Polish Teachers Research Articles

Predictors of Job Satisfaction among Polish Teachers

The term “job satisfaction” refers to emotional responses and ways of thinking about work in a given structure. It is the degree of self-fulfillment that an employee experiences while performing work-related duties. Work satisfaction is linked to positive attitudes towards employment and more effective results. The aim of the orginal research presented in the article is to determine the predictors of job satisfaction among Polish teachers. Individual factors such as gender, length of service, personality variables (emotional stability, agreeableness, extroversion), work-home conflict, as well as organizational factors, i.e., overall work climate, were also considered. The research was conducted on a sample of 952 teachers from across Poland. Women accounted for 87.6% (n=834) and men for 12.4% (n=118) of the respondents The average age was M=46.47 (SD=9.59). A survey questionnaire was used for the purposes of the study, and hierarchical regression analysis was applied to develop the research results. School climate, work-home conflict, and level of extroversion were found to be significant predictors of job satisfaction. Given that personality factors are difficult to change, an effective way to increase teachers’ job satisfaction is to take care to build a positive school climate and fair distribution of responsibilities, which can reduce work-home conflict.

The test-retest reliability of a Body Posture Literacy Questionnaire among Polish teachers from different educational levels

Background The study aimed to develop a reliable and valid Teachers’ Body Posture Literacy Questionnaire (TBPLQ) to examine their body posture knowledge. Methods The tool was based on a Parents Body Posture Literacy Questionnaire (PBPLQ) and modified and validated through discussion with experts, conducted in two rounds. Corrective gymnastics, physiotherapy, ergonomics, and physical education (PE) experts and doctoral and postdoctoral scholars evaluated content validity. Test-retest repeatability was tested using Cohen’s kappa coefficient. The study used a convenience sample of 195 teachers from three different educational levels: PE, kindergarten, and primary education in two rounds of test-retest (pilot test-retest reliability and main test-retest reliability of the questionnaire). The first round encompassed 95 participants, with pre-test and post-test procedures applied using the original TBPLQ. The second round involved 100 participants and followed a similar approach, incorporating modifications to the TBPLQ based on the reliability outcomes observed in the first round. Results The results of the first-round test-retest TBPLQ reliability, with 95 samples, resulted in an overall reliability of 0.77 (range 0.02 to 1). This indicated that the questionnaire still lacks sufficient reliability. Consequently, after the necessary amendments and modifications, the questionnaire’s reliability was tested for the second time with 100 samples. Notably, the overall reliability of 0.82 (ranging from 0.50 to 1) was established for the TBPLQ indicating that 87.5% of the questionnaire items achieved reliability scores within the substantial and almost perfect range and only 12.5% of the items attained moderate reliability scores. Conclusions The questionnaire is a new self-report measure for evaluating teachers’ literacy in postural health. It is applicable in both research and practical contexts, extending its use to larger and more diverse populations.

THE PROFESSIONAL LANDSCAPE OF POLISH TEACHERS AS PRESERVED IN THEIR DIARIES FROM THE FIRST MONTHS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The article presents the conclusions formulated on the basis of a qualitative analysis of diaries submitted by Polish teachers in response to the competition conducted in the years 2020-2021 by the Institute of Social Economy of the Warsaw School of Economics. The analysis of the diaries made it possible to answer questions about the condition of not only the teachers themselves, but also, and above all, about the emerging picture of the state of the Polish education system. The difficult times and new circumstances of school functioning during the pandemic highlighted the importance and essence of the teacher profession. However, these experiences also revealed the weaknesses of the education system, forcing us to look at the extent to which teachers are able to adequately recognize the situation of their activities, to what extent they have the ability to recognize the essence of “what is good and right”, how their awareness of their socio-professional role is shaped, what importance they attach to their work and what are their abilities to overcome extraordinary difficulties.The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for education that have resulted in profound changes in the way we think about school and its environment and about the work and professional development of teachers.

