1. Subject and main notions of pedagogy
Pedagogy was derived from 2 Greek words ("payda" and "gogos") and literal sense
of the word is "child conductor". It is the science about education.
Object of pedagogy is pedagogical process and human being who is in the center of
the process. Its subject is to find out laws of pedagogical process and settle the
matters of formation of human as personality and education. Subject of pedagogy is
not confined to education of children; it generally analyzes education of human
being.
Pedagogy is dialectic science. Pedagogy has no ready instructions. Let's pay
attention to the fact: money was robbed in a family. Famous pedagogue Makarenko
responded to the parents' letter in relation to the fact: "I don't know how weather was
that day." The great pedagogue was right: very different factors influence the fact of
theft: family environment, family relations, child's motive, even weather conditions,
etc.
Pedagogy is both theoretical and practical science.
Pedagogy has also peculiar system of notions as in any science. It includes
pedagogical process, education, self-education, re-education, study, instruction,
development of personality and other notions.
Pedagogical process is unity of the processes of education, study, instruction, and
development of personality. The components of the pedagogical process don't act
separately, but in mutual relation with one another.
Education is the process of purpose-oriented formation and development of human
personality and result of the process. It's used in two meanings: wide and narrow
meaning. Education in wider (social) meaning is the process of transferring social
practice (knowledge and skills, ideas and views gained by older generation) to
younger generation. Education in narrower (pedagogic) meaning is understood as
the process of education provided at school and in family.
Self-education is the process of self-improvement and improvement of personality
in purpose-oriented and planned way.
Re-education is the process of eliminating negative cases and qualities rooted in
human's mind, character and behavior and inculcating good qualities.
Study is the process of mastering systematized knowledge and skills, forming world
outlook on this base as well as the process of education and development and their
result. Study is ensured by many ways - through instruction and self-study (as well
as their unity).
Instruction is the process of study under guidance of a teacher. It's based on purposeoriented mutual relation between teacher and students.
Development of personality is the process of person's transfer from one quality state
to another as personality under the influence of various factors - internal and external,
natural (genetic), social and psychological factors.
Formation of personality may be expedient or spontaneous. Harmonious formation
of personality is the expedient process.
The above notions of pedagogy are in mutual relation and complete one another.
2. Areas of pedagogy
The following areas of pedagogical sciences emerged during the process of historical
development.
General pedagogy - studies common objective laws of pedagogical process; and is
of great importance for other areas of pedagogy from theoretical-methodological
point of view.
Pedagogical sciences are divided into the following categories by age: infant
pedagogy, pre-school pedagogy, school pedagogy, pedagogy for vocational technical
schools, pedagogy for secondary specialized schools and higher school pedagogy.
Pedagogical sciences that are related to certain activities are: sport pedagogy,
production pedagogy, social pedagogy, military pedagogy, legal pedagogy,
pedagogy for cultural and educational activities, etc.
Certain group of pedagogical sciences studies the features regarding instruction and
study of children and young persons having serious disorder. These areas are called
extraordinary pedagogy. Extraordinary pedagogy is divided into several parts:
surdopedagogy - studies the matters of instruction and education of deaf and dumb
children, tiflopedagogics - regarding blind children, oligophrenopedagogics regarding mentally retarded children, logopedia -regarding children having speech
disorder.
Another part of pedagogical sciences are the sciences of historical-comparative and
practical features. They include: history of pedagogy (studies development of theory
and practice of pedagogy in various historical periods and different countries),
ethnopedagogics (studies features of the work of instruction and education and
national-moral values of peoples and nations), comparative pedagogy
(comparatively studies pedagogical theory and practice of different countries),
methodology or special didactics, and family pedagogy (analyzes the matters of
education in a family).
Areas of pedagogical science are divided into certain branches in its turn. For ex:
school pedagogy has the following directions: theory of education, theory of
instruction and study (didactics), school studies, philosophy of study and education,
economy of study, etc.
3. Relation of pedagogy with other sciences
Pedagogy is closely related to philosophy. The theory of instruction of pedagogy
refers to cognitive theory of philosophy. Pedagogy is based on different branches of
philosophy - ethics, aesthetics, and sociology in solution of questions regarding
education. It's important to consider pedagogical process and a person in the center
of the process as developing permanently, act from certain conditions in solution of
pedagogical questions, analyze cause and effect relationship in pedagogical activity
and refer to contradictions.
Pedagogy is more closely related to psychology. Psychology defines objective laws
of human's mental development in different ages and studies the mechanism of
change in psychology under the influence of instruction and education. It's of great
importance from the point of view of settling the problems of efficiently organizing
the process of instruction and education. For ex: the problems of efficiently
organizing the process of instruction can't be solved without taking into
consideration the volume and durability of young schoolchildren's attention and
features of their memory and thinking. Pedagogy is closely related to various
branches of psychological sciences, including age psychology, pedagogical
psychology, and social psychology. Ushinsky was right in comparing a teacher who
is unaware of psychology with a quack doctor.
Pedagogy is also related to physiology. Theory on higher nervous activity is naturalscientific basis of the instruction process. Conditional reflexes, temporary nervous
communications, mutual relation of the first and second signal systems, analyzing
activity of cerebral cortex and other matters render assistance in solution of many
important pedagogical problems. General and age physiology arms pedagogy with
necessary information about nature of human physical development in various ages.
Pedagogy is closely related to cybernetics, which studies common laws of
management. Provisions of cybernetics are of great importance for pedagogy in
solution of significant problems on transferring and mastering information, ensuring
contra relation in the process of instruction and education and management of
pedagogical activity.
Pedagogy is related to, almost, all branches of science. Subjects taught in educational
establishments are related to subject of research of methodology, a branch of
pedagogy. Pedagogy is directly or indirectly related to other sciences.
Mutual relation of pedagogy with other sciences creates opportunity for emergence
of new branches of science. For ex: pedagogical philosophy, pedagogical psychology,
pedagogical sociology, and other branches emerged in the result of these relations.
Relation of pedagogy with other sciences doesn't mean that pedagogical objective
laws must be looked for in philosophy, psychology, physiology, and other branches
of science. These objective laws must be looked for within the pedagogical process.
However other sciences give certain directions to pedagogy.
4. Pedagogical research and its methods
All the branches of science, including pedagogy develop by the help of scientific
researches. Some special methodological principles are also applied in pedagogical
research: principle of activity, principle of approach from the point of view of
personality, principle of systematic character, etc.
Principle of activity in pedagogical researches demands general study of activity and
considering its various elements (purpose, motive, implementation and regulation of
activity as well as control and analysis of results) as a unity.
Principle of approach from the point of view of personality in pedagogical researches
considers a person as object and subject of pedagogical process, act from person's
demands, interests, internal activity and personal position, its harmonious
development and mutual relation between team and a person.
Principle of systematic approach in pedagogical research requires considering all
possible forms and methods of solution of pedagogical issues in mutual relation and
as a unit.
Pedagogical research methods are divided into 4 groups: a) empiric research
methods; b) theoretical research methods; c) empiric-theoretical research methods
and d) mathematical, statistical, and sociological methods in pedagogical research.
Empiric research methods serve to collect certain facts. These methods include
pedagogical observation, pedagogical interview, questionnaire survey, "pedagogical
consultation", methods for study of pedagogical documents and activity products.
Pedagogical observation is planned observation of pedagogical process for a certain
purpose. Researcher determines the object and purpose of observation, collects
relevant facts, analyzes, and groups them and comes to a conclusion.
Pedagogical interview is the method of interrogation carried out for defining essence,
reasons, and condition of occurrence of certain pedagogical event. Purpose of
interrogation, persons (teacher, parent, employees of school or students, etc.) and
questions are determined during preparation process for the interview. Answers
given during the interview must be accurately noted (or recorded) and strictly
analyzed afterwards.
Questionnaire survey is written survey carried out for the purpose of knowing
teachers', students' or parents' position and opinion about this or other pedagogical
question (problem).
