Ivashko O. The problem of multicultural education in Poland

The author analyzes the historical, political, economic and social background of multicultural education in Poland. The ways of reforming Polish system of education have been given. The difference between the meaning of the terms "multicultural education" and "intercultural education" in Ukrainian and Polish pedagogics has been pointed out. According to Ukrainian researchers these terms are synonyms. According to Polish researchers "multicultural education" teaches how to coexist peacefully in culturally different society, "intercultural education" leads to cooperation and enrichment of people or groups, who belong to culturally different societies. The major differences between the other terms have been revealed. The implementation of elements of multiculturalism into Polish educational establishments has been analyzed from preschool to postgraduate education. The introduction of multicultural education into school curricula and the organization of extracurricular activities on the topic have been considered. It has been emphasized that an interdisciplinary approach dominates in multicultural education in Polish schools. The number of teachers' training courses and special literature on the topic has been recently increased. The process of teaching multicultural education in Polish higher educational establishments is the following: implementing the subject of "multicultural and intercultural education" into the educational process of higher education establishments, organizing students' multicultural societies, studying foreign languages and a regional language and culture. Polish students participate in cross-cultural trainings, in international conferences on the subject, in programs such as "Erasmus", "Leonardo da Vinci" etc. The education of national minorities, ethnic groups, immigrants and refugees as a part of multicultural education has been considered. The organization of camps for children-refugees and Polish children has been analyzed. It is stressed that the aim of multicultural education in Poland is not only to teach some information about other cultures, but also to present own culture. As an example, the work of Ceshyn's school of Polish language and culture and program "Study Tours to Poland" have been shown. The multiculturalism of Polish borderland has been analyzed. The particular attention has been paid to the regional education, which is defined by the Polish researchers as a form of multicultural education (M. Kubischyn), the first link of intercultural education (J. Nikitorovych). The practical implementation of multicultural education into educational establishments of Polish borderland has been considered. The directions of implementing the experience of Polish multicultural education into Ukrainian system of education have been suggested.