Teacher and School as Variables which Condition the Educational Aspirations of Talented Adolescents (Olympians)

Abstract

The paper entitled “Teacher and School as Variables which Condition the Educational Aspirations of Talented Adolescents” discusses the problem of how important is a teacher's job and of the optimal conditions at school for stimulating and developing the educational aspirations among talented and ambitious adolescents. On the basis of empirical research concerning a sample of Olympians representing 44 types of schools in Stalowa Wola, the author attempts to determine how the Olympians themselves evaluate the work of their teachers and schools, what they expect of them in order to carry out their own educational aims. The findings make us conclude that school adolescents attach much importance not only to talents, knowledge and didactic engagement of their teachers, not only to the fact whether their school is well equipped in modern teaching aids, not only to a good organization of didactic work, but to an equal measure of the so-called humanistic condition of the whole process of education. It is also emphasized how important are the following: kindness, respect for a student's freedom and dignity, partner relations in the relations: teacher-student and school-student. Adolescents expect that in the school context they could find authorities helpful both in defining and legitimatizing educational values and in their putting into practice. Therefore all those variables should cooperate when it comes to determine a teacher's traits and the conditions of school work. If they are imbued with humanistic values, then they are optimal − according to adolescents − for their own efforts and educational aspirations.