EUROCLIO Special Report Bulgaria€¦ · EUROCLIO Special Report Bulgaria 3| P a g e SPECIAL REPORT Bulgaria Project Written by Bettie Jongejan European Dialogues; a cultural rainbow

EUROCLIO Special Report Bulgaria

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Table of contents

Introduction 2

Background 4

Aims and Objectives 6

European Dialogues 7

Assessment 11

Summary 14

Conclusions 15

Project team 19

Donors 20

Literature 20


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SPECIAL REPORT Bulgaria Project

Written by Bettie Jongejan

www.euroclio.eu

European Dialogues; a cultural rainbow for the future. An inclusive and international approach to the Learning and Teaching of History in Bulgaria, 2006‐2009 Education policies and regulations in Europe are decided by national governments. For history education this means that the subject is predominantly oriented on the history of the nation state. EUROCLIO tries to overcome this, by building bridges among the European countries. EUROCLIO strongly believes that it is possible to innovate an educational programme from a multi‐perspective and multicultural viewpoint. It was certainly a big challenge when EUROCLIO, the European Association of History Educators, embarked on succeeding projects in Bulgaria. During the previous EUROCLIO project Albania, Bulgaria and Macedonia. Understanding a shared Past, Learning for the Future (2000‐2003), significant steps were made. Multicultural approaches and innovative teaching methods were introduced. Also, a teacher’s resource book Change and continuity in everyday life in Albania, Bulgaria and Macedonia 1945‐2000 was devised. The positive results of this work were the basis of the next EUROCLIO project European dialogues in Bulgaria, which took place from 2006‐2009. This special report focuses on the European Dialogues project, which was supported by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, under the Social Transformation Programme Central and Eastern Europe (MATRA) and it has been realize thanks to the joint efforts by members of the Bulgarian Association of History Teachers (BGHTA).

European Dialogues is targeted on school history and its aim is to develop an increased intercultural and international dimension into the learning and teaching of Bulgaria´s history. Building (inter)national networks and professionalising a sustainable History Educator’s Organisation are important goals as well. EUROCLIO stresses the importance of renewed transnational communication and cooperation in order to reform history education. This special report addresses the aims of the European Dialogues project, concrete results, missed opportunities, unexpected outcomes and its success rate.

Participants with the final publication at the official launch, Sofia, September 2009


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EUROCLIO mission History is the core subject for civic education and a significant part of the school curriculum in Europe. EUROCLIO promotes a European approach to history education and places balanced history at the centre of the education of responsible national and global citizens. EUROCLIO supports collaborative values and mutual respect, fostering international understanding, respect and collaboration.

History can be misused as a tool for national states to enforce patriotism and a strong national identity. In response, EUROCLIO strives to shift the history and civics education in Europe towards the inclusion of multiple perspectives, innovation, critical thinking, and pushing back boundaries of countries, ethnicities and religions.

Uncritical narratives, invented and exaggerated ‘heroic’ stories of struggle and suffering, myths and stereotypes can threaten peace, tolerance and democracy. In order to prevent this, EUROCLIO promotes the sound use of history education towards the building and deepening of democratic societies. In this it recognizes that history is a powerful mobilizing force, that must be addressed comprehensively.

Project coordinators Rumyana Kusheva (President of the Bulgarian History Teachers’ Association), Joke van der Leeuw‐Roord (Executive‐Director of EUROCLIO) and Milena Platnikova (Project Manager, Bulgarian

History Teachers’ Association)


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Roumen Andrev, project participant showing the Roma Language alphabet in Sofia, 2007

