Mądrze i taktownie, przystępnie i zrozumiale – czyli o śmierci w literaturze dziecięcej

Author(s): Katarzyna Dmitruk-Sierocińska / Language(s): Polish Issue: 3 (45)/2017

Death, although present and visible in life, is considered a social taboo and adults often protect their children from this topic. On the one hand, they think that by doing so they will avoid difficult topics, on the other hand, they do not know how to start a conversation. Besides explanation of what death is, they are also afraid of the feelings and emotions which accompany it: despair, sadness, grief, longing, mourning. Their fears and perhaps also their lack of knowledge push this topic to the margins of family life. And yet, death occurs not only in the world of humans but also of animals and plants. It should be talked about and the children’s natural curiosity should be satisfied. Such conversations should be prepared. The first step is to choose the right children’s literature. The choice should be based on the age of a child and the situation we want to present. We have books about the death of a parent, the death of a grandfather, death of someone from a distant environment (death of a parent of a kindergarten friend), death of animals and plants. The stories in books should describe death in a gentle but consistent way. The next step is the creation of the right atmosphere and the selection of the right words. The understanding of death by children between the ages of 3 to 10 is influenced by those in their immediate surroundings. Conversations, supported by the appropriate literature, will help the youngest to get used to the phenomenon and to go through the stages of mourning.The article, after the necessary extensive introduction to the phenomenon of death, its place in the present world and its understanding by children, indicates and presents the appropriate children’s literature. The presented books about death are only indications and set the course for further exploration of valuable books for children.

The Shaping of Interest in Mathematics in the “Świerszczyk” Magazine in the 20th Century

Author(s): Katarzyna Szewczuk,Helena Oskwarek / Language(s): English Issue: 4 (46)/2017

The acquisition of educational experiences by children from grades 1-3 may be enhanced by means of the use of various didactic aids. Undoubtedly, one of them may be printed materials; therefore, the subject matter of the presented text is the Świerszczyk magazine published in the 20th century. The objective of the analysis was to show the magazine as a didactic aid for teachers of grades 1-3 in the course of teaching mathematics. In this context, special attention was paid to the presence of tasks, games and exercises which offer an incentive for taking an interest in mathematics for early-school pupils. The quantity, type, and also the quality of the Świerszczyk content referring to mathematics varied, depending on the decade of the 20th century. However, the diversity of texts and also tasks addressed to young readers was a support at the beginning of their educational path. It could also provide an inspiration for teachers of grades1-3 with respect to preparing interesting and activating lessons. In particular, board games and card games included in the magazine contributed to the formation of a number of vital competences in children (especially in the area of mathematics), encouraged them to modify the presented ideas and stimulated the development of creativity and imagination.

Fruit song – scenariusz zajęć z języka angielskiego dla przedszkolaków

Author(s): Tatiana Konderak,Marta Markiewicz / Language(s): English,Polish Issue: 4 (46)/2017

Człowiek upodmiotowiony. Właściwości osobowości autorskiej absolwentów klas Montessori. Raport z badań

Author(s): Beata Bednarczuk / Language(s): Polish Issue: 1 (47)/2018

The article presents a study on the level of self-authorizing personality development conducted in 2013-2016 within a group of 69 adolescents, alumni of a Montessori school in Lublin then aged 16-21. The method for collecting empirical data was a POA questionnaire designed by K. Obuchowski, measuring 3 main dimensions of personality: subjectivity, being a person and individual valuation standards. The results proved that almost all of the graduates of Montessori classes had developed self-authoring characteristics at an optimum level. The average results of the three main dimensions of the author’s personality: subjectivity, being a person and taking an attitude are significantly higher than the theoretical average of the scale, which allows the determination of a high level of all areas of authorial personality and the co-occurrence of the aforementioned properties. The obtained values in the range of 14 differential categories of the author’s personality are significantly higher from the theoretical average of the scale and inform about the high level of all personality characteristics. There was no difference in the personality profile due to the sex of the graduates. According to Obuchowski’s observations, the respondents realize their needs and are able to distance themselves from them, develop themselves, guide the sense of their existence, positively assess themselves, their goals and the world around them. The ability of the subjects to generate a set of reasons that underlie the strongest subjective standard of valence (attitude) means not only the mastering and dominance of abstract operations, which condition the conscious creation of private knowledge, become independent of the control of a specific experience, create the opportunity for effective long-distance operation and enables them to make responsible choices.