"Pedagogical consultation" is the method of pedagogues' (teachers') collective
discussion of this or other pedagogical fact, event or any student, analysis of
difficulties and deciding relevant measures. These methods allow obtaining
information about school documents (registry books, reports, working plans,
personal records, etc.), products of students' activity (writing, drawing, labor work,
creativity products, etc.), state of activity regarding instruction and education,
success of the instruction process, as well.
Theoretical research is mainly conducted on the level of pedagogical notions, but
not on the level of practical facts and dedicated to fundamental problems of
pedagogy. Theoretical research methods include analysis and composition,
induction and deduction, modeling, comparative-historical analysis.
The method of theoretical analysis establishes dividing pedagogical events into
components and separating the main element and feature. Analysis is always
accompanied and completed by composition (synthesis) - the method of
coordination and generalization of separate parts and features.
The methods of induction (coming general results from concrete facts) and
deduction (applying general results to concrete facts) are usually referred in
pedagogical research.
Modeling method allows characterizing a pedagogical process studied, visually and
figuratively (scheme, draft, and description in words).
The method of comparative-historical analysis allows comparative study of separate
pedagogical systems in different historical periods and determination of ways for
solution of modern pedagogical problems based on comparison.
Sometimes empiric-theoretical methods are applied in coordinated way in
pedagogical researches. These methods include experimental, practicalexperimental work and test methods.
Pedagogical experiment is the method of checking certain pedagogical hypothesis.
Experiment is divided into 3 groups by its ways of organization: natural, laboratory
and complex experiment (conducted both in natural and laboratory conditions).
Two parallel classes (groups) are taken for organizing experiment: the work is
organized in the new way in one of the groups (experimental class or group) and in
traditional way in the other group (control class or group). Result of the work is
checked and compared in both classes (groups) after a certain period (6 months, I
year). If the experiment is yielded, it should be applied in a wider scale.
Mathematical-statistical and sociological methods are also applied in pedagogical
researches if needed. Mathematical-statistical methods allow analysis of research
results from the point of view of quantity. Sociological methods are widely applied
in solution of social questions (influence of family and environment on instruction
and education, collective and individual relations, choosing profession, etc.) of
pedagogy. Sociological methods include public survey and sociometrical methods
(scale, sociogram, etc.).
5. Development of pedagogical thought and ideas
Though pedagogy is younger in comparison with other sciences, pedagogical ideas
are very ancient. Emergence of pedagogical thoughts occurred at the same time with
formation of society and education. The first pedagogical thoughts emerged in the
form of rules for daily life and wise sayings. Those thoughts and ideas are the very
rich treasury of the folk pedagogy.
Philosophical theories and pedagogical ideas emerged in the Ancient East, Greece
and Rome. Philosophers of the ancient periods - Socrates, Plato, Aristotle,
Democritus, and others tried to reveal rules of human's spiritual life and defined
many rules necessary for educational activity.
Ideas set forward by Socrates (V century B.C.), ancient Greek philosopher are of
great importance even for today: 1) heuristic interview (to find new knowledge based
on current knowledge); 2) importance of self-understanding (a person who
understands himself/herself can understand God and the world, too); 3) practice
(knowledge obtained from practice and applied will be more substantial).
Plato (V-IV centuries B.C.), Socrates' student, stated that spirit is eternal and
emphasized its three types: intellect, will and senses. He defined 3 types of education
based on this factor: mental, physical, and moral education. Plato developed public
system of education and study. He was against compulsory study; he thought that
compulsory study caused damage on society. Plato opened an Academy in Athena
and worked there. The great philosopher's philosophical, political, social, and
pedagogical ideas were reflected in his works titled "State" and "Laws".
Aristotle (IV century B.C.), Plato's student, accepted 3 types (plant, animal and
humane) of human's spirit and three areas (physical, moral, and mental education)
of education as his teacher and considered them in unity. Based on 3 types of spirit,
he divided children and youth into three age category and defined the field of
education specific for each age category: a) 0-7 ages - plant period (mainly physical
education is ensured); b) 7-14 ages - animal period (mainly volitional and moral
qualities are inculcated); c) 14-21 ages - cognitive period (mainly mental education
is ensured). Unlike Plato he took spirit and body as a unit and set before the idea of
development.
Aristotle emphasized significance of finding the gold mean in each activity,
including education, in pedagogical communication, encouragement, punishment
and assessment of persons, as well.
Democritus (V-IV centuries B.C.), ancient Greek materialist philosopher, set
forward the ideas of compliance to nature, coordination education with labor, regular
training of labor and moral questions for children.
One of the famous representatives of the pedagogical thought in Ancient Rome was
Quintilian (I century). His work titled "On Oratorical Education" consisted of 12
volumes is one of the first works in the history of pedagogy that is related to school
practice. He considered important to pay special attention to children's speech
development from earliest infancy and highly appreciated role of games,
communication, positive models, exercises, mathematics, and music.
The Thinkers of Near and Middle East, Al-Farabi, Abu Reyhan Biruni, Ibn Sina,
Sadi Shirazi and others also contributed to development of pedagogical thought.
Al-Farabi (IX-X centuries), great scientist of the East, Aristotle of the East, set
forward valuable philosophical-pedagogical thoughts reflected in his works titled
"Intellect", "Gaining happiness", "Listing sciences" and others. He revealed essence
of many pedagogical notions, defined some didactic principles (scientific character,
obviousness, systematicity, etc.), classified scientific knowledge (linguistics, logic,
mathematics, etc.) and considered goal of education make human happy.
Abu Reyhan Biruni (X-XI centuries) set forward instruction principles (obviousness,
consciousness, unity of theory and practice, etc.), revealed essence of moral-spiritual
education (education of honour, dignity, fairness, conscience, kindness, etc.) and
highly appreciated role of science, labour and teacher's personal model in education.
His book titled "Science about stars" was used as valuable teaching aids.
Ibn-Sina (X-XI centuries) gained fame as philosopher-scientist and physician among
the thinkers of the Middle East. "Danishname", "Kitab-al-insaf", "Family economy"
and other works may be underlined among his philosophical-pedagogical books. He
classified sciences (theoretical and practical sciences), defined fields of education
(mental, physical, aesthetic, moral education, and professional training), didn't
accept individual instruction in domestic conditions and considered important
collective instruction at school.
Sadi Shirazi (XIII century), famous Persian poet and thinker. "Sadi" pen-name
means happiness and "Shirazi" is related to name of the city (Iran) where he was
born. His famous work titled "Gulustan" is of great educational importance. The
work consisted of 8 chapters and 176 stories is rich in wise sayings, advices and vital
episodes: "Uneducated ruler and scientist is enemy of state and science", "Person
having no profession will go to begging", "Trouble caused by master is better than
father's love", etc.
Religion had big influence on development of pedagogical thought and moralspiritual education. Zoroastrianism (VI century B.C.), one of the ancient religions.
Valuable pedagogical ideas were reflected in "Avesta", holy book of Zoroastrianism.
Struggle between Good and Bad was given special place in the book. Human must
serve to Good things, but not to Bad things. He must master three important qualities:
good idea, good words, and good action. In this case a person will choose right way
and be happy.
Once there were Zoroastrian schools operated based on Zoroastrian doctrine.
Children implemented religious rites 5 times during a day, learned reading and
writing and got physical and moral education at those schools.
Islam (VII century) is the most progressive religion from the point of view of
instruction and education and pedagogical thought. "Korani-Karim", holy book of
Islam, is rich source in the activity of instruction and education. This holy book
consisted of 114 sections (suras) and 6236 subsections (ayets).
Prophet Mohammed recommended all Moslems to master knowledge and learn from
cradle to grave: "Science is lamp of Islam", "Studying for one hour is better than
praying for one year", "Difficult problem will be easier by help of science, but an
easy question will be difficult in the result of intellectual darkness", etc.
Islam attaches higher importance to human's morality. According to Islam real
richness is "the richness of heart". A person having a rich moral world will be
distinguished by his honesty, truthfulness, culture, generosity, kindness, tenderness,
benevolence, and other features. These qualities bring happiness. Bad qualities (theft,
roughness, greediness, stinginess, gossip, envy, malice, etc.) bring unhappiness.
