. The students' self‑government is created by all the students of the school, regardless of the class they are studying in, their age, grades from particular subjects, or behaviour assessment. „Everyone” means, therefore, that every student in a given school is also a member of its student self‑government.

The rules for choosing and functioning of self‑government bodies are set out in the regulations adopted by all students in equal, secret and universal voting. The self‑government bodies are the only representatives of all students.

The students’ self‑government may submit proposals and opinions to the school council, the teachers’ council and the headmaster on all matters of the school, particularly concerning the implementation of students' basic rights.

The students' self‑government may submit proposals (e.g. for introducing changes, adopting new solutions) and opinions (positive or negative) in all school matters. The mention of the above six specific examples serves only to emphasize that they are in particular within the scope of self‑government activities.

Pre‑school education is considered to be the first level of the education system. Pre‑schools are optional for 3-, 4- and 5‑year‑old children and obligatory for 6‑year‑olds. Every child has an entitlement to a place in a pre‑primary setting. Compulsory education in grade 1 of primary school starts at the age of 7. Parents of 6‑year‑olds have a choice – they can enroll their children in the 1 grade of primary school or keep them in a pre‑school institution. 8‑year primary school is compulsory for all pupils who are usually aged 6/7–15. It includes two stages:

• grades 1–3 (early school education),

• grades 4–8 where teaching is done by subject.

The compulsory external exam takes place in grade 8 of primary school and its results influence admission to secondary schools.

The new reformed structure of upper secondary education envisages the following types of schools:

• 4‑year general secondary school,

• 5‑year technical secondary school,

• 3‑year sectoral VET (vocational education and training) school (stage I),

• 2‑year sectoral VET (vocational education and training) school (stage II).

Students of vocational schools – basic vocational schools and technical upper secondary schools – may take exams confirming vocational qualifications in a given occupation during the course of study or upon completion of school to receive a diploma confirming their vocational qualifications. Graduates of general upper secondary schools and technical upper secondary schools may take the external upper secondary school leaving examination to obtain the Matura certificate, which gives access to higher education.

There are two types of Higher Education Institutions:

• university‑type (uczelnia akademicka),

• non‑university‑type (uczelnia zawodowa).

They both offer first- and second‑cycle programmes as well as long‑cycle Master’s degree programmes while only university‑type HEIs can offer third‑cycle programmes (doctoral studies) and are authorized to award doctoral degrees. Studies are organized in the form of full‑time or part‑time programmes. First‑cycle programmes lead to two types of degrees:

• licencjat (equivalent of Bachelor’s degree) – 3–4 year programmes,

• inżynier (equivalent of Bachelor’s degree) – 3.5–4 year programmes.

Holders of the Bachelor’s degree can enter second‑cycle programmes, which take 1.5–2 years depending on the area of study.

Only several fields of study offer long‑cycle Master’s degree programmes that last for 4–6 years (medicine, psychology, law). First‑cycle, second‑cycle and long‑cycle Master’s programmes end with a diploma examination and students who have passed it are granted a relevant degree.

The Master’s degree (magister or its equivalent) entitles its holder to practice a given profession and provides access to third‑cycle studies. They are organised in HEIs or research and development institutions other than HEIs and last for 3–4 years.

Getting an education and being a student is associated with many rights, but also duties.

The concept of human rights presupposes that every human being has certain rights resulting from human dignity. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948, recognizes education as a fundamental human right. This means that every person in the world has the right to receive free education at least at a basic level. The Convention on the Rights of the Child obliges national governments to provide free basic education for all children. The document also states that all children have the right to education, which will prepare them for active, responsible life in a free society, respecting the environment and dignity of others.

The observance of the student's rights is ensured, among others, by a Student Ombudsman, who may be a student or a teacher. The rules of the Ombudsman's operation are set out in the school statute. The Ombudsman acts on the request of the person concerned or on his own initiative. As part of his duties, he takes care of enforcing and adhering to the legal provisions concerning students. He may also propose new regulations concerning students. The Ombudsman participates in the meetings of the teachers’ council with the right to present the problems of students’ rights observance.

The catalog of students’ duties differs in individual institutions. There is not one „universal” regulation. However, the following duties are most often mentioned:

• systematic and active participation in class and school life,

• carrying required textbooks and school supplies,

• adherence to the principles of a culture of social relations with regard to colleagues, teachers and other school staff,

• responsibility for one's own life, health and hygiene,

• being honest and truthful,

• care for common good and order at school,

• care for the aesthetic appearance of the school and the environment,

• care for class and school honor,

• wearing appropriate gym clothes for gym classes,

• participation in ceremonies and events organized by the school.

The primary place of formal education is the school. It fulfills not only a teaching function, but also an educational or cultural one. In order to implement them, schools have bodies, including a headmaster or a teachers’ council. The student self‑government occupies a special position, thanks to the students’ self‑givernment all students participate in the life of a school. The studnets’ self‑government also plays an important role in ensuring the observance of the student's rights. The student's rights are regulated not only in internal school documents, such as school statutes, but in national law documents – the Constitution and statutes.