Publisher's Synopsis
This book is concerned essentially with the compulsory schools and the work of teachers following 'rebirth' or the regaining of independence in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Although often considered 'en bloc' each country has its own history, its own culture and its own literature. There are important linguistic and religious distinctions to be made as well as distinctive trading liaisons, both currently and historically. For the Baltic States the final decade of the twentieth century has been turbulent in the extreme and the 1990' s have posed major challenges to teachers and to school directors. Not the least of these has been the challenge of regaining independence and nationhood, after years of Soviet occupation. There has also been significant privatisation and a slow but purposeful change from a command to a market economy. Changing the curriculum may be easy, 'changing the mind', by comparison, may well be a more lengthy process. For the future the Baltic States seek membership of the European Union within the first decade of the new millennium. There will be opportunities for schools to develop closer links with the West, to promote exchanges of teachers and pupils and to join in networks promoting the 'European dimension' in different ways.
