,l

' Compiled bY Ene-Sitvia Sarv

Tallinn Baccalaureate School
ln-servise Teachers Training Centre of Estonia
Pronksi 3, Tallinn
August-September 1993

Modernisation of education in Estonia - brief overview

1. Activities
' 2. Essential Problems
3. Sub problems
3.1. Curriculum
3.2. Continuingeducalion
3.2.1. Parlicipation effect
3.3. Physicists
3.4. Education Society
3.5. Education Council
4. Conception of education, Educalion Platfotln
("Main'ldeas for the Reorganization of the Education in Estonia'')
5. Education in Russian
6. Comparison 'The ldea and the Activity 89-90 and 93"
7. Perspective outlook
1. Activities.

The Droce$s of lhe reorqanisation of the Education in Estonia lrom the part of the lolalitarian
-
eaucitionat sysrem of U-ssR into independent national educalion system _started in January
tvtirch, tgAZ. Tnis process is going on today as well, but in the independent Estonia.

the
During its lirst stage lhe modernisation of education bore the name and lhe conception of
;moAJmisation of ichooling". Still in Februani' 1987 the Ministry oJ Education to devote
ilte.ngeg
fne Teachers Cong-ress to 'internatidnal educalion' - in the m.eaning. that 'intemational"
ln .o-rrrnist system-. Those preparations were going on at VOT ( ln-Service Teacher
iiuO"oming
iiaining lnsritute -se6 the eplanations at the end) -until the first days. of March, accompanied by
tne mitder anO louder compdints that reached the Minister. Nevertheless since January som€ of
i."earctrers trom pTUl (ln;titde for Pedagogical Research) had started persuading Minister Elsa
Gretschkina that it was high time for lnternal changes in the Estonian school system. -
ifru" two processes todk phce simuhaneously, which by. lhe teginning of lvlarch, 1987
'decision
culminated in the Ministers lo call together a Teachers congress in a few weeks to
a new Estonian school policy and to make the first steps towards a system that would
"Jiuri"n
fu independent from the Soviet school system.
Thefirstyearsofthemodernisationofschoolingcanbecharacterisedbyconsiderably.inlensive
otten it iriir"o posiible to use.the existing structures and financial
""j "L"ltir"
,Jb"LiL* ".tivities.
io implement greJ anO
'
""t
woik intensive undertakings in continuing education as
""0
usual courses-conferences-semirirs. oualitatively all action meihods that had proved their
;;ili^;;; i" t;;heis continuins education in the 80s were used. The use of all kind of forms of
lt could.not
lr"ir"iii"" Ji"^ and co-operatio-"n iechnologies developed to.be especially important.
Ue oossiUte without previbus faaiiion ot c6llective aciion - the brainstorming and organisation-
'
;;fi;t ;;;;" weie used in severat schooling centres (for example: games
Estonian Management
i;;ilil; iartu state University, etc.). The organisation-technical ,y"l: .:"I:"iP1,1"
in organising republic-wide d?y: _oJ plysrgs
i;;;ir# continuing education iirst and foremost reguhr phased courses in 1985-86, also in
i;;;ii;;; sin"" rn""U"ginning of 80s and in somebiggLr undertakings lhe. Mil!:l^ry :1 !!Y":li:"
itl"t.""r"t" edu;arion. ln organising
lnstftute and lanu
;Jt6i assisted by the specialists from the Manag€ment Continuing
were"o"rinuin-g
Sate 0niversity in order to "organise collective celebral activity"'

A short list of activities:

in" of March i9g7 - Estonian Teachers congress, Tallinn,-about 1000 participants'
"nu (uoih and arrangements) tr'tilstV of Educalion,,VOT' PTUI'
-
"rg""i"o"
i6?O"ginning May 19g7 - 1$ briinstorming (2 diys), Ta inn, VOT, 180 participants survey
of""iential
about thousand ideas and proposals
iii-e"i,i"ii" Jociety,'18 work-groups, 3 generll'sessioirs,
(catalogued).
group of
i-ilW-"""J ii,ez - study and systematisation of the 1st brainstorming materials by the - results
intil*1""t"'- L"""i"n'"" specjalists from. VoT and PTUI, in the end of May
"nd ("Soviet Teache/'.- educalional weekly newspaper).
ilffi;Ji" "NOukogude 6petaja;,
to discuss the results of the Ist brainstorming and 2nd
fi; b;giili"g ot Jrine t stiz - h1"iting
Ui.in"to'irinS"to find out the main di-ireclions for the new cuniculum, lor narrower circle
of
educators.
projects for the new curriculum worked
iiiC iun" - Conference lor 380 experts to discussetc.21The
ou w m" various groups of specialists, teachets main model for future structure ofd
i" EJ".ia"wai choseir and the guidelines for groups of sublects were worked-out.
i;;&l;i"g "f July 1987 - the brainitorming
"Jir""liJ^ on curricutum - the first version of the new
cuniculim wth differ;ntiation into branches wis developed out of 21 separate curriculum-
oroiects and resulls of the previous Conterence..
i#;;-"f d;""i igCZ,: the joint meeting of Russian school headmasters and intelligentsia,
about 120 participants, VOT.
W"rfgroub" woiked almost withoii summer vocation in order to eslablish the new basisand
of
i"toniin gln"r"l education and curriculum. The reform of the education in physics slarted
;;;;6;i;i;r;rring years. Nearty 50% of rhe physics{eachers parricipared actively
in

