The creator of "War and Peace" on the correct upbringing of children

2024 Author: Seth Attwood | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 15:55

Leo Tolstoy went down in history not only as a classic of world literature, but also as a teacher. At the age of 31, he opened his own school in Yasnaya Polyana, where he taught peasant children free of charge according to his own method. The principles of his upbringing and education were innovative for the 19th century, but what can we say about them today?

Do not spoil with education

Tolstoy said: childhood is the prototype of harmony, which is spoiled and destroyed. According to the classic, any upbringing is an attempt to drive a child into a framework, to submit to the rules and laws of the adult world. It is best to abandon purposeful parenting. This does not mean that you do not need to deal with children, but you should develop what they already have and appreciate the "primitive beauty". “Every man lives only in order to show his individuality. Education erases it,”wrote Tolstoy.

Do not punish

Tolstoy was an ardent opponent of violence: he categorically declared that there could not be a rod at school, and a student could not be punished for unlearned lessons. The abolition of any punishment in the Yasnaya Polyana school became an innovation for the 19th century. Contemporaries doubted whether such a technique could be effective, and argued: "All this is very fair, but you must admit that it is sometimes impossible without a rod and that sometimes it is necessary to force to learn by heart."

Don't hide your flaws

The classic was sure: children are much more discerning than adults - and advised parents to first discover their weaknesses. Otherwise, children will be caught in hypocrisy and will not listen to the opinion of their elders.

Teach useful

Tolstoy was critical of how the educational process was organized in Russia in the 19th century. He was indignant that in order to obtain a certificate, students had to cram a theory, which then could not be applied in the profession. Latin, philosophy, church sciences seemed archaic to the writer. In his opinion, knowledge that will be useful in life is much more important, and students have the right to independently choose what to study.

Cultivate independence

Tolstoy said that people from the people - those who did not study in gymnasiums and universities - are "fresher, stronger, more powerful, more independent, fairer, more humane and, most importantly, more needed than people, no matter how educated." That is why one of the main teachings in his Yasnaya Polyana school was this: not to force children to obey strict rules, but to educate them in freedom and teach them to be independent.

Resolve grievances

In the Yasnaya Polyana school, in addition to lessons, they often held conversations. At these meetings, teachers and students discussed everything that they considered important: science issues, news, educational process. Pupils were able to voice their point of view and even criticize teachers. Free upbringing, which Tolstoy praised, implied honest and open conversation.

Develop imagination

Upbringing and education is not only about studying textbooks. The writer noted that the formation of a child's personality is influenced by everything that surrounds him: "children's games, suffering, punishment of parents, books, work, violent and free teaching, arts, sciences, life - everything forms." By exploring the world, the child develops imagination and creativity. Tolstoy considered it a huge mistake to study according to a clear method, instead of only guiding the child in the study of the world in all its diversity.

Learn clearly

Free education was unacceptable for the gymnasiums or universities of the 19th century, where students were forcibly, sometimes under pain of corporal punishment, forced to memorize their lessons. Tolstoy built the educational process without compulsion to education and strove to teach in such a way that the child would enjoy it. The writer collected the main tips for teachers in the brochure "General Notes for Teachers", where he recommended closely monitoring the mental and physical condition of students, and instead of dry terms, present the children with impressions.

Be more human

“And children look at the educator not as a mind, but as a person,” Tolstoy wrote. Knowledge, rules, science are the least that an adult can teach a child. Observing parents and teachers, children draw conclusions about what it means to be a good person, how to behave in society and what laws to live by. Children's discernment cannot be fooled by knowledge or rights.

Live well for yourself

According to Tolstoy, children are pure, innocent and sinless by nature. Growing up, they learn about the world, focusing primarily on the behavior of their parents and loved ones. Therefore, the main testament of all Tolstoy's pedagogy is, first of all, to take care not of the upbringing of the younger generation, but to improve oneself.