The activities of the pedagogical collective of the school in the conditions of the three lingual ed
The headmaster of the Secondary school ? 37
Simferopol
The experiment carried out at the pedagogical collective of the school ? 37
of instruction in all three state languages of the Crimea: Russian, Ukrainian
and Crimean Tatar is unique because until recently there was not anything similar
at any school of the Crimea. At the present period at the school there is the
complete parallel from 1 to 11 grade with instruction in Russian, 1-10 grades
with instruction of all subjects in the Ukrainian language and 1-5 grades with
instruction of all subjects in Crimean Tatar language.
Among the difficulties of the first stage we can mention the problem of selection
of the staff. Any high school of the Crimea and the south of Ukraine does not
train and does not prepare the teachers who could teach special subjects in
the state language. Therefore it was necessary to stake on those teachers who
are ethnic Ukrainians and who spend their childhood, and youth in «the
Ukrainian lingual environment». Another difficulty is the complete absence
of textbooks, but eventually this problem is gradually solved. The third difficulty
and difficulty not passing is a very large number of "preparations"
at the teacher, for example, the geographer who speaks the Ukrainian language
instructs the geography in all grades from 6 to 11.
In case of illness or study of the teacher the replacement is not possible.
Nevertheless the experiment on the organization of the educational process in
the Ukrainian language has fully justified itself. There is no problem with
recruitment of grades. In each parallel there are 15-20 pupils (with the minimum
allowable amount - eight). The pupils became the prize-winners of the city Olympiads
on the Ukrainian language – Glinyanaya Tanya, Govorov Egor - the prize-winner
of the republican competition in chemistry.
Unfortunately the experiment with instruction on the Crimean Tatar language
appeared less successful.
Already at the formation of the first class we faced with the problem, that
parents do not want to send the children to «the national class».
Originally we related this fact to the insufficient authority of the future
teacher. From the neighbor school the skilled and honored in the microdistrict
teacher was specially invited who managed to persuade the teachers and to set
up a class of 12 children. The next year with even more difficulties the class
was opened, but this time with 8 pupils, and in 2003 academic year there was
no persons interested. After one year one of the opened classes disintegrated.
And though the pupils of the Crimean Tatar class showed better knowledge of
Russian language than the Russian class, and of mathematics better than in Russian
and Ukrainian classes, nevertheless the general conclusion was that the experiment
gave negative result.
The parents do not want, that their children studied in the national classes.
The analysis revealed the following picture. The so-called “new Crimean
Tatars” place their children to the elite educational institutions where
English represents the basis language. «The middle class Crimean Tatars»
try to place their children to gymnasia and Lyceum even if it is related with
the high financial and transport expenses. The significant part of poor Crimean
Tatars try to place their children to Russian or Ukrainian classes. One can
understand them – it is a mimicry – the desire to merge with the
environment, developed already on a genetic level.
Unfortunately, during all these five years of this unique experiment it is possible
to note the complete indifference on the part of the Ministry of Education of
the Crimea and the Committee on the affairs of the deported peoples which did
not give a penny to assist the national classes, to what was taking place at
the school. The exception was the association "Maarifchi", but its
opportunities, as you known are very limited.
It is possible to distinguish the following conclusions of this experiment:
1. The classes with the Ukrainian language of instruction have the big future
in the Crimea.
2. There were problems in the classes with Russian language of training - their
main problem was – beyond the limit overcrowding - 32-35 pupils in a class.
It is remarkable that in order to open the Ukrainian or Crimean Tatar class
the applications of the parents of eight pupils are enough, for Russian class
25 is required! Evident discrimination.
3. The opening of the Crimean Tatar classes at a stage of an elementary school
would be expedient with the subsequent instruction in Russian classes, but only
under the provision of effective stimulation on the part of the Committee on
the affairs of the deportees and other public organizations.
4. The experiment at the school 37 was carried out in subjective conditions
- the headmaster is the Russian person – indigenous Crimea dweller who
speaks Crimean Tatar and Ukrainian languages, what in general is not typical
for the Crimea. In another educational institutions the attitude of the administration
to the organization of the educational process in Crimean Tatar and Ukrainian
languages in the best case is neutrally - indifferent (Study if you wish! Do
not study if you don’t want. We won’t have any additional problems…),
but in the majority of schools there is a frankly hostile attitude.
But even in such, extremely favorable conditions when the headmaster himself
persuades parents, the Crimean Tatar classes showed both their frailty, and
non interest of parents, the Committee on the affairs of the deportees, as well
as the informal structures which till now were completely indifferent to what
was taking place at the school.