Volume:2, Issue: 1
Apr. 1, 2010
Apr. 1, 2010
DESCRIPTORS: holistic system of education; childhood; the right to be respected for; self-organization; children’s court; Self-Government Council; the Seim; children’s duties; labor unit; newspaper; plebiscites of benevolence and malevolence; bulletin board.
SYNOPSIS: this article introduces the readers to the history of a very special and very dramatic though very successful school created by a prominent Polish educator and writer Janusz Korczak. The author, being practically the first Russian researcher of educational insights of Janusz Korczak, manages to show his primary ideas which make his school both strictly authorial and unique. At the same time his concept definitely has a number of well-developed techniques and strategies which are well presented in the article and which can be replicated in other educational establishments.
Janusz Korczak’s Holistic System of Education
Rosa A. Valeeva
The educational ideas of Janusz Korczak (1878-1942), a prominent Polish educator, were tempered and shaped through his dramatic struggle with the social and political realities of the times. An early understanding of the social injustice suffered by children contributed to the formation of his original concepts, according to which any society was split into two groups or classes – one of adults and the other (the oppressed one) of children. Searching for the reason of children’s oppressed status in society, Korczak came to understand two worlds in opposition – the world of adults and the world of children. On the one hand, Korczak became an advocate of children’s interests and their rights against tyranny and the lawless behavior of adults while, on the other hand, he tried to find ways for both adults and children to be reconciled and reach a mutual understanding of the other.
Korczak’s view of children as an independent social stratum was no less important for him than his certainty of the absolute value of childhood. Korczak’s holistic system of education generally rested upon such certainty. “Childhood”, he wrote, “is a [brief but] important period in a person’s life” [1, p.15]. “…Childhood is mountains where the river originates and where its direction is determined” [2, v.4, p.9]. He repeatedly emphasized the significance of a happy and joyful childhood for the successful formation of one’s personality and believed that without a complete childhood the whole of a person’s life would be stunted. Therefore, Korczak strove to increase the teachers’ responsibility for the child’s “present day”: “This present day should be clear, full of cheerful efforts, absolutely childish, careless with no responsibilities which do not correspond to the child’s age and powers. I ought to provide for him an opportunity to use up his energy, I ought – regardless of the insulted written law’s rumble and its ferocious clauses – to give the child all the sun, all the air, all the benevolence that he deserves regardless of his merits or faults, his virtues or vices.”
Korczak believes that children possess a multitude of rights, which adults must implicitly admit. Each child has the right to be respected for:
No less important is to admit the child’s right to be what he is. Adults must also admit the child’s right: to participate in discussions and judgments which concern him directly; to take the time to think about his problems; to express his ideas; to organize his life independently; to use his virtues and conceal his faults; to protest; to be wrong; to have a secret; to move; to possess; to play; and, finally, the right to die.
The principle of a child’s personality and a right to respect did not just reflect the humanistic positions of the Polish educator and touch upon the problems of an abstract teacher’s relations with imaginary children. The humanism of Korczak’s pedagogy was distinguished, first of all, by its effectiveness – Korczak’s pedagogical principles were implemented in the the child-care facilities founded by him — in Dom Sierot (The Orphanage) and Nasz Dom (Our House) [NOTE: see http://fcit.usf.edu/HOLOCAUST/KORCZAK/photos/krochmal/]
The Orphanage was an uncommon institution for its times. What made it different from other orphanages was the building itself – specifically designed for studying and living. The building was situated in the back of a garden. There was a playground behind the building. In the basement, which was protected from dampness, there were a kitchen with a cellar, a laundry, a furnace room, showers, and a dressing room. The recreation hall, where children spent most of the day, took up most of the first floor and help to build strong social bonds together. There was also an office, a sewing workshop, and classrooms. The second floor held the seminar rooms. On the third floor, there were two bedrooms – one for boys, another for girls – divided by the governess’ room and lavatories. Korczak’s room was in the orphanage’s attic [3, p. 41].
Another important feature of Korczak’s orphanages was their focus on and attention to the physical and mental development needs of each child. Each orphanage provided an entire set of activities, intended to contribute to the healthcare and correct development of the children (such as rational nutrition, personal hygiene and home hygiene, opportunity to have necessary rest and sleep, open air exercise, constant measure of height, weighing, and other systematic research).
