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Civic Education in Local Government Schools
Textbooks developed through the program Citizenship Education in Local Government Schools (KOSS) are especially written for middle school children (ages 14-16). The design of the books and suggestions for teaching methods distinguish KOSS textbooks as an attractive and effective teaching tool. They also include: a dictionary, a calendar, and a guidebook for young citizens. KOSS curriculum also provides examples of lesson plans and scenarios for interactive education, a teachers’ guide to evaluating pupils, transparencies and a pupils’ guide to preparing for tests. The textbook and curriculum guides provided by KOSS are accompanied by a wide range of information available to teachers and pupils through the Internet. 350,000 pupils use KOSS textbooks each year. Citizenship Education in Local Government Schools (KOSS), is CCE’s oldest program, started in the early 1990’s, when CCE decided to take an active part in the changes taking place in Poland to reform Polish schools. The primary objective of reform was to make civic education both effective and enjoyable for pupils. The program KOSS prepares pupils for active participation in a democratic society by introducing pupils to the basic issues of democracy and civic engagement, the political and legal systems in Poland, and the basic rules governing the market economy. KOSS lessons are unlike regular school classes because they involve interactive games, discussions, and group work and projects. Besides its educational and informative aspects, KOSS textbooks value pupil experiences and emphasize the importance of participation in daily life. This approach to education shows that learning can be fun, interesting and engaging, but it can also seem difficult to teachers because it requires active participation in the learning process and openness to new ideas. To support teachers in this new approach, CCE has prepared detailed lesson plans and examples. CCE firmly believes that the greatest reward for the effort required on the part of teachers is the satisfaction of seeing pupils develop as active citizens of society. KOSS has become the most common civic education program for middle schools. The accompanying textbook is used by 350,000 pupils each year. CCE’s work through the program has also been recognized by authorities in the field of education: in the first year of the educational reform, the Ministry of Education named KOSS one of the best educational programs in Poland, and CCE was awarded an honorary distinction for "Outstanding Service in Education" for introducing KOSS into Polish schools. The KOSS program, and trainings and workshops for teachers have been supported by various foundations and aid initiatives, including the National Endowment for Democracy, the Stefan Batory Foundation, the United States Information Agency, the program PHARE, the Ministry for Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Holland, and local governments. |
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