Polish teachers’ epistemic beliefs on history as seen through the lens of social media

This article is based on the content analysis of the Polish Facebook group Nauczyciele historii (“History Teachers”) which is administered by, and addressed to, practicing and prospective history teachers. The group’s over six thousand members engage and interact by writing, reading, reacting to, and commenting via as many as twenty plus posts daily. We examined the group’s on-line discussions for manifestations of the member-teachers’ epistemic considerations: their reasoning about the epistemic nature of history; their assumptions regarding the goals and meaning of history as a school subject; and their attitudes toward the narratives of difference, diversity, and multi-perspectivism. Our findings reveal that Polish history teachers’ epistemology is poorly conceptualized, rather naïve, and largely unaffected by the developments in historical and didactical theories of the last 50 years. Those teachers do not reflect on the epistemic nature of history. They approach history as a “science”, which they presume to be objective and unambiguous. They tend to see themselves as transmitters of knowledge about the past which their pupils should internalize, and as propagators of those “patriotic” values that - according to certain received, long-established discourses - strengthen national identity and social cohesion.

The use of popular music in the education of children aged 4–6 years from the perspective of Polish and American early childhood education teachers1

The aim of this study was to examine Polish and US teachers’ popular music education practices with children 4–6 years old. Focus groups and individual interviews involved eighteen Polish and eighteen American teachers. The data were analysed using MAXQDA software in a coding process based on sociocultural theory. The results demonstrate that Polish and US teachers use similar popular music in similar contexts. However, the author found specific differences. When asked about their plans for future inclusion of popular music education, American teachers stressed that they planned to intensify its use by designing and implementing more activities. On the other hand, Polish teachers equated their plans with their own professional and self-development. This study sheds light on the role of popular music in educating young children as reported by Polish and US teachers and highlights the importance of continued research in this area.

Assessing polish teachers’ competencies in working with Ukrainian refugee students: A comparative study across different contexts

The rapid influx of refugee students from Ukraine has posed challenges to the education system and teachers in Poland. In the current study, we aimed to determine how teachers in Polish schools, at various stages of education, assess their own competencies to work with Ukrainian refugee students. The sample consisted of 684 teachers who declared that they worked with refugee students from Ukraine. The results indicate that teachers generally rate their professional competencies for working with these students as sufficient, with teachers working in lower primary schools and schools in rural settings assessing them as higher than teachers working in upper-secondary schools and schools in urban settings. Implications for practice are discussed. Implications for practice are discussed.

FEATURES OF THE BACHELOR’S EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM “POLISH STUDIES – LANGUAGE, CULTURE, SOCIETY” AT THE JAGELLONIAN UNIVERSITY (for Chinese Students)

The article examines the special 2-year double degree diploma program of the Bachelor’s Education Level “Polish studies – language, culture, society” for Chinese students at the Institute of Polish Glottodidactics of the Jagiellonian University. This is an innovative project, the idea of which appeared back in 2006, when a cooperation agreement was signed between the Jagiellonian University and the Chinese State Administration for the Development of the Chinese Language, but the idea was implemented in 2019–2020. The turning point in this direction was 2013, when the government of the People’s Republic of China adopted the initiative of the One Belt, One Road global infrastructure development strategy, which led to a number of reforms not only in the economic, but also in the educational sphere, in particular in the teaching of Polish as a foreign language. Poland became an important point in the development of the implementation of the idea of this global project as a transfer between Western Europe and China. In accordance with the signed agreement and the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages in Poland Chinese students deepen their knowledge of the Polish language, history and culture and acquire new skills and abilities. This program is implemented in two main parts (2 + 2). The first four semesters take place at the student’s home university in China, and the next four semesters are at the Jagiellonian University. The main task of this program is to train specialists who, on the one hand, have a high level of language skills, but, on the other hand, they must also have knowledge of the country whose language they are studying, have a broad global perspective and be able to participate in a strong competition and international cooperation. Also, the article pays special attention to the prerequisites for the creation of the program “Polish studies – language, culture, society”, describes the main tasks and academic disciplines, the topics of diploma theses, and also explains the mechanisms of using the experience of Polish colleagues on the Ukrainian reality. Key words: Double Degree Program, Polish Studies, Chinese students, Institute of Polish Glottodidactics, Jagiellonian University.