lhis process. ""u"r"t

Seoiember 19gZ All-Union (USSR) search-game lor finding new direclions and basis for
-
."i"i.j in the Soviet Union, POltsamia, 1O days, 110 participants (15 people among
"Ai"ution
i[1| i; i;;E;i"nian team1, organised by Moscowofpsyihologists. (Jcrom6ko and others, the
suDDorters and co-workers of the future Minister Education in Bussia - Uneprov), ln co-.
opLration with Estonian Ministry ol Education.
 Al the same time an unconventional process for modernising Estonian physics
education took place, which in its first round included 25 physics teachers from
Russian schools (June 1987). ln the second round (August 1987 Tartu), in orderto
lry out the new methods the regular continuing courses were made use of by more
than 150 physics teachers from South-Eslonia and the scientisls of Tartu State
University. From these two regular continuing courses which were organised as
thinking bees, developed the modernisalion process of physics teaching in Estonian
education, where the primary force was a school teacher and his orders to scientists.
Further activities included a series of thinking bees, writing tenbooks at home,
testing the text at school, scientific research on the suitability of the telit, elc. ln
August 1987, more than 150 course participants, physics teachers from South-
Estonia, delegated about 50 teachers, scientists, specialists in teaching methods to
work out a new concept of school physics and corresponding study aids. From this
group of people The Estonian School Physics Society was formed, which on the one
hand organised the work in establishing the new school physics (textbooks,
conceptual basis for experimental aids, the basis for school physics concept,
organising scientif ic-methodical expertise for compiled malerials, giving collective
evalualion, experimenting the materials at school, organising contlnuing courses,
etc.), but on the other hand gave social resistance lo the group of specialists who
had dealt with school physics in a traditional way. (NB! - Characteristic undertone -
both in the Soviel Union and Estonia there was in every subiect, in every thinkable
field, a small, compact group of people who practically had a monopoly overthis
field - one of the rules of the structure the Soviet education system.) The essential
source of the disagreements was, in the activities of th€ School Physics Society, in
developing and shaping a humanistic, student-centered school physics concept and
practice until the compiling ot new textbooks as lhe colleclive work of active
leachers. The new approach did not correspond to lhe previous positivistic-Marxist,
solely subject-centered approach (paradigm). The second source of disagreements
was lhe risk of losing the monopoly over the compiling of study aids, workbooks, etc.
and the translating of al lhat time compulsory Moscow textbooks. As a third problem,
I see the so-called "syndrome of hierarchic competence' (l apologise - self-created
lerm) - every persgn who stands on a higher posftion in tho otficial or scientific
hierarchy is cleverer and more competent than those who stand lower.

Thereby - the new movement of leachers was an invasion from a classroom into
'highei" spheres in order to brake the existing evalualion system, and therefore met
strong resistance by different subject, scientific, expert and other commissions.

Three or four years ago it was impossible to formulale those disagreements. The
information above is given retrospectively by lhe author today in 1999 and is
meanwhile largely influenced by the practical acquaintance with humanistic
pedagogy in Scandinavia and England.

We should add that the working activity of School Physics Society through
organisational methods ceased temporarily. Today there are already signs that ils
operalions are re-establishing at a new higher level - as an experl ("self-appointed"
again) of lhe new school standard and cunicula. The scientific preparation of many
teachers belonging lo the society enables them lo work as experts on new school
standards and curricula. They may take full responsibilily for this Work as they have
pasl experience in forming, implementing and testing study materials using
established scientific methods (for e)6mple, application of Bloom taxonomy both in
compiling study aid_s and analysing lhe results of working with lhem reached in one
way or anolher about one thid of the Estonian teacherg in physics).
 4

ln lhal way a new approach was established, both to form the objeclives of the
subiecl taught in school as a collective aclivity, and to guarantee the teaching of the
subject by the controlled and tested sludy materials which meel children's interests
and are tinderstandable, but also raise the leachers motivation, pedagogical and
scientific competence to the newer level.

The same processes were going on in forming lhe new content of several other
subiects, but as a physicist, I know best the activities of physicists, and as it was by
all means the most extensive scale, it enabled to characterise one aspect of the
modernisation of education in Eslonia.

So we can speak about the qualitative break in teachers continuing education - a

group-work method replaced lh€ so far prevailing auditory melhod, a leacher
became the subiect of the purposefulness of his main activity and its essential
organisation - he left lhe role of a passive obeyer (see also p.3.2.1).

198788 - the preparalion and compiling of subiects, textbooks, programmes, curricula, etc. by
ditferent teams and authors, with simultaneous establishment of the conceptual basis for the
modernisation of education. Ever more becomes evident lhe caulious attitude towards the
started modemisation process by academical, communist party and other sister-establishments
of the Ministry of Education (Ministry of Higher Education).
January 1988 - Brainstorming at the Ministry of Education, academician H.Liimets tums towards
the Supreme Council to obtain support for the modernisation of schooling.
March 1988 - Brainstorming at the Ministry of Education together with headmasters - for lrying
out different theoretical-praclical viewpoints in education.
-
Spring 1988 Seminar-conference al TPedl Oallinn Pedagogical lnstitute) about the
modemisation of schooling. The "educalional opositione" from Russia participated.
May 1988 - meeting ol more than 100 headmasters (at that time Estonia had slightly over 200
secondary schools) from lhe schools who desired to switch to the differentiated or branch
education from the 1988i/89 school year, i.e. completely different curriculum from the Soviet
Union.
Spring 1988 - ECP Cc and governments resolution on uniting the Ministry of Education, the
Ministry of Higher Education and Vocational Education Commitlee into Education Committee,
Chairman Vdino Rajangu who had not played an aclive role in the modernisation process until
now.
Summer 1988 - as a setotf to the Education Committee, lhe Education Society emerged as a
pressure group to torce newfounded Committee to continue the modernisation process.
Autumn/\flinter 1988 - the foundalion of the Estonian Education Platform i.e. formulation of the
concept of education. lt included the second round of ihe analyses of the "painpoints" in the
educalional system in Estonia, research of the newest materials on educational philosophy and
practice in Western countries, reports of the Club of Rome.
Autumn 1988 - competition of educational reform programmes, 102 entries arrived. There were
proiects for reorganisalion as small schools, different subiects so the systems of vocational and
professional education, teacher training, etc.
Novombor 1988 - Teachers Conference - approval of the Education Platform, competition
resufts.
1988/89 - the toundation of the Chair of School Reform at V6T in order to guarantee the
theorelical basis for modernisation process - attempt to unite the active school relormers and to
give them possibilities for action.
May 1989 - Estonian Culture and Education Forum, 4500 delegates, many documents
supporting democracy and essential development were accepted, the election of the Educational
Counsil - the democratic nongovemmenlal organization.
Summer/autumn 1989 - VOT is reorganised into EHA - reorganisation attempt in conlinuing
education and pedagogy.
Late autumn 1989 - Estonian Education Committee is reorganised into the Ministry of
Education.
January 1990 - the new Minister tries lo achieve dialogue or compromise between different
educalional developmental groups (viewpoints) - search-game at Kaeriku.
1987-1990 - the series "On the Way lo the New School" l-lV was issued, unfortunately in
Russian. So the main information (on scientific level) about lhe processes in education did not
influence Eslonian educators really.
October 1992 - Estonian Ministry of Education is reorganised into the Ministry of Culture and
Education.
1989 - 1993 - widening of the educalional practice in Estonia - alternative schools (Waldorf-,
Freinef -, Christian-schools), prvate schools, etc.
199344 - school-development project "School of ils own individuality" ("Omanaoline Kool") for
93 schools, movement "Freedom in Education" for individual teachers and schools, etc.
1994 - The Curriculum in 6 books is worked oul and will undergo the public discussion in
1994/95.
(More full list and analyses of activities can be find in "Democratisalion and humanisation ot the
education in. Estonia 1987 - 1991" by Ene-Silvia Sarv).

