Sławomir Olszewski

Image of profession in special educators’ perception – ways of defining the term „special educator”

The way of perceiving one’s own profession is a factor connected with the effectiveness of undertaken occupational activities and the starting point for afterthoughts on own professional functioning. Forming this perception is an important challenge during special educators preparation. The purpose of the study is to describe how special educators, working with people with intellectual disability, define the term “special educator”. The article presents definitions, created by the study participants, referring directly to the special educator: her/his attributes and occupational preparation.

Special Educators’ self-understanding through metaphors

Self-understanding, perception of profession is one of the important indicators of the professional identity. This study based on results of research on professional identity in special educators working with persons with intellectual disability. The purpose of this study was concentrated on metaphorical ways used in special educator’s self-defining. The most important ways of understanding of profession through metaphors are described. An exploration of metaphorical descriptions suggests that they can be optimal start point to reflection on individual perception of professional space, and in this context can be helpful in construction and re-construction of professional identity in special educators.

Artykuł zawiera analizę przemian zachodzących w polskiej pedagogice specjalnej w trzech zasadniczych obszarach: zakresie oddziaływań pedagogiki specjalnej wyrażającym się w systematyce, podmiocie i przedmiocie tych działań, a także w podejściu badawczym oraz terminologii, jaką posługuje się pedagogika specjalna. Źródłem opisanych zjawisk są przeobrażenia zachodzące w podejściu do niepełnosprawności i do osób z niepełnosprawnością.

Vectors of changes taking place in Polish special pedagogy

The article contains an analysis of transformations that emerged in Polish special pedagogy in three basic areas: the scope of impacts of special pedagogy being expressed in the systematics, the subject and the object of such measures as well as in the research approach and the terminology employed by special pedagogy. The transformations in the approach to disability and people with disabilities are described as the sources of described phenomena