Janusz Korczak
International Newsletter, no 14
To all Janusz Korczak
friends, world-wide.
Dear friends and
colleagues.
We like to send you a
new Janusz Korczak Newsletter. We received news from
The ‘Association Suisse
des Amis du docteur Janusz Korczak' sent her Korczak Bulletin (‘La Lettre')
; No 49, July 2005.
There is always
interesting news in ‘
Finally a report about
the activities of the students of Pedagogy of the
(Interested in ‘La
Lettre' ?, contact our Swiss Korczak friends (korczak@gkb.com))
As already said, (see
We are here to make
you happier!!!
Let us
introduce ourselves!
Charitable activities
have become common for the students of our University since 1990 when they
were united under the banners of J. Korczak followers with the help of our
Professor Tatyana Tsyrlina. Clearly. Every year our graduates leave the
University and the city but there are usually others coming to join us.
Today there are about
20 of us and we are just students from a provincial city in the European
part of
There is no time left
to wait that somebody will come and solve all our problems. No matter, who
is to blame, but we at least can try to do something to improve the
situation. Enough has been said, now,
what we are
doing?
Unfortunately, there
are enough children in our region who suffer from blood cancer (we live
But these children at
least have parents who are always with them. In our local orphanage there
are about 200 children who are absolutely alone, who have nobody to help,
to give a piece of advice, to comfort. So we try to support them with
various things starting from clothes and ending with simple talking. Though
these children are so open-hearted to the whole world, they suffer from
absence of communication, living in their own little world of loneliness,
separated from normal life. We do our best to prepare them for the
future in the times of radical changes. Through games and
different performances we teach them how to deal with various problems of
everyday life. One of the main tasks is to prepare them for their
family life, so we teach them how to believe in themselves.
Of course all this is
very important, but we must not forget about children from full
families. They are in danger as well , as today
it is very easy to loose one's health if you don't know how to protect it;
it is difficult to become a well educated person when education is so
expensive and your parents can't supply you with all the necessary
equipment. That is why we also visit a small kindergarten and organize
classes and performances concerning such problems as health protection,
cultural education and communicational skills.
Besides, we remember
that it is very important to organize free time of the children in order to
protect them from being involved into crimes. That is for we've repaired a
playground in our municipal children's park and now kids can enjoy playing
there. Moreover, we have gathered more than 300 books and textbooks for our
children's library so one can come and use them.
How do we
manage to do all this?
The answer is:
Friendship and
love to the children work wonders!!!!!
We still have a lot of
new plans and ideas. So, if you wish to become our new friend, please
contact us either at ttsyr@kursknet.ru (Tatyana Tsyrlina), or AnyaSav1984@yandex.ru (Anya Savranskaya), or mch11@kursknet.ru (Mikhail Chudakov).
Welcome! And remember:
We are here to
make
Anya Savranskaya,
THE
Dr. Joop Berding,
member of board of the Dutch Janusz Korczak Association, made an article
for the English Journal ‘ Young Minds Magazin'
See below and read the
article ‘ A man for our times'
A MAN FOR OUR TIMES
Published in
Young Minds Magazine Issue77, July/August 2005, page 19
Good practice
What does a wartime
Pole doctor, who went to his death with Jewish children, have to say to
professionals who work with young people today? Joop Berding says
that Janusz Korczak's example is not only in his martyrdom
Among the thousands of
Jews that were moved from the ghetto of Warsaw on 6 August 1942 to the
train station and then directly to the gas chambers of Treblinka were some
men and women and around 200 children, orphans from Dom Sierot (House of
the Orphans). One man man, a doctor Janusz Korczak, lead the way, one child
on his arm, another hand-in-hand. Twice a Nazi official offered him
personal freedom, but twice he refused. His calling was to stay with his
children and, with them, perish in the Shoah.
Korczak became a martyr
and a legend. We can also look beyond that to discover one of the finest
and sincerest educators of all times, a man who was ahead of his time. From
1912, he practised his philosophy of the rights of, and respect for the
children in his orphanage. He wanted every boy and girl, no matter what his
or her social background or differences, to be a happy and constructive
citizen. He longed for a society based upon justice and righteousness, and
he thought it was high time to put it into practice in education.
When I came to know Korczak
through his many books, I was confronted with a completely new way of
looking at education, educators and children. He upset me because he mainly
posed questions about what I did as an educational counsellor but gave no
theoretical or definitive answers. He said that if you want to be an
educator, you have to realise that "all tears are salty". By this
he meant that not only adults, but children also have their deepest
sorrows, and occurrences which depress them. Korczak asked educators to
step down from their privileged position with their power to shape children
according to their ideals. Children have a right to be who they are,
Korczak said, and he practiced this pedagogy of difference everyday 1 . Teachers
I work with ask pressing questions: how can I relate to every child, to all
these different children that together make up my group or class? How can I
avoid being the "boss"? How can I realise democratic principles
within my school? Korczak's work may date from decades ago but it is up to
date. For Korczak "invited" children and youngsters to
participate in the community of the orphanage. He divided all the daily
tasks, with children eager to perform them. He installed a parliament of
children, and attached a school to the orphanage that was based upon
responsibility and participation of the pupils. He wrote a book of law to
regulate the community in a just way, and asked a changing group of
children to judge whether justice was indeed realised. 2
Mutual respect between
adults and children was one of the core concepts of his views. Today we all
talk about "respect" but is it more than just noting the
differences between children? That's not respect, but disinterested
tolerance. Respect means actively constructing opportunities for everyone
to contribute to the processes of learning and development in the group. This
must be based on sound and empathetic observation by the educator or
teachers, listening to and looking at children to find out what their
motives are, what steps they take on the path of development, and guiding
them on their path. It also demands an open attitude and honesty towards
one-self as an educator and one's own prejudices. Does one really see a
child as he or she is?
Many classes are still
organized in authoritarian ways. This is not a favourable condition for
educating children for democratic citizenship. Korczak's concept of
participation might look like a participative group of eight to 12
year-olds whom I visited. They were having a meeting. They discussed some
problems that had arisen. One of these was that some children left their
empty food plates and cans among the work materials. This caused
inconvenience and fuss. The chair, one of the pupils, asked the others to
come up with ideas on how to tackle this problem. They were written on a
sheet and discussed and finally one was chosen. They decided to have a
weekly changing duo to do the cleaning up, but only after everyone had put
their own mess in a central place. This was noted in the proceedings. Every
member of the group supported this. The educator did not have to intervene;
she did not have to “instruct” the children what to do. Her job simply was
to create conditions -psychological, social -that help build this little
community.
I recognise now when I
am too much an "instructor" and too much of a guiding hand. I am
more empathetic toward the daily struggles of teachers and group leaders. 3
It can be a tremendously difficult job. However, if we try to see education
as a partnership and not as a power relationship, it appears in a different
light. It can only proceed and succeed if children are seen as partners and
participants, and not as objects. This calls for belief and trust in
children, and for an open eye, ear and heart for what motivates and
occupies them. Korczak was way ahead of his time. It is time for us to
catch up with him.
Joop Berding is an
educational counsellor with the CED-Group in
References
1 Joseph, S. (2002),
Po/es Apart. The Life and Work of Janusz Korczak. Young Minds Magazine 59,
pp. 19-21.
2 Korczak, J.
(1967/1929). How to love a child. In M Wolins (editor), Se/ected works
of Janusz Korczak (pp. 81-462).
3 Berding, JW.A.
(2004), Janusz Korczak -What it means to be an educator, Encounter
Education for Meaning and Social Justice 18 (4), pp. 11-16
The ‘University of
applied sciernces' in Magdeburg-Stendal wrote us:
‘Applied Sciences
of Childhood'
For the first time this
new type of formation will be opened by the ‘University of Applied
Sciences' (Fachhochschule) in Magdeburg-Stendal on
We are particularly
content to inform you that the work of Janusz Korczak has been incorporated
into the curriculum of the course. Mrs. Ramona Stirtzal is teaching ‘Pedagogy
of the early childhood under special consideration of Janusz Korczak's life
and work'
The University is
looking for trainee-places abroad (min. 4 weeks) to gain international
experiences.
If you can offer such an
opportunity, please contact Prof. Dr. Eva Luber.
e-mail: eva.luber@sgw.hs-magdeburg.de
Thanks to our friends
in
Please send
more news from your association or country to
Greetings from the
Korczak friends in the
Janusz Korczak
International Newsletter no 13
Dear Korczak friends
and contacts world-wide.
We gather up the
threads of our last Korczak Newsletter no 12. (July).