2. Ess€ntial problems

Against th€ background of the whole Soviet Union Estonian education has always had a face of
its own. As Lithuanians in architecture, Estonians could keep to a certain exent to their own line
in educalion. The best'example for this is the exislence of many original texlbooks (not only
Estonian language and literature bul also, for example, Mathematics - which is the only
precedent of its kind in the whole Soviet Union). Schools used original work-books and other
study aids compiled by Estonian aulhors, large-scale differentialion of education (specialised
classes, eperimental classes, art and language biased schools, etc.) took place. Also lhe
phases ofthe continuing education system ditfered from the All-Union system and the exislence
of the lnstitute of Voluntary Pedagogical Research which included approximately 100 teachers
(and gave to Estonia a number of researchers - practicing teachers, Doctors and Masters) was
unique.

The first task in 1987: the establishment of an indigenous Estonian national schoot as h schoot
experiment' in the education system of the Soviet Union, oblaining permission and .recognitbn
from the Ministry of Education of the Soviet Union for the experiment, establishing the ideas and
basis of lhe national school and explaining them to the educational public.

Nobody predicfed the possibility of creating a totally independent school and content of
education, or even less, lhe collapse of the Soviet Union in the near future. ln order to protect
oneself against the expecled accusalions, the lerm 'experimenl' was used. This lactic was quite
usual in the Soviet Union and was used by individual schools (so to say "author schools",
experimental schools", etc.) in all republics. To apply and gain this kind of experimental status
for lhe whole Republic was unprecedenled and needed great persistence in communication with
the Minister of Education of the Soviet Union and his assistants. Minister Elsa Gretschkina was
able lo persuade lhe Moscow otficials in the necessity and timeliness ot the Estonian eperiment
and in conneclion wilh it supported the democralic wing in the Russian education movement (the
leaders of which govem Russian educdtion at lhe moment).
It was not possible lo find a common language with Estonian own (communist)party- and
education bosses and in Spring 1988 it was decided in EcP CC and Governmental circles lo
disperse the Ministry of Education and lorm a new "unit" - the Education Committee (as lt was
iust done in Moscow as the part of perestroika ).
Hence the leaders of Estonian education were no longer people wilh pedagogical education and
the knowledge of praclical school-life, but specialists from other fields, especially economics.
Vice Ministers and the department heads, workers from previous administrations were still
preserved. Ohe conlinual reforms slill lasting have affected the workers of the tormer central
administration as they are either dismissed and reinstated or forever dismissed almost annually
without knowing the reasons causing conslanl stress and an essential lack of motivation.)
Several consuftalive institutions were summoned, in order to work oul competent and impartial
(?) education policy, to divide finances and to do proiect expertise. The real iniliators of the
modernisation movement - educational oppositions in the present meaning, were nol represented
or formed a noticeable minority in these consultative institutions. The result was a situation of
constant confrontation on the organisational, administrative level where seekjng for compromise
did nol bear particular (practical) fruit.

The educational offices and scienlisls in Estonia differentiated into various conceptual directions.
Speaking for and recognising the necessity of ones own national education, the ditferent groups
of scientists and leachers still could not preserve long term concord. Rein Loik, Minister of
Education of the re-eslablished Ministry of Education (1990-91) also did not succeed in forming a
united front in education.
Retrospectively it seems that there were several reasons for such a deep 'incompatibility". Some
of them were more subjective, some were related to education policy or simply political and
others essential. The essential disagreements are those which are still particularly acute,
afthough, according to the undersigned, many of the participants have not realised it.

ll seems that namely in education a collision has occurred and still persists which undei no
circumstances can be changed into a dialogue - a collision between the positivistic idea ol
education and training, and humanistic idea of education and training bearing in mind child- and .

teacher-centered reforms pedagogy. The first, positivistic idea was more connected with lhe
Marxian human conception and although this term was soon outdated (since 1989?) the
positivistic approach remained and was of cardinal importance for one group of pedagogy
scientists in compiling cuniculum and subiect programmes (conditionally the PTUI-TPedI-EHA
branch). For one part of scientists the positivisl paradigm was soon nonsatisfying as the widening
of knowledge took place. The new cuniculum bears in it the (post)modern,st paradigm by the
words of the group-leader V. Ruus). The second, hurnanistic idea of education was more the
result cif several teachers brainslormings, lhe integration of Western humanism and the tradition
of everyday pragtice inlo the teachers activities, the analysis of educational situation and the
qualitative modelling of possible ways how educalion could develop. As a result of this activity
the "Education Platform" (in English :'Main Principles for the reorganization of the education in
Estonia", 1989) was formed.

