Korczak-inspired teacher training
In this paper I search for Korczak’s ideas about educating children and their implications for training future and current teachers. Before I turn the attention of the reader to the implications, I first need to clarify what I mean by education or educating.2
The educational question, says the Dutch educational philosopher Gert Biesta, is not about effectiveness of learning and developmental processes, but about what are desirable educational outcomes and why we should strive to reach those goals? Biesta himself thinks the ultimate educational goal should be helping children to be in the world as ‘grown-up’ human beings, who can take responsibility for themselves, for others, and for the planet.
Educating children certainly is more than rewarding good and punishing bad behavior. This so called behavioristic approach keeps children dependent of adults’ approval and inhibits them to gradually develop ‘grown-up’ responsibilities, to make their own mature decisions and independent moral judgments.