We have News from the
USA, Russia, The Netherlands, France, Brasil and the promised article we
red in the Newsletter of the Janusz Korczak Association of Canada. (april
2005)
We received from
The question was asked
of me as to how I incorporate the life and teachings of Janusz Korczak into
my lectures on behavior in pediatric dentistry.
What did Korczak do and
write that makes him most relevant to those of us doing children's
dentistry. I note that we willingly chose to care for children, and we
begin treating them with our individual qualities and educational
background. We then move to experience and development. In that process of
development we need to include finding mentors and role models. With that
said I move to introducing J.K. as a mentor and role model of the highest
level for dealing with children. I then progress through a chronology of Korczak,s
life and accomplishments. How he spent his life as a pediatrician, poet,
author, educator, orphanage director, child advocate, child protector. How
his final statement of commitment came when he voluntarily accompanied the
children of the orphanage in the
As to the qualities of
Korczak that should be emulated, the first quality is commitment. A
pediatric dentist must be totally committed to the welfare of the children
in his care, and in a larger sense to the welfare of children in his
community, country, and of the world. J.K wrote, “Children…are to be
treated with tenderness and respect.” Thus establishing the concept that
the pediatric dentist must approach each child with the utmost of respect. The
quality of respecting children as individuals not as extensions of their
parents. Add the quality of love. Combined they mean understanding,
patience, forgiveness, structure, communication, guidance. Korczak
furthered the dissemination of the quality of respect in writing “The
Child's Right to Respect”, by guiding the development of “The Rights of the
Child”. J.K shares with the pediatric dentist his advanced training as a
pediatrician. He was a keen observer of childhood physical and emotional
traits.
With physical needs he
talks of the need to understand the nature of the disease, the importance
of early intervention, and to always be thinking of prevention.
With the last came the
educator conveying and encouraging prevention in term that parents and the
children could understand. With his deep concern for the emotional well
being of the child, as also emotionally expressed in The Child's Right to
Respect”, he extols the practitioner-“know yourself-then know the child”.
In this concern, J.K.
teaches us to feel for the child's anxieties and to use our abilities to
understand and minimize this emotional state, while caring fully for the
child's dental needs. For the anxiety part this translates for us to use
reassurance, and encouragement and if necessary pharmacologic aids, both
parenteral and inhalatory. For the physical aspect of pain the need to
assure adequate local anesthesia.
Realizing that we have
been given the privilege and sacred trust of caring for children, it would
be most helpful that as pediatric dentists we approach our tasks with the
qualities evoked by the poetry and life achievements of Janusz Korczak..
Kurt Bomze. (e-mail: knbomze@comcast.net )
The Nash Dom Youth Center
in Moscow ( part of the Russian Janusz Korczak Association) and the Janusz
Korczak Association in The Netherlands organized this summer for the 11 th
time their international Nash Dom-camp for handicapped and non-handicapped
children from Russia and the Netherlands.( all together 110 people,
children and groupleaders). The camp took place on the Black Sea coast near
the town of
Brasil
Hello, this is to say
hello, wellcome you after the holidays, and give information
about the exhibition we just opened in
In the Janusz Korczak
Newsletter no 10, we promised to publish the Memoirs on Doctor
Korczak, written by Ida Merzan in 1947. Thanks to the Korczak
friends in
IN KORCZAK's
CIRCLE
Children My Love, My Pride and My Care
(Dzieci milosc
moja, duma moja, troska moja, Warszawa 2002)
By Ida Merza'
Jda Merzan
(1907-1987) was an expert on educational matters related to children of
preschool age. From 1926 she was a student of the Workshop for Orphanage
Educators where Korczak was teaching; then an apprentice at Korczak's'
Orphan Home and later, up to 1933, worked there as an educator. During her
long professional career she had been inspired by Korczak's pedagogical
ideas.
Memoirs on Korcank
were written in 1947
Memoirs on Doctor
Korczak
The assignment was
"Memoirs from childhood". It was 1926, during the Workshop for
Orphanage Educators. I was one of the sixty students in the class. I saw
Dr. Korczak for the first time when he gave a lecture on child development.
He entered quickly, with a pile of our notebooks in his hands. He put them
on the table and attentively looked at the entire class. He asked one of
the students to distribute the notebooks. I opened mine, and it wasn't
graded but there were lots of undelined words. I didn't understand anything
- did I make so many mistakes? Korczak began his lecture: 'Ladies and
Gentlemen. .1 read sixty memoirs and only two were happy - fifty-eight were
sad. I underlined those parts'. I opened my notebook and, truly, in every
underlined sentence was something I didn't understand, something that I
was hurt by, something I struggled with, etc.
Korezak continued, 'A
child is born in pain, when it comes to this world. It is hit
by cold air and bright
light. It replies to this painful experience with his first reaction - a
scream.
'A human is born in
pain' and 'from pain experience is born' - I frequently heard these
sentences from Dr. Korezak.
II
In 1927 I was accepted
for the apprenticeship in the Orphan Home on
I. The educator becomes
nervous, oversensitive, argues with co-workers, and is not fair to
children.
2. The educator becomes
apathetic about discipline and children's problems.
3. The educator becomes
paranoid about children's health and safety, and expects catastrophe.'
'These attitudes'
continued the doctor, are frequently mixed, but those are the basic types.'
When he finished, he gave us a penetrating look, and everyone felt that he
saw us, ten or fifteen years into the future, when we will all be tired.
III
During one
apprenticeship class, I was not attentive. Suddenly I caught the doctot's
eye and he smiled at me. I never saw a smile like it, and I took that smile
with me for the test of my life. That smile - so gentle, so full of love
and understanding - raising my spirits, a smile given to a child who needs
support.
Iv
Apprentices quite often
commented that the Doctor was too busy to see us or really know us. Stefania
Wilczynska, Korczak's co-worker) would laugh and say 'the doctor only
pretends he sees and knows about everything.' She was right.
The Doctor's last class
was at 10:00 pm. At that time I was very tired (I woke up at 6:00 am) because
I was working at the Orphan Home and taking the Course for Orphanage
Educators. During that class I struggled to stay awake; I was rubbing my
eyes, and pinching myself. One evening, I couldn't stay awake, and dozed
off at the back of the class. I was sure he wouldn't notice because there
were sixty of us. But, after a few days, when we were sitting around the
table, the Doctor said to me:
'What a childlike and
rustic (alluding to my country upbringing) [Ida Merzan originated from
village Skrychiczyn] sleep you had in my class - but first you did this!'
and he impersonated me in my battle with exhaustion. We exploded in
laughter!
During a class I was
teaching, when the Doctor entered with a notebook, sat down at the desk,
and started writing, I was telling the children a fairy tale. I had a feeling
that I was disrupting his work. Paula, a small girl who had recently came
to the orphanage, interrupted me constantly. She kept making associations
between the story and her own family home. I listened attentively, as did
the other children. Suddenly the Doctor said 'stop interrupting you little
imp, you are interfering with the story!' I thought that the bid Jewish
legend must have been interesting to him if he reacted with such
impatience.
The next day he saw me
and asked
- Why did you allow her
to interrupt your story?
- Because I was curious
about the other children's reaction; they listened to Paula very
attentively, I answered.
- How had they reacted?
In chaos! With impatience!
Ashamed, with tears in
my eyes, I replied: 'You are the Doctor, you know everything ahead of time.
I don't know anything and I can't predict everything yet, I have only
taught for two months.'
'Really?' he gave me a
look, and left. I had a bad feeling that I had said something
inappropriate.
Approximately two
months later, during his lecture, to prove his thesis that 'The educator's
experience is born in pain', I heard, to my great surprise; 'One of my
young apprentices was right when she said she didn't want to use someone else's
experience, she wants to gain her own, because only that kind of
experience is valuable'.
V
A large room, and next
to it a small room - in the small room the Doctor, a child, a big diary on
the table, and a bag of chocolate caramels. The diary was coinpletely
without emotion, noted in it was only which child won or lost. Every Sunday
morning children enter and remember what a bet is all about (about
screaming, lying, a court case, etc.) A child concentrates, tries to
remember the events from the whole week. All the failures, all the
victories. Tough job for a child! The Doctor respected those inner
struggles. He advised not dealing with them too much all at once. He didn't
blame anybody, he was full of understanding. If someone felt weak, he frequently
suggested starting from the beginning... The conversation was always quick.
The Doctor asked 'What was the bet about' He checked in the diary. 'How
many times have you lied?' And after that, just a movement of the hand to
the candy, and with joking or encouraging tone of voice, he pointedly asked
'Do you want more? How many?' The Doctor looked and spoke differently with
each child.