The suitability of the humanistic idea of education into Estonian educalional thinking has been
affirmed during the last couple of years by following the preferences of teachers alone. The
pedagogical systems of Waldorf,-, Montessori, Freinel, pedagogy of activeness and Estonian
schoolmasteis J.KAis and P.P6l$have been used very extensively in a counlry as small as
Estonia during the short period since their Tirst discovery or rediscoverment". Their use is
exemplitied "clearly" (already 7 Waldorf-schools for this autumn) but especially in integration
with traditional pedagogy in ordinary state-schools. The ideas of humanistic pedagogy turned out
lo be so familiar and self-evident that akeady the first shorl course was sufficienl for more active
teachers to achieve good and original resutts.
3. Sub problems.

3.1. Cuniculum.

The first curriculum variants provided for the legalisation and legitimisation of the situation
whereby in Estonia in reality mbst schools already had either a humanitarian or science branch,
speciali3ed classes and all'other things which elsewhere in lhe Soviet Union were a reality for
only a negligible number of schools. The aim, clearly expressed at the first brainstorming, to .
deirease ih6 students load and to differentiate the education, so as to give young people the
opportunity to be engaged in the subiecls according io their abilities and inclinations, was
ei<irressed in the lirst curriculum's projects which came into existence as a resull of fierce
disputes and greai enthusiastic work. The ditferentiation of school-instruction at the secondary
level into four branches with a class load of
31-33 hours per week and a tariff load of 56 hours per week was well acceptable by
headmasters, teachers and others. lt seemed also to be financially feasible. The general,
humanilies, scientific and vocalional (teaching mostly practical skills like sewing, car driving,
etc.) branches gol their realisable form in May 1988, when the meeting of the headmasters of the
Refublic decided (on a voluntary basis) to start the nexl, 1988/89 school-year w1h leaching in
branches (branch education). The right to decide whether lo use branch education was given
almost entirely to lhe schools as one of the last decisions of lhe Ministry oJ Educalion before it
folded. ln retrospective, it seems lhat greatly thanks to this decision the modernisation process of
education continued in Estonia also in the lollowing years. Al lhe time when science and power
could not find lhe best model lor co-operation and developmenl and occasionally the personal or
administrative relations ruled over the inlerests ol education, dozens of schools started with
branch education - the voluntary and optional subiects became a reality.

3.1 .1. Subiect programmes.

The new curriculum aroused momentarily the question of subiects. ln some cases the teachers
of voluntary and optional sublects, who mostly were enthusiasts in their field, used to non-
standard activities, found themsefues in less difficull situations than the teachers of traditional
subjects whose hours of instructions were suddenly changed, the class in which their sublect was
taught shined up or down, etc. The available AlFUnion sublect programmes generally did not
coriespond to the changed direction in educational contenl, in terms of nationalism, sociality,
democracy, humanilarianism and humanity.
Thus the next activities were directed towards developing new Programmes and teldbooks or
formulating their conceplual basis, parallel to the continuing revision of the curriculum. -One
important idea was lo include in this task teachers from schools, as we had the fadition of UPUI
and the creative teachers with original thoughls were well known. This process was started, but
after some time (a year) it seemed to dissipate into an avalanche of reorganisation.
 t

3.1 .2. Subiect concePtions.

might also be called the road of collective
The road to the modemisalion of education in Estonia
woio at that time - the development of the
-oilt"i"nt a poputar
thouoht and conceptions. "con""JtioJ:*""
which.often were the results of one or two
il#Li'i;;il;;'r;i"i"?"i i"r.-k";;L;g;
"oni"ition"
bur Lsuaily rhe..fruit of some organisation-technical
;]e;;ril;-")(p"ii"nl"" ""d situation Drevailed in education' where
ffi""iiv'ib;;ir"ilIning, riig;";d.rp.
-a'iist"am6unt The.sahe
"t".i "t "
the first brainstorming prooucea of material, which oave the basis for the first
conceptual approach, uom towiris !o'u a whole and the-content of difterent school
-oiiion "" went through its own process of
levels and subiects. rne conieliion 9u9V subiect to document'
;""";fi;"ffi;h-ihould oe inter'esting and also necessary
Especia y during the subiect the patn ta{en greatlv atfected the final result. ln
"";;"il";ii;iil,
general the slogan of o"to"o"i*'u" pop'i"f .ti 1!-t99,
possibilitv to resist totalitarian
-""-the
reason why school{eachers were
centralisation in the sphere oi'suOleit ieaching was one purpose and compiling..of
;#i;dy ;il"d"d''to
-Lasr ur" p"rt'- in iormutiring the subjecl
on tne eiei'ot evatuation-discussion-experimentation.. As most. of of
the
il;;;#"'"-;i methodotogy ieading these activities were lacking lhis. type
soecialists in
:I,I!iig;;.'ii1;;lG*Ei" "nJ'""i*ti"t"
""
nigh
""
eipected. lf a new result was achieved through
tr"""ropposition
;#Hiffi'#"';i"""n"i", "tt"n ot the current leaders in the subiect became
cuslomary position' partly
ao'arent. The reason for this was peiriiv in"ir desire to preserve their
ffJilon"#;;;"iii ,j6t"tiii",iti'of ihe co-ordination process of leachers activilies and their
succeeded in developing into
iaiiiii""i'rr.i"i"g. Onty a few condeptions-programmes{'extbookswhar of role thev are plaving in
il;i;iil;ti""g on'conrrib;rion;iror
"in.ft
reachers. kind
programmes ar the moment is unknown
fii;;;;;;i;;a]uarion ot tne'cuntcuium ana subiect
to the author.