Teacher agency in the times of crisis: a situational analysis of school environment after the 2022 Russian invasion in Ukraine

From February to May 2022, the war in Ukraine prompted Poland to accommodate 3.37 million refugees from conflict zones, in addition to 850 thousand Ukrainian economic migrants already residing in the country. A substantial proportion of these refugees, primarily mothers with children, swiftly integrated into the Polish educational system, with some children commencing schooling within a week of their arrival. This influx significantly diversified the then predominantly monolingual landscape of Polish schools. Given the uniqueness of this situation and the fact that Poland has historically remained mono-national and monolingual for decades, Polish teachers suffered from a lack of preparedness, resources and expertise to effectively navigate their teaching practices in multilingual classes. To understand the specificity of this situation, taking especially into account the perspective of educators, we have designed a qualitative study drawing on focus group and individual interview reports. We were particularly interested in determining how teachers' agency was activated in times of crisis. The findings reveal how the newly-emerging linguistic and cultural heterogeneity is perceived by teachers, how it is manifested in school and home environments, and the extent to which possibilities for synergies exist between the two. The findings also highlight the fact that, despite teachers' inexperience and unpreparedness for the new educational context, they instantly responded to the challenges that emerged. This can be exemplified by teachers' collaboration in material design as well as the willingness to participate in courses sensitizing to migrant students' needs (e.g., linguistic, educational, or emotional ones).

The effect of risk of contracting and fear of COVID-19 on burnout and job satisfaction in Polish teachers

BackgroundFear of COVID-19 and its related complications can negatively affect well-being and contribute to less effective daily and professional functioning. Based on Maslach’s burnout concept, this study aimed to verify the relationship between risk of contracting and fear of COVID-19, occupational burnout and job satisfaction in Polish teachers during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.Participants and procedureThree hundred fifty-two teachers, aged between 22 and 68, participated in this study. In the studied sample, 252 people worked remotely, 41 in-person and 59 were hybrid workers. The Risk of Contracting COVID-19 Scale, the Fear of COVID-19 Scale, the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the Brief Job Satisfaction Scale were used.ResultsRisk of contracting COVID-19 was positively related to fear of COVID-19 and emotional exhaustion. Moreover, fear of COVID-19 was negatively related to personal accomplishment and positively related to emotional exhaustion. Lastly, all three dimensions of occupational burnout were significantly related to job satisfaction. There was no direct relationship between fear of COVID-19 and job satisfaction. This relation was mediated by two scales of occupational burnout: personal accomplishment and emotional exhaustion. All three subscales of occupational burnout were significant predictors of job satisfaction, explaining 53% of its variance.ConclusionsThe current study showed a relationship between the risk perception of COVID-19, occupational burnout and job satisfac-tion in Polish teachers during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The results obtained in the study may contrib-ute to the understanding of the effects of the pandemic for the professional group of educators.

Polish Teachers’ Opinions on the Distance Learning of Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder

The pandemic COVID -19 necessitated the introduction of distance learning in many countries, including Poland. For teachers and students, this meant a major change and a number of challenges (both technical and psychological) that they had to face. Students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their teachers are concerned. The aim of the present study was to find out the opinions of teachers about teaching children with ASD during the COVID -19 pandemic. The study was conducted at a time when the situation in Poland was very bad due to the epidemic and distance education was introduced. The survey involved 276 teachers, 144 of whom worked daily with a student with autism spectrum disorders and 132 of whom had no such experience. The results showed that teachers working with students with autism spectrum disorders were more likely to feel annoyed during the pandemic, less engaged in their work and less likely to help others. Although teachers saw the benefits of distance learning, most felt that students with autism spectrum disorders did better in traditional schools.

Typical spelling errors of Grade 1 spellers of Polish: An exploratory study adapting the POMAS classification to the Polish orthography

AbstractThis paper presents the adaptation of the POMAS classification of spelling errors (Silliman et al., Developmental Neuropsychology 29:93–123, 2006, Bahr et al., Journal of Speech, Language & Hearing Research 55:1587–1599, 2012; International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism 18:73–91, 2015) to Polish orthography. We identified the most common phonological, orthographic, and/or morphological errors committed by Polish Grade 1 spellers based on a writing-to-dictation task. Some of the error types were included in the original POMAS; some we added, following the classification rationale, to adapt the classification to the specific features of the Polish orthography. Moreover, we found that the participants made, on average, an equal number of phonological and orthographic errors, and of phonological and morphological errors. However, orthographic errors were more frequent than morphological ones. A roughly equal proportion of orthographic and phonological errors occurred in the spelling of the most difficult words. The most frequent orthographic error type was grapheme substitution, followed by final consonant devoicing, and consonant devoicing within a word errors. The most frequent phonological error type were misspellings in diacritic signs, followed by consonant deletion, vowel deletion, and epenthesis. The developed POMAS-PL version may be used by other researchers of Slavic languages, to allow for intercultural comparisons. Moreover, our analyses can be used by teachers of Polish as a first and a second language to anticipate their students’ errors and to understand what knowledge the learners need to learn to spell correctly.