The Good Start Method for English – odpowiednik Metody Dobrego Startu w nauczaniu języka angielskiego

Author(s): Agnieszka Wierzchosławska / Language(s): Polish Issue: 1 (47)/2018

The Good Start Method of M. Bogdanowicz has been used in Polish education for over fifty years, bringing excellent results. This method is still in development, bringing new materials, and since 2011 there is also a version of the English teaching method called The Good Start Method for English. In the first part of this article I present a profile of M. Bogdanowicz, describing the genesis of the main goals and assumptions of the Good Start Method and presenting the structure of activities. In the second part, I focus on The Good Start Method for English, based on the Good Start Metod of teaching English and development support aimed at 5 and 6-year-old children undergoing schooling, as well as first-grade primary school students. I present the characteristics of a group of recipients and the unique nature of running language classes with children. Next, I present the goals, assumptions and structure of the method and the content of this program. Finally, I present the effects of The Good Start Method for English based on the available results of pilot studies.

Ungarndeutsche Volksspielzeuge. In Einheit mit Natur und Gesellschaft

Author(s): Ágnes Klein,Katalin Lázár,Éva Márkus / Language(s): German Issue: 3 (49)/2018

Popular games are not a waste of time, as many may think. Before the introduction of primary school education, the game was the school of children. They learnt everything they needed while playing. Games and toys helped children become cleverer and wiser. In the article, we present a group of games with an object - the games in which an object is produced. Children worked with natural materials and learnt culture techniques better. It can be claimed that this type of play reflected the unity of nature and society. The study deals with the presentation of such unity by the German minority in Hungary.

Narratives in STEM Education

Author(s): Irmina Rostek / Language(s): English,Polish Issue: 4 (54)/2019

Looking from the perspective of the requirements of the modern world, STEM education is a significant challenge related to teaching both people whose professional paths will be associated with STEM and those who will use knowledge in this area “unprofessionally” – only to solve everyday problems. Teachers and educators face a difficult challenge related to arousing the interest of learners in the subject of STEM, developing understanding of scientific concepts and processes, and strengthening the involvement in scientific activity. Narratives are becoming an important tool available to educators in the implementation of this task. They can arouse the students’ interest through an attractive form of presentation of, e.g. the figures of outstanding scientists or brilliant discoveries. Such forms of presentation can introduce both basic and advanced scientific knowledge, and, at the same time, save cognitive resources, strengthening the children’s involvement by making them actively participate in discovering not only the scientific laws, but also the meaning (including the personal one) of science. It is also important that narratives can become a useful tool for building the positive image of science as a world accessible to everyone, regardless of gender, age or origins. The purpose of this article is to indicate only a few areas of possible applications of narratives in STEM education, and to encourage the use of various narrative materials in education in this area at various stages of education.

Inspiring Children’s Mathematical Activity Through Contact With a Picture Book

Author(s): Barbara Bilewicz-Kuźnia / Language(s): English Issue: 3 (61)/2021

Children’s literature has a cognitive value and is a source of aestheticexperiences. Picture books with mathematical content are a specialtype of children’s books. The study aims to show that picture bookswhere mathematical text is combined with images in an aestheticform provide impulses to create educational situations that inspiremathematical activity. Based on the classification of mathematicalactivity by Ewa Kozak-Czyżewska, we developed our methodologicalproposals for stimulating creative and imitative mathematicalactivity in children. These suggestions are presented on the basis ofour work with two books: Numbers written by Jacek Cygan and Atour house written by Isabel Minhós Martins and Madalena Matoso.For the purpose of this study, educational classes with the use ofmathematical literary texts were conducted for six-year-old childrenin kindergarten. It has been shown that picture books can inspirecreative and imitative mathematical activity in children. By providingpositive experiences, these texts can support the processes of learningmathematics, awaken children’s motivation to calculate and usemathematics in everyday life. The presented study may be used asa model of working with picture books with mathematical contentin kindergarten.