3.2. Continuing education (ln-service teacher lraining)

Thepeculiarityoftheteacherscontinuingeducation.inEstoniaincomparisonwiththeSoviet
-oi
unioi
in other countries, was its
m"iu" also the arrang;enG- ot. continuing education years.
.u"G."ti""ti6n _'ifr*hmenr,,
and flexibility. i"Vstemitisation: Oncd every five a teacier should go
iiff;h1:;;Jk'.-pJji"giar which was a1niays orienred towards rhe leachers
n""4" i""nJa"riig ihai t"a"hers experience.rcse and the knowledge of theory become
"r""ii based.courses were
iirri,"ij, in" prbsrammejof psychology, pebagogy' the. subiect' e)periencecourses'
; ffi; i;; ;;;illiig" p",rv 6t ;le"riri&s. 16randiirupcr andmerhodolosy
representatives of the
contributions
appropriate University
*liiJr.a" Uv su6iect'mdtnodo-to'gyip""iafi"t"
dn"ir."Ei"*iiritv, Abigger in progr"mr"",. the issuing of new textbooks and
"nii,g;"
workbooks, the massive receijt J"new eiperi-mental aids
at schools (lasers for physics for
for teachers. Additionally there was a quite
Jii'rprll, Lrl. i""otveO aOaitiSnai siiort "our"""
exact orientation and wide g;p well as close communicalion with the lnspector from lhe
""
l,ii^tJtr' EA""ation, the ip"[i"firt in merhodology of the corresponding
subiect from the
"i GJitut" ino t"bin"t" of the subiec{s active group where one permanent
bJririiiii"g
reoresentative from each courty belonged, aloni with further
active teachers. Those subject
:T,ffiilil"";il"iJJ br6i"Ji ouy" ilni"n unGd ail reachers of rhe same particular subject
il'il;;8"iln'siUte tor tro|iing otit"t eventssame conceming that subiecl. As Estonia is.a small
countrv the two-three nunOreO'ie"acners of the sublect for example knew each other and
i#;+ffi; ;i1; h;; h"u tt " ".t" po"ition for a long period knew lots of teachers'
At the beginning ot tne miernefion ot sctrootiii this svstem had evofued and reached
"adutthood,, - the phase incUAe'O teach6rs with over 25 years. ol active
"y"t"t";i';;iles
,;;;;;;;;, i.e. ine rirst sixt'n pnase course, the so'called course of pedagogical experience took
olace. The modernisation pro"""" o.ugni some excitement into
this system - people. started
!ffi;il; fi;iil;il; ilp.,r""r airi qu"jrion" for.Estonian educarion on the whole: the new
oossible requlation of certitication payment for headmaster courses, the new extent and
content of tfre subject at the subiect courses, etc'

3.2.1 . ParticiPalion effect.

The bedinnino of the modernisation of schooling with brainstorming and other forms
of group
;;;"';';;, ;;;ln;i;;-";ibiiities for continuing education' Essentiallv
ptace. rhe
in manv
reacher
subjects
parricipaled
and
in
J,"nJr'iiJ"pI'"'5!;;il iqrm;i ien-improvem"it rook
on the basis of different
,"d"*ii"al"g the previous eperience, iis analyses and.. evaluation of education, the raising-
;;i;;;;; ;,"de6, tne reatidation and tormutiring of the needs
of their realisation
;;;iltri";;i rh" nlw eoucarion goats and proi""rils t{> yays
at
and
the
means
same time in the role of
irniltn i""b"rv"O irrther experimentition and bvaluation. Being
got its '
i?i.i"ai'rii-l'"a i.;;";t[rS the important activities oJ education, the
prgcess
teachers activitv
lnoilvatio-n as seli-improvement changed inlo a creative stlgY.
!1"1",4-"f^il".l9tll?t
oassive "recioient stite". The participalion in proiecting activity demanded lrom lhe.Ieacner
fi;"d";;; ;Oiritils wnicn' had yet to Ud obtaineO (both theoretical, pedagogical and
ijvi'i"t1"J,;* iuu;Lcr.no othersl bu also rhe ptanning, implementing and analysing of a
!oir""f - for example during the evaluaiion of a new textbook or work instruction,
"h",ir"nt
fni"'is the Darticipation etfect - iaining continuously new quality through the setting. of
:--ril,,t"iif
"rcf. g."i", fiFii^g their tutfilmint, im-plementing and evaluation ot results and making
corrections.

3.3. Physicists (teachers in physics, scientists interested in school physics)'

(see also above.) The ditferent visions and activity models ot the people directly or indirectly
!"^-"*i"a *ittrl6acning pnysics could be the illGtrative material ol thephysics whole modernisation
students and a
orocess ol education. On in6 one hand about half of lhe teacher, many
[;;;i;;"rifi;-ilGnmtity *."inctuded into the dynamic modernisation activity over several
hand lhe
*ir[ ii;;"ri"", scientfiic, moral, social'and financial yet side, on the other
ilii"
irrJ"""riid
oi"uppression, nelrtralisation and denial of this activily, dialogue was continually
ierminated despite all etforls to keep it in progress'

peoole from different levels have been motivated to collaborate on subject conception and -
irr"rir.-11r"i *"ll as study-aids. Experiments-in such motivation, until now, have been carried
["t"ir i"r" ""
r"giont of the United Stites to guaranlee the _revolutionary change in^education,
t"",."fi the year 2000. During its six lears of operation the School Physics Society has
"ri"nt"O
eroerimented - manv models and me-thods 6f activity, integrated the individuals intellectual
*lttr iirttective knowledge and determination, inlegrated different visions .his of
"i]i*iiifitv
SJi"iiri"G oi iitt"i"ni n"u" regardin! children, their needs and abilities: about a teacher'
creative p6tentiality; about the subiect oI physics,.its scientific, general,
^!"ai'"uiriti"i ""J
n"rional significante. On th; basis of this activity the conception and programme of
"ufturif "nU
tE"ni"g physi"" tras Oien formed, telt-books, reading-books, new lab work and aids, etc. hdve
LE" compiled. The views of many leachers and scientisls, also tunctionaries have
"dffb"iV"fy
been changed ind isiues for which physicists were severely criticised lor some years ago are
sDoken about and acled upon seff-evidently.
li"* til-s"h";i physics'Society has starled ils next round, givinghave exped evaluations..to. the
already shown that the
Drosoeclive elementirv school stindard. First meetings on this topic
'nurlni"ii" i4""" triud O""or" lamiliar and teachers are ready to find co-oPeration, but al. the
or" tir" fn"V
"tick
to theh principles lormed as a result of collective activity and have received
their iustilication in schooFlif e.
3.4. Education SocietY.

