Cum iubești un copil. Dreptul copilului la respect

by Janusz Korczak

Insemnarile unui medic pediatru, pedagog, director de orfelinat

Cum sa-ti cunosti copilul si sa-l lasi sa devina un univers de curiozitate? Cum sa-i dezvolti imaginatia si aptitudinile fara sa-i reprimi nevoia de libertate sau dreptul la propria opinie? Janusz Korczak nu ofera o reteta, ci spune simplu: „Un copil ii este egal unui adult si trebuie tratat cu acelasi respect si aceeasi responsabilitate.“

In volumul a carui noua editie o oferim cititorilor, Korczak propune un concept actual de a creste copii – acela al stabilirii unei relatii de parteneriat intre ei si adulti. Ideile lui se bazeaza pe experienta dobandita de-a lungul catorva decenii in orfelinatele pe care le-a infiintat si coordonat. Devotamentul fata de aceste idei l-a facut sa nu abandoneze micutii din orfelinatul pentru copii evrei unde a lucrat in timpul celui de-Al Doilea Razboi Mondial, murind alaturi de ei in lagarul nazist de exterminare din Treblinka. Datorita viziunii sale inovatoare asupra educatiei copiilor, Korczak a devenit unul dintre cei mai importanti reprezentanti ai asa-numitei miscari „noua educatie“. Valorile lui stau la baza Conventiei ONU privind drepturile copilului, adoptata in 1989, iar principiile promovate de el au dus la elaborarea unui nou model educational, care este eficient si astazi.

400 pages, Paperback

Published December 1, 2012

About the author

Janusz Korczak was a Polish-Jewish children's author, pediatrician, and child pedagogue, also known under the pseudonym "Stary Doktor".
He was born Henryk Goldszmit in Warsaw on July 22, 1878. During his youth, he played with children who were poor and lived in bad neighborhoods; his passion for helping disadvantaged youth continued into his adulthood. He studied medicine and also had a promising career in literature. When he gave up his career in literature and medicine, he changed his name to Janusz Korczak, a pseudonym derived from a 19th century novel, Janasz Korczak and the pretty Swordsweeperlady.
In 1912, Korczak established a Jewish orphanage, Dom Sierot, in a building which he designed to advance his progressive educational theories. He envisioned a world in which children structured their own world and became experts in their own matters. Jewish children between the ages of seven and fourteen were allowed to live there while attending Polish public school and government-sponsored Jewish schools, known as "Sabbath" schools. The orphanage opened a summer camp in 1921, which remained in operation until the summer of 1940.
Besides serving as principal of Dom Sierot and another orphanage, Nasz Dom, Korczak was also a doctor and author, worked at a Polish radio station, was a principal of an experimental school, published a children’s newspaper and was a docent at a Polish university. Korczak also served as an expert witness in a district court for minors. He became well-known in Polish societyand received many awards. The rise of anti-Semitism in the 1930's restricted only his activities with Jews.
In 1934 and 1936, Korczak visited Palestine and was influenced by the kibbutz movement. Following his trips, Korczak was convinced that all Jews should move to Palestine.
The Germans occupied Poland in September 1939, and the Warsaw ghetto was established in November 1940. The orphanage was moved inside the ghetto. Korczak received many offers to be smuggled out of the ghetto, but he refused because he did not want to abandon the children. On August 5, 1942, Korczak joined nearly 200 children and orphanage staff members were rounded up for deportation to Treblinka, where they were all put to death.

Source: Janusz Korczak Communication Center and U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum