Inclusive Learning and Educational Equity 5

Pressure Exerted by the Educational Authorities to Teach the Students Based 
on the Overall Material
The dictatorship of the core curriculum is connected with 
the rigorous adherence of the educational authorities to the deadlines for the realisa-
tion of the planned teaching material, which is additionally checked by external 
examinations. It is also common for students’ parents to check whether teachers 
‘work effectively’:
Teacher Agnes: If we give them (students) more flexibility, not everything will be mastered 
and the exam is required (core curriculum established by the Ministry of National 
Education
). (Reflection with researcher, 27)
Misconception of the Teacher’s Role
Teachers feel overburdened with many pro-
fessional duties as, in addition to the teaching process, they spend a lot of time on 
the bureaucracy involved in completing various school documents and those 
required by teaching supervision. The cooperation with the students’ parents can be 
very arduous, especially since many of them, like education managers, hold teach-
ers responsible for situations and objective difficulties arising in the teaching–learn-
ing process that is completely independent of them and their actions. The role of the 
teacher being confused with the role of other actors/systems related to the students 
and held equally responsible for them is a complaint made by one of the teachers:
Teacher Cecil: We are responsible for everything that happens at school, for instance: bad 
behaviour (of students), their poor grades.
(Reflection with researcher, 29)
5 Transformations of the Teaching–Learning Process Towards Inclusive…

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Parents’ Pressure to Prepare Their Children Well for the Final Exams
The 
control of teachers’ work by the students’ parents manifests itself also in the pres-
sure to ensure that their children learn first and foremost at school, allowing them to 
take their final exams without fear.
Teacher Agnes: Parents’ expectations vary; some parents want us to do a lot of homework, 
whereas other parents believe that school does not mean everything in children’s lives
. 
(Reflection with researcher, 27)
Teacher Cecil: Parents ask if the material (curriculum) execution goes well and if (stu-
dents) have mastered it well
. (Reflection with researcher, 29)