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If we have to describe in three words the profession of teacher than those words should be the following: nice, responsible and undervalued job. When people who perform such work say, regardless of the financial situation which is almost humiliating, that they wouldn’t change their profession for any other on the earth, it shows their dedication to their profession and love for children. Indeed, such persons are our collocutors, Dragica Markez, the class teacher in the Primary School “Rade Marjanac”, Sipovo and Olgica Rudakijevic, special teacher who works with children with special needs in the Primary School “Jovan Jovanovic Zmaj”, Trebinje.
Regardless the beauty of this job, the profession of a teacher is very responsible because the teacher does not only educate but up-bring and participate in creating of child’s personality. What are the challenges that you face in your work?
Dragica: It is very important in our work that one loves his/her profession. The one who doesn’t like children and who is not patient has nothing to do in this profession. It is a great challenge when the first class pupil who doesn’t know how to draw right and curve line and who doesn’t know to pronounce his name properly complete the fourth class with gained knowledge of many different things. You can see reflection of your work on the child and then you realize that your work was not useless. I tell my young colleagues: try to make the child to love you. If the child doesn’t like the teacher, he doesn’t like his subject either. One of my pupils wrote in her homework: I like my teacher since she cares for us like our mothers. It is great pleasure to hear something like that.
Olgica: The first meeting between the teacher and the pupils is very important especially with children with special needs. The first communication with children and their parents defines my success in further work. My work is hard and responsible because I am all in one: teacher, mother and father. The pupil must trust me. If you want to earn trust you must devote yourself to the child. You cannot just come to work and sit, you must be concentrated on your work with children. They have a feeling on that. If you are not fully engaged – they will not accept you and you will not have success in your work.
Primary education has been in the process of reform for the last couple of years. What changes have happened in your school?
Dragica: The focus is on interactive teaching and group work. The pupils are delighted but we should not push it too far. Interactive teaching is important if it is applied in right place and at right time. When the Education Advisor comes, he asks for the detailed programme of our work in the class, how every minute of the time is spent – what is impossible in everyday work. We are also requested to write preparations for classes, but I haven’t yet seen in any teachers’ manual any instruction on how to prepare for combined classes like my class and majority of classes in village schools are. In that sense, we need additional education and training.
Olgica: The school I work in and in which the special class is placed is the first school in BiH included in the program of experimental schools and all teachers and pupils are involved in education reform. In regards to the class for pupils with special needs, the new program has been developed / program of inclusion. It means that all children with special needs are involved into regular schooling. Inclusive education is the promoter of the reform but it is the sword with two edges. I am saying this from my twenty year long work experience in special classes. We should be careful in selection of child to attend special classes. Inclusive education should be supported by mobile team consisted of special education teacher and speech therapist who assist teacher in development of adapted curriculum for that child.
Do you think that the existing Curriculum is adapted to children’s need since the parents often complain that the teaching content is too excessive and rather hard?
Dragica: The curriculum is demanding. The curriculum often contains unnecessary details that pupils should learn about, especially in upper classes and secondary education. In general education it is not necessary that child should know what is the population in Argentina and number of livestock.
Olgica: In regards to the existing Curriculum for special class I have right to deviate from the Curriculum. I make a program according to the abilities and capabilities of the child as well as according to the knowledge the child gained in previous classes.
Does the existing system of primary education leave freedom to teachers to create teaching process or you must “manoeuvre” within the strictly defined frame?
Dragica: According to the rules, the advisors ask for class preparations but principally each teacher has the right to create his own path to reach the goal and the goal is to make a child to know what he should know. It is up to the teacher which path is he going to take to reach the goal.
Olgica: In my work, there is no “manoeuvring within the strictly defined frame” and everything is subordinated to the needs and capabilities of the child. I am fully free to create my work during one class, one day or school year. The Ministry of Education developed the Curriculum for children with special needs in all domain of disability: deafness, blindness and mental insufficiency. I have three pupils with special needs in the sixth grade. Regardless the fact that the framework curriculum for sixth grade exists, the pupils are taught according to individual, modified plan which I developed according to their capabilities.
What is your massage to those who are responsible for education in BiH?
Dragica: I think that they should take more into account education since the school is the basic factor of each civilised society. Although the education is not appropriately validated the situation is improving. I would like to recommend to young people especially to girls to be trained as teachers. It is a wonderful profession and I would never change it.
Olgica: Teachers should be more validated and rewarded. The authorities should be aware that teachers are the base of this society because they are bringing up new generations. Nobody understands severity of teacher’s profession. You should hear the comments of parents: “Uh, the school year has started I can hardly wait for my child to go to school!” They cannot cope with one child and you should imagine the teacher with thirty or more pupils in one class. A teacher is functioning properly in such environment and brings up new people. Is a teacher adequately awarded for his work? Those who lead this country should know.
OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina provided support for publishing of this text. Opinions and views expressed in this text do not reflect official views of the OSCE Mission.
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