VI
The Doctor used to buy
the children's baby teeth. The rate was established - 50 pennies
per tooth. We were intrigued -what was the purpose, and where did he keep
them? Rumors spread that the teeth were to be used for building a house so
small that only children could enter, never adults. After a few years, I
had enough courage to ask him what was the real purpose for collecting
these teeth. 'I make a powder that makes bricks stronger' was his serious
answer. In the first moment I believed him, but, when I saw the sparkle in
his eye, I exclaimed 'You're making a fool of me! Last year I would have
believed you, but not now!' He looked at me attentively, then suddenly
rolled his head back and roared with laughter - long, cheerful, and genuine
laughter. He kept laughing. 1 But last year you would have believed me
-that's really funny.' I never saw him laugh like that again.
I remember this
beautiful scene. The Doctor visited us at summer camp. The moment they
could see his silhuette far down the road, the children from all four
houses ran out holding matchboxes (these were the fashionable milk-tooth
containers.) They swarmed around the Doctor, who seriously examined the
merchandise. He often complained about cavities, questioned whether a
tooth genuinely originated from the gap toothed giver. He didn't believe
it, but had to examine the gum where the tooth came from. Now, I believe he
just wanted the kids to have some money. He didn't want to give it to them
for nothing, and that's the reason he wanted to buy the only things they
had to sell.
VII
There was an
educational meeting of apprentices and teachers. The supervisor supports
the suggestion of a young administrator who wants more frequent floor
washing and more thorough cleaning. Unexpectedly Dr. Korezak speaks up:
'And why? Who needs it? Mrs. R on Mrs. B? In my room I have mounds of dust!
Poor Barbara sometimes takes care of it, but somehow I am still alive and
haven't died of tuberculosis.' We stare at each other in
consternation. Miss
Stefania is obviously embarrassed, and tries to save the situation, and her
own prestige.
'The Doctor always says
something like that and people believe he says it seriously.' 'I may be
exaggerating the amount of dust in my room, but... are we running a sanatorium,
or... a little more or less cleaning doesn't change anything.'
Truly, I remember, a
few days earlier, he took a scrubbing brush out of my hands and told me to
go out on my date.
VIII
In "Centos"
[Board of Daycares and Orphanages for Jewish Children], in Otwock,
September 1, 1939, I was wounded in the head by shrapnel. I didn't stop
working, but took children to the shelter, and assisted with surgeries. However,
they sent me to
That was our last
conversation, and then it was only farewell - forever. And that's how I
remember him. (pp. 58-63)
Translated from the
Polish by Iwona and Garry Haskins
*****
In the next Janusz
Korczak International Newsletter news from
Please send your
newsitems to info@korczak.nl . Thanks !!
Janusz Korczak International Newsletter no 12a
Association Francaise Janusz KORCZAK (AFJK)
11 rue Emile Durkheim,
F-75013
To the Janusz Korczak Associations & all Korczak friends
world-wide.
Dear Friends
and Colleagues,
Her family and the French Janusz Korczak Association (AFJK) has the sadness
to inform of the death of Lena LECALOT
She was at the origin of the first conferences of UNESCO ever devoted to J.
Korczak in 1978 and 1979. Hélène Lecalot was also at the basis of the
french Korczak association which she was during a long term president. She
took an active part in the creation of international Korczak Association in
She died this last monday july 25, 2005 at the age of
The AFJK expresses its sincere condoleances to her family in
it is possible to address by e-mail to the French Korczak Association
condoleances which will be shares and transmitted with her family. A
special page "IN MEMORIAM" has been opened to Lena Lecalot
in our Internet Web site if you wish to consult it.
Bernard Lathuillere, with
President Bernard Jabin
Staff and Members of the AFJK
http://korczak.fr
http://roi-mathias.fr
Association Francaise Janusz KORCZAK (AFJK)
Ass. 1901 socio-éducative et culturelle pour le respect de l'enfant
http://afjk.org ET http://roi-mathias.fr
Sa famille
et l'Association Française Janusz KORCZAK
ont la tristesse de faire part du décès de
Madame Helena Granowska-Lecalot
Cofondatrice et vice-présidente
de l'Association Korczak internationale,
Ancienne présidente de l'Association KORCZAK
de 1979 à 199O
À l'origine des premiers colloques de l'UNESCO
jamais consacrés à Janusz Korczak en 1978 et 1979, Hélène Lecalot
a très longtemps été l'infatigable animatrice de l'Association française
des Amis du Docteur Korczak. Elle participa activement à la création de l'Association Korczak
internationale à Varsovie en 1979. Par son implication constante et par son
action persévérante tant en France qu'au niveau international, elle aura
beaucoup contribué, tant que sa santé le lui aura permis, à la reconnaissance
de l'histoire et l'œuvre de Janusz Korczak.
Elle s'est éteinte auprès des siens le lundi
25 juillet 2005, à l'âge de 88 ans. Incinérée selon ses vœux, le 27 juillet,
elle repose désormais au cimetière de CLAIRA, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, près de
Perpignan.
L'Association Française Janusz Korczak exprime ses
sincères condoléances à sa famille en France, en Israël et au Vénézuela et
à ses nombreux amis du mouvement Korczak international à l'étranger dont
elle fut l'une des toutes premières fondatrices particulièrement en
Pologne, Russie, USA, Amérique du Sud et Europe de l'Ouest.
Il est possible d'adresser à l'association des
condoléances qui seront partagées avec sa famille. Une page spéciale dédiée
à Léna Lecalot a été ouverte à cette fin sur notre site Internet (chapitre
« Association » : « In memoriam »).
Cet avis tient lieu de faire part.
Bernard Lathuillere, avec
Bernard Jabin, le président
Le Conseil d'administration
et les membres de l'AFJK
A special item for our
European Korczak friends
The Janusz Korczak Association in
The new European Constitution will cut down the rights of children. Indeed,
the rights of children are mentioned in the preambule of the constitution,
but in the annexes the text is just a minimum. Nowhere in the text is any
reference to the UN- Convention of the Rights of Children. ( CIDE 1989) .
Even no reference to the European Convention of the Rights of Children (CEEDE.
1996)
In the whole text only three paragraphs (6 sentences) concerning the rights
of children (art.II-84). A great contrast to the UN (54 articles) and the
EU-convention (26 articles)
What are the three points in the Convention?
* The child has the right to protection and the care needed for her/his
welfare. Children can express their opinion freely. Adults take into
account the opinions of children if the subjects concern themselves. (but
made conditional on age and maturity)
* In all activities ( by State, Privat organisations etc) the higher
interest of the child must be the first consideration.
* Each child has the right to the contact of both parents, unless this
contact is against to the interest of the child
Compared with the UN and the EU-concention we see only one general
principle (right to protection) and a few points which are toned down and
relativized later on in the text.
The last comment of Bernard is: This approach of the rights of children is
shaming and for children in Europe the UN convention of the Rights of
Children is a better mainstay (it is accepted and ratified by almost all
countries in the world, probably even by the
Thanks to Bernard for his allert reaction . See the website of the French
Korczak Association
www.korczak.fr click actualités (on the top)
articles divers ( left) - constitution européne
If you visit their website, please have a look at the page with an
interesting story of the new gallery of children’s paintings about
King Matt the First. See the link to
‘Galerie des arts’
***
Dear friends, the board
of the Janusz Korczak International Newsletter takes a summer-rest. (for
our friends in
On the 10th of August we are Ain the air again.
Please, send us your news- items after July.
Greetings, from all the Dutch Korczak Friends.
Janusz Korczak International Newsletter no 11
Dear friends and
colleagues,
We like to send you
very interesting news from
An
International Conference in the
Theme: ‘Education
of orphans ( social orphans/ children in children's homes); experiences,
problems and solutions. The conference, from 12-14 October. is organised by
the Department of Education in the Samara –province and the Janusz Korczak
Association in
Objectives of the
conference: Discussions and talks concerning actual problems and
perspectives in the upbringing and education of (social) orphans. Focus on
exchange of experiences and ideas.
Workshops on the
following topics:
* organisation of the
educational system in children's houses
* humanistic pedagogical approach in internats and children's homes.
* psycho- pedagogical support in the proces of socialisation of children in
children's houses.
* coöperation between state- institutions, NGO's and commercial firms as an
instrument for the solutions of the child's problems.
Round-tables on :
* development of values
and behaviour rules for the young generation
* self-government and active participation in internats and children's
homes
* freedom of choices in the education and upbringing of children.
Lectures ; (call for
papers and lectures)
* Reform-pedagogy of
Makarenko and Korczak; are they appropriate for present education in
children's homes?
* Humanistic pedagogy ; tradition and renewal
* The ‘world of children' in different pedagogical systems.
* Self-development and self-realisation of children. (autonomy )
* The personality of the pedagogue in the process of education and
upbringing
* The integration of pedagogy, psychology and medical science.