Background to the project

History education in Bulgaria

The ongoing political and social changes after 1989 have directly influenced the teaching of history in Bulgarian schools. The main change was leaving the ideological model of history, which can briefly be defined as unitary narrative of history. Since the 9th September 1944 coup d’état, the government of Prime Minister Konstantin Muraviev was overthrown and replaced with a government of the Fatherland Front led by Kimon Georgiev. Following that date, large‐scale political, economic and social changes were introduced to the country, with Bulgaria quitting the Axis and falling in the Soviet sphere of influence. According to the Marxist and Leninist interpretation of this event, the past was defined as a great rebellion, the beginning of the socialist revolution in Bulgaria, the beginning of victory and movement of ‘People’s Democracy’. For decades, ideas of common Slavonic and socialist international brotherhood influenced Bulgarian history education. Necessity of Multicultural Education The process of rethinking of the ‘Balkan identity’ of the Bulgarians after the dissolution of the Soviet Union is a gradual and a complex one. In contrasts to the standard put into practice in the Republic of Macedonia, subjects covering the Balkan peoples’ history in Bulgarian textbooks were subordinated to the detailed presentation of the Bulgarian and European past. The leading idea which predetermines the way the national history is presented is the unity of the ‘sacred’ ethnic territory encompassing Moesia, Thrace and Macedonia. In general, the historical past of these lands is defined as more ‘Bulgarian’ than Balkan. Bulgaria is a Multi‐ethnic, Multilingual and Multi‐religious Country

Ethnic Identity1 Bulgarians 83.6% Turkish 9.5% Roma 4.6% Armenian/Jewish 1.5%

Languages1 Bulgarian 84.4% Turkish 9.7% Roma 4.0% Other 0.9%

Religions1 Christianity 83.8% Muslim 12.1% Other 0.2%


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The State of Bulgarian Textbooks Multiperspectivity is not reflected in Bulgarian history textbooks. As the Bulgarian historians Alexei Kalionski and Valery Kolev discussedi, the predominant number of Bulgarian textbooks share more or less the same features or clichés: victimization (especially in the context of the national catastrophes 1913, 1918) and glorification, ‘alien’, ‘egoistic’ and ‘perfidious’ state neighbours or imperial masters, incompatible national programmes and doctrines. There are no negative stereotypes directly addressed to other Balkan peoples, but there are many negative qualifications of, or hints for ‘aggressive’, ‘greedy’, ‘egoistic’, ‘alien’, ‘repressive’, ‘assimilatory’, and ‘exploiting’ imperial (and Balkan states’) policy and interests. The main fields of the Balkan contacts are the militant conflicts, nationalist quarrels, ‘propaganda’ (especially in Ottoman Macedonia at the end of the 19th century till 1913) and the lost national ‘ideal’ (in the parts of the ‘sacred’ territorial and ethnic space, annexed by the neighbouring states). Due to the strong focus on ‘Bulgarian’ history, issues such as teaching about minorities or for active citizenship had rarely been addressed before. The use of multi‐perspectives and critical thinking is absent in Bulgarian history education. There is a discrepancy between the curriculum which requires this and the actual practical application of these methods to approach problems. (Theory but no implementation). Training opportunities for lifelong learning are limited, and also hindered by bureaucracy, financial barriers, dependent on the whims of the head of the school. Diversity as a requirement is present in the educational standards (1999) regarding tolerance and accepting the other, however they are not implemented through the practical teaching environments. The continuing prejudice and intolerance to Roma and Turkish people and the distinctly polarised opinion towards minorities, are fed by political forces and the media. Bulgarian History Curriculum History textbooks in Bulgaria are published by private publishing houses. Their distribution is based upon the principles of free market economy. The present Bulgarian history curriculum is part of the civic education and is aiming to form values important to active citizens. Academic historians, specialists in methodology, teachers are involved in the creations of textbooks. The new Bulgarian textbooks include various sources and different points of view. In some of them there are interesting assignments for the students and interactive tasks. Exactly these types of textbooks are preferred by the teachers, who can choose between three or four textbooks. History education in Bulgaria starts from the Ancient period until the contemporary history in synchrony between national, European and World history. Gradually, European dimensions were introduced after the fall of communism, with national history placed against the backdrop of international processes. The focus is on political and social life and not so much on cultural and everyday life.

Assens Monument Veliko Turnovo, July 2008


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The overall aim and goals of the project

The overall aim of the project was to strengthen the international context of an inclusive Bulgarian history education in order to support the integration of Bulgaria into the European Union.

The project had three main targets:

1) To develop exemplar models how to teach inclusive history from a European perspective contributing to the quality of Bulgarian history.

2) To support national and international cooperation, communication

and networking in Bulgaria and abroad.

3) To professionalise a sustainable History Educators Organisation.

