O duszy nauczycielstwa – przed stu laty i dziś

Abstract

This title suggest that time may have some essential influence on the morale and other attributes of the teacher’s status. We are speaking here not about individuals, but about a collectivity. The soul of collectivity is not an accurate concept, but a symbolical one. Today its use may even cause embarrassment, especially those who are not willing to apply metaphysical measures and evaluations. And still we have to speak and write about this seemingly unpopular topic, as today little and little is demanded of the teacher. Little is demanded of teachers, but they are overburdened with work, so in advance they are forced to give up high standards and ambitious goals. Such is the reality. The teacher has to make both ends meet, and his salary is usually too small. His poverty should not bring him to a lower class, he should save the remnants of his authority. What choice is left to him? Should he take extra duties, irrespectively of whether he has some respective knowledge or free time? Amidst his overburdened schedule and concerns can he still struggle for the quality of his „soul”? His pedagogical soul, that is. Such questions should be posed while reading this small book, or they should be posed after reading it.