* The balance between the individual and the collective.(community)
* Support of the child in the children's home
* Management and problems in the organisation of children's homes.
Application: before the
Telephone: 007-84 661
23302 or 007 84 661 13254 Ask for Nikita Iskrin
Please mention:
- Full name
- Address and /or e-mail address
- Telephone-number
- Present work, function or field of interest
- Topic of your lecture ( if you intend to offer a lecture)
- Your choice for a workshop
- Preferably place to stay: 1, 2 or 3 persons room, studenthouse or
guestroom in the children's home
Greetings from our
Newsletter Team.
Janusz Korczak
International Newsletter no 10
To the Korczak friends
and all other contacts world-wide.
Dear colleagues and
friends,
We are happy to receive
so many interesting news-items from all over the world. In this spring we
could set up a record of Newsletters. Here is another one and select what
you like. We got news from
We received from our
Korczak friends in
We like to pass you
some interesting topics from this Newsletter.
* First of all a short
report by Olga Medvedeva about a public talk delivered at the Holocaust
Education Centre in
* A book review .
‘The Old Brown Suitcase' by Lilian Boraks-Nemetz. She wrote:
The Old Brown
Suitcase
My novel for young
people, The Old Brown Suitcase (
In those days my father
spoke a lot about Janusz Korczak. He truly admired the Doctor, for his
writings, his work and the manner in which he was raising the orphans under
his care. One day, father took me to Korczak's Orphan Home and I only
remember fragments of that visit. I mostly remember feeling at peace there,
away from the dreadful ghetto streets, and I remember feeling thankful,
that I still had my parents and a home such as it was in the ghetto. This
however was a short lived thanks giving. Soon, I was sent out of the ghetto
to live in a village without my parents. I thought of Dr. Korczak and the
children, wishing I could have been in his home instead of where I was. When
I found out that the orphans perished together with their Doctor in
Treblinka, I feIt and still feel an unspeakable sadness.
As a result of all
this, Dr. Korczak had become my hero, and when I was in school in
* Janusz Korczak's
Legacy . Under this heading Olga Medvedeva translated Korczak's essay.
‘ New Year' . It was published for the first time in Polish
in the biweekly ‘Under the Sun' (‘W sloncu') in 1922 . A very nice text.
* How people
remember Korczak.
Jaroslaw Abramow-
Newerly wrote two books . ‘Lions of my Neighbourhood' and Lions, liberated'
(Lwy mojego podworka; Lwy wyzwolono)
( It is not clear if
the books are translated in English; ed.staff of Korczak Int. Newsletter)
The Polish author
Jaroslaw Abramow-Newerly is the son of the famous Polish novelist Igor
Newerly (1903-1987) and Barbara Abramow, who was once a pupil at Korczak's
orphanage and considered it her only home. Igor Newely worked at Korczak's
Orphan Home and was the secretary to Korczak.. From 1930 he was also the
editor of the children's newspaper 'The Little Review " founded by
Korczak. J.Abramow Newerly wrote: ~ "The Little Review" was
Korczak's creation, his soul its guide, but on a daily basis, father ran
the operation. Korczak often stopped at the editorial office and expressed
a keen interest. Their close liaison grew into friendship, which father
valued immensely. To the end of his life he saw the Doctor as a model
figure and a master. He dedicated two of his books to Korczak, and in 1957,
he prepared the first publication of Korczak Selected Works. He was
responsible for saving the memory of the Old Doctor, and for disseminating
his ideas in
Since 1987 Jarosiaw
Abramow-Newely's lifet has been split between
In his books Lions of
My Neihourghood and Lions, Liberated Jaroslaw Abramow-Newerly recollects
his childhood, his parents, and what he had heard from them about Janusz
Korczak.
* Speaking to
Children and Educators. ( Slowo do dzieci i wychowawcow), written by Stefania Wilczynska. A
collections of essays and short notes she wrote during her stay in kibbutz
Ein Harod in
Stefania Wilczynska
(1886-1942) was Korczak's friend and colleague. From 1913 and for many
years more she worked at the Orphan Home as a chief educator and organizer
in its everyday life. In the 30s ‘Stefa' visited former pupils of the
Orphan Home in
In this Newsletter of
the Canadian Korczak Association some of these short essays are translated.
With permission of our friends in
The same for the very
interesting ‘Memoirs on Doctor Korczak' by Ida Merzan.
Thanks to our Korczak
friends in
Info: Mrs Gina Dimant.
E-mail: jkorczakassn@shaw.ca
****
CALL FOR PAPERS
International
Interdisciplinary Conference on Children's Rights
An appraisal of the
Children's Rights Convention. Theory meets practice
The Belgian IAP
Research network on children's rights invites you to participate in an
international conference on children's rights to be held in
In 2006, more than
fifteen years will have passed since the UN Convention on the Rights of the
Child came into force. Since then, many child-related studies in several
scientific fields made an attempt to interpret and clarify the meaning and
scope of the Convention. Meanwhile, also fieldworkers tried to use the
Convention as a tool for securing rights to children.
The conference aims at
evaluating the progress and achievements of the Convention, and at
exploring the challenges ahead in realising children's rights. It will in
particular do so by creating an open forum where academics can meet and
exchange views with other professionals, dealing with children's rights in
a more practical way.
Major sub-themes of the
conference include:
(1) enforcement of the
UNCRC at international, regional and domestic level,
(2) the right to (human rights) education,
(3) rights of children in especially difficult circumstances such as
refugee children and children belonging to minorities,
(4) juvenile justice and detention,
(5) participation rights of children,
(6) children's right to life, health and health care,
(7) children's rights in relation to their family,
(8) exploitation of children.
The conference will
comprise both plenary sessions and workshops. The keynote speakers, who
will address to participants during the plenary sessions, will be some of
the world's leading experts on children's rights. Names will be released
shortly. The workshops will be organized in parallel sessions.
If you wish to attend
the conference, please visit the conference website http://www.law.ugent.be/pub/iuap/c_welcome.html regularly as more details - including full
programme, registration form and accommodation/transport details - will
appear on the website in due course.
Those who are
interested in presenting a paper (in English or French – see website) at
one of the workshops are kindly invited to react to the call for
papers on the website.
For any information,
contact:
Marie Delplace E-mail Marie.Delplace@UGent.be
Universiteitstraat 4 Fax: +32 9 264 69 95
B-9000
****
Dear friends,
We got a lot of positiv
feed-back after all these Newsletters. And don't hesitate to send all the
news and other information you have.
Mails to: info@korczak.nl
Greetings from the
ed.board of the Janusz Korczak International Newsletter
Janusz
Korczak International Newsletter no 9, June 2005
To the colleagues and
friends of the Janusz Korczak Associations world-wide and to all other
contacts.
News from
During my stay in
Moscow
International Film School was established in 1991 among the first
innovation schools. The film school is a state educational institution
where senior pupils (12-17 years old) alongside general humanitarian
education (standard state certificate) get practical professional skills in
the sphere of cinematograph, theatre, TV and mass-media. There are more
than 100 pupils in the
Film school graduates
enter artistic and humanitarian higher institutions, work as cameramen,
journalists and producers at central broadcasting channels, work as actors
of cinema and theatre, create their own television and advertising studios,
print and internet editions, actively go in for pedagogics, psychology and
business.
Social projects
play a
very important role in the educational system of the Film school. They
include creative work, studying painful problems of modern world and
addressed help to people who turned out to be victims.
The History and the
conception of the project “You are not alone!”
The project “You are
not alone!” has been since 1998. The history of the project consists of
creative actions (performances, cartoons, photo and art exhibitions) which
MIFS students (13-17 years old) arrange together with orphans and
handicapped children of their age.
The original idea of
the project is to open for MIFS students a real life in its most dramatic
lights and a feeling of personal responsibility for the things going
around. Getting through meetings with children of their age from orphanages
and homes for invalids, colonies and settlements of refugees, the teenagers,
the participants of the project “You are not alone!”, fill for themselves
such notions as civil position, help, compassion with real value. Art is
getting for them not only a self-expression, but also a way to understand
another person and help him.
Gradually the project “You
are not alone” began to acquire a definite “external” purpose. The point is
that most of the projects are aimed at providing material and technical
support. Creative programs are most often arranged in such a way that
orphans and the handicapped act as spectators. Both of them despite
undoubted benefit have also a negative side: problem children get used to
be recipients of help; they expect it and depend on it. Our purpose is to
get over passivity which is inherent in life of orphans and the
handicapped, to get over “victim psychology”. We are trying to inspire in
them a sparkle of creative work and a desire to act; to transform yourself
and life around you. If you even can't move, you'll be able to move in a
cartoon (you can devise and animate a character which is similar to you). If
you even can't see, you can create live music for a play. If your life
circumstances are extremely hard, you are still able not to withdraw into
yourself, not to wait for help, but to help yourself to other people ( For
example, the orphans in our project created puppet-show, paintings, poems
for handicapped children)
The actions within the
framework of the project were on a different scale: from creating a cartoon
with 9 children ill with infantile cerebral paralysis to arranging a
carnival for 1000 orphans from 10 countries of Europe (in the international
Janusz Korczak
A new step of the
project “You are not alone!” (2005) is devoted to a great teacher Janusz
Korczak who died voluntarily in the concentration camp Treblinka together
with the inmates of his orphanage (Warsaw).
