Czego (nie) uczy szkoła - refleksje uczniów dorosłych

In the knowledge society one can observe a significant emphasis on self-teaching of individuals who are becoming more and more responsible for own education. Therefore, it is necessary for the new image of Polish schools to introduce some changes. What is more, adults (including adult students) can be considerably helpful when it comes to shape and scope of the whole process. Thus, it becomes crucial to engage the adult students in taking steps which would reform the educational system by e.g. the analysis of effectiveness of educational processes in which they were involved. The aim of the research was to estimate the scope of support provided by the school in terms of relational and personal values development. It was based on the educational experiences treated as a factor which forms an attitude towards the lifelong learning. The analysis of retrospective biographical essays made it possible to distinguish the following three areas which describe the effects of education in terms of personal and relational values. These values are crucial in normal functioning in the ever-changing reality. The first area is connected with realization of tasks planned in the process of raising a child. The second part indicates negligence and omission which can be found in a school curriculum. The last area deals with unintentional but frequently harmful educational outcomes. At the same time the identified results of educational performance of schools have become a basis for defining changes in the educational system taking into consideration experiences of adults.