Islam accepts decisive role of education in human's development: a person stands
between angle and devil when was born. "Father's most precious present to his
children is education". Prophet Mohammad attached special importance to proper
establishment of relations between parents and children and defined its terms: "The
best education is demonstration of love and affection for children", "Respect for
parents is respect for God", "Paradise is under mothers' feet", "Obedience to father
is obedience to God", "Consent of God depends on parents' consent and anger of
God depends on parents' anger", etc.
All these recommendations are of great importance in education of the younger
generation.
6. Development of pedagogical thought and the science of pedagogy
Pedagogical ideas began to develop more intensively in Western Europe in XIV-XVI
centuries. Especially, development of capitalism starting from XVI-XVII centuries
caused demand for training of mass educated workers.
New ideologists of the bourgeois class emerged. They set forward new ideas and
theories by strictly criticizing feudal system. Y.A.Komensky, J.Locke, J.J.Rousseau,
I.H.Pestalozzi, A.Disterveg and other European classic pedagogues contributed to
development of pedagogy in Western Europe.
Development of pedagogy as a science is related to the name of Yan Amos
Komensky (XVII century), great Czech pedagogue. His work titled "Great didactic"
is one of the serious works on the theory of pedagogy. Komensky brought many new
ideas to pedagogy. His main ideas are: 1) idea of pansophy - importance of "teaching
everyone everything" by establishing system of sciences and full short course of
general study; 2) idea of instruction in native language; 3) pedagogical-methodical
guide book was worked out for pre-school instruction and education for the first time
in the world ("Mother's school"); 4) idea of compliance to nature in instruction and
education - tried to settle many pedagogical matters based on nature and its rules; 5)
set forward unique instruction system - suggested four grade school system in
compliance with children's and youth's four age category (mother's school, native
language school, Latin school and higher school - Academy); 6) collective
instruction form - set forward class teaching system and unique instruction regime;
7) thoroughly worked out many principles of instruction (obviousness, systematicity,
correspondence, consciousness, etc.); 8) developed textbooks meeting didactic
principles for primary education ("Open door of languages", "Real world in pictures"
and so on).
John Locke (XVII century), famous English philosopher and pedagogue. His
philosophical-pedagogical views were reflected in the works titled "Practice on
human's intellect" and "Thoughts on education": a) J.Locke criticized the theory of
innate ideas, denied the role of heredity in human's development as founder of the
"White board" theory and highly appreciated the role of nature. According to him,
about nine of every ten persons become kind or malevolent, useful or useless in the
result of education; b) J.Locke considered purpose of education in bringing up
noblemen's children as healthy, strong-willed, disciplined gentlemen having strong
character and attached higher importance to physical education. ("Healthy body will
have healthy spirit"); c) J.Locke was against feudal system of education and physical
punishment and strict disciplinary actions applied in that system; d) J.Locke
considered important to attach special importance to formation of mind, independent
judging ability and interest and demand for knowledge in the process of instruction.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau (XVIII century), famous French philosopher and pedagogue
sharply criticized feudal system of social-political education. Rousseau considered
illegal the feudal power that kept people under oppression and tyranny, that didn't
serve the interests of the population in his work titled "Public agreement". Rousseau
set forward his social-political and philosophical-pedagogical ideas in novel-tractate
titled "Emil or about education". Since the work sharply criticized the feudal society
and its education system, it was burnt in fire in the streets of Paris and Rousseau
himself was obliged to flee from the country. J.Rousseau brought many new ideas
to pedagogy:
1) Theory of "free education" - since human being was born freely he must develop
freely; compulsory knowledge and education is harmful for a person. Teacher should
not give ready knowledge to students, should organize their independent activity,
and take into consideration their interests and demands; 2) Theory of "natural
education" - children should be brought up naturally and in compliance with nature.
According to Rousseau, education is obtained from three sources - nature, persons,
and environment. Therefore, he took his hero Emil from noble family to the village
- lap of nature, environment of laborers and naturally brings him up; 3) Rousseau
defined 4 age categories and field of education peculiar to each category: physical
development period (0-2 ages); sleeping period of mind or development period of
senses (2-12 ages); According to Rousseau, children should not be given a book
before they are 12 years old - child's first book is nature and life and first teacher is
his feet, hands and eyes; mental development period (12-15 ages) - child's instruction
and labor education is ensured in this period; moral-education (from 15 till the
maturity age); 4) Rousseau defined duties of moral education as inculcating kind
feelings, kind judgment and kind will (actions). He was against any kind of
punishment (for ex: a child who broke a spoon should not be given another one; he
should be made learn eating by the help of wooden spoon).
J.J. Rousseau's philosophical-pedagogical views had serious influence on activities
of the next generation of philosophers and pedagogues, especially French
materialist-philosophers -Helvetsi, Didro, Pestalozzi, German pedagogues J.Herbart
and A.Disterverg and others.
Swiss pedagogue Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi (XVII-XIX centuries) enriched
pedagogy with many ideas: 1) theory of elementary study: each kind of knowledge
consists of 3 main factors - number, form, and word, by mastering these factors a
person may understand the world around him. So elementary (primary) study should
teach counting, measuring, and speaking to children; 2) idea of improving
instruction - instruction should develop mental abilities and skills of every person;
3) idea of educating instruction - considers coordinating instruction with moral
education. It's important to form moral senses and trends in children through
instruction; main purpose of education is to inculcate love in children for humans;
4) gnoseological concept of instruction: cognition process should start from sensory
perception observation in the instruction process and gradually pass to
generalization and independent thinking; 5) idea of coordinating instruction with
productive labor - Pestalozzi opened orphanage for orphan children and made an
unsuccessful initiative for implementation of the idea; 6) Pestalozzi tried to develop
special methodology of primary instruction and applied voice method of literary
instruction.
J.H.Pestalozzi's social-pedagogical views were reflected in his numerous works
"Lienhard and Gertrude", "How Gertrude teaches her children", "Book for mothers",
"Observation alphabet" and others.
Johann Friedrich Herbart (XIX century) tried to develop scientific pedagogy based
on philosophy and psychology: a) He considered important to organize instruction
based on interest and determined 4 stages (grades) of this process: stage of clarity imaginations serve to inculcation and causing attention and interest; stage of
association - serves to development of memory by coordinating new and previous
knowledge; stage of system - serves to thinking, to systematize knowledge and come
to a conclusion; stage of method - serves to application of knowledge and causing
to interest to and belief in the knowledge; b) acting from education psychology he
pursued the aim of inculcating proper moral imagination and senses and training
them to discipline - obedience; c) Herbart attached special importance to education
in the instruction process and brought the notion of "educating instruction" to
pedagogy.
"General pedagogy arising from purpose of education", "Psychology manual", "On
application of psychology to pedagogy", "Lectures from pedagogy" are Herbart's
main works.
Adolph Disterveg (XIX century), one of the famous representatives of German
pedagogy gained the name of "Teacher of German teachers". He managed Berlin
Teachers Seminary and Teachers Society. A.Disterveg is author of popular works
titled "Leadership of German teachers " and "Pedagogical ideas and knowledge serves to opportunities". A.Disterveg worked out improving instruction didactics
and defined 33 rules of efficient instruction. According to A.Disterveg "Bad teacher
delivers the truth, but good teacher teaches how to find it", "Teacher who teaches
well, her will educate well, too".
Development of pedagogical thought in Russia.
Russian revolutionist-democrats A.Radishchev, A.N.Herzen, N.G.Chernyshevsky,
V.G.Belinsky, N.A.Dobrolyubov and others highly contributed to development of
pedagogical thought in Russia.
Konstantin Dmitrievich Ushinsky (XIX century), famous Russian pedagogue and
psychologist, is considered "Father of Russian pedagogy".