Experiences of the Polish teachers of primary schools in working with war refugee students from Ukraine – selected problems, limitations and implications for pedagogical practice

ABSTRACT The ongoing war in Ukraine has caused that millions of people, mainly women and children, were forced to flee their country. Poland, as a country bordering Ukraine, accepted the most refugees. In consequence, Ukrainian school-age children started studying in Polish schools but preparing Polish primary schools (schools which educate children who are 6/7–15 years of age) to accept such an unimaginable number of Ukrainian students became a challenge. This was due to the fact that Polish teachers of primary schools had no previous experience of working with refugee students. The following article presents the results of the research survey conducted among 359 Polish teachers working in primary schools, the majority of whom were women (91.4%) and men (8,6%), aged 25–60 years. The research using a questionnaire technique was conducted in 4 Polish provinces that accepted the largest number of Ukrainian refugees. The aim of the research was to identify the mechanisms hindering education and integration of Ukrainian refugee students attending primary schools and to obtain information on the assistance activities provided by Polish teachers addressed to the refugee students. The developed conclusions could be used in schools in Poland and other countries.

The levels of physical activity and fatigue among teachers in Poland and the United Kingdom in the first year after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 disease has a negative impact on the psychophysiological health of populations worldwide, including a decrease in overall physical performance and an increase in fatigue. Fatigue was one of the main symptoms reported by patients and persisted for several weeks after infection with COVID-19. Although the phenomenon of fatigue is still poorly understood, physical activity can be a supportive factor in combating feelings of fatigue and lack of energy. The purpose of this research was to assess the physical activity (PA) and fatigue levels of teachers in Poland and the United Kingdom in the first year after the COVID-19 pandemic. The online research was carried out among 410 teachers from Poland and the United Kingdom. The PA level was assessed using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). The level of fatigue was measured using the Modified Fatigue Impact Scale (MFIS). Polish teachers, regardless of sex, are more physically active (the differences relate mainly to walking and moderate activity). When assessing the level of fatigue, there is a significant difference between men and women - the former indicate a higher degree of fatigue, with the difference between the sexes being particularly large in the Polish community. Quite clearly, there is an association between less activity (except walking) and more fatigue. All models show a statistically significant effect of total fatigue on total effort. Physical activity is not very strongly correlated with age but the level of fatigue increases with age. The problem of teacher fatigue is unfortunately widespread. They should be encouraged to engage in as much PA as possible during the day. When planning and targeting fatigue reduction campaigns, PA should be encouraged and variables such as age, sex should be taken into account. Med Pr Work Health Saf. 2024;75(2):103-112.

Моделі поведінки, спрямовані на зміцнення здоров’я дітей-іноземців у польських школах. Наукове дослідження

The article presents the results of the research concerning pedagogical observations of selected features characterizing the health-promoting models of behaviour in children and adolescents. The observations were conducted by teachers working in primary schools in Poland. The selection of the sample for the study was purposeful as it targeted foreign students attending primary schools in Poland in rural or urban areas. Altogether, the teachers carried out 211 pedagogical observations, which were then subjected to statistical analysis. Taking up the research topic in the assessment of health-promoting models of behaviour in children and adolescents is a current scientific issue due to the fact that the above-mentioned models of behaviour constitute the basis for the proper development of young people and determine the state of human health in childhood, as well as adulthood. On the other hand, conducting the research on a group of foreign children who came to Poland in recent years, mainly from Ukraine, will help diagnose their learned behaviours in times when they lack peaceful life. The research results will be helpful in school practice for Polish teachers in undertaking targeted educational activities and, if necessary, conducting interventions for those in need of support. Health-promoting models of behaviour are indicators of attitudes towards health, which result from the values adopted by individuals. Therefore, the need to advise, support and help young people to shape them properly should be emphasized.

The situation of the Polish language in Lithuania: An analysis of Lithuanian media discourse

The aim of this article is to identify thematic contexts in which the Polish language is discussed in Lithuanian online news portals and to analyse how the situation of teaching, learning, and using the Polish language is presented in the media in terms of the rights of language users. The article overviews the status of the Polish language in Lithuania on the basis of analysis of Lithuanian information portals. For this purpose, the three most popular Internet portals were selected: delfi.lt, lrt.lt, and 15min.lt. Media articles were extracted using the Google Chrome Web Scraper tool. Seventy-two articles from the years 2019-2023 were chosen for the study. The articles covered topics such as the results of students’ education in national minority schools, the level of Lithuanian language proficiency in minority schools, the teaching of Polish as a foreign language, public signs in Polish, and court cases concerning the use of the Polish language. During the selected period, the media articles primarily focused on the Polish language in the context of education and legislation, disregarding discussions related to Polish culture .Keywords: Polish language – Lithuanian media – discourse analysis.

