Europe is us : a picture of Europe and Europeans in school textbooks on integrated education : the case of Poland

Poland has been a full member of the European Union for 15 years and has also been bound with the EU on the grounds of the European Agreement for a quarter of a century. A lack of understanding of European social and cultural affinity as well as a lack of awareness of common European citizenship are clearly observable in the Polish public debate. After a short period of fascination with the new political situation in which Poland found itself after 2004, extracurricular classes devoted to the EU appeared in schools. The curricula (also at the first class level) were enriched with European content. Currently, in Polish schools, especially at the level of early-school education, one can notice a weakening of leading to building a sense of Europeanness and awareness of a common cultural heritage, which determine social cohesion and understanding as well as acceptance of the cultural diversity of Europe. The period of early-school education, the first years of a child's experience at school, is the time of his/her socialization, a time of building self-image and identity construction. The school, as an institution, is trusted by children. The instructors enjoy a great deal of authority. It is a period of getting to know other people and social groups, learning about other countries and cultures; building or weakening the stereotypical view of the world. Educational content presented in school textbooks plays a significant role in this process. It precisely this content and personal school experience of diversity, which frame the pupil's social and cultural competences, his/her sensitivity to "others", readiness to actively participate in the life of the community. Finally, it is this content that determines finding his/her place in the mosaic of diversity as well as it builds competence to live in Europe as explained by Zygmunt Bauman in his concept of " liquid modernity. " Therefore, a question arises as to whether early-school education, through the teaching content included in the guidelines of the Ministry of Education and the school textbooks contributes to constructing of a broad perspective of pupil's functioning in contemporary Europe; whether and to what context are the images of other Europeans and their cultures being represented? Is the commonality of the cultural heritage of both broadly defined European Union countries and its neighboring countries bordering to Poland emphasized? Does the early education three-level elementary school pupil have the chance to see him/herself as part of a larger, diverse European cultural and social community, meet his/her neighbors and see them as friends. To answer this question, I have analyzed educational content presented in selected textbooks for early school education and Ministry guidelines included in the Ministry of Education documents. The emphasis was given on identifying and analyzing information on European issues, the image of other societies and European countries, highlighting differences and similarities and common cultural elements, which constitute frame of reference for constructing European perspective of pupil's identity. Based on research findings I will conduct further in-depth studies. I will also provide for recommendations for teachers and institutions responsible for creating didactic content for early school education at primary school