The main ideas are: 1) the idea of national character in education - the values created
by population are so rich and so clean source that education should refer to that
source – national background. By this idea Ushinsky was against reverence to
German and French culture rooted in Russia; 2) the idea of instruction in native
language - native language is not only communication and instruction tool, but also
strong tool of education; 3) the idea that labor underlies education - education
without labor doesn't exist. K.Ushinsky wrote in his article titled "Psychical and
educative significance of labor": "If education aims to make a person happy, it
should train him/her for labor activity"; 4) He defined principles, rules and methods
of instruction and determined teacher's main duty as formation of independent
working skills in students and "teach them how to learn".
K.D.Ushinsky's pedagogical ideas were reflected in "About national character of
social education", "About moral factors in education", "Leadership of native
language", "Pedagogical anthropology or human is object of education" and other
works.
Another famous Russian pedagogue Lev Nikolayevich Tolstoy (XIX century)
entered the history of pedagogical thought as innovator pedagogue. Besides the
profession of writer, he opened a school in his native village Yasnaya Polyana,
engaged in teaching activity there, published journal by the same name, involved
famous pedagogues of his period in the activity of the journal and enriched the
science of pedagogy with new ideas. His main idea was the idea of "free education",
once suggested by J.J.Rousseau. This idea established students’ full independence in
the process of instruction and education. However, Tolstoy came to the conclusion
that the limit of students' independence must be fixed. He also considered important
teachers' creative activity. Tolstoy himself has been model in this field, applied new
ideas at school and worked out several textbooks ("Alphabet", "New alphabet",
"Books for reading").
Development of pedagogical thought in Ukraine in XX century is closely related to
A.S.Makarenko and V.A.Sukhomlinski.
Famous education theorist Anton Semyonovich Makarenko worked with
uncontrolled children who were involved in criminal world for sixteen years and
brought back more than three thousand children from the criminal world. He set
forward unique pedagogical ideas in his works titled "Pedagogical poem", "Flags on
towers" and others, worked out new theory about education, especially, children's
collective and enriched principles and methods of education (respect and
exactingness, optimism, education through team, parallel pedagogical influence,
theory of "explosion", perspective lines system, etc.). A.S.Makarenko successfully
realized the idea of combining instruction with productive labor, organized
economic and industrial labor - and implemented the principle of self-financing.
Vasily Aleksandrovich Sukhomlinski, countryman of A.S.Makarenko brought many
new ideas to pedagogy. The famous pedagogue, promoted from the village
schoolteacher to the position of academician is author of 36 monographs, more than
600 scientific articles and stories for children. V.A.Sukhomlinski had experienced
very hard life: German fascists bayoneted his baby in front of baby's mother, killed
his spouse and he was obliged to live with fascist shrapnel in the area of heart till the
end of his life. However, Sukhomlinski never groaned, became great humanist, and
dedicated himself to children as he once said himself. His main pedagogical ideas
were reflected in "I give my heart to children", "Birth of citizen", "Letters to my son",
"Schoolchild's moral world", "One hundred recommendations to teachers", "Talk
with young school director", "Parents' pedagogy" and other valuable books.
7. Development of pedagogical thought in Azerbaijan
Formation of pedagogical thought in Azerbaijan is of very ancient history.
Pedagogical ideas were expressed in the samples of folk art - proverbs and sayings,
riddles and lullabies, tales, and eposes.
One of the rich pearls, the most ancient and greatest monument of folk pedagogy is
the epos "Kitabi-Dede Gorgud". The epos consisted of 12 sagas reflects traditions,
moral characters (patriotism, manliness, bravery, courage, honesty, fairness, loyalty,
open-heartedness, intellect, humanism, tolerance, etc.), family relations, life, and
domestic style of ancient Turks (Oghuz tribes). These qualities are equally peculiar
to Turkish men (Gazan khan, Beyrek, Uruz, Garaja Choban, etc.) and Turkish
women (Burla khatun, Banu-chichek, Seljan khatun, etc.).
Dede Gorgud, the main hero (character) of the epos is wise, experienced old person,
ashug who gained big influence among the people. He used to play gobuz (saz), give
names to brave men, deliver men's marriage proposals to girls' families, and give
recommendations. His recommendations are of great educative importance. For ex:
"clever son is like ember of fire, but stupid son is like ash of fire; dishonest son
would be better not to be born", etc.
Pedagogy was enriched with new ideas especially in the renaissance period (XI-XIV
centuries). A.Bahmanyar, N.Ganjavi, N.Tusi, I.Nasimi and others may be held up as
examples among those thinkers.
Abulhasan Bahmanyar (XI century), famous philosopher and pedagogue of
Azerbaijan, was student and successor of Ibn Sina, wrote many works about
instruction and education: "Education" ("Et-tehsil"), "Beauty and happiness",
"About music" and others.
Rich works of Nizami Ganjavi (XII century), his poems ("Khamsa") are an
unparalleled source which is rich in pedagogical ideas; he considered intellect the
best gift for human: Fitne brought Bahram shah to his knees ("Seven beauties"),
Nushaba defeats conqueror Iskandar ("Iskandarnama") and a shepherd was able to
step up to the position of vizier thanks to their intellect. He created positive
characters of laborers (Farhad, old plougher, old brick moulder, shepherd, etc.) for
the first time in literature. Nizami highly appreciated the qualities of kindness,
fairness, honesty, simplicity and modesty, friendship, loyalty, manliness, and pure
love. The great poet attached special importance to the role of education and selfeducation in moral purification. His heroes (Khosrov, Bahrami, Nushiravan, etc.)
who previously had some drawbacks in their characters, got rid of such drawbacks
further and somehow experienced the process of moral purification. Though
N.Ganjavi didn't dedicate any of his works to pedagogy, each of his five poems
included in Khamsa is rich in pedagogical ideas.
Nasiraddin Tusi (XIII century) established the famous Maragha observatory, opened
madrasah and academy and involved famous scientists of the world in the academy.
His pedagogical thoughts and ideas were reflected in "Akhlagi-Nasiri", "Adab-ulmutallimin", "Principles of mastering knowledge" and other works.
According to him: if human is able to manage his passion, he will honor; otherwise
passion will take it to lower stage - animal stage. human must also get engaged in
practical activity - do useful and favorable things.
Imadaddin Nasimi (XIV-XV centuries), Azerbaijani thinker of middle ages, one of
the founders of hurufism philosophical-religious sect, which joined human being to
his God. According to this sect, God is within human being, is his integral part. The
poet called human to be brave and get free from slavery. Therefore, ruling class
executed him and peeled his skin while alive. However, Nasimi didn't renounce his
point of view while dying and became the symbol of bravery, manliness, firmness.
One of the thinkers having special place in the history of literary, social, and
pedagogical thought of Azerbaijan is Mahammad Fuzuli (XVI century) he
propagated the idea of human's freedom and personal happiness and objected to
social-religious shackles and traditions that deprived human of those rights in feudal
society. "Leyli and Majnun", masterpiece of the poet, describes resulting of two
young persons' pure love in tragedy by this reason, sets forward the idea of
transferring to new moral and human relations. M.Fuzuli is considered founder of
children's literature of Azerbaijan. His works of "Talk of fruits", "Bangu-bade",
"Health and disease" and others are the great and valuable samples of our classic
literature intended for children.
XIX century is distinguished by rapid development of pedagogical thought in
Azerbaijan. A.Bakikhanov, M.Sh.Vazeh, G.B.Zakir, M.F.Aklundov and others,
representatives of enlightening-realist literature severely struggled for national
character, enlightenment, realism, and democratic ideas as well as against social
problems such as intellectual darkness, ignorance, oppression and hypocrisy.
Hasanbay Zardabi, famous enlightener-democrat, public figure, journalist, and
pedagogue of XIX century actively propagated enlightenment and culture through
"Ekinchi" ("Plougher"), founded by him (1875) and took an active part in opening
the first Russian-Tatar school in Baku, expanding school network and involvement
of girls in study.