The main topic of our
work at this step is independence (the topic is extremely
up-to-date for orphans and handicapped children and also for us all). In all
his books and with his own life Janusz Korczak always advocated the
right of a child to be as he is. The right of respect . The right of choice
. The rights which are not so evident to most of adults.
Joint work at creating
a cartoon started in April with orphans from Gagarin boarding school and
with handicapped children from Moscow boarding school ?28. Janusz Korczak
became the main character of all the cartoons, the character who helped
children get over all trouble; he became a certain example that one could
find a way out even from hopeless situations.
The second action
started in Krapivna (
In
The partner of our
project in a far
The idea of a common
book is to be a channel through which orphans and the handicapped children
from
(I was impressed by the
great enthusiasm and motivation of the students. Also by the creative way
how they mould the ideas in a concrete form. “Chapeau' to all of them and
to Olga Lipman, director of the school)
Th. Cappon
****
From
After the lecture there
was an interesting discussion with the studentsm, concerning upbringing in
a selfish and materialistic society. We called to mind that Korczak was
ahead of his time when he created in his orphanage ‘Dom Sierot' a community
where children learned generosity in a natural way.
Th. Cappon
****
The
At the end of May you
received the Janusz Korczak Newsletter no 8.
We put in that
Newsletter the important contribution of Gérard Kahn, our colleague from
Joop Berding, member of
board of the Janusz Korczak Association in the
‘Activities that invite
young people to participate, and to voice their own points of view, are
likely to be more successful than standard lectures on specialist topices'
See the full text , ‘
Korczak has a past, a present and a future' below
1st Reaction
Korczak has
a past, a present ànd a future,
By Joop Berding
Gérard Kahn has written
an interesting and important account about the future of the Korczak ‘movement'.
For the most part I agree with his analysis. In organizations that are in
large part run by volunteers, as is the case with most Korczak Associations
and Societies, there is aendency that people who have time to spend, a.o.
retired, are elected on Boards. Of course, they represent a vast amount of
life-exprience, and – hopefully – much experience with regard to Korczaks's
‘legacy'. It is important that as long as physically possible, these
traditions are kept alive. I have come to the conviction that we all live
within traditions, and where Korczak specifically is concerned this is of
prime importance. To me this ‘Korczakian' tradition is perfectly worded by
the section in Kahn's essay, called ‘Working in the spirit of Korczak'. Of
course, that's what's it all about: the promotion and sometimes defence of
this particular pedagogical and anthropological view of children and
childhood, education and society, as embodied in Korczak's works. Within
these works principles such as respect, justice, communication and
dialogue, participation and authenticity, have a prime place, and it is our
‘duty' to keep these principles ‘alive and kicking', against the dominating
mainstream of accountability, quantitative measurement, and bureaucrazy
that rule our educational institutional lives. From this point of view,
Korczak still functions as a ‘counter-practice', and a critical voice
against all attempts of political-economical powers to invade the
life-world of children and educators.
What has got this to do
with Korczak today? Gérard Kahn rightly states that conferences are
organized, books and articles are published, and there are many works of
culture. The question is: to whom are these activities and events
addressed? How attractive, inviting, and challenging are these conferences
and books etc for the new generation? Anyone who has ever attended a
middle-of-the-road conference, knows how boring and un-challenging this can
be. What we need, are conferences, meetings and seminars, books and
leaflets etc that are both interesting and inviting to young people. This
demands from writers, publishers, and organizers, that they take the
perspective of the young. Activities that invite children and young people
to participate, and to voice their own points of view, are likely to be
more successful than standard lectures on specialist topics. It also
demands strategic thinking, in the sense that one has to carefully select
the topics and the audiences one wishes to address. For instance, in my
country, The Netherlands, there is an intense societal debate about the
pedagogical quality of day care (creches) and after school groups. It is
precisely to this debate that I have contributed in the past years, by
publishing articles and books that look at this topic from a Korczakian
point of view. In other countries, the quality of youth care or the juvenile
institutions, or projects for street-children and so on might be the
primary topics. This may of course differ from place to place. Since what
we as a ‘movement' do, is (in general) aimed at the betterment of the
life-world of children and youngsters, we have to address the
societal-political context as well. Korczak in all his his
child-friendliness, wasn't political naive at all!
So looking at the
future, a number of actions seem important. Inviting children and young
people to initiate and participate in activities. Training young people as
members of the Boards (a thing we do in
As with much questions
in today's society, there is not one single answer, but plural actions have
to be taken. The International Newsletter will continue to function as a ‘clearing-house'
for everybody who is interesed, and who is hereby – again – cordially
invited to share their activities with the world.
Dr. Joop Berding
educational councelor
The Hague , The
e-mail: jwa.berding@wanadoo.nl
To all Korczak friends
and contacts world-wide.
We ask your special
attention for the following article of our colleague Gérard Kahn, member of
the Swiss Janusz Korczak Association (German speaking part). (
"Does
Korczak have a future' ?
Gerard wrote an
interesting article for the Jubilee book ' Janusz Korczak in Theory and
Practice' volume II. ( International Interpretation and perception; On the
retirement of Prof. Friedhelm Beiner) Gütersloher Verlag 2004,
Gütersloh. BRD
This article presents
some interesting points of view concerning the past and the
present perception of Korczak's ideas, but also the future of the
International Korczak Movement. He asks some critical questions but
at the same time he offers new challenges and new perspectives, The board
of the Janusz Korczak International Newsletter invites you to send reactions
or new ideas and initiatives.
Please send your
contributions to:
*****
“ Expecting someone to
deliver fully-formed thoughts is equivalent to asking a woman you do not
know to bear your child. There are some thoughts which are born out of
pain, and these are the most precious.”
Janusz Korczak, “The
child in the family” (Complete Works, Volume 4, 11)
Although it has been
more than sixty years since he died, there are still people in all four
corners of the world who are committed to the ideas and principles of the
Polish doctor, writer and pedagogue, Janusz Korczak (1878–1942). There are
schools, kindergardens and homes that carry his name, and his complete
works will shortly be available in Polish, German and Hebrew. Texts by and
about Korczak are available in over 20 languages. This success is partly
down to the fact that there are people who have dedicated their lives – or
at least a significant part of their lives – to Korczak. These include
researchers, publishers of his works, practising teachers - who respect the
children entrusted to them as a matter of course – and members and donors
of Korczak societies. At first sight, there seems little reason to question
whether Korczak will continue to have an impact in the future. Yet a closer
look reveals that although much has been achieved in the past years, there
have also been some marked changes.
Korczak's ‘children'
and his contemporaries are leaving us. Leon and Geula Harari, Aleksander
Lewin and Maria Falkovska, to name but a few, are no longer among us. During
the 1980s and ‘90s, they were key figures of the Korczak ‘movement', if one
can call it such. Along with many others, they did a great deal to keep
Korczak ‘alive'. So what now? With the possible exception of eastern
Europe, the average age of Korczak societies' members (at least those known
to the author) is relatively high and finding new followers is proving
difficult [1] . What could be the reason
for this? How can Korczak societies best manage the generation change? What
more can be done in the future, beyond what has already been achieved? Do
we in fact still need Korczak societies at all? And what should be their
role? These are some of the questions that this article will seek to
answer, with the aim of provoking further developments in Korczak's
interest.
Korczak today
It is not possible to
give a complete description of Korczak activities today, as these are too
varied and gaining an overview is impossible. One can only give a rough
sketch of some Korczak-inspired activities.
