Do suitable educational conditions create a greenhouse effect?

It is often said in society that children in private educational institutions grow up surrounded by greenhouse conditions. Proponents of this idea claim that, when studying in such an environment, students have difficulty adapting in later life or when they have crossed the threshold of public schools. What conditions develop personality? Does attention to each child, his needs and favorable learning conditions create a greenhouse effect?

„In the education system, the child must grow”

Sayings, myths or clichés abound on the topic of greenhouse conditions. Representatives of public schools point fingers at private schools, saying that they excessively care and patronize children, and that the latter lack social resilience when they enter other environments.

Giedrė Statkutė, director of Šiauliai Jesuit School, was open when interviewed on this topic: “I don’t use the phrase ‘greenhouse conditions.’ I think that suitable, optimal conditions for a child to grow and develop cannot be treated as greenhouse conditions.” According to the head of the school, this label, which is widespread in society, is applied not only to private schools, but also to public schools that pay more attention to the person and where education is focused specifically on the child. .

According to the director of the Jesuit school, all educational institutions have the tools to create a favorable environment for a child to grow and develop, all that is needed is a desire. “The child must grow in the education system. He needs to experience a good life so that he can continue to create wealth when he grows up. A child should not feel fear or bullying at school, because such an environment is harmful,” the head of the Jesuit school is convinced.

A comfortable environment is important for a child’s needs

An orderly environment, abundant teaching tools, peaceful and responsible mutual relations, adequate communication with the parents of pupils are common practice at Šiauliai Jesuit School. The head of the institution emphasizes that these are not greenhouse conditions, but a favorable and friendly environment for a person, which aims to raise a child with love and trust.

“At the school, we do everything to make both the child and the people who work here comfortable, good and, most importantly, safe. But at the same time, we implement rules and encourage them to respect and protect the environment around them. Then the child grows up conscious, realizing that the world is easy and he does not have to fight for his existence”, says G. Statkutė.

The head of the school notices the reverberations spreading in the society, which allows us to assume that the comfortable conditions in the educational institution are named precisely as a greenhouse. “Doesn’t the school have to create bad conditions so that the child adapts better when he goes to another environment?” It’s not logical. All schools must create good conditions so that children who come from a different environment feel good,” G. Statkutė shares her thoughts.

The main responsibility of the child is to learn

Favorable environmental factors allow the child to concentrate on his most important duty – learning. The aspiration of every school – both private and public – is for the child to achieve the intended learning results in a proper way, taking into account his age, development and capabilities.

G. Statkutė also speaks about the fact that the essential duty of a child at school is to learn. It is said that it is very important for children to understand this responsibility: “In our school, children have 2-4 mandatory educational activities in addition to the general plan, and the educational process is supplemented by an annual project, where throughout the year children additionally collect material, analyze, systematize, present reports on a specific topic . It is a duty that grows into a right for the child to learn to manage information and present it. Such measures do not facilitate, but on the contrary – intensify the educational process. However, leaving the child with the opportunity to act in that learning load, guided by the Jesuit clause “as much as possible”, creates a relationship of duties and rights in a safe, responsible and as if by itself.”

According to the head of the educational institution, it is important that the child understands not only the basic, but also the elementary duties and is able to follow the rules. A great example of this is wearing a uniform every day. Right here, students should know their duty and responsibility to respect the established rules of the educational institution, the people in this environment and to save property.

According to G. Statkutė, it is extremely important for children to understand the consequences of their inappropriate actions: “This develops the ability to distinguish an intentional action from an unintentional one and helps to orientate what to do in the event of one or another consequence.”

Dattention to those around you

One of the goals of the Jesuit school community is to cultivate and show respect for others. In accordance with this principle, the aim is that the child not only acquires knowledge, but also grows as a better person.

The phrases “good morning”, “thank you”, “please” are common in the educational institution. G. Statkutė also names several rules aimed at inculcating everyday, but very important skills in children, which allow to teach the child to express attentiveness to those around him in visible ways: “Boys are taught to take off their hats when they enter the room. When the third person enters the class, the children are invited to stand. It is necessary for us to clean our feet after coming from outside in all clean areas. Children walking between speakers are stopped to change their walking trajectory. We invite children not to run in the corridors to reduce the chance of collision. We also stop the loud and senseless screaming of children.”

The head of the Jesuit school says that children educated in such conditions cross the thresholds of other schools by being cultured, knowing their position and being able to talk to teachers about matters important to them. “And we, the adults working at the school, must be prepared for speaking,” adds G. Statkutė.