Unusual Word Problems and the Development of Critical Thinking in Early School Students

Author(s): Barbara Nawolska / Language(s): English Issue: 3 (61)/2021

Nowadays, it is increasingly difficult for people to make their way in a rapidly changing world. Critical thinkers are able to function well in such a changing environment and their education should begin in early childhood. This paper presents the results of an experimental study on the development of critical thinking of third grade elementary school students. Unusual word problems with missing or contradictory data, an ambiguous solution, or with unrealistic content (meaningless in real life) served as a tool for developing this type of thinking. These problems provoked the students to think, to critically analyze both the content and data of word problems. This, in turn, helped the students become more reflective, notice missing or contradictory data, ambiguity of a solution or lack of realism, fill in missing data, correct contradictory information and make unrealistic data realistic, as well as seek all possibilities for a solution. Thus, their critical thinking skills developed.

“Book of Nature”: How to Teach Children to Read It?

Author(s): Zbigniew Nowak / Language(s): English Issue: 3 (61)/2021

Modern science and technology are founded on the belief in therationality and mathematical structure of the world. Learning aboutit, the progress and quality of our lives are related to the popularizationof thinking about mathematical education as equipping studentswith the competencies necessary to read the Galilean “Book ofNature.” The article presents the idea of a mathematical understandingof reality and the leading emotional-volitional and instrumentalcompetencies that should be provided to students of elementary educationin order to shape their beliefs about the effectiveness of thisway of cognition and support them in acquiring appropriate knowledgeand skills.In terms of field-specific and social competencies, it is about: awakeningcognitive curiosity, building the attitude of epistemic and ethicaloptimism, belief in the inevitability and cognitive value of error,developing the ability to cooperate and compete in small groups, andto shape the attitude of researcher reliability.In terms of instrumental competencies, these would be: the abilityto model phenomena at the level of substitutes (simulations), knowledgeof numbers, decimal positional system and four arithmetic operations,the understanding of measurement and practical knowledgeof measures, the ability to problematize phenomena from the naturalworld, having elementary knowledge of heuristics, a certain level ofcalculation efficiency and knowledge of basic geometric figures.

Montessori Approach to Science Education: Cosmic Vision as a Unique Area of Pupils’ Studies

Author(s): Beata Bednarczuk / Language(s): English Issue: 3 (61)/2021

The paper aims at recalling Maria Montessori’s essential assumptionsabout the child development and organization of the educationalprocess as a basic issue considering the concept of science education.In the Montessori pedagogy, it is characterized by the form of theso-called Cosmic Education. Cosmic Education is a unique approachto work with children aged 6 to 12. Thus, the idea of Cosmic Education,the relationship between the child’s needs and the science educationcurriculum is elucidated. The essence of the Great and Key Lessonsas centers of children’s exploration and research is discussed. TheMontessorian way of learning about fundamental human needs ispresented as an inspiration for school practice. The basis for collectingempirical material is the analysis of the content aiming at the currentachievements within the selected topic characterization.

Presence or Absence of Cognitive Partnership in Early School Education: Research Report

Author(s): Ewa Kochanowska / Language(s): English Issue: 3 (61)/2021

The main aim of the article is to present the results of preliminaryqualitative research on the ways in which teachers of grades 1–3 ofprimary school understand cognitive partnership and the meaningsthey assign to it in their own school practice. The method of individualopen-ended interview was used in the research.On the basis of the obtained research results, it can be concluded that,in the opinion of the respondents, cognitive partnership is possibleand even necessary in early school education. The teachers’ declarationsshow that cognitive partnership is present in their educationalactivities, but it is impossible to fully implement it due to the cognitivedevelopmental features of children at the early school age. Thevast majority of the respondents, when explaining the discussed concept,focused in their statements primarily on the intellectual aspect ofcognitive partnership, but the importance of social relations betweenthe teacher and the student/students in the process of gaining knowledgewas emphasized less frequently. When explaining the concept ofcognitive partnership, the surveyed teachers most often focused unilaterallyeither on the teacher’s actions or on the child’s activities thatindicate cognitive partnership. The understanding of the discussedconcept as a system of relations between the subjects of education,who co-decide about the course and effects of the education process,occurred much less frequently. The obtained results are a contributionto conducting further in-depth research, especially with regard to theplace and manner of implementing the idea of cognitive partnershipin the practice of early school education.