There are many
pedagogues who closely adhere to Korczak's principles but who would never
define their work in these terms: they take children seriously, respect
their wishes and guide them along the way, even if they themselves would
have chosen a different path. Children are directly involved in shaping and
discussing certain educational establishments, they publish their own
newspapers or sell their ‘treasures' during the school break. In some
countries there are training projects for street children, and musical and
artistic events for children and youngsters. In
On an international
level, there are conferences where those interested in Korczak can meet:
contacts are made which lead to other activities, such are mutual visits,
lecture series, holiday camps for children with or without disabilities,
which are run by people from different countries of origin. A significant
part of this networking is carried out via the Dutch Korczak society,
headed by
Working in the spirit of Korczak
All these various
projects are bound by the same fundamental principles of respect and
consideration – or at least, they should be. Korczak renewed his own
position – albeit not systematically – and wrote about this vividly and
impressively: children have a right to be as they are, they have the right
to live their own experiences and must not, should not and cannot be shaped
by adults. Among Korczak's most famous quotations is the following: “I can
account for a tradition truth, order, diligence, honesty and openness, but
I cannot change any child into something which he or she is not. A beech
tree will always be a beech tree, an oak tree an oak, and a burdock a
burdock. I can awake that which slumbers in the soul but I cannot create
anything new,” (CW, vol. 4, 194). Children have the right to their own
experiences, meaning that they must also make their own mistakes and be
able to start afresh [2] .
This means looking at
children in a way that is open and free from prejudice: observing them,
listening to them and taking their joys, fears and needs seriously, having
faith in them without losing sight of one's own views – this is what
Korczak demands. We as adults do not have the right to decide what is best
for a child just because we are more experienced. But it goes without
saying that it is also our duty to share our knowledge with children in a
way that also respects their point of view. Obviously this raises its own
challenges. But Korczak warns against resorting to simple formulas; he
himself constantly re-examined and revised his pedagogical methods [3] . What mattered to him was to consciously remain critical and
watchful: not to blindly put one's trust in someone (we should not blindly
trust him either), but also to think and see for oneself; no book, no
doctor can be a substitute for one's own alert thoughts, one's own
considered observations. “The book, with its own completed formulas, has
clouded our judgement and has made our minds sluggish,” he writes. “We are
so used to living with borrowed experiences, investigations, points of view
that we have mostly lost our self-confidence and no longer want to trust
our own eyes” (CW, vol. 4, 24). This, in other words, means that it is our
own experiences and thoughts which are important and formative, not those
which we unquestioningly absorb from others. Being true to oneself, to
children (and to other adults) is after all also key to Korczak's
principles.
Considerations
for the future
To tackle the question
how the future will shape up for Korczak, one has to differentiate between
what Korczak societies are doing and the practical work being carried out
at large. Working along the same lines as Korczak does not mean having
contact with Korczak societies. Yet the reverse does not apply: Korczak
societies that have no practical relevance can be called into question. ‘Practical
relevance' means not only working alongside children, but also bringing out
publications about and by Janusz Korczak, hosting conferences and
discussions about current societal themes that relate back to children's
rights and dignity.
The figure of Janusz
Korczak himself is secondary to putting his teachings into practice. His
ideas and concerns that children should be respected for what they are and
be treated as people are at the heart of everything (or should be). Korczak's
biography may well be important and can serve as a gateway to his ideas. But
getting caught up in Korczak's martyrdom is exactly what he would not have
wanted, namely putting him on a pedestal without giving a thought to what
oneself can and should do [4] .
So
what can be done?
In the practical
work it is the attitude and not the form that matters. So it is not a
question of drawing a pretty Korczak, of setting up children's courts or
newspapers or having black boards, but rather of involving children in
discussions , allowing them to have their own experiences and
to learn from their own mistakes, and for us to accept them as
they are . As educators we must recognise that we do not have the right
of disposal over children because of our greater experience and that,
on the contrary, we should always strive to observe and listen without
prejudice . Making mistakes is not the exclusive privilege of children
– adults are not without their flaws, but they should have the honesty to
admit their mistakes to themselves and to others, and learn from them. Korczak
does not require one to blindly follow ideas, but to rather to engage
critically with new concepts with the aim of constantly revising and
adapting one's own position .
What also could be
useful here would be an exchange programme for teachers from different
institutions and different regions, to tackle questions such as ‘How can I better
respect children?', ‘What are my limitations?', ‘How can I deal with these
limitations?'. Another possible course of action would be to document
examples of his ideals being put into practice : ‘How can children be
respected at school, in the crèche and at home?', ‘What does this mean in
practice?'. The documentation could be made in various formats (books,
DVDs, videos), which could then also be used to training purposes.
The answers are not so
easy to find when it comes to the Korczak societies. The key question here
is what exact goals do and can Korczak societies pursue today. All
societies undoubtedly aim to make Korczak's life and works better known [5] . But what does this mean? And how can this be carried out at a time
when members of Korczak societies are getting older and older?
One of the problems
with Korczak is that his pedagogy is not prescriptive, that he did not,
compared with Maria Montessori or Célestin Freinet, develop a methodology
that merely needs to be tailored to today's requirements [6] . Adapting an attitude is far harder than perfecting a
technique.
If Korczak societies
want to survive, they must deal with the generational change. And this in
turn can only be achieved if the ideas of respect and consideration can be
communicated in a way that also draws in younger people. The aforementioned
ideas of exchanging and documenting Korczak practices could be one way of
achieving this. Korczak societies could try to initiate or support such
projects. For instance, they could also produce publications that spell out
the role of a Korczak institution and explain what sets it apart from other
institutions. Lending support to projects such as the summer camp of the
Russian Korczak society might also be a way of attracting young people.
Just as before, it is
still also the role of Korczak societies to support the publication of his
works, to finance translations, to encourage the spread of his work, to
organise conferences and seminars which seek to tackle contemporary issues
from Korczak's point of view. Naturally, the figure of Korczak can be used
as a peg – but there can be no real developments in the short or long-term
unless there is also real content in the discussions.
Artistic works should
also be viewed in this light: the objective should not be to put Korczak on
a pedestal – and to leave him standing there. Instead they should whenever
possible also relate back to contemporary questions and themes.
Happily, Korczak is
frequently the chosen topic of seminars, diplomas and research work at
universities and colleges. Korczak societies should capitalise on this
opportunity by providing material and expertise.
Korczak societies are
not the only organisations dedicated to protecting children's rights, so
they should work to support initiatives with similar objectives, such as
with children's rights organisations, child protection agencies, groups
that seek to promote democracy and anti-racism, etc.
There is also a lot of
potential for being active on an international level: Korczak societies
could create a network to facilitate work experience in other cultural
environments. One prerequisite would be the creation of a code of standards
for Korczak institutions; this could be drawn up by the International
Korczak Soceity. The Dutch organisation has already made a start in
coordinating international activities; this work could be broadened
significantly with greater coordination and organisation. Such a project
could be prepared during an international conference and then carried out
by smaller groups with an allocated budget.
Some of these ideas are
already being put into practice, while others might yet see the light of
day. The question of whether Korczak has a future, however, has only been
partly answered. Much depends on whether his ideas can be interpreted in a
way that is relevant today and that attracts younger generations and
encourages them to get involved. It this fails, Korczak's future looks bleak.
It is not a question of erecting more Korczak statues, but rather of
putting his ideas into practice. As a practicing teacher, it is not enough
just to be open in one's approach to children. For the Korczak societies,
this means thinking hard about how to pursue their goals in future. The
aforementioned ideas set out show some possible ways of going about this. It
is high time to deal with Korczak's future – his ideas deserve to live on,
more than 60 years after their inception.
Bibliography
Janusz Korczak: “Complete
Works” (in German). Sixteen volumes, edited by Friedhelm Beiner and Erich
Dauzenroth. Publisher: Gutersloher Verlagshaus 1996.
Swiss Friends of Dr Janusz Korczak Association (1980): Statutes
German Korczak Society, Austrian Janusz Korczak Society, Swiss Korczak
Society: Korczak Bulletin 1/2003
Gérard Kahn, lic.
phil., 1958
Vice-president of the Swiss Korczak Society
Fabrikstrasse 31
CH-3012 Bern
g.kahn@gmx.ch
Lecturer in pedagogy
and psychology in colleges for educators of infants.
Project leader for professional training for carers for the elderly and the
aged.
Nursery consultant.
[1] See the German Korczak bulletin 1/2003,
3: “The ‘forerunners' are dying out […] and the younger generation is not
filling their places. Even in our own society there are more people leaving
than joining.”
[2] This is comparable to the basic
principles set out in the statute book for the children's court (CW, vol.4,
273 ff.)
[3] That is one of the reasons why, after a
few years, he set up the children's court at the orphanage. This was a way
of allowing youngsters to overrule the judges' sentences.
[4] It goes without saying that Korczak's
moving and tragic life and suffering should be honoured as such.
[5] See article 3 of the statute of the
Swiss Korczak Society: “To make known the life and work as well as the
social and humanitarian activities of the Polish child doctor, psychologist
and pedagogue Janusz Korczak”.
[6] Freinet and Montessori are also
preoccupied with attitudes towards children.
Janusz Korczak
International Newsletter, no 6 , May 2005.
To the Korczak friends
and contacts .
