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What is self-governance?

School hall
Source: licencja: CC 0, [online], dostępny w internecie: https://www.pexels.com/.

Link to the Lesson

You will learn
  • what is self‑governance and why it is so important;

  • what are the parents' council, the board of teachers and the school council, and what are their roles;

  • what are the tasks of the student government and how it can help students

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Nagranie abstraktu

Self‑governance is a situation in which a group of people decides about their matters. Local self‑governing authorities are chosen in local elections in cities, counties, and municipalities to decide about the local issues. Free labour unions organised by the workers are a form of self‑governance too. At schools, there are student governments.

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Exercise 1
Indicate the sentences that correctly describe the work of an independent and self-governing labour union. Możliwe odpowiedzi: 1. The chairman of the union is elected and evaluated by the employees., 2. The chairman of the union is evaluated by the management of the workplace., 3. Candidates for the chairman are submitted by the employees., 4. Candidates for the chairman are approved by the management., 5. In a case when an employee might be dismissed, the union gives its support to the management., 6. In a case when an employee might be dismissed, they get the support of the union., 7. A labour union demands pay rises for the employees from the management., 8. A labour union convinces the workers that demanding a pay rise does not make any sense., 9. The time, venue and topics discussed during the labour union meetings are consulted with the management of the enterprise., 10. The unionists decide about the time, venue and topics discussed during the labour union meetings.
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Exercise 2
From the agenda of the meeting, choose the statements that describe the competencies of the students' government. Możliwe odpowiedzi: 1. Setting a date of the St Andrew Day school disco., 2. Topics included in the next Polish test., 3. Choosing the science teacher for the next school year., 4. Type of music broadcasted through the school radio., 5. Students' participation in collecting recyclable materials such as paper and bottle caps., 6. Receiving applications for financial subsidies for skiing camp., 7. Financing a school trip., 8. Setting a date of winter holidays., 9. Various forms of assistance for dyslexic students., 10. Providing opinions concerning the changes in the regulations of students' behaviour evaluation., 11. Participating in choosing the books to buy for the school library.
Task 1

Check what are the roles of people at your school and look up their responsibilities.

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Grafika przedstawiająca informacje, jakie są role osób w szkole i jakie są ich obowiązki. One. School headmaster. A person responsible for running a school and for its efficient functioning. It is usually one of the teachers of the school. Their duties include, among others, creating the appropriate conditions enabling students to work independently and ensuring their safety. Two. School council. A school body appointed by the school headmaster. Its task is dealing with the internal issues of the school. The council's duties are, among others, adopting the school statute, supervising and evaluating the situation at school (if necessary) and reporting the conclusions to the school headmaster or to educational authorities. It is not obligatory for a school to have a school council. In a case when the school council is not appointed its role is taken over by the board of teachers. Three. Board of teachers. An inner school body, whose task is to plan, implement and supervise the didactic (scholarly) and pedagogical work. The board consists of all the educational staff of the school (teachers, educators, psychologists etc.). Its main task is grading (evaluating) and promoting students. Four. Parents' council. A school body that consists of parents and guardians of the students of a given school. Its aim is to improve the school work and cooperate with the school by issuing various petitions and opinions to the school headmaster, the board of teachers or the school council. Five. Students government. An organisation associating the students of the school, whose task is to solve students' problems and issues related to students' school life. Its competences and scope of activities are the bigger, the older students are. It is one of the most important factors in developing students' autonomy and independence.
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Exercise 3
Decide which of the statements below describe students' rights and which ones are their duties. Students' rights Możliwe odpowiedzi: 1. Bringing notes justifying the absences., 2. Completing the assigned homework., 3. Running for the president of the students government., 4. Expressing their own opinions., 5. Using the school recreation room., 6. Being informed about their marks and grades., 7. Attending school., 8. Using the school library., 9. Keeping order and discipline in the classroom., 10. Publishing the school newspaper., 11. Using school rooms, also after lessons., 12. Showing up for classes on time., 13. Being unprepared for several lessons per term., 14. Bringing a special uniform for PE lessons. Students' duties Możliwe odpowiedzi: 1. Bringing notes justifying the absences., 2. Completing the assigned homework., 3. Running for the president of the students government., 4. Expressing their own opinions., 5. Using the school recreation room., 6. Being informed about their marks and grades., 7. Attending school., 8. Using the school library., 9. Keeping order and discipline in the classroom., 10. Publishing the school newspaper., 11. Using school rooms, also after lessons., 12. Showing up for classes on time., 13. Being unprepared for several lessons per term., 14. Bringing a special uniform for PE lessons.
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Exercise 4
Complete the sentences. Students of each school create 1. advise and help, 2. autonomy and independence, 3. elections, 4. statute, 5. students government, 6. every, 7. interests, 8. school life, which allows them to decide about many issues concerning themselves. Among its responsibilities we can enumerate participating in organising 1. advise and help, 2. autonomy and independence, 3. elections, 4. statute, 5. students government, 6. every, 7. interests, 8. school life, extracurricular activities related to 1. advise and help, 2. autonomy and independence, 3. elections, 4. statute, 5. students government, 6. every, 7. interests, 8. school life and submitting ideas for school activities and events. Students government acts according to its 1. advise and help, 2. autonomy and independence, 3. elections, 4. statute, 5. students government, 6. every, 7. interests, 8. school life, which is compliant with the school statute. Its members are chosen in the 1. advise and help, 2. autonomy and independence, 3. elections, 4. statute, 5. students government, 6. every, 7. interests, 8. school life, in which 1. advise and help, 2. autonomy and independence, 3. elections, 4. statute, 5. students government, 6. every, 7. interests, 8. school life student of the school can take part. Each school government has got one adult supervisor, in most cases, it's one of the school teachers. Their task is to 1. advise and help, 2. autonomy and independence, 3. elections, 4. statute, 5. students government, 6. every, 7. interests, 8. school life students in the communication with the school headmaster and the implementation of the ideas provided by the students' government. Students government is an important part of the school – it influences school life and teaches 1. advise and help, 2. autonomy and independence, 3. elections, 4. statute, 5. students government, 6. every, 7. interests, 8. school life.

Key words

self‑governance, government, elections

Glossary

Democracy
Democracy
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Nagranie słówka: Democracy

Demokracja – ustrój polityczny i system sprawowania władzy, w którym jej źródło stanowi wola większości obywateli wyrażona niezależnych w wyborach.

Labour Union
Labour Union
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Nagranie słówka: Labour Union

Związek Zawodowy – dobrowolna organizacja zrzeszająca grupę ludzi jakiegoś zakładu pracy (np. robotników) lub zawodu, której celem jest obrona ich interesów społeczno‑ekonomicznych.

Government
Government
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Nagranie słówka: Government

Samorząd – decydowanie o władnych sprawach niezależnie od nadrzędnej władzy oraz uzupełniania jej funkcji. Wyróżniamy samorząd terytorialny – ze względu na miejsce zamieszkania oraz funkcjonalny dotyczący wspólnej więzi osób, np. społeczność szkolna, praca itp.

Competences
Competences
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Nagranie słówka: Competences

Kompetencje – zdolność samodzielnego stosowania swoich umiejętności i wiedzy w pracy i codziennym życiu.

Citizens' Duties
Citizens' Duties
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Nagranie słówka: Citizens' Duties

Obowiązki obywatelskie – konieczność wykonania jakiegoś działania wynikająca z nakazu prawa lub nakazu moralnego. W ten sposób określa się również zadania związane z pełnieniem jakiegoś stanowiska.