Developing exemplar models how to teach inclusive history from a European perspective Education policies and regulations in Europe are decided by national governments. For history education this means that the subject is predominantly orientated on the history of the nation state. Transnational cooperation increases the European dimension of history education and reduces the national bias. An international dimension is needed in the European wide question: how to deal in school history with the big issues of the European History of the Twentieth Century such as the Communist Legacy, the Devastating Wars, the Massive Migration and Deportations or the still lasting Controversies created by the Paris Peace Conference of 1919.

Supporting national and international cooperation, communication and networking Seminars with focus on diversity in society were organized and a core group of innovative history educators – representing ethnic, religious and linguistic communities was set up. Furthermore, a national and international inclusive operating on a local, national and international level was to be created and strengthened. Professionalising a sustainable History Educators Organisation EUROCLIO supported the already existing the Bulgarian Association of History Teachers by advanced management capacity building and developing methods and tools for increased access of history educators in Bulgaria to local, regional and international authorities, donors and sponsors. Throughout the project training seminars for historians and history textbook authors, trainers and teachers were held. In addition, the group was encouraged to reinforce ICT as a tool in history education. Participation in international activities on the learning and teaching of history was increased. The website http://bghistory‐edu.org of the BGHTA was officially launched. The journal Dialogue in History of the BGHTA includes more internationally oriented articles.


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The project: European Dialogues, 2006-2009 European Dialogues. Cultural rainbow for the future European Dialogues officially kicked off in September 2006. During the project the management team coordinated:

4 development and training seminars (Sofia, Plovdiv) The first Development and Training Seminar was held in December 2006 in Sofia, and focused on the question: What expectations do we have for a Project on an inclusive and international approach for the Learning and Teaching history in Bulgaria? Other Development and Training Seminars focused on the state policy and human rights.

4 implementation and dissemination seminars (Sofia, Burgas, Vratsa) for key persons in history education including teachers, trainers, textbook authors and other specialists.

3 Annual Meetings of the renewed BGHTA were held in Sofia. On top of this;

4 authors and experts workshops were held in Sofia, Borovets and Veliki Turnovo. They were appointed to devise the worksheets Fair and Balanced History. During the piloting phase (March‐June 2008) 446 students and 21 teachers used the education packs in the cities of Teteven, Plovdiv, Krivodol, Mezdra, Sofia, Vratsa and Pleven.

Over 100 history educators are trained to implement the materials into school. Altogether 400 history professionals, civil servants, and experts contributed to and benefited from the 3 year activity.

Sue Bennet, international expect in history education, November 2009

Sofia, September 2008

The international outreach was amplified through international lectures and workshops about the project in The Netherlands, Macedonia, Greece. Poland, Russia, England, Georgia, Hungary, and Cyprus.

Sue Bennett, international expect in history education, November 2009


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Fair and Balanced History: 44 Worksheets

The pack of 44 innovative worksheets for active work in classrooms include innovative lesson methods on topics from Bulgarian and general history based on different perspectives.

They are in a close relation with the training curriculum for IX‐XII class and they are applicable to the work, as well as to class. The target of the worksheets is to encourage history study using different perspectives, allowing the students from high school levels to debate and to generate their own opinions based on profound historical analysis and interpretation of different sources. The worksheets contain different historical documents, maps, pictures, diagrams etc. Fair and Balanced History offers innovatory approach for historical education and is expected to encourage preparation of similar projects in future, based on the same model. Besides that, they do contribute to understanding the cultural diversity via history studies. The original 54 worksheets have been reduced to 44, for some of these worksheets were not based upon the multicultural approaches to history education. The worksheets that were not used are to be placed on BGHTA’s website.

The themes and topics were discussed (during seminars etc) by a diverse group of professionals in history education‐ teachers, teacher‐trainers, academics etc. Firstly, it had to be discussed what themes corresponded to both the curriculum and the problem areas (multicultural approach, diversity) outlined in the project aims. After these discussions, 5 themes were selected, which were based on these criteria, namely migrations, state policies, Bulgarian diversity, the town and everyday life.

The worksheets refer to different aspects of the curriculum and they include the outlined state policy regarding the civil rights in Bulgaria, breaking of civil rights and personal feelings, civil outlooks in protection of the Bulgarian Jews, smooth co‐existence of different ethnicities in big cities (Roma people, Turkish, Armenians), the view of foreigners on Bulgarians and Bulgarian presence outside the country.