The goals and objectives of Korchak’s childcare institutions also differed significantly from the aims of traditional parenting. In the article, “Ku Otwarciu Domu Sierot” (“On the Opening of The Orphanage”), Korczak formulated the primary tasks in the following way:
1) to study the child and the laws which regulate his development, for the most part, mental and physical; to pay special attention to physical development;
2) to create “the house of labor and the school of life” on the pattern of an orphanage, to impart labor skills to children, to help them in their choice of profession according to their abilities;
3) to research and discover the reasons for the unbearable atmosphere in typical boarding schools in order to find ways to improve them [4, p. 2-4].
Later he described the holistic program of the orphanage, the central idea of which was “good will, and service of the child”, in a more detailed manner [3, с.48]. In the article “A Jewish Child” he highlights the most acute problems of the boarding school: “how to coordinate the needs and goals of the administration and children, the responsibilities and individual will, the reasonable desires and whims; how to protect the subtle and sensitive nature of children; how to hamper the quantitative growth of those who represent a problem and disparage the status of a human by their sole existence” [5, p. 243].
He therefore believed it necessary to establish a children’s community based on equity, fraternity, equal rights and responsibilities. In the design of his holistic system formation Korczak was primarily concerned with the problem of how does a child feel himself connected to a group of other children, and with an associated problem of how to establish positive relationships between teachers and children.
To implement this complicated holistic program the teachers were to:
The main idea of Korczak’s educational concept is connected with the problem of a child’s feelings, especially in the environment of a large children’s community. It was the concern for the child’s well-being that dictated that the best organization for a child’s life was self-organization . The necessity of setting up self-government for children as a method for the organization of children’s lives was dictated by the goal that Korczak and his collaborators set for themselves – the development of an active and independent personality. To create the proper conditions, he began with what in any society is a criterion of an effective democracy – the establishment of a court. Korczak organized a community court with the primary goal of protecting every child. Moreover, he wanted the child’s fate to be independent from good or bad will, and from the good or bad mood of a teacher. In the foundation of a community court, there lies the principle of respect for the children and an earnest attitude towards their problems. The court also became a regulating body concerned with teacher-students relations and a framework for mutual respect and cooperation.
The court made decisions according to the Code, which was designed by Korczak himself. The Code taught the children to be fair, to be considerate towards their fellow students, and to educate both the accused and the judge. The contents of the Code were in accord with Korczak’s declared principle of the child’s personality and respect and trust afforded children. They were primarily aimed at the correction of a child, not his punishment; it offered hope for children.
The Code consists of a variety of articles, and the first ninty-nine were of an acquittal nature. Only beginning with the 100th article did accusatory language begin. The final ten articles (they were counted into the hundreds so that they looked formidable) permitted the passing of sentence by a judge, and each of these articles gradually increased the severity of the court’s censure. All of articles, while confirming guilt, gave moral dimensions to the issue, while the punishment expressed the public sentiment.
The community court Code not only reflected Korczak’s educational beliefs, but also made it possible to use mercy as an important tool to build moral understanding in a child. Encouraging good feelings in a child’s soul and using them to foster his development and correction, Korczak promoted the self-affirmation of children in a children’s community. Thus, he created space for their mutual safety in the environment.
To go to court, it was enough for a child to place his claim on the court’s board, including the following: his surname and the surname of the accused as well as the reason for his claim. One could file a claim against any adult, any teacher, any child and even against one’s own self. Every evening the secretary entered the cases into the book and collected testimonies. Once a week, the court examined those cases.
The development of children’s self-government also raised the necessity of another certain body, which would both set the laws and regulations of the dormitory and control their implementation. Thus, half a year after the establishment of the Orphanage’s court, the Legal Council began its work.The Legal Council consisted of a teacher and two judges elected by secret ballot for three months. Only a child who had not been brought before the court for a month could be a judge. Children elected to the Legal Council could still be accused by others of any infraction. Those found guilty would loose their right to judge others. That was why five people were elected into the Legal Council, but only two took part in its work. The Legal Council examined all cases about delayed fees from relatives, cases that required establishment of new mandatory laws in order to define the respective articles, cases concerning monetary reimbursement, etc.
Over the course of time, the work of the Legal Council became complicated. The amount of cases that were outside the jurisdiction of the court and the Legal Council increased with every week. That was why the Legal Council was, after several months, turned into the Self-Government Council, which dealt not only with cases passed on by the court for a decision, but it also dealt with children’s letters and claims concerning changes in the internal organization of life in the Orphanage. In addition, the Council linked the children’s self-government with the teachers’ council, supervised the organization and implementation of plebiscites, confirmed civil qualifications, and gave references to children for the rehabilitation court. The Council also approved the duty lists and determined the quantity of work hours to satisfy judgements.