TheEducationsocietywasformed,onlhe-onehan4fromthenecessitytointegratetheaclivity bureaucracy
;O".ator!, psychologists of ditferent fields and progressive educational
into the modernisation of sch;li;g lnd to establish a. ientie for
"ii"u-"n"r", the school modernisation
on lhe other hand, the reason for founding the
rt"dr"ni in T.rru - tn" ,nv""oity town.
committee onto the road of
"l"o was to pr"""ui" tnJ t""entty fglr_ned Education
Education society
path. This tast remained as its main purpose during
s"noof moOernis.jtion and ior mtnitoring its
(among the iournalists
i;;;i;;iil p*ioo. wirn me nerf o-f prdss, TV and Estonian Radio
time were very
.

t'n"i" *"* f.f" 6t peopte interested iir the'situation of education, who at the same
was pressured into a public discussion about the
.iiilLiru rinO"Of the new Education Committee
il#ft;;;;fin" 6.-t.itt""" activitv' which-to some extent ptT"i:-d-lf-""J]:139i:r
progress' HoWeVer' Ine
fire modernisation movement and the eltension Of several operations in
further result of lhis over exaglerated activity occurred in the beginning of.
the modernisation,
unJ in" gr"Oua elimination 6f" more active' panicipanls from the education scene followed
throuohout lhe endless forrnation of new struclures'
il; iiliii"iir; s;;i,p in" EJr".tion Society essentially consisted of lhe same people.as the
i"itlii""-dit"p" ihe"i school Phvsics Sociefr7, but also'included p"Ylti11ll9T^"I:.'!: ll"
lo louno.Ine
education- cirile,"t among them representalives oJ religious circles The Proposal
Education Sociery came from phybicists, the participanis of lhe Chemistry Teachers Days-joined
associalions uniting people lrom ditferent
ili;il;i 1-r8B: inOl. roAiy inany societies. and.
not-bec-"iT: ttlTg*ldi'
:p,il;; education nive oeJn form'ed. The Education Society did
- aclvlsls are
u'niting a educational lorces and today the organisation.is. dormanl. lts lounders
;6;;riJ fi"* i"a there in other lorms of coll-ective aclivity (also in Parliament, but not in the
field ol general education).

3.5. Education Council.

society,
A considerably small group of people trom lhe Education society, the school Physics.
iorna"o ot itrL Educition'plattorni, the leaders of non lormal education reform (from VoT and
cfuu people from formative political movemenlg were_ able to prepa.re.and organise a
(schools, countie.s)'
u"ni,i'.""na
*ttiin included about four tliousand delegates from all over Estonia
G;t;;i"td;and dectarations on ditferent cu-nent questions of general and education policy
were oreoared for the Forum:
DECLAiATIoN of Estonian Education and culture Forum
oEcunArior.r on education policy about the Flussian speaking population in Estonian SSR ^.
INAUIRY of Estonian Education and Culture Forum to the Kohtla-Jarve party and execulve
comminee
RESOLUTION on military service
nEfenEruce to rhe SU bp cc fult assembly(ptenum) on questions of national policy
RESOLUTION on immigration
and olhers

At the Education and Culture Forum the Estonian Education Council was elbcted from two
hundred candidates by direct votes using secret ballots'-
..
Fion1 tn" councifs apirroximately 70 mehbers, a board_of directors was elected
whose duty was
in" rin"g";"nt, cirlordination' and futfilment ol the Councils undertakings during the period
U**""n il" lull assemblies. Mr. Peeter Kreizberg was elected Chairman of lhe Education
Council.
As the body of the Education council was big and with.difierent interesls, it in itself was not a
oiganisation. Often the interests of a particular person or school inlerfered over
very stronj-on
decisions general education policy. However it gave the basis to some of the new
organisations and activity programmes, and casl its own hue into the formation of education
po'iicy. Formally the work of the Education Council has nol been stopped and one can argue
aOoui the vatiCity of its legal powers. But the Board of the Education Council, in spite of the fact
that most of its hembers have been away in connection with studies abroad, is still a capable
authority and comes together once in a while to discuss current education policy and the situalion
of education and culture. Reflections of these discussions by members of the Board are revealed
in press articles and presentations. Neither the Education Council nor ils Board has presented.
any common statements during the last years.

4. Conception of education. Education Platform.

What is meant by the above-mentioned terms, was accomplished as a result of previous

activities in the modemisation of education accompanied with a concentration on the situalion of
educalion in Estonia and lhe whole world. So we can consider the whole modernisation period of
education as a general preparalive for the Education Platform. The real intensive forming and
formulating of lhe written Platform took place by a small group of scientists and leachers in
autumn 1988.
The first, analytical part of the Education Platotm 'Educational conditions in our Republic"
evaluated the educational situation in Eslonia, emphasised the existing problems of that time,
brought out pedagogical and instructional "borderlands' in educalion and real educational
obstructions, etc. The next parts of the Education Platform are 'The Conception of Modernisation
of Eduetion' and 'The Provisions tor the Modemisation of Education'. fhe democratisation,
hunanisatbn and evaluation of educatbn are lhe key-words of the paper.
The authors and people connected wfih forming the Platform hoped to gain a strong social
resonance, essenlial discussion and the acceptance of the conceptual ideas of lhe modernisalion
of education among people involved with education. ln 1989 the Teachers Conference took
place which approved the Education Platform as the basis for the further modernisalion ol
education. However the desired effect on exising education was not achieved. one of the
reasons could be one of the virtues of the Educalion Platform - clear structure, its thesis form, .

laconic formulation. ln this shape it is well usable for a reader who 's thinking in the same context .