Professor Ahmad Seyidov, graduate of blem has been the first postgraduate student
and Transcaucasian Teachers Seminary, Candidate of pedagogical sciences in
Azerbaijan and the first Doctor of pedagogical sciences in Transcaucasia. He
conducted valuable researches on the history of pedagogy and is author of textbooks
and monographs titled "History of pedagogy", consisting of 3 parts, "History of
development of pedagogical thought in Azerbaijan" and more than 100 scientific
works.
Academician Mehdi Mehdizade, worked the minister of education of the republic
for 30 years and member of UNESCO, published more than 100 monographs, books
and scientific articles on the history and theory of pedagogy and was one of the
authors of the first "Pedagogy" textbook.
Professor Mardan Muradkhanov defended master's thesis titled "Pedagogical views
of Nizami" in soldier uniform and returned to the front and after the war he worked
as Deputy Director at the Scientific Research Institute of Pedagogical Sciences and
director of the department of pedagogy in Azerbaijan Pedagogical Institute.
M.Muradkhanov published 45 books, more than 150 scientific articles and was one
of the authors of "Pedagogy" textbooks.
8.Main pedagogical trends
Various trends emerged in relation to pedagogical problems in different historical
periods: existentialism, pragmatism, behaviorism, Neo-Thomism, etc.
The trend of existentialism (means life, existence in Latin) establishes refusal of
planned, systematized impacts in instruction and education and referral to child's
innate trends, intuition, and desires. It emphasizes human's internal factors.
According to this trend, it's only child who must be responsible for his/her future;
no program is needed for child's development. They think that systematic
organization of instruction on a unique demand for everyone is harmful.
Representatives of this trend put self-study and self-education against education and
influence of environment. They denied role of educator and children's collective in
child's mental-moral development. The theory of "free education" is reflected itself
in a new form in the base of existentialism.
The trend of pragmatism (means action, activity in Greek) considers important to
ensure instruction and education based on child's personal experience.
Representatives of this trend considered that each kind of knowledge must be gained
based on child's practical activity. The trend of pragmatism considered important to
organize instruction and education process based on progressivism. Teacher must act
from child's interests and transfer him necessary knowledge. And this nullifies role
of systematic knowledge and teacher's influence in instruction.
"In-formal" instruction is applied in modern American and English schools under
the influence of progressivism: in this case concrete teaching program is not
provided, each student chooses his/her program himself/herself; instruction process
is not controlled, and composition of classes is changeable.
The trend of behaviorism (means behaviour, activity in English) is close to
pragmatism. The trend emerged based on experimental pedagogy (founder A.Lay).
A.Lay tried to biologize pedagogy. According to him, instruction (as well as
education) consists of influence on children and response to the influences: action
and activity underlie the process of instruction and education.
A child is motivated (tempted) on "stimulus-reaction" (S->R) scheme and he/she
masters certain skills and habits under the influence. Representatives of this trend
tried to apply the practice carried out on animals and birds in the process of human's
instruction and education. Of course, efforts made for establishing conscious
human's instruction process like animal taming process (for ex: teaching various
actions to bear or monkey) are wrong and harmful.
The trend of Neo-Thomism (means new Thomism in Greek) emerged as restoration
of theological theory of Thomas Aquinas, scholiast of middle ages. According to
representatives of the Neo-Thomism purpose of instruction and education is to
perfect human and bring him closer to God (ideal). Religion must interfere in the
process of instruction and education; education must aim being alike with Jesus
Christ. Neo-Thomism prefers authoritarian pedagogy and considers that students
must accept teacher's sayings as a doctrine. Of course, it's impossible to agree.
Many new pedagogical trends emerge in the modern pedagogy. First, technocratic,
and antitechnocratic.
Trends exist in relation to the scientific pedagogical process. Technocratic trend
establishes to organize instruction process on technical basis and the second one
antitechnocratic on humanitarian basis. Neither this nor other trends may be
accepted unconditionally, the technocratic trend eliminates humanist character of
study, but antitechnocratic trend is indifferent to application of science and
technology in the instruction process. The idea of eliminating schools is set forward
related to scientific technological process.
Of course, the position which denied the role of schools is not acceptable. Though,
radio, TV, books, press, and computers have great opportunities, they can’t substitute
schools and teachers.
9.The notion of higher education. Development of higher education in
Azerbaijan
Power of state and society is firstly related to education and science. As genius
Nizami wrote: “The only power is science, otherwise no one can prevail over others.”
“Any nation has not progressed by the help of swords and guns; if any nation has
developed, it is only owing to the power of education and science (N.Narimanov).”
Historical practice also proves it: Countries such as Japan and Germany which were
defeated in the World War II were able to come in line with the developed countries
during a very short historical period owing to development of education, science,
new technologies, generally, development of human capital. Educational system of
various countries is differed. Educational system of the same society is also changed
in different levels of development depending on features of development. History of
higher education in Azerbaijan is very old and even it goes back to X century. During
this period, madrasahs consisting of secondary and higher education sections began
to be emerged by influence of Islam. The first madrasahs in the territory of
Azerbaijan were established in Maragha, Nakhchivan, Shamakhy, and Ganja cities.
There were numerous thinkers studied in madrasahs in XII century (Abul Ula
Ganjavi, Nizami Ganjavi, Mahsati Ganjavi, Falaki Shirvani, Khagani Shirvani,
Khatib Tabrizi, and others). Network of madrasahs significantly expanded in XVII
century. Safavid dynasty opened big madrasahs to spread shiitism. 47 madrasahs
were opened in Tabriz and 7 madrasahs in Shamakhy. New schools – district schools,
Moslem schools, Russian-Tatar schools were also opened after inclusion of territory
of Northern Azerbaijan in the territory of Russia in the beginning of XIX century.
The Transcaucasia Teachers Seminary was established in Gori, Georgia in 1876.
Famous enlightener M.F.Akhundzada rendered big services in this activity.
Azerbaijan department was established under the Seminary three years later – in
1879, this department was moved to Gazakh in November, 1918 and began its
activity as an independent seminary (Gazakh Teachers Seminary).
J.Mammadguluzade, S.S.Akhundov, N.Narimanov, F.B.Kocharli, U.Hajibayli,
M.Magomayev and other famous figures were among the graduates of the seminary.
ADR attached special importance for training of national personnel: hundreds of
youths were sent to the famous higher educational establishments of foreign
countries for the purpose of study. Baku State University started its activities on
November 15, 1919, with the two departments (medicine and history philology).
Azerbaijan Polytechnic Institute, Azerbaijan State Pedagogical Institute, Women
Pre-School Education Institute (then merged to Azerbaijan State Pedagogical
Institute) the first Conservatoire in the East and Higher School of Arts were opened
in 1921. There were 5 higher schools operating in Azerbaijan with more than 5
thousand students in 1926. Agricultural Institute was opened in Ganja in 1929.
Azerbaijan State University was cancelled and Medical, Soviet Building and Law
Institutes were opened based on its departments in 1930. Azerbaijan State University
was restored in 1934. Teachers Institute was established under Azerbaijan State
Pedagogical Institute in 1935. New higher schools were established after the war of
1941- 1945: Theatre Institute in 1945, Pedagogical Institute of Foreign Languages
in 1948, Polytechnic Institute in 1950, the Institute of Russian Language and
Literature in 1952 in Baku city and in 1991, Azerbaijan Republic developed its
concept of education and educational law was adopted. Admission to the higher and
secondary specialized schools was provided by the method of test in 1992/1993
academic year. State educational establishments as well as non-state (private)
educational establishments were opened. 18 non-state higher educational
establishments were operating in Azerbaijan in the beginning of 2000. Most of
higher schools gained positive results.
10.Educational law. Principles and structure of the educational system
Educational system in Azerbaijan Republic is governed and regulated by the
Educational Law. The Educational Law was adopted by Milli Majlis (Parliament) of
Azerbaijan Republic on June 19, 2009, and came into force on September 5, 2009.