The superior body of children’s self-government in Korczak’s orphanages was represented by the Seim (or Parliament). It was elected once a year and included about 20 deputies chosen by way of general plebiscite. Only a child who did not have a single conviction for theft or swindle could be a delegate. However, others who could not be delegates also had the right for rehabilitation. The Seim was responsible for accepting or declining the resolutions of the Self-Government Council, for establishing holidays and memorable dates in the orphanage, and for assigning awards. Later the prerogatives of the Seim broadened to such an extent, that it took part in making decisions concerning admission and expulsion of pupils.
Along with the Self-Government Council, there was the Staff Council, which consisted of expert teachers and was responsible for meeting goals, for scholastic direction and the results of the educational work, for the tutorial work, for the organization of childrens’ life, and for every child’s physical and mental development.
In the given system of the community of cooperation between children and adults, , a lot of attention was paid to the general meetings at the orphanage. The general meetings taught children to solve the issues of their lives as a team. In addition, those general meetings promoted public opinion, which was the primary way of making an impact on an individual child. The meetings contributed to the publicity of enforcement inside the orphanage, which ensured the neutralization of negative publicity in the community outside the Orphanage.
Work in Korczak’s orphanages was a significant factor in student development. Not only did Korczak do his best to inculcate respect for working class people and evoke the recognition of the necessity of labor – be it mental or physical – in his students, but he also wanted to cultivate certain practical skills, independence and conscientiousness, and an ability to get on well with fellow students in the process of labor in them. He wanted to teach students to control themselves and others, to develop children’s will and their initiatives, i.e. to develop those qualities that are very important in a well-adjusted adult.
Duties, which in Korczak’s holistic system were not a mere alternation of some responsibilities’ fulfillment, or some facilitated realization of the important objectives of labor education — the term was defined as children’s fulfillment of certain voluntary responsibilities over the long-term (a month or more). All the housework was divided into duties, which accounted for twice as more as there were children because several children carried out some of the same duties. Thus, in the orphanage every student had a certain responsibility, which changed every month. It is necessary to mention that duty enrollment was voluntary and work was considered a public service. At the end of each month, children applied for the next month’s duties. The Self-Government Council assigned all the house responsibilities according to those applications.
Duties in Korczak’s orphanages carried certain credits. One labor unit was equal to half an hour of public work. The grade list of duties was designed by the Self-Government Council and was constantly revised and complemented. The monthly quantity of earned labor units represented the concrete contribution of a child into the common housekeeping, and determined, to a certain extent, his position in the community, and demonstrated his diligence and quality of work. When any student accumulated 500 labor units, he received a commemorative labor card upon recommendation of the Self-Government Council. They also tried the practice of paying children money for special works (“profitable duties”).
The most vivid and distinctive feature of Korczak’s holistic system was the expression of public opinion in the children’s community. The weekly newspaper run by the Orphanage expressed public opinions in the children’s community. These weekly newspapers raised a number of questions. The most urgent topics concerned difficulties of labor, e.g. economic problems or unwanted phenomena in the children’s social life. The newspaper was a kind of mirror reflecting life in the children’s institution, «a precious research document»: it informed, directed attention to problems, and covered all the questions concerning children’s life.
The so-called plebiscites of benevolence and malevolence exhibited the children’s common opinion in the clearest way. Plebiscites were organized after the following: 1) one month of a newcomer’s life in the Orphanage (including teachers); 2) after one year, before receiving a civil status; and 3) upon discussing the question of a student’s correction or rehabilitation. The direct vote, or the general secret ballot of children, had the following procedure. The student who was to undergo the plebiscite was announced beforehand, a day before the plebiscite; next day at breakfast, they put cards with “pluses” (I like, I respect him/her), “minuses” (I have negative attitude towards him/her), and “zeros” (I am indifferent towards him/her) before every child. Children had time to think and decide which card to choose; therefore, the ballot went fast and smoothly. The language of numbers defined the child’s or teacher’s place in the community in a simple and absolutely precise way.
Plebiscites formed such important qualities as courage, adherence to principles, and honesty in pupils. Moreover, with the help of those plebiscites, teachers could explore children’s relations, conditions of their public interactions and development.
We need to point out that plebiscites urged children to develop on their own, while civil statuses given to children annually helped to determine the limits of self-perfection. After a one-year stay in the Orphanage, a student, who had been considered just a “newcomer”, received a civil status. Civil statuses were conferred by the Self-Government Council according to the results of the plebiscite, the number of lawsuits and labor units earned by a child, and academic progress. After reviewing his accomplishments, he was awarded one of the following statuses: Fellow, Tenant, Indifferent Tenant, or Burdensome Alien. Each of these statuses gave certain rights and privileges as well as legal restrictions. For example, children of the highest civil statuses had the right to go to the city whenever they needed and to visit relatives and acquaintances frequently (children of lower statuses had certain limitations, which, however, did not apply to their relatives’ visits to the Orphanage and to common excursions). Two lower categories did not have the right to be guardians, to be represented in the Council, and could not be responsible for other children during excursions and outings.
