Anton Makarenko
Encyclopedia
Anton Semenovych Makarenko was a Ukrainian
and Soviet educator and writer, who promoted democratic ideas and principles in educational theory and practice. As one of the founders of Soviet pedagogy
, he elaborated the theory and methodology of upbringing in self-governing
child collective
s and introduced the concept of productive labor
into the educational system. Makarenko is often reckoned among the world’s great educators, and his books have been published in many countries.
In the aftermath of the Russian Revolution
he established self-supporting orphanage
s for street child
ren - including juvenile delinquents - left orphaned by the Russian Civil War
. Among these establishments were the Gorky corrective labor colony
and later the Dzerzhinsky labor commune in Kharkiv
, where the FED camera
was produced.
Although there was some opposition by the authorities at the early stages of Makarenko's "experiments", the Soviet establishment eventually came to hail his colonies as a grand success in communist education and rehabilitation. Among his key ideas were "as much exigence towards the person as possible and as much respect for him as possible", the use of positive peer pressure
on the individual by the collective
, and institutionalized self-government and self-management
of that collective. He also rejected physical punishment
.
Makarenko was one of the first Soviet educators to urge that the activities of various
educational institutions—i.e., the school, the family, clubs, public organizations, production
collectives and the community existing at the place of residence—should be integrated.
Makarenko wrote several books, of which The Pedagogical Poem (Педагогическая поэма), a fictionalized story of the Gorky Colony, was especially popular in the USSR. In 1955 a movie with English title Road to Life
was produced.
Like most things Soviet, Makarenko's ideas came under heavy criticism after the fall of communism. His system has been accused of many of the same faults as Soviet
Communism
in general, such as giving the child collective too much power over the individual child, over-emphasizing discipline and leaving insufficient space for individual freedom.
Ukrainians
Ukrainians are an East Slavic ethnic group native to Ukraine, which is the sixth-largest nation in Europe. The Constitution of Ukraine applies the term 'Ukrainians' to all its citizens...
and Soviet educator and writer, who promoted democratic ideas and principles in educational theory and practice. As one of the founders of Soviet pedagogy
Pedagogy
Pedagogy is the study of being a teacher or the process of teaching. The term generally refers to strategies of instruction, or a style of instruction....
, he elaborated the theory and methodology of upbringing in self-governing
Self-governance
Self-governance is an abstract concept that refers to several scales of organization.It may refer to personal conduct or family units but more commonly refers to larger scale activities, i.e., professions, industry bodies, religions and political units , up to and including autonomous regions and...
child collective
Collective
A collective is a group of entities that share or are motivated by at least one common issue or interest, or work together on a specific project to achieve a common objective...
s and introduced the concept of productive labor
Productive and unproductive labour
Productive and unproductive labour were concepts used in classical political economy mainly in the 18th and 19th century, which survive today to some extent in modern management discussions, economic sociology and Marxist or Marxian economic analysis...
into the educational system. Makarenko is often reckoned among the world’s great educators, and his books have been published in many countries.
In the aftermath of the Russian Revolution
Russian Revolution of 1917
The Russian Revolution is the collective term for a series of revolutions in Russia in 1917, which destroyed the Tsarist autocracy and led to the creation of the Soviet Union. The Tsar was deposed and replaced by a provisional government in the first revolution of February 1917...
he established self-supporting orphanage
Orphanage
An orphanage is a residential institution devoted to the care of orphans – children whose parents are deceased or otherwise unable or unwilling to care for them...
s for street child
Street Child
Street Child is a debut album by Mexican alternative rock vocalist, Elan. It contains her biggest hit, Midnight.Ricardo Burgos from Sony Music called Street Child "a history making release in Latin America".-Re-edition track listing:...
ren - including juvenile delinquents - left orphaned by the Russian Civil War
Russian Civil War
The Russian Civil War was a multi-party war that occurred within the former Russian Empire after the Russian provisional government collapsed to the Soviets, under the domination of the Bolshevik party. Soviet forces first assumed power in Petrograd The Russian Civil War (1917–1923) was a...
. Among these establishments were the Gorky corrective labor colony
Labor camp
A labor camp is a simplified detention facility where inmates are forced to engage in penal labor. Labor camps have many common aspects with slavery and with prisons...
and later the Dzerzhinsky labor commune in Kharkiv
Kharkiv
Kharkiv or Kharkov is the second-largest city in Ukraine.The city was founded in 1654 and was a major centre of Ukrainian culture in the Russian Empire. Kharkiv became the first city in Ukraine where the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic was proclaimed in December 1917 and Soviet government was...
, where the FED camera
FED (camera)
The FED is a Soviet rangefinder camera, mass produced from 1934 until around 1990, and also the name of the factory that made it.FED is indirectly named after Felix Edmundovich Dzerzhinsky, founder of the Cheka...
was produced.
Although there was some opposition by the authorities at the early stages of Makarenko's "experiments", the Soviet establishment eventually came to hail his colonies as a grand success in communist education and rehabilitation. Among his key ideas were "as much exigence towards the person as possible and as much respect for him as possible", the use of positive peer pressure
Peer pressure
Peer pressure refers to the influence exerted by a peer group in encouraging a person to change his or her attitudes, values, or behavior in order to conform to group norms. Social groups affected include membership groups, when the individual is "formally" a member , or a social clique...
on the individual by the collective
Collective
A collective is a group of entities that share or are motivated by at least one common issue or interest, or work together on a specific project to achieve a common objective...
, and institutionalized self-government and self-management
Self-management
Self-management means different things in different fields:* In business, education, and psychology, self-management refers to methods, skills, and strategies by which individuals can effectively direct their own activities toward the achievement of objectives, and includes goal setting, decision...
of that collective. He also rejected physical punishment
Physical punishment
Physical punishment is any form of penalty in a judicial, educational or domestic setting that takes a physical form, by the infliction on the offender of pain, injury, discomfort or humiliation...
.
Makarenko was one of the first Soviet educators to urge that the activities of various
educational institutions—i.e., the school, the family, clubs, public organizations, production
collectives and the community existing at the place of residence—should be integrated.
Makarenko wrote several books, of which The Pedagogical Poem (Педагогическая поэма), a fictionalized story of the Gorky Colony, was especially popular in the USSR. In 1955 a movie with English title Road to Life
Road to Life
Road to Life is a 1955 Soviet drama film directed by Aleksei Maslyukov and Mechislava Mayevskaya and based on the book by Anton Makarenko. It was entered into the 1956 Cannes Film Festival.-Cast:* Vladimir Yemelyanov - Anton Semyonovich Makarenko...
was produced.
Like most things Soviet, Makarenko's ideas came under heavy criticism after the fall of communism. His system has been accused of many of the same faults as Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
Communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
in general, such as giving the child collective too much power over the individual child, over-emphasizing discipline and leaving insufficient space for individual freedom.
External links
- Synopsis of Makarenko's book "Road to Life (Pedagogicheskaia poema)
- A profile of Makarenko by Soviet educator G. N. Filonov, published by UNESCOUNESCOThe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
- Text of "The Road to Life (An Epic of Education)" and "Lectures to Parents" (translated into English)
- Full text of «Pedagogicheskaia poema» (“Road to Life”), without editors deletions, was first published in Moscow, 2003 by Svetlana Nevskaya (Pedagogic museum of A.S.Makarenko). From May 2010 this book accessible via net with permission of A.S.M. Ped. museum administration. It’s late his translation to English and other languages (Rus).
- Makarenko.edu.ru Web-site dedicated to the life, work and creative heritage of A. S.
- Critics by Vasily Sukhomlinsky
- A monster of pedagogy
- Dewey and Makarenko