School of Education is a joint undertaking of the Polish-American Freedom Foundation and the University of Warsaw, whose curriculum was designed in close cooperation with Columbia University Teachers College in New York. This is the only non-remote, full-time post-graduate course in Poland granting teaching certificates.
At present, the course is provided free of charge, and School of Education students may apply for a scholarship to help cover the costs of living and for a place in a UW dormitory.
The seventh round (the 2022/23 academic year) is attended by 24 students following one of the four education paths: Polish studies, mathematics, history and civic education, as well as biology and natural studies.
Daily school teaching practice is an integral part of teacher training. Students spend time in both academic classes and a school classroom. They observe lessons, co-teach, and teach, take part in meetings of teacher boards and parent-teacher conferences. The experience accrued at schools are then regularly discussed during academic classes. The School of Education takes responsibility for the quality of in-school apprenticeships by closely cooperating with a network of 100 teachers-mentors and 40 selected schools in Warsaw and vicinity.
Each student has her/his own individual tutor from the School of Education. Academic classes are held in small groups. SE places a lot of emphasis on a systematic reflection about the learning process. SE faculty is made up of people with school experience, actively involved in the area of education, and having different perspectives: in-service teachers, academics, and other people with a passion for education. The School of Education employs lecturers from several academic centers, trained by renowned American and European specialists in teacher education.
The PAFF and UW School of Education offers long-term support for more than 180 alumni, also helping them find a teaching job. Former students have ongoing contact with SE lecturers, regularly refining their methods and sharing teaching experiences. Education facilities that hire the alumni may take part in the rich training offer of the School of Education.
Since 2017 the School has added to its offer professional development for in-service teachers in teaching literature and Polish, mathematics, biology, history, as well as didactic and communication competencies. In the 2022/23 academic year courses are attended by some 80 people.
Starting from 2021, the School of Education has a new research component aiming to scientifically verify its didactic methods and tools. The first scientific conference was held in 2022, with 80 academics from across Poland and experts from the Teachers College of Columbia University and Maynooth University in Ireland attending.
From day one of Russia’s 2022 aggression against Ukraine, the PAFF-UW School of Education immediately engaged in preparing teachers for working with Ukrainian learners. SE organized a cycle of webinars on teaching Polish and Ukrainian history, and integrating Polish and Ukrainian youth. More than 10,000 users viewed these webinars. SE designed guidebooks on the differences between Polish and Ukrainian curricula; more than 30,000 teachers have used these to date. Moreover, SE held two online courses for 30 Polish language teachers (“Teaching Polish as a foreign language”) and 20 Ukrainian teachers (“Teaching Math in Poland”). SE also organized the “Ukrainian Teacher in Poland” conference which attracted 100 teachers from Ukraine. Former Ukrainian Education and Science Minister Lilia Hrynevich (2016-2019), a Kirkland Program alumna, was the event’s guest of honor.
Good practices developed in the School of Education are popularized not only in schools but also in institutions for teacher education and professional development. In 2022 alone, various SE conferences, training sessions, and webinars which showcased SE methods and tools attracted more than 5,000 people.
The Foundation for Quality Education, established by PAFF in 2014, is responsible for the management and development of the School of Education. SE is situated in the UW Center of New Technologies (CENT) in Warsaw.
The Foundation has disbursed $7,290,390, including $612,250 for the current edition.