The chronological scope of the materials is from the XIXth century until the present. The migration topic focuses on many different aspects of migration related to Bulgaria. The opinion of foreign travelers on Bulgarians, the Bulgarian outside of Bulgaria. The Bulgarian Jews topic shows the official policy of the state towards Bulgarian Jews, and how this changed over the period, but also the attitudes of society, not just the ‘official’ point of view. Documents that were never used, are now included in the worksheets which reveal important connections between the role of personality and state policy implementation. Stressed subjects are the official policy towards the minorities over many different periods‐ focusing on liberation from ottoman rule, communist legacy. The idea is to show the evolution of state policy, but also how minorities felt about their treatment and their role in the state. Another discusses the Bulgarian constitutions across the periods, and where the minorities place themselves within the constitutions.


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The teacher pack reveals the official policy through the lens of various actors. It provides information about Turkish, but also Roma, Armenians, Jews, Russian etc. Bulgarians outside of Bulgaria and others visiting Bulgaria, is a theme that spans many of the different worksheet sections. The colleagues created maps by themselves during the project to show

movements and events.

This was specifically used within migrations topics. Bulgaria through the eyes of the travelers and Diversity within the space of the city focuses on the divisions and what is also uniting people across ethnicities. Plovdiv through the centuries is used as an ideal example for minority representation in Bulgaria. The worksheets discusses many different locations, Varna, Plovdiv, Sofia. Again, different periods are focused upon, the Ottoman period‐ the view of the foreigners/travelers used to describe the Bulgarian houses, women, towns 'through their eyes.'

The Everyday Life discusses amongst others the Roma people, their holidays and community. Bulgarian diversity ‐ Christians and Muslims within the same empire, focusing on the Ottoman authorities and the Christian religion, like Ataturk's policies towards Bulgaria or religious tolerance between orthodox Christians and Muslims in Bulgaria.

There is a workable connection between the worksheets and the curriculum, the materials were developed in close connection with the present school curriculum for history (Levels 8‐12). It is possible to use some of the worksheets in grades 5‐6. They can be used not only in History education, but also to assist students with everyday life and global awareness. The teacher guide is

Rumyana Kusheva (President of the Bulgarian History Teachers’ Association) presenting the worksheets in 2009


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very helpful and proposes additional activities and information in connection with the selected sources. The materials can be used as a model for new worksheets. The BGHTA plans to further innovative materials in a package with working sheets on topics like human rights, religious and ethnic diversity.


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Media attention There was wide media attention before and directly after the official launch of Fair and Balanced History from newspapers, websites and television. Due to effective networking in Burgas, there was newspaper (local and national) and tv attention, as well as on the internet. The feature on tv is around 10 minutes long and focus on the content, and methods. Some online versions provoked 2 week long discussions and debates on the publication. Joint press release of the official launch with the University of Sofia and the Dutch Embassy.

Launch of the website of the Bulgarian Association of History Teachers and Dialogue in History The website http://bghistory‐edu.org of the Bulgarian Association of History Teachers (BGHTA) was officially launched during the Annual Conference in September 2008. It includes a history calendar, downloads and further information is available on the website. The journal Dialogue in History of the BGHTA is now a highly international magazine. It has become a source of information for many national and international activities of the project. The teacher guide was published in the 21st issue. Also foreign authors published articles; by Joke van der Leeuw‐Roord about the EUROCLIO method; a contribution from the Japanese historian Takahiro Kondo on history training and historical didactics in post‐war Japan, the educational system and history training in Brazil (Oldimar Kardoso) and many others. They are all available online, and usable as a practical teaching material. Over a thousand students, teacher‐trainers, teachers and academics use the material.

Screenshot of the Bulgarian History Teachers’ Association Website, 1st April 2010


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Assessment and quotes of participants Generally, most teachers are very pleased with the publication. At the end of the project, many participants from different regions received an evaluation questionnaire. The results show that over 80 percent agreed that the tasks are appropriate, and are good examples for using various methods in history teaching. Many accepted the multicultural aspects of the publication. Despite positive reactions, at the same time, around 40% believe that it’s not particularly useful in their classroom due to a lack of student motivation.

