Theoretical basis and models for developing students 'values in primary education

Values are the core in the educational process both from a theoretical point of view and from the aspect of the teaching practice. The school assumes the main function in values’ acquisition in pupils and as a public institution it produces the values of the wider social community and society. In acquiring the values in the school, not only parents and teachers’ influence takes place, but the background is a colourful diversity of political, social, economic, religious and cultural values of various groups and interests. The priority of selected values in a school curriculum represents a palette of life activities in the school and also the life events beyond the social community. They should be carefully chosen, realized and valued. Their realization does not ooften take place in an easy way because the values are not explicitly represented in the curriculum and are not equally understood by all subjects in the teaching practice. The acquisition of primary values in young people increases the possibility for favourable development of other values and forming a complete personality. Therefore, this paper will try to present several theoretical models of educational practice that support opportunities for teaching character and students’ values acquisition in a modern school environment. The models themselves contribute to the development and acquisition of given values in the pupils. Some of them are complement and create possibility to solve some current issues from everyday school life and enable an easier transition from traditional to modern teaching practice.