We received very
important news from
****
News from ‘The
I am pleased to share
that the efforts to establish the UNESCO/ Janusz Korczak Chair of Social
Pedagogy within the Maria Grzegorzewska Academy of Special Education
(pedagogical university) in
The UNESCO/ Janusz
Korczak Chair of Social Pedagogy is bestowed most of all with the mission
of indicating and underlying in the academic world the idea aand influence
of Janusz Korczak on the developmenof contemporary pedagogy.
The chair will also be
involved in organizing and directing on the international scale the educational
activity concerning the persona of Janusz Korczak and his achievements. We
warmly invite interested individuals, institutions and organisations to
cooperate in realizing those tasks
After initial
preparation, on the 25 th of February 2005 Senate of the
We would be honored if
you could participate in an event so significant for our institution.
Sincerely yours
Prof. Dr. hab. Adam
Fraczek, rector
The board of the
Janusz Korczak International Newsletter concratulate the
We like to pass you the
main information we received from the Children's Rights Centre of the
This Centre was set up
in 1978 by Emeritus Prof. Dr. Eugeen Verhellen, an authority on children's
rights, and is now led by Prof. Dr. Maria De Bie. Professor Verhellen is
convinced that Child Right Education is the key for
the legal protection of
children. Not only information to the children themselves but also a
systematic education for students of Universities, Teacher Training
Institutions and so on.
Verhellen is
disappointed that Universities, generally speaking, do not take their
responsability in this field.
At the
Currently, his
leadership over the Centre has been taken over by Prof. Dr. De Bie.
To give our readers an
idea of the activities of this Children's Rights Centre we took some pages
from the Centre's Website. See below.
GENERAL -
MISSION STATEMENT
The Children's Rights
Centre considers it to be its academic responsibility to contribute to the
theoretical foundation of a human rights and a children's rights concept.
In order to achieve
this, it is the primary aim of the Centre to carry out scientific research into children's rights and to
draw attention to this theme as a valuable scientific research field. These
research findings are used to support the educational tasks of
the Department of Social Welfare Studies at the university in
Convinced that the law
can play a pro-active role in the emancipation of social groups, the Centre
aims to make an active contribution to the proliferation and promotion of
the International Convention on the Rights of the Child as well as
the human rights concept.
The Centre opts for a
broad dissemination of the scientific insights gained through research in
order to provide an impetus for the social debate on children's rights. Its
publications and training activities therefore constitute a
considerable part of the Centre's activities.
The Centre also uses
its expertise for service provision and advises or supports
governmental and non-governmental organisations that are working on
children's rights.
GENERAL -
REFERENCE FRAMEWORK
The human
rights concept , in which the notion of human dignity is central,
constitutes the frame of reference for the Children's Rights Centre. This
links the Centre to the wider social movement that stands up for social
justice and a dignified life for all people.
In this respect, the
Centre recognizes the role of the UN who, being an international
organisation, have made the realisation of human rights their primary aim
and to which end they have developed an institutional and judicial
framework.
The Children's Rights
Centre also subscribes to the opinion that there is a continuous interaction
between the current social standards on the one
hand and legal standards on the other hand. The existing
body of rules and legislations is inspired by dominant social ideas. At the
same time, legal standards have an impact on the development of social
values and standards. As a result, the Centre believes that the law has an
emancipatory role to play and emphasises the pro-active function of human
rights instruments as developed within the United Nations human rights
system.
According to the
Centre, the International Convention on the Rights of the Child is
a very good illustration of this and was therefore selected as the Centre's
research object.
Given the dynamic relationship
between law and society, the Centre also subscribes to the proposition that
pedagogy is a question of human rights. The education of children is not
only part of the face-to-face relationships with children. Social
structures that stimulate and support this fundamental respect in the
relationships with children are also needed. In other words, pedagogic
interventions and practices are not just about intervening with regard to
the individual development of the child (micro-level). They are also connected
with structural changes and social policy choices (macro-level).
The Centre therefore
interprets the International Convention on the Rights of the
Child as
a geo-political social contract : a worldwide agreement so
that children can live their life in dignity.
GENERAL -
REFERENCE FRAMEWORK
The human
rights concept , in which the notion of human dignity is central,
constitutes the frame of reference for the Children's Rights Centre. This
links the Centre to the wider social movement that stands up for social
justice and a dignified life for all people.
In this respect, the
Centre recognizes the role of the UN who, being an international
organisation, have made the realisation of human rights their primary aim
and to which end they have developed an institutional and judicial
framework.
The Children's Rights
Centre also subscribes to the opinion that there is a continuous interaction
between the current social standards on the one
hand and legal standards on the other hand. The existing
body of rules and legislations is inspired by dominant social ideas. At the
same time, legal standards have an impact on the development of social
values and standards. As a result, the Centre believes that the law has an
emancipatory role to play and emphasises the pro-active function of human
rights instruments as developed within the United Nations human rights
system.
According to the
Centre, the International Convention on the Rights of the Child is
a very good illustration of this and was therefore selected as the Centre's
research object.
Given the dynamic
relationship between law and society, the Centre also subscribes to the
proposition that pedagogy is a question of human rights. The education of
children is not only part of the face-to-face relationships with children.
Social structures that
stimulate and support this fundamental respect in the relationships with
children are also needed. In other words, pedagogic interventions and
practices are not just about intervening with regard to the individual
development of the child (micro-level). They are also connected with
structural changes and social policy choices (macro-level).
The Centre therefore
interprets the International Convention on the Rights of the
Child as
a geo-political social contract : a worldwide agreement so
that children can live their life in dignity.
CONTACT
Children's Rights
Centre Department of Social Welfare Studies
Ghent University
Henri Dunantlaan 2
9000 Ghent
Belgium
Tel: + 32 9 264 62 85
Fax: + 32 9 264 64 93
E-mail: ckr@UGent.be
Website: www.centrumkinderrechten.org
Staff Members
Prof. Dr. E. Verhellen
Katrien Baeten
Lieve Cattrijsse
Katrien Herbots
Kathleen Vlieghe
Dr. Arabella Weyts
The Children's Rights
Centre publishes every year the “
Or, via Defence For
Children International (DCI-Int)
Postbox 75297, 1070 AG Amsterdam (NL)
e-mail: info@defenceforchildren.nl
The content of the
Paper 2003 , see below.
We will inform you as
soon as possible about Paper no 8, 2004.
After ‘ Janusz
Korczak in Theorie und Praxis' , first volume published in 2004, we
received ‘ Janusz Korczak in Theorie und Praxis'; Vom Umgang mit
Kindern, part II.
Both books are a
tribute to emeritus professor Friedhelm Beiner, a man of great merit for
the International Janusz Korczak research. He was also initiator and
co-editor of the collective work of Janusz Korczak (17 volumes)
In this volume we read
texts about the practical translation of Korczak's ideas for our work with
children to-day.
The content of the book
(in short)
lana Bavli . Korczak in practice (Article in English)
Ferdinand Klein. Janusz Korczak Vermächtnis für die Heilpädagogik.
(Korczak's legacy for
the special education)
Rosel Abbenhaus/
Hermann-Josef Niermann. Janusz Korczak Schule für Erziehungshilfe in
Ibbenbüren (
Daniel G. Camhy. Philosophie
als Erziehungsprogramm bei Janusz Korczak ( Philosophy as Korczak's
educational programm )
Siegmar Gohl. Miteinander leben und lernen im Dialog. ( Living and learning together
in the dialogue)
Jutta Kraft. Versuch einer Heimleiterin, Korczaks Rechte der Kinder
auf Die Mitarbeiter zu übertragen. ( The attempt of the leader of a children's house to transmit
Korczak's ideas concerning Children's Right to the co-workers Lothar Kunz. Korczak-Seminare
in der Lehrerbildung- ein Bericht aus der Praxis an der Universität der
Künste Berlin. 1989-2003.
( Korczak
Seminars in the Teacher-training; a report from the
Irit Wyrobnik. ( ‘Mosje und
Reizele' , written by Karlijn Stoffels (NL). (‘Mosje and Reizele', a
children's novel about Janusz Korczak)
Wolgang Pelzer. Vom Umgang
mit Kindern- Kleine Philosophie für Erzieher (Going about with
children – A small philosophy for educators)
Shevach Eden. The
sources of Korczak's Strenght and Creativity: Integrity' and Contradiction.
(article in English)
Gérard Kahn. Hat
Korczak eine Zukunft? ( Is there a future for Korczak?)
Erich Dauzenroth. Haltestellen.
(Halting places/ stops)
The book “ Janusz
Korczak in Theorie und Praxis” can be ordered at Gütersloher Verlagshaus. info@gtvh.de
or www.gtvh.de
******
This is the end of the ‘
Janusz Korczak International Newsletter' no 6.
