K. D. Ushinsky

K.D.Ushinsky was in the fullest sense of the word, the founder of the Russian primary school and pedagogical training for teachers. His contribution to Russian education was great. His long practical teaching experience, his works on teaching method and books for school-children, books on which many generations of pupils were brought up give him a worthy place in this brilliant pleiad.

Ushinsky was born in 1824 in Chernigov gubernia in the family of a well-to-do landowner. He learned very early to study independently and, after making a fine record in the gymnasium, Ushinsky enrolled in Moscow University at the age of 16. He graduated from the University with high honors when he was 20 years old. Two years later, despite his youth, Ushinsky was appointed professor of Jurisprudence at the Demidov Lycee in Yaroslavl. His lectures were an immediate success for they were based upon his already considerable erudition. It was then that Ushinsky started criticizing the present educational system in Russia and was forbidden by the Ministry of Education to teach even in elementary school.

In 1855 many teachers who had lost work before could find jobs again. In 1859 Ushinsky was appointed inspector at Smolny Institute in St. Petersburg. In 1860 Ushinsky became editor of the Journal of the Ministry of Education and in two years completely changed its character.

Ushinsky was not only concerned with Russian affairs but was a devout patriot. One of the basic principles of his pedagogical system is the inculcation of a feeling of patriotism in the young. In his early articles he expressed this view and never changed his basic concept that " education must be based on patriotism". Ushinsky thought that this could be done best with the help of native language taught at school. One of his most famous works " Rodnoe Slovo" (Native Word) was a series of readers for Russian children designed to give them greater love and respect for their national literature.

In one of his works Ushinsky told children about their own country: " We call Russia our fatherland because from time immemorial our fathers and forefathers have lived here. We call Russia our native land because we were born here, our native language is spoken here and everything here is dear to us, and Russia is our motherland since she had fed us with her bread, has given us her water to drink, has taught us her language, protects us like a mother and defends us from all enemies and, when we fall into eternal sleep, it is she who will cover our bones....There is much else in the world besides Russia and many good states and lands, but a man has only one mother - and only one motherland."

Ushinsky believed that education should devote itself primarily to the formation of character. Here a special attention should be paid to the development in the pupil of the habit of work. According to Ushinsky, " life without serious work can neither be worthy nor happy".

Ushinsky underlined the personal influence of the teacher as an educational force. He put forward the idea of setting up teachers seminars to train teachers, for their important and responsible work.

Ushinsky was interested in foreign educational systems. He made trips to Germany, Switzerland, France, Italy and Belgium to observe school organization there. Ushinsky analyzed merits and defects of foreign educational systems always comparing them with actual conditions in Russia.

After coming back to Russia from abroad in 1867 Ushinsky devoted his energies to St. Petersburg Pedagogical Society. He traveled, lectured, held conferences and interviews and continued his research and writing. Such a program was too much for his already weakened health. Ushinsky's death in 1870 was mourned not only by teachers, but by all progressive people in Russia, not only in the capital but in the most distant corners of the country.

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