Bulgarian teachers reading the teacher pack duringteacher training seminars in Bulgaria, May 2009

“Within the old Bulgarian History education system, there was a distinct lack of active participation with teaching material, due to a formulaic approach to history education, which was ‘lecturer‐listener’. In recent years, younger students became more actively engaged in the subject. The change over the last years is due to the contacts made through EUROCLIO and the projects, which enhanced the development of active participation in the classroom.” Rumyana Kusheva, President of the BGHTA

“As a project coordinator, I took part in the EUROCLIO project European Dialogues. This project is a real step‐forward and it is hoped that the publication ‘’Fair and Balanced History’ will inspire the history‐teaching community to take similar approaches to teaching history in an inclusive way. The materials are not only proposing a new approach but also a new topic‐intercultural and multicultural education in history. The materials were accepted from all participants in the dissemination seminars as a model for innovation; the longer term work laid a real foundation for quality change. The network of educators reached was important and impressive. ‘Fair and Balanced History’ represents a new way how Bulgaria looks at its past.”

Milena Platnikova, Project Coordinator

“I am very impressed in the joint efforts of EUROCLIO and their Bulgarian counterparts. It made history teachers aware of the delicate matters in Bulgaria’s national history. This project managed to unite Bulgarian Teachers in developing their own educational material on Bulgarian history. Personal differences were overcome, and as a result, Fair and Balanced history shared full support of its contributors. This is the very own reason why this project proved to be successful.”

Martijn Elgersma, Counsellor and Deputy Head of Mission Netherlands Embassy Sofia


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Project Evaluation 161 project participants were asked to evaluate using the materials developed within European Dialogues, 2006‐2009 in the classroom, including their content focus, the flexibility of the worksheets and their use within the current curricula. Evaluation Form:

1. How useful is the idea to create working sheets? 2. How do you accept the multicultural aspects of these working sheets? 3. Are the documents used in well‐selected and various? 4. Are the tasks appropriate according to your opinion? 5. How do you evaluate their forming? 6. Do you think that they will be interesting for students? 7. Could the materials in your opinion find practical application in your work? 8. Does the curriculum allow enough space for using these worksheets? 9. Are there in the working sheets ideas for using of various methods in history teaching? 10. How useful for your work was the seminar? 11. Did you receive new information during the seminar?

Overwhelmingly, reactions from teachers participating in the training seminars were positive. Each answer yielded positive results. Participants expressed a clear satisfaction with the content, applicability in the classroom, training and information disseminated through the developed material training sessions. The multicultural focus, flexibility of using the worksheets in the classroom and source selection all received positive reviews by participants.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11

Always

Often

A limited Extent

Rarely

Not at all


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Summary EUROCLIO project European Dialogues

The strengthening of the international context in Bulgarian history education was strongly needed in order to support the integration of Bulgaria into the European Union. The previous cross‐cultural project Understanding a shared past. Learning for the Future, in 2000 between Albania, Macedonia and Bulgaria has been an important step towards multicultural teaching and innovative teacher methods.

Due to the strong focus on ‘Bulgarian’ history, issues such as teaching about minorities or for active citizenship had rarely been addressed. There is a lack of multi‐perspectives and critical thinking in Bulgarian history education. Diversity as a requirement is present in the educational standards (1999) regarding tolerance and accepting the other, however these are not implemented in the practical teaching environments. There exists a great deal of prejudice and intolerance towards Roma and Turkish people.

The International cooperation with other History Teachers Organisation or NGO’s was almost non‐existent. Training opportunities for lifelong learning are limited, and also hindered by bureaucracy, financial barriers, dependent on the ‘whims’ of the head of the school.

The overall aim of the project was to strengthen the international context of an inclusive Bulgarian history education in order to support the integration of Bulgaria into the European Union. This meant intensive training, developing exemplary innovative teaching materials and enhancing national, regional and international cooperation. Finally, the projects aimed on local, national, regional and international networking to establish and strengthen the independent Association of History Teachers.

