KORCZAK’S EDUCATIONAL IDEAS IN THE FACE OF THE CHALLENGES OF THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD

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KORCZAK’S EDUCATIONAL IDEAS IN THE FACE OF THE CHALLENGES OF THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD

Journal Title: Educational Psychology - Year 2012, Vol 44, Issue 1

Abstract

Summary: The article presents basic biographical data on Henryk Goldszmit/Janusz Korczak – a pediatrician, author, educator, and community worker, and combines it with the philosophy and practice of education implemented during his 30 years of running the Dom Sierot orphanage. For Korczak, education is not a process of “forming a future human being” according to any model adopted in advance, but it is interaction with a human being that already exists, and that is equal to adults in terms of the value of his or her humanity. The author analyzes the basis of Korczak’s educational work, i.e. the process of building a democratic community of children. She emphasizes the idea of education through the media that was absolutely novel at that time. She stresses the need to treat children with respect, without deceiving them, underlining the importance of talking about difficult things. In the final part of the text, the author asks questions concerning education and the significance of Korczak’s ideas for the struggle with contemporary challenges: - How to teach and not stifle children’s natural curiosity about the world, to enhance their talents and creative passions?; - How to organize the life of a children’s community so as to develop civic joint responsibility in pupils, replacing the authoritarian educational system with a democratic one?; - How to provide care for children from problem families, children deprived of home and parental love, and not condemn them to social exclusion?; - How to raise the new generation to respect the human being irrespective of his or her ethnicity, religion, age or social class?; - How to teach tolerance for cultural diversity and solidarity toward people who are different from us but who need our help?; - How to prepare teachers and educators to work with children so that they could replace the traditional authoritarian educational system with a system that is based on respect for children and on partnership with children?

Authors and Affiliations

Krystyna Starczewska

Keywords

Społeczny i emocjonalny wymiar gotowości szkolnej w obliczu odwołania obligatoryjnego rozpoczynania edukacji szkolnej przez sześcio-latków

In studies of school readiness, typically the main component of measurement is the cognitive aspect. The authors have attempted to evaluate educational readiness in the areas which receive less focus: a) social, in the s...

EP ID EP53240
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