IMG71 (4)

Martin Blaszk

ItN not (only) what you say, it’s the way that you say it: thc new bases of the curricula for preschool and the first class of primary

The lattcr part of2008 and the beginning of 2009 have seen changes in the bases of the curricula in Poland and proposals for changes in the English national curriculum, changes brought about by reform on the one hand, and a perceived need for improvement on the otlier. This paper will consider the recently released bases of the curricula in Poland for preschool and the first class of primary in light of some of the criticism that has been leveled at them. It will also compare these curricula to the English national curriculum, key stage one¹, in an attempt to outline the factors that have to be considered when creating such a document. including content, wording, quantity and layout, so as to eusure clarity and understanding on behalf of the reader.

To stan with. the paper will consider the specific naturę of curricula and their audience. It will then go on to look at some of the criticisms that have been leveled at the bases of the curricula in Poland. Following on fforn this, it will compare these curricula with the English national curriculum for an equivalent age group, to ascenain how they are written so as to attain their stated aims.

The audiences for the bases of the curricula and national curriculum

The bases of the curricula and the national curriculum are public documents written for consumption by a professional audience of teachers, school directors and materials writers. As important an audience, if not morę important, is the generał public, whose sons and daughters are to attend the institutions where the bases of the curricula and the national curriculum provide a guiding set of principles and ideas for the school curricula that are to be implemented in classrooms. Writing such a document for what are ostensibly two different camps, may account for some of the controversy that has courted the publication of the new bases of the curricula, while the existing national curriculum is under a process of review because of the perceived need to have ‘a curriculum with elear aims’². Such documents have to be written so that they are open enough for interpretation and therefore flexible enough to be applied to the many and varied situations we fmd in our schools,

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U i not (only) what you say. it i the way that you say it: the new bases of the curricula

otherwisc teachcrs would find themselves within a straightjacket, somethmg that does not allow them to progress with the children in a way that relates to the contemporary world. On the other hand, there has to be enough teiling detail so that the message that is betng conveyed has sense and is perceived to be sensible, and can give the teacher somethmg definitc to work with. Added to this, the way in which such a document is worded is extremeły important in conveying its message, so that it is not just about the details given relating to a particular subject area, but the manner in which they are delivered and their ultimate purpose. On both counts, form and content, the documents that are the concem of this paper are fairly elliptical. This being the case, an audience intent on decipbering either set of documents has to bring a certain amount of good faith, ready to read and re-read, to cross-rcference³, and read between the lines, if they are to gain anything useful/usable from the experience

Criticism of the bases of the curricula for preschool and primary school

Looking at the basis of the cumculum for preschool, relating to children up to the age of seven, several examples would appear to need the reader to practise their good faith. In a number of the descriptors given, the problem would appear that they are too open for interpretation. In the context of safcty, the child is expected to know ‘how to behave in threatening situations and where help can be found, and how to ask for it’⁴. The effectiveness of this laudable aim is however relative to what exactly the threat is. If it is about being able to contact the medical services or alerting an adult in the case of an accident, then all well and good. But does this also include being confronted by a gunman or dealing with a terrorist action? Both very possible in todays climate. The descriptors would appear to need further ąualification, giving morę concrete information, to make them relevant to the age group for whom they have been written. In the basis of the curriculum for primary school, the idea of threat is reformulated but with no additional information. Morę concrete information is given in the form of whom the child might tum to: a policeman, a fireman and a doctor, as well as the fact that these people do actually give help.⁵. With the preschool curriculum these professions are named but the connection is not madę.⁶

Continuing with the preschool curriculum, and the secdon conceming upbringing. the child is expected to ‘understand what [other children and adultsj say and what they mean by it’⁷. The question this raises is whether or not it relates to every utterance and in every situation. A difficult task for adults, let alone a six year old. considering how much misunderstanding there is in the world. The descriptor needs to be quąlif!ed with the proviso that the utterance is given within a clearly contextuali2ed situation, or that the adult's language will be moderated to take into account the child’s understanding of the world. There are further examples

1

   Since the Polish and English education Systems are not totally compatible, the age groups to be con-centrated opon will be Polish preschool and first class of primary school and the English. key stage one, both roughly eąuating to the five to seven year old age rangę.

2

   Transcript conceming the review of the primary national curriculum: httpV/www.qca.org.uk/qca_ 21337,aspxAccessed 30/01/09

3

   In the finał paragraph of the basis of the curriculum for preschool, it is adrised that to properiy prepare the child for the continuation of her. his education in primary school, the teacher should, in particular, know the demands of the curriculum for the first year of primary. Załącznik nr 1, http:/,www.rcforma-programowa.men.gov.pl/rozporzadzenie/, Accessed 30/01/09, p.l.

4

   Ibidem, point 6.1, p. 3.

5

³ Załącznik nr 2, http:/Avww.rełbrmaprognimowa.men.gov.pl/rozporzadzenie' Accessed 30/01/09 points 5.4 and 5.7, p. 7.

6

   Załącznik nr 1,6.1, p. 3.

7

   Ibidem, point 1.1, p. 2.