The Educational Law consists of 6 chapters. Chapter I, titled “General Provisions”,
included main definitions, state guarantee for the right of education, state standards
in the field of education, language of instruction and other matters. Chapter II
interprets the educational system of Azerbaijan Republic. This chapter deals with
structure of the educational system, level of quality in education, content of
education, and general requirements for organizing the education, forms of
education, educational establishments, and other problems. Chapter III was
dedicated to the management of education, rights, duties, and social protection of
entities in the educational system, chapter IV to the economy of education and
entrepreneurship activity in educational establishments, chapter V to the
international relations in the field of education and the chapter VI was dedicated to
the transition problem and final provisions.
Basic principles of education were specified in the Education Act.
1. The principle of humanity provides for taking human rights and freedoms, health
and safety, national and human values as a priority and demonstrating tolerance
towards people. According to this principle, an individual and his interests, abilities
and development should be in the center of educational work. In other words, not a
student (pupil) for a teacher, but a teacher for a student (pupil).
2. The democracy principle provides for education of students in the spirit of free
thinking; management of education on the state and public bases, broadening of
authorities and freedoms of students during this process. In addition, the democracy
principle is reflected in expansion of the student self-administration, assignment to
a position by means of election, collective decision-making and maintaining
relations between a teacher and a student.
3. Principle of equality provides for ensuring equal opportunities and the right to
education for all citizens.
4. The national and secularity principle is reflected in creation and development of
a secular educational system based on the national and human values.
5. The principle of quality provides for organization of education in accordance with
the current standards and norms, as well as public requirements and interests of the
state and personality.
6. The principle of effectiveness provides for achievement of effective results using
modern methods in education and scientific activity.
7. The principle of continuity, unity and consistency is reflected in the education
continuity, connection among the educational stages and unity, as well as
continuation of education through the whole life.
8. The heredity principle provides for transfer of knowledge and experience
mastered in the sphere of education to the next generation and from one stage of
education to another.
9. The liberalization principle is reflected in broadening of transparency in the
educational sphere and activity. In other words, educational institutions and the
educational process must be open for public and certain citizens must have an
opportunity to participate in the educational process.
10. The integration principle is reflected in effective integration, coordination, and
harmonization of the national educational system with the world educational system.
The educational system structure is reflected in the Education Act.
1. Preschool educational establishments: day nurseries, day-care centers, special
day-care facilities. Preschool education begins at the age of 3 years. From the age of
5, preschool education is compulsory. Such preparation to school may be carried out
in a kindergarten, school or at home.
2. General education schools: elementary education (from the 1st to 4th form);
general education (from the 5th to 9th form) and complete secondary education
(from the 10th to 11th form). This also includes boarding schools and special
boarding schools, schools for talented persons, grammar schools, lyceums, and other
general education institutions. Grammar schools are mainly the general education
humanities-oriented schools. Lyceums are the general education institutions
providing educational services for talented children on the relevant biases. The
general secondary education in our republic (1-9th forms) is compulsory. The
complete secondary education (10-11th forms) consists of various biases (the
humanities, technical bias, natural sciences, etc.).
3. Out-of-school educational institutions: children’s and youth schools (sports, chess,
etc.), children’s creative centers (technical, artistic creation, ecological education,
tourism and regional studies, aesthetic education centers), out-of-school work
centers, etc.
4. Elementary vocational educational institutions: vocational schools, trade schools.
5. Secondary vocational educational institutions: technical schools and colleges.
College is an educational institution providing educational services based on
secondary vocational program with the right to confer the sub-bachelor vocational
qualification degree.
6. Higher educational institutions: universities, academies, institutes, etc. University
and Academy is a higher educational institution training highly qualified specialists
in certain areas. Institutes train highly qualified specialists as independent
institutions or structural units of a university. There are 3 levels of highly qualified
specialists training: ‐ Bachelor’s program – the Bachelor higher professional degree
is conferred on university graduates; ‐ Master’s program – a higher educational
degree is conferred on the specialists (graduates) demonstrating high order training
and skills. The difference between it and the Bachelor’s degree is that masters may
carry out the scientific and pedagogical activity in educational institutions; ‐ PhD
program (Doctorate) – a scientific PhD degree is conferred on the graduates at the
highest level of the higher education. Doctorate consists of two stages: at the first
stage the degree of “Doctor of Philosophy” is conferred on graduates, and at the
second stage the degree of “Doctor of Science” is conferred on graduates.
11.Higher education system in foreign countries
Higher education abroad is provided mainly in universities. In addition, it is possible
to study in higher educational institutions on specific qualification (profession), or
in tertiary colleges in some countries (e.g. in USA and England). Colleges function
under universities or independently. For example, there are over 30 colleges
functioning under Oxford University. Part-time education is a rather wide-spread
form of higher education. 50% of students on England receive training by means of
this form. However, it involves high tuition fee. Non-governmental (private)
educational institutions are also widespread in parallel with government –run
educational institutions in foreign countries. For example, more than half of higher
educational institutions in the USA are private schools and financed out of the funds
of corporations and monopolies. 72% of all higher educational institutions in Japan
carry out this kind of activity and cover more than 70 % of all students in the country.
And in some countries higher educational institutions are mainly government-run
(e.g. in England). In many countries private tuition is common. A student selects a
training program and works according to this program under the guidance of a tutor
or a teacher. One of the features typical for foreign higher schools is the systematic
monitoring of students’ advancement and taking into account of the academic
performance index. Such monitoring and control are conducted both by the
university structures and relevant organizations. In some countries (e.g. in Germany)
university graduates take a state exam after the two-year practice in a relevant
qualification. They gain practical experience during this period, and the higher
school renders them theoretical and methodical assistance. In some countries such
control is carried out by Educational Departments and in other countries by special
organizations. In England, for example, the Council on the Higher Education Quality
carries out monitoring in higher schools. The council on the Higher Education
Quality examines the training level of final-year students as specialists every 5 or 6
year (accreditation). Currently, the integration process is intensifying in the field of
education including the higher education in foreign countries, especially in Europe.
Most countries of the council of Europe (over 90%) joined the Bologna process. In
accordance with the Bologna process, reforms are conducted in the higher education.
The countries participating in the Bologna process take an active part in
implementation of this program. Implementation of this program will promote
creation of the European space for higher education, expansion of employment
opportunity in European countries for graduates and mutual recognition of
qualifications, diplomas and scientific degrees.
12. Integration in the field of higher education. Bologna process
Globalization that takes place in the world also touched the field of education. The
higher education system of our republic has joined the Bologna process (2005). The
Bologna process is aimed at creation of the European space for education and
formation of an integrated system of education in the countries –participants of the
Bologna process and intellectual and cultural relations. European countries approved
the future development trends for the Europe-wide educational system in the city of
Bologna, Italy in June of 1999. Let us look through the key provisions of the Bologna
Declaration.
1. Application of the two or three-stage educational system. In accordance with that
higher education in Azerbaijan consists of three stages: the Bachelor’s program, the
Master’s program and PhD program (Doctorate).
2. Application of the credit system: (Lat. “creditium” – “credit”). Students must
collect credits implementing academic hours established for relevant subjects
according to the curriculum and pass exams. Students select the subjects which they
need from the curriculum and make their individual annual programs of study. An
individual curriculum is elaborated by selecting subjects with up to 30 credits 34 (no
more than 38 credits) in each semester. 1 credit is 22.5 hours, 15 of them are class
hours and 7.5 are extracurricular or independent work. Upon completing the credit
hours students attend the exams on studied subjects. Students should get 51 scores
in total before and at the exam; the students who got less than 51 shall be considered
as failed. A summer semester (6 weeks) may be provided for the students who have
academic failure (failed exams). Teacher conducts lectures and lessons for mastering
the curriculum materials during this period. In the beginning of the next semester
such students shall have a re-examination on the same subject. Those who fail this
re-examination too shall learn this subject again next year. Depending on the
qualification within the period of the study, students must collect 200-250 credits. If
any student fails to collect the credits within 7 years, s/he loses collected credits from
certain subjects and should recollect them (attend lectures and lessons again and
repeat examinations). Students have the right to select a subject or a teacher. If there
is no required number of students for any subject, such subject is not included in the
annual individual curriculum. If there are too many students for any subject, the
second group is formed and an additional teacher is involved.
