Requirements for teachers’ profesional competencies in the context of polycultural education

Abstract

The article deals with problems of polycultural education of teachers. The main problem of the society today is that it is becoming multicultural, and different cultural patterns, views, beliefs and attitudes make it difficult to communicate. Ukraine is standing on the threshold of these cultural changes due to economic and educational mobility. So Ukrainian pedagogical science needs to get ready to the challenges of a multicultural world. The article states that new socio-economic environment needs new approaches to teaching and new competencies of teachers. They are: language of instruction skills, mother tongue of their students skills, intercultural communication skills, working in a diverse educational environment skills etc. The main problem that all teachers face is their reluctance to admit that multiculturalism is a part of today’s reality and they need to to be ready not only tolerate it but accept it and see the benefits of it. They have to learn use these advantages due to polycultural approach that is to be implemented into the system of education. In the article we describe some methods of teachers’ possible work with their students with the aim of implementing polyculturalism into school daily life and teaching activities provided by M. Sinclair. Polycultural approach views culture as an evolving and constantly changing phenomenon (F. Dervin). Polycultural education is the education of all the students not only minorities. According to this educational principle a new education paradigm should be constructed that would unite administrators, teachers, students, parents, community. The problem with administrative stuff is that there are much more representatives of minority groups among students then among the teaching stuff and administrators. On the other hand a teacher or an administrator should not be appointed only thanks to his/her ethnical or cultural background. A special attention should be given to the position of minority female teachers. Issues of teachers/community; teachers/parents co-operation in multiethnic educational environment are still to be studied