Teachers’ and principals’ experiences with assessing Ukrainian students in Polish schools

Research objectives (aims) and problem(s): The purpose of this article is to describe the experiences and strategies adopted by teachers and principals in response to the challenge of evaluating Ukrainian students. The research questions are as follows: What difficulties and obstacles do school teachers face in the process of assessing Ukrainian students? What strategies have teachers developed for evaluating these students? Research methods: Data were collected through in-depth semi-structured interviews with teachers and principals from schools enrolling students from Ukraine. A total of 10 interviews were conducted. Process of argumentation: The article discusses the legal aspects relevant to the research topic, dominant approaches to grading in Polish didactics (objectivist and constructivist), and a review of current research in this area. It also outlines the methodological assumptions and presents the findings according to the research questions. Research findings and their impact on the development of educational sciences: The main challenges in grading Ukrainian students included a lack of systemic support, language barriers, the absence of preparatory departments, the limited effectiveness of mixed-class instruction, and the short duration of Ukrainian students’ education in Polish schools. Strategies adopted by teachers included modifying or adjusting grading criteria and applying a “profit or loss” calculus—choosing to promote or not promote a student—often justified as being “in the best interest of the child.” Conclusions and/or recommendations: The strategies employed by teachers expose the inefficiency of the current grading system. The sole function of assessment has become the decision to promote students to the next grade. Ukrainian students, by virtue of their extraordinary circumstances, have in some ways contributed to exposing the overemphasis on grades in the Polish educational system. We underscore the need to move away from traditional grading toward more inclusive, student-centered approaches that take cultural context into account.