An exemplary multi‐perspective learning method was published under the title Fair and Balanced History. 44 innovative lesson plans for Bulgarian History Education. The worksheets deal with local history, but at the same time local‐international dimension, by using international sources (travellers, commercial contacts, immigrants). The local story is connected immediately to the international dimension. 5 themes were selected, namely migrations, state policies, Bulgarian diversity, the town and everyday life.

Five of the 44 lessons have been published in English, and 5 in Russian (pending) on the of the Bulgarian Association of History Teachers (BGHTA) website. 4000 copies are available in Bulgarian, and 50 in English and 1500 teacher guides. The educational material and the teacher guides are available in hard as well as online copy on www.euroclio.eu or http://bghistory‐edu.org. The teacher guide was also published in the 21st issue of the magazine Dialogue in History of the BGHTA (2009).

During the project, EUROCLIO organised 4 development and training seminars (Sofia, Plovdiv) and 4 implementation and dissemination seminars (Sofia, Burgas, Vratsa) for key persons in history education including teachers, trainers, textbook authors and other specialists. On top of this, 4 authors and experts workshops were held in Sofia, Borovets, Veliki Turnovo and additionally, 3 Annual Meetings of the renewed BGHTA were held in Sofia. Altogether 400 history education professionals benefited from the 3 year activity with an additional 104 after the 3 years had concluded. During the original piloting phase (March‐June 2008) 454 students and 21 teachers used the education packs in the cities of Teteven, Plovdiv, Krivodol, Mezdra, Sofia, Vratsa and Pleven. A group of at least 100 history educators are trained to implement the material in the schools.


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Local, regional and international outreach of the projects were established through workshops, lectures, publications, press conferences and other media coverage. Finally, dissemination of information about the projects was reached by workshops and lectures in The Netherlands, Macedonia, Greece, Poland, Russia, England, Georgia, Hungary, and Cyprus and through the EUROCLIO website, bulletins and newsletters.

Participation in international activities on the learning and teaching of history was significantly increased. The website http://bghistory‐edu.org of the BGHTA was officially launched during the Annual Conference in September 2008. The journal Dialogue in History of the BGHTA includes more internationally oriented articles. This magazine has been a platform of information of many national and international activities of the project. They are all available online, and usable as practical teaching material. Over a thousand students, teacher‐trainers, teachers and academics are using the material. Also, project coordinator Rumyana Kusheva acts as an international expert in Georgia and Turkey. Bulgarian students participated in the international EUSTORY (History Network for Young Historians) competition.

Media attention was there before and directly after the official launch of Fair and Balanced History from newspapers, as a result to effective networking in Burgas. The newspapers (local and national), television, and attention from the internet were present. The feature on TV was around 10 minutes long and focussed on the content and methods. Some online versions provoked 2 week long discussions and debates on the publication. Press releases reported the official launch with the University of Sofia and the Dutch Embassy. International radio documentary on ‘textbook diplomacy’ focuses on the Bulgarian project in past, broadcasted on the BBC world service.

A network of history educators and academic historians in Bulgaria is created, who are willing to take its share and responsibility in improving history education. Moreover, the BGHTA is significantly professionalised. Many skills were acquired, for example documentation, practical organisation, communication skills, events management, finances, decision making, mediation, ICT skills within the organisation; such as website preparations, scanning and the use of e‐mail.

Despite the success of the project, some important matters were left untouched and are needing future attention. Communication barriers were overcome to an extent, colleagues from new regions, across all of Bulgaria were involved in the project. Representatives from all parts were active throughout the project. However, new regions need to be contacted, and there is often little impetus to enable participation. There is also a motivation problem for educators in Bulgaria. Due to low pay and many other factors, it is not attractive to work in the education sector in Bulgaria. Moreover, the current policies are doing little to overcome these problems. It takes much active work from both sides to work towards the goal. There is, however, a gradual improvement in the interface between educators, authorities and historians. International communication is difficult, particularly now the project has ended. Everything comes back to finances. The challenge remaining, is that grants must be searched for, in order to enable the ongoing international communication. Without a project as such, maintaining such relations or knowledge transfer are likely to fail. Hence, the expert international trainers whose contribution have lead to the development of participants, will be unable to continue contributing.