3. Education quality assurance. The Bologna process provides for application of
education quality assurance mechanisms and establishment of the Accreditation
Agency in the educational system for that purpose. In accordance with the Education
Act (Article 16) higher educational institutions accreditation service is established
in the Azerbaijan Republic. The state accreditation service under the Ministry of
Education carries out control over the education quality and assesses its level.
4. Extension of mobility. The Bologna process provides the cooperation of students,
master’s, PhD candidates and academic teaching. Ensuring free and flexible
movement or mobility (Lat. “mobilic” – driver, flexibility) is an important condition
for this purpose.
5. Recognition of scientific (academic) degrees and ensuring employment for
graduates. One of the main directions of the Bologna process is provision of
opportunities for employment of graduates, free choice of job and free movement in
the European space.
6. Continuous education or lifelong education is an essential element of the
European space for education. The core idea of continuous education is to provide
person’s development as a personality, the subject of activity and communication in
his/her lifetime and adaptation to the changing life conditions. There are two stages
in the structure of the continuous education: basic education and extended education.
Each of these half-systems consists of the main and parallel, government-run, and
non-governmental educational institutions, as well as institutions of advanced
training, probation, distance education, etc.
13.The notion of personality and its development, theories about it
Development and education of personality are significant branches of pedagogical
research. These researches are of great importance from the point of view of
determining technology, strategy and tactics of education.
Who is called a person? How does development of personality occur? Which factors
influence it? Why is it impossible to find two fully similar persons? Why do two
children brought up in the same family differ completely (in relation to study,
education)? What are characteristic features of a student’s personality? Which
psychological-pedagogical terms are required for its development? etc. First, we
should consider the notions of individual, person and individuality. Individual – is a
natural biological human being, is a man separately considered. Human being is born
as individual and then grows into a person in the result of influence of various factors.
However, this process occurs gradually and not simultaneously in everybody. A
person means conscious and active individual having social features and self-respect.
Consciousness is expressed in knowledge and relations of a man as well as setting a
goal and realizing it. Self-respect is demonstrated in self-understanding, selfappreciating, etc. A man may properly (adequately) or improperly (inadequately)
appreciate himself – his “Ego”. The first case results in emergence of feelings such
as obligation and responsibility, but the second case may result in individualism
(egoism). Persons are different: progressive and conservative, moral and immoral,
healthy and ill, etc. In other words, personality may develop or decline. Both cases
are firstly featured from social point of view. Decline of personality occurs by
immoral and illegal acts, drug-abuse and alcoholism and diseases (neurosis, sclerosis,
etc.). An individual’s growing into a person in the society is many-sided and complex
process. Two processes are confronted here: socialization and individualization.
Socialization (collectivization) is the process of acquiring social experience by a
man entering social relations with others and social groups in the society.
Individualization is expressed in independence, relative autonomy, characteristic
(unique) properties, lifestyle and formalization of inward world and mental
processes of a man. Each person is also individuality. Individuality means a person
distinguished by others by his peculiar, unique properties. Individuality is
demonstrated in temperament and character, demands, interest, intellect, and
abilities of a person. The society is beautiful with its different individualities. Once
totalitarian soviet regime and its education system tried to educate all people in the
same form based on unique ideology and world outlook, raise young generation as
living robots and suppress individuality. A man is always developing as person and
individuality. Development means change, transition from one quality state to
another. Personality is developed and formed gradually; it passes through several
stages (lower, medium, higher, and ideal). There are 2 approaches regarding
development of personality: metaphysical and dialectical approaches. Metaphysical
approach considers development as change by quantity and searches its source
(reason) in the genetic program. However, dialectical approach considers
development of personality as change by quality and relates sources of development
to the process of settling contradictions. According to the dialectical approach
motive power for development of personality is emergence and solution of
contradictions. Struggle of opposites, contradictions between new and old ones in
mind of man emerge and are eliminated during living process – the process of study
and education. Both external and internal contradictions are demonstrated in
development of personality. Main external contradiction is related to contradiction
between demands of society and adults and current level of development, behavioral
forms, and methods of a man. Main internal contradiction is contradiction between
demands and opportunities of a man. Human being uses all his opportunities
(knowledge, skills, will, etc.) to meet his demands (need) and meets his demands in
the result. Thus, contradiction is settled. Students often meet contradictions between
new cognitive problems and existent knowledge and skills and formed thinking
method during education process. They understand that they need to acquire
additional knowledge. So, they increase their level of knowledge and settle the
problems. This factor encourages them to new researches, solution of new problems
and creates need for scientific knowledge. Development in other areas (moral,
physical, labor, etc.) occurs in the same way, too. Personality is formed by influence
various factors: heredity, study, education, natural and social environment, and
personal activity of a man. Which one of these factors is decisive? Different theories
emerged related to this question. They may be divided into 4 groups: theories
exaggerating role of biological factors, theories exaggerating role of social factors,
theories jointly accepting both factors and dialectical theories accepting all factors
in mutual relation.
Theories exaggerating role of biological factors (“Heredity”, “biogenetical”,
“Pragmatism”, “Freudianism”, “Racialism”, “Elite”, and so on) explains
development of personality only by biological factors: as if all features of a person
– consciousness, character, abilities are inherited as eyes and ears. These theories
relate differences between persons to their nature – hereditary factors and do not
accept role of other factors.
Theories exaggerating role of social factors (“White board”, “Free education”, and
so on) consider person white (clean) board and explain formation of personality only
by social factors – education and influence of environment. As if a human being is
not inherited anything when he was born and is born as a clean board; you may write
on this board what you want. That means, it’s possible to form human personality in
any way by the help of education and influence of environment: “Human becomes
a person in the result of education”, “Education is able to do anything”, “Differences
between persons are only related to education and environment”.
Theories exaggerating role of heredity and environment (“Convergence”, “Talent”,
theories of “Two factors”, “Paedology” and so on) explain development of
personality by two factors – heredity and environment. Environment means
unchangeable environment in their theories. As if development and fortune of human
being is featured by these two factors: human must demonstrate only his inward
properties in his life and mechanically adapt to the social environment where he is
living (as animals adapt to biological environment). All three branches considered
above are wrong and deny the active role of a man in development of personality.
The first branch accepts an active role of hereditary factor, the second branch accepts
active role of social factors and the third branch role of heredity and environment in
development of personality. In other words, human is passive product of heredity
and environment: he just must realize the properties coming from his nature and
adapt to the environment. The fact remains unknown in these theories that why
persons living in the same family and same social environment and even twins have
various properties. Only dialectical unity of these factors makes possible to
scientifically and methodologically understand and solves the problem of
development of personality. Determining role of heredity is related to the fact that
hereditary properties may not develop and grow into abilities without participation
of education and environment. Education and environment may reveal and develop
natural (hereditary) properties of a man as well as impede their development.
Therefore, it’s important to timely find out natural opportunities of each individual
(when he is child) and to create favorable conditions for their development.
Otherwise, the society may be deprived of many talented persons. The dialectical
theory accepts a role of personal activity in development of personality too. A human
being is not passive object of the environment and education; he may actively
influence the environment and education and realization of hereditary opportunities
as well. If we compare the role of biological and social factors in development of
human being as a personality with growing of plant, we may consider heredity as
seed, environment as fertile soil and climate necessary for the plant and education
as a gardener’s labor (“Education” means “to grow, to cultivate” in Arabic).
14.Role of biological and social factors in personality development
Human personality forms as a result of influence and mutual activity of several
factors. Biological and social factors play an appropriate role in this process.
The role of biological factors. A human being is born as a biological entity, so
heredity laws influence him. Hereditary physical signs (facial structure, eye, and hair
color, etc.), as well as physiological signs (a type of nervous system, quantity of
nerve cells, etc.) are passed from generation to generation. Hereditary capabilities
may serve as the favorable ground for development of appropriate abilities or may
not manifest at all depending on social conditions of human development.