While the plebiscite and civil categories helped a child in self-actualization and self-evaluation, i.e. acted as the first stage of the self-education process, the skills of self-possession, self-control and self-criticism were formed with the help of a well-developed system of the self-education stimuli, which directed a child and helped him in the desired achievement. Moreover, this system was based on the actual evaluation of individual abilities. Worth mentioning are the individual bets – voluntary pledges of children referring to themselves made in the presence of a teacher, who acted as the child’s secretary and counselor.
Korczak accepted the bets once a week, always on the same day, early in the morning before breakfast. On the pages of a thick impressive book, in the first column, he would put down the matter of the child’s bet and the quantity of violations, and in the second column, he wrote if the child had won or lost, and the score. A variety of matters were presented there: fights, molestations, abuses, neglected studies, theft, etc.
A wise psychologist and an expert educator, Korczak knew that no bet could correct a child right away. A period of inner struggle had to pass from the betting moment to the generation of a certain skill. A lost bet would provoke chagrin while victories would arouse joy and satisfaction. In this case, a normal feeling of childish pride starts working, and it helps a child to overcome his flaw.
An original “method of written communication” with children, which was used by Korczak, also facilitated humanization of the holistic process and stimulated the self-education of children. Korczak attached much importance to this method and believed that this way of communication does not free a teacher from verbal communication with a child, but promotes the correct choice of methods to influence a child further.
Korczak believes that the teacher’s diary, the contents of which is available to children, is very important for reaching mutual understanding with children. This diary is kept on a particular shelf, and every child at any time can read the thoughts and feelings of his teacher. Through his notes in the diary, a teacher expressed his attitude towards some events of the day and children’s deeds; he could express gladness for their successes, sympathize with and grieve about their failures. In the diary’s entries, he could scold himself and thus apologize before a child for his mistake, reproach someone’s act, and ponder over hardships in the Orphanage’s life. However, it was always done in a tactful way – no entry mentioned the names of children – they could guess who was who themselves.
Publicity in the Orphanage was also provided by the bulletin board. It hung in a public place and had orders, messages and notices attached to it with pushpins. Verbal announcements at general meetings always arouse thousands of questions: some may have misunderstood something, while others may just have missed something. In this case, the bulletin board was an essential aid for the teacher. Not only did it organize the children, but it also organizes the teacher, making him think over the plan of every event in advance and always give well-considered and well-designed orders.
Every individual element of the holistic system was a part of the whole and every one of those parts can be effective only upon efficient combination with other parts in the general system of educational work.
Unlike many other children’s orphanages, the goal set for this system presupposed the formation of an active and independent personality with developed humanistic qualities, and was based on the principle of the child’s personality and rights’ respect as well as respect for the entire children’s community, and on the principle of cooperation between “reasonable education” and the self-education activity of children. The educational, tutorial, and organizational tasks of these orphanages made up a carefully designed system and included: thoughtful moral and physical development of a child; organization of children’s self-government for the benefit of children’s formation and self-education; organization of life in the orphanage according to laws of equality; organization of educational influence of children’s public opinion for the stimulation of children’s self-educational activity; introduction of publicity into the orphanage’s life; and connection of the orphanage with the environment, with particular attention to interaction with family.
The basic principles and humanistic orientation of Korczak’s holistic system determined the choice of the primary educational method – the method of children’s self-government. An active children’s self-government in Korczak’s system was the method of organizing adults and achieving children cooperation that contributed to the creation of an integrated educational community. Self-government was also the most reliable means to humanize the relations between adults and children It helped to build those relations on the basis of cooperation and mutual understanding. That style of relationship produced an actual moral result: children felt they were equal with teachers and realized that they were equally responsible with adults for the life of the orphanage. Yet dignity is a necessary item for the child’s security in the system of relations.
The very moral atmosphere at the orphanage provided security for every child, and demonstrates today the effectiveness and vitality of Korczak’s holistic system, which was a unique phenomenon in the pedagogic culture of 20th century Europe. This was a new type of orphanage, where the organization of a child’s life was filled with deep humanism, with care about the child’s welfare, and where everything was done to create conditions for the child’s development and formation and to provide every child with security guarantees.
References
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