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There should be an increased opportunity to translate material. The Ministry of education in Bulgaria requested 16000 copies of the material. Certain schools that have not yet received the publication have requested for it to be provided for them. Some have even stated, that they themselves will buy the publication.

By the contents of the newly devised education material, the participants have become increasingly aware of prejudices. However, social intolerance still remains. There remains a lack of respect and mutual understanding. Stereotypes still need much further addressing, as well as approaching sensitive issues and critical thought.

The willingness of people to invest energy, to meet with colleagues didn’t meet the outcomes which were hoped for. The process of change was difficult, as some experts failed to accept the possibility of change. Not all team members were able to develop in the way that the project’s standards, around 40% managed the change of approach, and around 60% found it too difficult/unrealistic. Despite positive reactions, at the same time, around 40% believe that it’s not particularly useful in their classroom due to a lack of student motivation.

Specific problems included the language barrier‐ communication in English was limited, thus the aim of internationalization of the history educators was hindered by this.

Contributions on the use of ICT for history education are very useful, even more so now it is a policy focus of the Ministry of Education. The challenge of ensuring regular internet access for all teachers involved remains. If this is not possible, methods of history education and training through ICT and the internet become difficult to implement. However, the understanding that ICT is valuable for history education is certainly prevalent.

The BGHTA plans to continue developing worksheets, in collaboration with other regions in Bulgaria, using Fair and Balanced History as an exemplary model. At the next annual meeting of the BGHTA in September 2010, participants will examine how teachers apply the worksheets and how they use the model for further work in the classrooms.

EUROCLIO will encourage the BGHTA to take on projects and will find funding for future endeavours, now that a professional, well‐trained core of history educators has been created and strengthened.

Since the end of the project, that have been an additional 105 schools provided with the publication, meaning the total number of schools, institutions and NGO’s with direct access to copies of the teaching resource now stands at over 250.

Additional trainings with the material involving new history educators in Razgrad, Shumen, Targovishte, Sliven, Kardjali and Veliko Turnovo, have been held since the conclusion of the project, extending the outreach, and showing the capacity of the Bulgarian History Teachers’ Association to continue efforts to modernize history education in the country.


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Conclusions: evaluating success What can be said about the success rate of the projects?

In general, we can be extremely proud that the editing team and the participants reached a very high level of trust and learned that participants (varying from primary and secondary education teachers, to academics) have overcome their differences. All have managed to grow their own genuine awareness for the innovation of history education and the international perspective. A network of history educators and academic historians in Bulgaria is created, who are willing to take its share and responsibility in improving history education.

The publication Fair and Balanced History has a variety of written and visual sources and offer multi‐perspectivity and the application of a variety of skills. The materials are accepted by all participants in the dissemination seminars as a model for innovation; the longer term work has built a strong base for quality change.

Moreover, the Bulgarian Association of History Teachers is significantly professionalised. Many skills were acquired, for example documentation, practical organisation, communication skills, project management, events management, finances, decision making, mediation, ICT skills within the organisation, website preparations, scanning and the use of e‐mail.

Altogether 400 history professionals benefited from the 3 year activity. A group of at least 100 history educators are trained to implement the material in school. Now that these first hurdles had been overcome, a team of local and active professionals has been established, the road towards an even better history education system lays wide open.

Remaining challenges Despite the success of the project, some important matters were left untouched and will be needing future attention.

There should be an increased opportunity to translate material. The Ministry of education in Bulgaria requested 16000 copies of the material, but this request remained unexecuted, due to lack financial support. Certain schools that have not yet received the publication have requested for it. Some have even stated they will buy the publication.

Not all schools are equipped to use ICT, despite interest and impetus for its use. Some teachers don’t use the materials and technologies as often as they can. Teachers are often not open to changes. Contributions on the use of ICT for history education are very useful, even more so now it is a policy focus of the Ministry of Education. The challenge of ensuring regular internet access for all teachers involved remains. If this is not possible, methods of history education and training through ICT and the internet become difficult to implement. However, the understanding that ICT is valuable for history education is certainly prevalent.