Creativity and Parental Involvement in Early Childhood Education in the Reggio Emilia Approach and Philosophy

Author(s): Tomas Butvilas,Maciej Kołodziejski / Language(s): English Issue: 3 (61)/2021

In the article the authors discuss the importance of parental creativityand involvement in early institutional education of a child onthe example of Reggio Emilia educational method. Among the mainaspects of this involvement are the quality of education, child support,cooperation between teachers and parents as well as a positive feedback.The authors of this paper also deal with one of the main aspectsof early education—creativity and its importance for a child’s psychosocialdevelopment. The preschool curriculum has been designed forchildren of the preschool educational institutions to provide themwith a rich learning experience and to help them to develop properly.Creative education starts at an early age, therefore kindergartens andfamilies play a very important role in supporting and developing creativityin child’s everyday routine. It is stressed that being creative isprimarily about taking initiatives and innovative behavior. These arethe qualities required in contemporary society, especially by employersin private and public sectors. However, the process of involvingparents in their child’s education starts at the preschool stage and playsthe most important role in child’s socialization. It is also emphasizedthat if children feel the support of both educational subjects (teacherand parents) in the process of preschool education, they feel safer,more comfortable, and much more confident.

Students of Teacher Training Programs and Their Views on STEM: A Focus Interview

Author(s): Martyna Szczotka,Katarzyna Szewczuk / Language(s): English Issue: 3 (61)/2021

This paper presents the outcomes of a pilot study conducted witha group of students pursuing teacher training programs as part of theinternational research project called “Kitchen Lab for Kids” deliveredunder the “Erasmus+; Key Action 2” scheme. The aim of the researchwas to find out about students’ opinions on STEM education,including the determination of the level of their knowledge aboutthis trend. In this context, particular attention was paid to issuesrelated to the goals of STEM education, problems and challengesthat they may generate, as well as the needs (organizational conditions)necessary to implement this type of activity. The respondentsalso had the opportunity to present their own experiences in organizingand conducting STEM classes. The research was carried out withthe use of the qualitative methods, where the basic research methodwas focus interview. The research group consisted of 8 students ofteaching faculties, mainly pre-school and early school education. Theselection of research units was purposeful. The conducted qualitativeanalysis of the material collected during the focus interview showedthat STEM education is still a novelty among students of teachingfaculties. Future teachers have little experience in the implementationof activities taking into account the STEM model, but it should beexpected that the coming years will result in a number of changes andactivities in this area.

Success or Failure in the Mathematical Education of the Child

Author(s): Katarzyna Szewczuk / Language(s): English Issue: 3 (61)/2021

Wprowadzenie

Author(s): Alicja Ungeheuer-Gołąb / Language(s): Polish Issue: 4 (62)/2021

Wzorce jako narzędzia transmisji oddziaływań wychowawczych

Author(s): Joanna Juszczyk-Rygałlo / Language(s): Polish Issue: 4 (62)/2021

Definiując wychowanie jako proces pedagogiczny w zakresie oddziaływania na sferę osobowości jednostki zakłada się, że prowadzony jest on jako działanie intencjonalne i nieintencjonalne przez zawodowych i niezawodowych wychowawców oraz działanie samokształceniowe. Wszystkie te działania można traktować jako transmisję wartości przy użyciu narzędzi kształtowania prawidłowych parametrów tożsamościowych, którymi są wzorce identyfikacyjne (wzorce postępowania), w skład których wchodzą wzorce osobowe i wzorce zachowań. W artykule zamieszczono opis tych wzorców i ich interpretację jako pola wartości, w obrębie których prowadzona jest określona gra społeczna wyznaczająca rodzaje wpływów wzorców na tożsamość jednostki. Pola wartości wzorców przenikają się i dzięki temu jest możliwa ich eksploracja w poszukiwaniu nowych wzorców i w poszerzaniu przestrzeni poznawczych. Współcześnie, w epoce zdominowanej przez Internet, dziecko jest zanurzone w galaktyce wzorców, w tym narzuconych instytucjonalnie, sugerowanych przez wychowawców oraz własnych, odkrytych samodzielnie. Spośród nich tylko wzorce akceptowane przez dziecko są uaktywniane w procesach transmisji oddziaływań wychowawczych opartych na imitacji, identyfikacji i internalizacji. A artykule przedstawiono charakterystykę tych oddziaływań z perspektywy pedagogiki wychowania i w powiązaniu z różnymi rodzajami stosowanych wzorców.