Mental well-being and difficulties of Polish teachers during remote education in the COVID-19 Pandemic

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic negatively affected the mental and social well-being of people worldwide. While most research focused on children's difficulties, such as mood changes and social withdrawal, few studies explored the challenges faced by teachers, especially in the context of mental health. This study aimed to understand teachers' views on their well-being during and before COVID-19. A survey of 216 teachers was conducted, of whom 115 worked in mainstream primary schools and 101 in special schools in Poland, during a period of severe pandemic conditions and social isolation measures. The findings showed that the pandemic had significant effects on teachers' mental health in some aspects, but this was not always negative. This highlights the need to prioritize teachers' well-being, not only during crises but also on a daily basis. Ultimately, the quality of children's education depends on the mental state of their teachers.

Conflict and demobilisation: lessons on legitimacy and associational power from Poland’s 2019 teachers’ strike

ABSTRACT In 2019, Poland experienced a massive teachers’ strike that lasted three weeks. Although the strike had a great impact on many teachers, in the end, this three-week action failed to obtain any of its demands. Using the concepts of workers’ associational power and union legitimacy, I argue that one of the reasons for the loss was a crisis of legitimacy within the main union that organised the strike. Based on interviews with the strike participants, I analyse the dynamics of changing workers’ associational power during the strike due to a crisis of legitimacy of the strike organiser – the Polish Teachers’ Union (ZNP). I show how the union faced a legitimacy crisis in four critical areas: perceived injustice, perceived effectiveness, union availability, and internal democracy both before and during the strike, and discuss how these insights might benefit trade union renewal.

Acceptance of gay and lesbian people among Polish teachers: the roles of intergroup contact and belief in LGBT conspiracy ideology

ABSTRACT The present research focused on predictors of acceptance of gay and lesbian people among Polish teachers. The relationship between acceptance and intergroup contact was examined through the lens of intergroup contact theory. The secondary goal of this article was to investigate the relationship between gay and lesbian acceptance and endorsement of LGBT-related conspiracy theories. The results (N = 1,638) indicated that intergroup contact and belief in an LGBT conspiracy were the strongest predictors of gay and lesbian acceptance. Moreover, belief in an LGBT conspiracy mediated the relationship between the frequency of church attendance and acceptance of gay and lesbian people. These findings are consistent with the framework of intergroup contact theory.

A preliminary comparison study of teachers' resilience in Greece and Poland

AbstractThis study aimed to assess the applicability of the Teachers' Resilience Scale (TRS) among Greek and Polish teachers and explore whether nationality and sociodemographic factors influence teachers' engagement with resilience protective factors. A total of 1622 teachers participated, providing TRS responses and sociodemographic information. Greek and Polish teachers exhibited similar assessments of protective factors, except for Social Competence and Peer Support, where Greek teachers scored higher. Greek teachers also reported higher overall resilience scores than Polish teachers. Gender differences were observed, with women scoring higher in Personal Competencies and Persistence than men. Marital status influenced Social Skills and Peer Support and Family Cohesion, favoring those married and/or in relationships. Additionally, teachers in primary and secondary education reported higher scores in Personal Competencies and Persistence compared to kindergarten teachers. These findings contribute to understanding how individuals and social groups, despite facing diverse adversities, tend to employ similar strategies to bolster and safeguard their resilience.

In-Service Training of Foreign Language Teachers in Poland – Aims and Objectives Versus Implementation

The purpose of this article is to discuss in-service training for foreign language teachers in Poland. The theoretical considerations concerning the functions, categories and forms of in-service training are supported by the results of a survey conducted among Polish teachers of foreign languages. The study aimed to diagnose which forms, topics and modes of in-service training are of the highest interest to the respondents, and recognise their preferences with regard to future training. The data collected show that the respondents are eager to use the offer of training, are open to new proposals in respect to the mode and topic of the training itself, and are mostly competent enough to evaluate it thoroughly.