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The impact of this project on the society is difficult to measure. There remains a distinctly polarised opinion toward minorities, particularly the Roma, provoked by political forces and the media. Although an innovative textbook on the history of everyday life, migration and multicultural history has been created, sensitive and controversial historical episodes and issues could not yet be addressed properly because the environment hasn’t been ready for this. The issue of intolerance has been growing over the past years and has been intensified by the economic crisis. 25 percent of the respondents on the questionnaire stated they found it difficult to apply the innovative materials that respect diversity in a practical sense.

The willingness of people to invest energy, to meet with colleagues didn’t result to what was hoped for. There is a motivation problem for educators in Bulgaria. Due to low pay and many other factors, it is not attractive to work in the Bulgarian education sector and the current policies do little to overcome these problems. Another specific problem was the language barrier‐ communication in English was limited, thus the aim of internationalizing the history educators was considerably limited.

Overall, still considerable improvement in Bulgarian history education needs to be accomplished. Therefore, the BGHTA is continuing to develop worksheets, in collaboration with other regions in Bulgaria, using Fair and Balanced History as an exemplary model. At the next annual meeting of the BGHTA in September 2010, participants will examine how teachers apply the worksheets and how they use the model for further work in the classrooms. EUROCLIO will encourage the BGHTA to take on projects and find funding for future endeavours, now that a professional, well‐trained core of history educators has been created and strengthened, through the development of an able civil society organisation.

For more information concerning this project, please visit either of the following websites:

www.euroclio.eu – EUROCLIO website www. bghistory‐edu.org – Bulgarian Association of History Teachers, established website during the project (language Bulgarian/English)

School Visit: Sofia, February 2008 Seminar: Sofia, September 2008


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Project team EUROCLIO Staff Joke van der Leeuw‐Roord (Executive director) Jonathan Even‐Zohar (Project manager) Patrick Barker (Project assistant) Bulgaria Rumyana Kusheva (President of BGHTA) Milena Platnikova (Project Manager of the Bulgarian History Teachers’ Assocation) Project experts Dr. Penka Kostadinova (Vice‐president of BGHTA) Dr. Penka Stoyanova (History teacher) Senior Assistant Violeta Stoicheva (teacher‐trainer) Assoc. Prof. Kostadin Paev (Associate professor in methodology of training history) Roumen Andreev (teacher) International Experts Sue Benet (teacher trainer) Dr. Yossane Vela (lecturer and teacher trainer) Tamara Eidelmann (Russian history teacher) Ineke Veldhuis‐Meester (teacher trainer in History) Editors Assoc. Prof. Veselin Yanchev (Professor in History) Tamara Eidelman (Russian history teacher) Milena Platnikova (BGHTA) Bistra Stiomenova (teacher trainer) Nikola Tsvetkova (teacher trainer) Emilia Dimitrova (history teacher) Authors Dafina Nikolova (history teacher) Dimcho Doikov (history/ICT teacher) Emilia Dimitrova (history teacher) Emila Katova (history teacher) Lyubomira Pankovska (history teacher) Milka Dimitrova (regional coordinator of BGHTA) Maria Benova (history teacher) Nikolai Chakurov (history teacher) Nikolinka Popyordanova (history teacher) Petya Georgieva (history teacher) Radostina Novakova (head of regional inspectorate of education) Todor Zarkov (history teacher) Toshko Hristov (history teacher) Valentina Yordanova (historian)

EUROCLIO Office Laan van Meerdervoort 70 2517 AN, The Hague The Netherlands

Tel. + 31703817836 Fax. + 31703853669 [email protected] www.euroclio.eu

EUROCLIO Office Laan van Meerdervoort 70 2517 AN, The Hague The Netherlands

Tel. + 31703817836 Fax. + 31703853669 [email protected] www.euroclio.eu


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Donors:

Donors of European Dialogues. A Cultural Rainbow for the Future. An Inclusive and International Approach for the Learning and Teaching of History in Bulgaria 2006‐2009

This project would not have been made possible, were it not for the financial support from The Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The project team would like to extend their gratitude to the Matra section at the Netherlands MFA and thanks them for their continued support over the course of the three year project.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Netherlands – MATRA project

Literature

i Alexei Kalionski and Valery Kolev, ‘Multiethnic Empires. National Rivalry and Religion in Bulgarian History Education’, in: Christina Koulouri ed., Clio in the Balkans. The Politics of History Education (Thessaloniki 2002), p. 118-132.