More news soon !! We ‘ll
bring you news from
Do you have some
interesting items? Please send your contribution to info@korczak.nl
Greetings from the Korczak friends in
Janusz Korczak
International Newsletter. April 2005 , no 5
Dear Korczak Friends
and Colleagues.
We received news from
In the Newsletter ( “La
Lettre”, march 2005, no 48 ) of the Janusz Korczak Association in
'What is a
border?'
A short report
about a round-table, in November 2004, on the occasion of the 24 th general
meeting of the Swiss Korczak Association. The theme of the round-table was
: ‘What is a border (boundery)? “ A real Korczak theme, if we
realise how Korczak always tried to break the pedagogical, social and
religious borders in that time. But there is another point of view. A
border can also officiate as protecting a place of intimacy, a place of
your own. Every person, children and adults need such space. So a negative
aspect, a border separate and prevents interchange and a positive aspect, a
border protects and gives identity to people.
Members of the
round-table were:
Monique Eckmann, sociologogist; Henri Cohen Solal, Psychoanalist and
Israëlian educator; Eyad Hallaq, Palestinian Psychologist; and Tsvia
Walden, Israëlian psycholiguist. They gave their opinion about the
Palestinian-Israëlian co-existence and the building of borders (walls,
fences). Different points of view but all of them wish that this border
(boudery) will be break down soon.
' Children of
Beslan'
A wonderful initiativ in Nyon. Mr. Marek Mogilewicz, teacher at the
school for business education in Nyon invited 20 children from Beslan to
stay 3 months in Nyon. Together with them 3 Russian teachers and a
psychologist. All of them will stay in families. Their own teachers will
teach them the regular subjects and they have the opportunity to learn
French language. More info? See: www.mmci.ch/projet_beslan .
Stefa
Wilczynska or the everyday heroism
An interesting
page dealing with Stefa Wilczynska. Stefa was Korczak's right hand in the
orphanage. More than 40 years she worked together with Janusz Korczak in
Dom Sierot. Joseph Arnon, the young educator in Korczak's children's house,
Betty Lifton, writer of ‘ The King of Children', and Igor Newerly, who was
also a stagiair in the orphanage, they all confirme the conviction that ‘Stefa
was the backbone of the orphanage Dom Sierot' . She supported Korczak in so
may ways, personal, emotional and critical in his behavior to children.
Let's read some lines in
Betty Lifton's Biography. ‘They were an impressive team, Stefa playing
the no-nonsense mother to Korczak's more lenient father. When one scolded,
the other would caress. Rarely did Korczak take the side of a child against
her. ( red. Korczak Newsletter)
Korczak
'visiting' Düsseldorf
Frédérique
Seidel gives a vivid impression of the ‘vernisage' of the interesting
exposition af the personal Korczak archives of Barbara Engemann-Reinhardt
in the
‘The departure
of the orphanage'
A touching poem
at the end of this Newsletter. Wladyslaw Szengel, who died only a few
months after Janusz Korczak, wrote a poem about the way the children and
the educators went from the orphanage to the ‘umschlagplatz'.
If you want to read all
texts of this newsletter and the beautiful poem, address to
‘Association Suisse des
amis du docteur Janusz Korczak'
8. quai du
Cheval-Blanc. CH 1227 Geneve. E-mail: korczak@gkb.com
We received from Gütersloher
Verlagshaus book no 14 of the Collected Works of Janusz Korczak. In this
volume all the texts of the ‘Maly Przeglad' (The Little Revue' .
Let's have a look in
Betty Lifton's Biography of Janusz Korczak. She tells about ‘The Little
Revue' ‘The purpose of the paper , he explained, was to defend
children'. Those who didn't know how to write could come in and dictate to
an editor. No one was to feel shy or fear being laughed at. Articles would
be published on all kinds of topices: soccer, movies, trips, politics. The
morning edition for younger children would have lots of pictures, and
contests with prizes of Swiss chocolats and toys. There would be feature
stories on pets, childhood illnesses, or hobbies, interviews with children
who were doing unusual things, and a weekly serial, the first of which
would be the diary of an orphan. Korczak regarded a children's press the
ABC of life. ‘Children are a sizable social class, have a large number of
professional and family problems, needs, desires, and doubts' Because
Korczak saw the newspaper as more therapeutic than literature, he was not
bothered by bad grammar or misspellings. His young reporters were
encouraged to write about their own experiences rather than compose poetry
or fiction. Korczak wanted to give children a healthy outlet for expressing
the grievances bottled up inside them; Korczak the educator wanted to
gather more data on children's perceptions of their lives. The chlidren
wrote openly about their feelings because they saw the paper as a
Publication that
spoke directly to them and through which they could speak to each other.
In this volume no 14.
also Chanukka – and Purim scenes for a small Children's Theatre. These
texts proof in a special way how Korczak is rooted in the jewish tradition
Interested in this
volume? Address to Gütersloher Verlaghaus. Carl Miele strasse 214 ; 33111
We wish our friends all
over the world good luck and we are looking forwards to receive news from
you .
Please send your
News-items to info@korczak.nl
Janusz Korczak
International Newsletter, 2005, no 4
To all Korczak Friends
world-wide.
News from
Brasil
As we promised in the
International Janusz Korczak Newsletter no 3 , we send you now in English
the story of Projeto Anchieta in Brasil. Projeta Anchieta (written
by our Colleague and Coordinator of this Project in San Paulo, Antonieta
Bergamo. ‘Projeto Anchieto' is the project of a group of Pedagogues,
sociologists, psychologists, physicians, architects, social workers,
lawyers, businessmen.
Aim of this project is
social integration of poor families and their children, but also youngster
who live in bad and problematical situations. For that reason we built a
dwelling-house, a health-center and places for cultural, sporting
activities and last but not least for vocational education. The project is
a model and will on the one side improve the circumstances in life of the
people coming to the centre, on the other hand it has the impact on a
positiv radiation in the neighbouring Favela (poor district)
The centre is situated
in the outskirts of
In the beginning we
tried to interest children and youngsters to participate in free-time
activities. To day our offer is enlarged with music, informatica, art,
capoeira, reading and theatre, in short everything that makes for the
spiritual and physical grow and developement of the kids.
But also adults visit
our center and we want to give them new perspectives as well. We ask them
look after the children, but we offer them at the same time more
professional know-how for several activities. As a result we have a steady
stucture now and most of the activities are professional attended.
Projeto Anchieta is a
meeting-place for 400 children, everyday !! 150 young children from 3- 6
years old, come to the ‘kindergarten' . Elder children (7- 16 years old)
visit the center in the morning or in the afternoon. (after school). We
have our own kitchen for meals and drink.
A new
educational-center will be build in 2005 on an area of 3000 sq/m, thanks to
a private sponsor. We will intend this house for a theatre-school and
several workshops. The
To summarize, we may
say that Projeto Anchieta gives in all respects the participants new ways
to live. People can learn a new profession. Even four young people will
start at the University soon. Children can show their competencies and we
support them.
At the root of the
pedagogical and philosofical concept of our project lies the work of Janusz
Korczak. In his opinion it is not the adult who is a full personality,
but also the child. For that reason children should be approach as authentic
persons.
Antonieta Bergamo
News from
Our Colleague Michael
Epstein wrote:
“I have short but very
good news. The ‘King of Children', Korczak's biography by Betty Jean Lifton
is translated and edited in
And now, six years
later, the work is finished. Thanks to the people of ‘Tekst' who did this
hell of a job. (translation, printing and publishing). Thanks also to the
Soros-foundation who supported this project. And of course thanks to Betty
Lifton who wrote this master-piece about the life and work of Janusz
Korczak.
Greetings and love from
Michael Epstein ,
Sint-Petersburg
News from The
Obsessed by the
child. Educational action in day care centers
A New Book in
Dutch on Janusz Korczak
By Joop Berding
Joop Berding, member of
the Board of the Dutch Korczak Association, wrote a new book in Dutch about
Korczak's educational ideas, applied to day care and after school groups. It's
about educational quality, and pedagogical practices inspired by Janusz
Korczak. It tells how workers in day care centers and after school groups
experiment with Korczak's ideas about justice, respect, participation and
self-reflection. These stories are illustrated by some thirty photographs
of children and workers in action. The book is especially written for
students and professionals, and also interesting for educational councilors
and the more general audience interested in democratic education.
The book is published
by publishing-house Van Gorcum, Assen, The Netherlands.
ISBN 90 232 4111 8. Price:
Euro 18.50.
Those who do
not master the Dutch language can contact Joop Berding for further
information through e-mail: jwa.berding@wanadoo.nl