and has quite high scientific compelence. The fasl paced life of lhat period did not allow for
extensive revision and popularisalion. The second reason is undoubtedly a phenomenon, now
referred to as post-sovietism with its ditferent obieclive and subiective expressions that beeome
strikingly evident especially in educalional spheres (not recognising others, seeking the hidden
enemy, hidden purpose and attempt to conserue secretly the traditional Soviel educalional
paradigm, etc.). At the same time, one of the reasons why lhis relatively silent circle established
itself was the essential misunderstanding of the humanistic ideas of education which are
massively included in the Education Platlorm. lt was popular lo speak about the humanisation
and democratisation of educalion. Whal was the real meaning of these words and what kinds of
processes were really behind them were not realised.
5. Education in Russian,

ln preparing reforms' people lried to find support, argumenls and cons€quence with the Republic
ot
'i"[oniu'e"p""iatty a1 the end ol the rids, atthough also app?lg.nt in cunent reform.. The
eOucation sysiem and legislation of Estonia belween the two World Wars have been considered
to be as orie of the mo6t democratic ones in Europe at that lime. Today one aspect of thal
legislation is important - already the presence of twenty.people who desired educatjon .in a
sp'ecial languagL, generalry tn6ir moiher tongue, in a town or village obligated .the local .

airthorities io tinO i teacher for that language and guaranlee the children the elementary
education in it. Even if the legislation was not fully adhered to, schools in Russian, German,
Jewish, polish, Finnish, Latviin and Swedish existed in Estonia in the 30s. There were also
Grammar schools. ln light ol this historical perspective it was natural that by guaranteeing ones
national identity through education a cuttured and loyal Estonian citizen would be the outcome.
This idea was 6upportA by papers on national psychology and the like published in the_1980s. ln
these works the irrevailing'common line is as follows: family - general education in moiher
tongue - existence of nati-onal culture - good knowledge in base national language, history,
cult-ure - cultural and national identity of every single person - the culture of base nationality -
identity of a citizen - humanistic valuas'

One standpoint on the modernisation ol education was that every child should ultimately be
guaranteed whenever possible an education in its mother tongue and the formation of a national
identig. lt means eduiation in the mother longue at least al the elementary level and if feasible
also oir the secondary level. At the same lime, achieving integration inlo Estonian culture should
be provided by the school and those graduating secondary school should be capable of acquiring
a higher eduiation in Estonian. lt means that Estonia should be a safe home for every single
permanent resident also in the cultural meaning.

The Russian bducation and school leaders and most of the teachers in Estonia were, in spite of
. their very variegated social and educational personnel, ready to work according to the cunicula
and prolrammes used in Estonian schools and the textbooks transhled from the Estonian
tangriage. The last point ol view caused discussions several times, as lhe translaled textbook
Ueirs tie cultural iisignia of the original language. The direction was clearly towards_ cultuial
autonomy. Today State and education policy differ from al that time naturally accepted directions
(see also the Education Platform).

6. Comparison "The ldea and Activity in 89-90 and now in 93".

Making this kind of comparison requires the study and analyses of todays educalional situation
as the changes in the leadership ol education both on the State and local level have been
cardinal. Sporadically their influence is demolishing, sporadically it enables the formation of a
new quality. The reai progress in education requires both the level of financial support received
durind the-"Soviel time" and a new situation analysis. This is partly done in the "Democralisation
and ...' menlioned above and from philosophical side - in P. Kreitzberg's "Legitimation of
educational aims" (Lund, 1993)
7. Perspective outlook
(Philosophical-lyrical retrospective on September 6-7, 1993 )
active
In 1987, a great emotional elevation occurred which had a synergical efiect thanks to the
-
p"rtLipitioi1 of hundreds of people which permi$ed the integration and use of the Estonian
leducitional intellectual poteniiatliy" in its relative variety in comparison to
logayt.
nodiy sucn co-operation has cea6ed - on lhe one hand, many reformers of that time have found
differdnt activitiej, often outside the field of education, on the other hand the lack of the uniting
inJ oig"ni."rion"i power, lhat many people endlessly are proving and arguing_for. their position
iAE"s due to the constantly cnairging superiors and restructured adminislrations, or have
"nO
iimply withdrawn into their oaily wort, having been convinced of the unprofitableness their
etoh6 anU eperiences offer. For many people lhe games.ol politics and ol. knowledge.from
abroad seem io be bruising their pers6nal or nalional dignity. The vivid uniting personality is
missing in todays education;l science, as the role play.ed in.the 80s by the academician Heino
Liimetiand in educational bureaucracy by Elsa Gretschkina despite her contradictions.

The situation could be compared by a fallow rested lield which after the first slight cullivalion
gives a good crop for a couple of years even without fertilisation.
in the biginning the generil anaiyses of lhe siluation and the lormulation of the most general
directionJ of progresi were important. This was the general view where mostly a common
language wai fo'und, a @mmon tonality attested. Surely even in the tirst analyses and
con'cepiions there were hidden underslandings, subconscious ditferent approaches ll today we
speak openly about the post socialism, positivism, then at that time in the first conceptional
pi.esentation6 and writingd of education the Mandst conception of a man was still considered and
ihe centrality of man wal underslood loremost as education by differentiation of subiects laking
into consid6ration the different abilities of a child. Among teachers and educalion scientists
another direction appeared - aimed towards the humanisation of education. The signs of this can
be found both in ilie materials of brainstorming and for example in the objectives ol school
physics formulated by physicists, also in activities ol the followers of J.Kdis, etc.

This is as if we saw a big ramose tree from a distance, which class cannot be decided according
to its lop. When movingiloser we will see that the thick top is held by two close stems. As both
ol theni have their own rules and their own power for growing branches, these branches of
differenl stems will unavoidably rub each other sooner or later. This tree with two stems is
exciting and also practical in a imall gaden, but lhe gardener must be very talented to design
and keep lhose two tops in balance, productive and beautiful.