Kulturowe wzorce osobowe a wychowanie współczesnego dziecka

Author(s): Marta Kuźnik / Language(s): Polish Issue: 4 (62)/2021

Tematyka wzorców osobowych jest niezmiernie ważna w obecnych czasach przepełnionych wpływem różnych kultur czy kierunków odziaływań, między innymi środków masowego przekazu, narzędzi wirtualnych czy współczesnych „idoli”. A przecież odpowiednio dobrane wzorce osobowe dostarczają dzieciom i młodzieży konkretnych wartości do naśladowania, wybierają ogromny wpływ na ich wyobraźnię i psychikę. Mobilizują do pozytywnego działania i prawidłowego funkcjonowania w życiu społecznym. Ogromną rolę odgrywa również osobowość każdego człowieka. Artykuł jest zatem próbą odpowiedzi na pytanie czy we współczesnych czasach istnieją wzorce osobowe, które zyskują zainteresowanie dziecii młodzieży? Wyjaśnia specyfikę wzoru osobowego na tle pojęć pokrewnych. Opisuje rolę wzorów osobowych na różnych etapach rozwoju człowieka oraz modele wychowania obecne we współczesnej psychologii.

Wzory męskie i kobiece w kulturze współczesnej a wartości osobiste preferowane przez uczniów klas trzecich szkoły podstawowej

Author(s): Olena Bocharova,Lucyna Smółka / Language(s): Polish Issue: 4 (62)/2021

Występowanie kulturze współczesnej egalitarnych schematów ról płciowych nie oznacza całkowitego wyparcia tradycyjnych wzorów kobiecości i męskości. Wielość występujących równolegle schematów ról płciowych może sprawić, że uczniowie klas III znajdujący się u schyłku okresu rozwojowego określanego mianem późnego dzieciństwa i stojący u progu adolescencji – okresu ważnego dla kształtowania stabilnej tożsamości, mogą być zdezorientowani, które ze znanych im wzorców męskości i kobiecości powinni urzeczywistniać w życiu. Celem zaprezentowanych badań było poznanie wartości osobistych preferowanych przez uczennice i uczniów klas trzecich szkół podstawowych. Problem główny zawarty został w pytaniu: Czy wśród uczniów i uczennic klas III szkoły podstawowej istnieją różnice międzypłciowe w zakresie preferowanych przez nich wartości osobowych? Posłużono się metodą sondażu diagnostycznego, narzędziem była Lista Wartości Osobistych opracowana przez Z. Juczyńskiego. W badaniach wzięło udział 311 uczniów klas III z Małopolski. Wyniki badań częściowo potwierdziły postawioną hipotezę: Wśród uczniów i uczennic klas III szkoły podstawowej istnieją różnice międzypłciowe w zakresie preferowania tych wartości osobistych, które tradycyjnie uznawane są za typowe dla przedstawicieli ich płci.

Medialna postać “znaczącego Innego” a wychowanie współczesnego dziecka

Author(s): Anna Michniuk,Katarzyna Bartkowiak / Language(s): Polish Issue: 4 (62)/2021

Celem artykułu była teoretyczna analiza tego, jaki związek może zachodzić między współczesnymi osobowościami medialnymi a wychowaniem dziecka. W rozważaniach odwołano się do pojęć “znaczącego Innego” oraz autorytetu, ze szczególnym uwzględnieniem autorytetu medialnego. Jednocześnie podkreślono, że pojęcie autorytetu współcześnie bardzo mocno rozmywa się. W kolejnej części artykułu opisano trudności związane z wychowaniem dziecka, w świecie zanurzonym w mediach. W celu osiągnięcia pewnej równowagi, po dokonaniu analizy wytworów, podano przykłady medialnych osobowości, mogących pełnić rolę “znaczącego Innego” czy autorytetu medialnego i pozytywnie oddziaływać na współczesne dzieci.