CLASSROOM LIFE IN GREEK PRIMARY SCHOOL IN THE PERIOD OF CRISIS

In the 21st century it is sad to be confronted with the concept of crisis. The development of technology and the achievements of culture in an international context are not consistent with the social and economic problems that exist in an increasing proportion of the population with strong elements of social exclusion in many countries around the world problems that experience intensely - since 2009 until today - also students in Greek primary school. The purpose of the present research is the documentation of the socio - economic status of the families of children enrolled in Greek primary school and the investigation of its correlation to the way the student experiences reality within the classroom. The research was conducted from March until May 2013. The research sample consisted of 277 students in fifth and sixth grade of primary school from various urban areas of Attica prefecture, who completed three questionnaires: a) a questionnaire with their demographic characteristics, b) the «Classroom Life Measure» (Johnson & Johnson, 1993) and c) the «Self-Esteem Scale» (Rosenberg, 1965). Specifically, for the purposes of the present study the differences in the following factors were examined: teacher academic support, teacher personal support, student academic support, student personal support, cooperation, alienation, cohesion, academic and personal self-esteem, individualistic learning, competitive learning and controversy among students of different social and economic status. The results of the research showed the existence of statistically significant correlations between the variables. Because the economic crisis is a socio - economic phenomenon and as such creates differences among students in terms of dimensions of life at school, the findings of the present research must be taken into account from the educational world, to be informed and to serve as contributor to the overall development of students especially in difficult times. Concurrently, the political leadership and the political agencies must take immediate action to confront the crisis.