The fact lhat in the beginning of the modernisalion of education two directions - post socialist,
post Marxisl, positivistii on the one hand and humanistic, reformistic on the other hand figured
iogether al th! same time and often in the same working groups, in the same documents are in
reirospect clearly seen. The existence of this deep internal and unrealised disagreement is likely
one 6f the main reasons why the modernisation of educalion unravelled into internal
confrontalions and conflicts, and why lhe creation of a united conception bearing united ideals
was unsuccessful.
Even the best aspiralions revealed by every new leader of education petered out - dialogue
cannol be started if the participants have not realised their differences and come lo terms with
their Tallinn Baccalaureate School her side.
How nice would it be to grow both apples and pears on the same tree in a small garden - bul this
does not succeed. You graft a pear branch in an apple tree stem, it might even shoot forth.the
top of its leaves from its internal forces but it will not start growing. So both trees should be
plinted and taken care of. Both have to be guaranteed sutficient food for roots and sunlight for
their lops.

Having another kind of education system and looking back over a couple of.years, it_seems that
those iwo directions are clearly departed - positivislic and humanistic. ln addition, also the post .
soviet education (and its science) has lound pq,ssibilities for a cosy existence. Now th€ question
arises whether the leaders of education and the representatives of both directions (positivistic
and humanistic) lhemselves understand the mutti-sided situation, whether the leaders are clever
and moral enough tir enable to find space for the grolvth of both directions, competent and
objective enough for realising the disagreements and problems and for starting dialogue, strong
inlernally in order to neutralise the post soviet blows both in educational science (pedagogD/,
psychology, etc.), practise and managemenl. Last but not least, great self-conquest and freedom
iroh complexes in order to recognise the wisdom budded from practical history and blood ties of
its own educalional people - teachers, educalors, to listen, use and increase it.

There is another very simple way how to get rid of all disagreemenls and problems at least
outwardly - if I do not manage with my garden, I will call "a skilled gardener" and let him pound
about - then only the question rises - is this still my garden if beloved flowers are in the other
places and my grandfathers tree is without hall of its branches or is completely uprooted. The
garden can also be sold.
Maybe it is still better to be the gardener of our garden oursefues - study from the gardeners in
the South and North but to cultivate our garden with our hands and spiril.

Some explanltions to th€ readers outsido education circle.

Estonians believe themselves to be a nation who loves educalion throughout centuries. There
have always been people both in the counlryside and towns who have tried to get knowledge
from the literate and those who even have taught their children to read in secrel. The loundation
of peasants schools in villages and the lirst teachers seminar centuries ago during the serfdom is
the exlernal proof of this statement. The deeper proof lor me is the fact that literacy did not die
out even when the village schools of the mother tongue were forbidden for a long period and
knowledge and literacy was lransmitted only at homes mostly by the dislatf side. Also the
Russian school of the tsarist time could not totally foice the mother longue education into 3
corner.

Up to the re-independence of Estonia, lhe educalion syslem ol Estonia was a part of the
education system of the Soviet Union, characterised by strong centralisation, pyramidal
managemeni hierarchy. As a rule, in each field the dictator was some office or orgahisation in
Moscow, foremost the All-Union Ministry of Education and All-union Academy of Pedagogy. The
Ministry ordered from the Academy (ideologically recognised or met the sympathy of the
leaders), its departments, laboratories, institules the suggestions, instructions, programmes; etc.
and after lhe processing and approval of lhe ofiices of the Ministry, it established them as all-
union programme documents lhroughout the Soviel Union.
Some explanations of abbreviations and terms.

VOT - Vabariiklik opdajate Taiendusinstiturlt - The Republican Teachers Continuing lnslitute -

The lnstilutes activity can be characterised as applied arts. lt was leading the working leachers
self-improvement and had a kind of scientific potentiality. ln addition lo the teachers regular
conlinuing education - 4-week @_urses once per five years that were organised by specialists in
methodology and scienlists of VOT - the conlinuous work with the teachers and headmasters of
different school types, subiects, etc., the distribution ol operalional informalion to the local
(towns, counties) education officers about the new directions in pedagogy -psychology but
foremost in lhe education policy of the Soviet Union and the Republic were amongst its duties.
For example introducing lhe new text-books, new subject programmes, additional schooling to
the teachers without pedagogical preparations or teachers who taught other subiects than their
profession, etc. As Estonia is a relatively small country then the connections between rnany
workers of VoT and their subordinate counties, schools, teachers were often very close and
direct.
V6T was directly subordinate to the Ministry of Education of the Estonian SSR, usually to the
Minister or one Vice-minister. Several volunlary (integrative) groups existed which included
representatives from ditferent levels of the hierarchy, for example Subiect Commissions, etc.
Liquidated in 1989.

PTUI - Pedagoogika Teadusliku Uurimise lnstituut - The lnstitute of Scientific Research of

Pedagogy - the most important accomplisher and director of pedagogy and subiect methodology
in the ESSR. Liquidated.
ln addition to PTUI pedagogy was also centralised into the Tartu State University (lhe chair of
pedagogD/, chairs of psychology, etc.) and Tallinn Pedagogical lnstitute - teachers were prepared
in bolh institulions.

'NSukogude 6petaja' ('soviei teacher") - now '6petaiale Leht' ("Teachers news") - the weekly
newspaper of education workels.

The Teachers Congress of Eslonian SSR, The Conference of Estonian Education Workers - the
forums of leachers and education workers, usually once per tive years where representatives
were delegated to make common decisions on education (during the Soviet time - for 'approval"
of ideological dkeclions).

0PUl - Uhiskondlik Pedagoogika Uurimise lnstituut - The lnstitute of Voluntary Pedagogical

Research - al VOT - during thirty years it united several hundred aclive leachers from Estonia
who acquired (free of charge) the basic rules ol scientific research and were besides lhe practical
schoolwork engaged into scientific research in such fields as the history of Estonian school,
didactics, subiect methodology, psychology, etc. ln peril of liquidation at the moment.

Regular continuing courses - compulsory, free of charge, theoretical-practical courses, lasting

three lo four weeks per teacher, once every live year, organised by VOT.

Thinking bees - Form of organising collective thinking with the help of changing group and
groups sessions, this is utilisable for various objectives (from analyses of situation to the activity
of projecting).

EHA - Eesti Hariduse Arenduskeskus - the Developmenl Centre of Estonian Educalion - the
centre dealing with the reorganisalion of the conlinuing education and education, established in
place of VOT in 1989. Liquidated in 1993.