Everything depends on the conditions, social environment, education, and breeding
of a human being. Hereditary information carriers are genes. A human embryo has
over 40 thousand genes. Genes are stable and resistant, but they are inclined to
change, and mutations caused by internal factors and external influence (alcohol,
narcotic substances, radiation, infectious diseases, and chemical agents). Such
changes lead to hereditary diseases and are passed on to the next generation. For
example, mutation of the normal hearing related gene into a recessive gene causes
deaf-dumbness in a new-born child. Mutation of the blood coagulability-related gene
leads to hemophilia. Such cases are very common in intermarriage (between two
cousins). Medical researches show that in case when one of the parents is healthy
and another is ill the ratio of normal/ill children born to them is 1:1.
Are formed abilities passed with genes? There are some opinions on hereditary
transmission of abilities. For example, it has been established on the basis of the
study of 16 generations of the world— famous composer Bach and 4 generations of
U.Hajibayov that there were many musicians among them. However there are also
some facts disproving this opinion. For example, there were no poets and writers
among 256 descendants of Pushkin. Human natural abilities may change under the
influence of life conditions, education, and environment.
The role of environment. A human being is not only a biological but also a social
entity. The ‘environment’ concept’s content is broad; it covers a system of external
factors: natural and social conditions serving as the ground for human life and
activity. Environment may have a positive or a negative influence on a human being.
Social environment factors which have a significant influence on personality
development include favorable living conditions, cultural, educational and healthimproving institutions, labor and leisure conditions and interpersonal relations. The
environment is understood to be both natural-geographical and social conditions.
The natural-geographical environment includes atmosphere surrounding humans,
biosphere, hydrosphere and various physical factors, heat, magnetic and cosmic
effects. Human physical, mental and aesthetic development is influenced by weather,
sun, water, climate, relief, and biological rhythms. There is certain difference
between those who grew up in mountains or in in an urban setting and the people
living in lowlands and villages. Cosmic factors also affect humans. There are special
branches of science studying such influence (heliobiology, astropsychology, etc.).
Today people show certain interest in astrological calendars and forecasts. People
born under the same zodiacal sign are similar in general features and personality.
The social environment has even greater influence on human personality. There are
2 kinds of the social environment: the micro and macro environment. The micro
environment is an environment directly surrounding a human being (family, school,
job, yard, companionship, etc.). The macro environment is the public life and broad
social environment. Both environments exert considerable influence on human
development. Influence of micro-environment is great in childhood. Processes
proceeding in the society are manifested in the family, school, or staff. Democratic
character of the society, supremacy of human rights and principles of equity are of
great importance for personality development. One of parents asked famous
physicist Pythagoras: “What should I do for raising my child well-bred?”. The great
scientists answered: “If your child lives in a fair society, don’t worry about it. In the
contrary case your good education will produce no results”. The mesic environment
(aethrio-cultural factors, type of the place of residence, mass communication
facilities, etc.) also play a significant role in personality development.
The society determines demands and moral values of human personality. However,
we shouldn’t absolutize the influence exerted by the environment; it doesn’t
determine human development mechanically or by itself. The environment influence
may change depending on a level of human personal development and psychological
features. Two persons of different levels of development don’t realize this influence
in the same manner even though they live in the same environment. Thus, specific
attitude to the same environment forms in each of them. Different development of
brothers and sisters living in one and the same environment and going to one and the
same school may be explained by this fact. The environment may influence
indirectly through other people, surroundings, attitude to requirements imposed by
adults and internal position. Thus, human resistance to negative influence of any
environment increases in case of proper formation of human internal position, selfdiscipline, and interests.
The role of education. Its influence differs from the environment influence in many
aspects:
- while the environment has a spontaneous or sometimes negative influence on a
human being, impact of education is direct and planned;
- education is based on positive features of the environment and can neutralize its
negative effect;
- education can form the resistance to negative effect of the environment in a human
being;
- human attitude to the environment depends mainly on his education and is
regulated by it.
Education is also associated with biological factors. It is impossible to form any
desired features of personality only on the basis of inherited natural abilities without
the environment influence. For example, a child born in the family of musicians may
have no apparent ability for music or have mean abilities if the child wasn’t educated
at a school of music and didn’t have appropriate conditions for musical activities.
Education not only arranges human life and activity but also creates favorable
conditions for the development of his interests and abilities. Education of young
talents in various spheres of sports and artistic creation became possible in our
republic with creation of favorable conditions and organization of appropriate
education. In the process of education people acquire knowledge and develop in
terms of intellect, morality, physical abilities, etc. Their needs and world outlook
form. Being involved in various kinds of activity a human being acquires various
features of breeding and proper behavior skills and develops as an individual.
Requirements imposed by the society, teacher and parents gradually transform into
human internal needs and position and regulate his behavior, attitude, and activity.
Thus, education merges with self-cultivation and self-education.
The role of personal activity in personality development. A human being is not a
passive object of the environment and education. If education accepts a human only
as an object, a human will be deprived of many things and can’t achieve his
objectives. Neither heredity, nor the environment and education will have
appropriate influence on a human without his personal activity. Actually, human
biological and social features manifest in combination with personal activity. A
human being develops as an individual in the process of mutual influence of the
environment and education and may apply his natural abilities. Personal activity
appears in various forms: intellectual, labor, physical, artistic, and socio-political
activity. Personal activity is closely connected with involvement in various kinds of
activity. For example, learning activity promotes cultivation of knowledge and skills
in humans, their intellectual and psychical development and formation of world
outlook and moral features. Similarly labor activity plays a significant role in
formation of the features like diligence, punctuality, tidiness, and responsibility. In
the process of public activity young people gain social experience and acquire the
communication standards and team spirit. Regardless of the form of activity of
young people, personality development is an important condition for comprehension
of the surrounding world. Young people not only express themselves in their activity,
but also advance. Effectiveness of personality development depends on the
management by teachers and educators. Main forms of activity arrangement are
education and training, as well as intensive acquisition of scientific knowledge and
proper behavior experience. Concerned factors: heredity, environment, education,
and human personal activity are interconnected and interdependent. All factors
should be taken as a unit or a complex in education.
15.Student personality and its features
Youth is the period of prosperity in personality. This period is very effective for the
development of several psychical functions and especially intellectual features.
Theoretical and logical thinking, memory, especially logical memory, also achieves
the highest level of development. Researcher Stepanova states that the age from 18
to 21 is characterized by the high level of thinking and memory and relatively low
level of attention. The range of interests of students is wide: their interests are not
limited only by education but also cover other spheres of activity (sports, art, science
and public activity, organization of private life, etc.). They mature in intellectual,
moral, and socio-political aspects. Many areas of theoretical notions (love, family,
friendship, etc.) take on practical significance for young people. Behavior and moral
development of young students depend mainly on their moral consciousness, belief,
and attitude. They acquire proper behavioral skills depending on surrounding
conditions and situation. Students try to affirm their independence and ‘adulthood’.
They protest the teachers who don’t believe them, don’t treat them like ‘adults’ or
look down on students. Such cases including pressure from the parents cause
negative reaction in many students (especially in boys). A sense of ‘adulthood’
merges in young people with senses of self-expression, self-assertion, and
individuality. Teachers should respect their sense of ‘adulthood’ and personality and
help them in self-expression and self-assertion. Young people are ready for any
forms of selflessness. They are plain with people, courage and fearless, more
romantic and live with dreams. However, some of them mix romantics with artificial
and unrealistic notion about life. As a result, some negative facts take place (laziness,
depression): they feel as if everything that surrounds them is boring, dull, and
primitive. When teachers meet such cases, they should try to revive belief in life and
hope for future in such students. Self-analysis, criticism, self-criticism, and selfappraisal are typical for young people. They like to criticize and often run to an
extreme when appraising others. Sometimes such extremity transforms into negative
attitude to teachers’ thoughts, opinions or advises. Sometimes self-appraisal of
students may be unrealistic and inconsistent. Self-appraisal is carried out by
comparison of ideal and real “I”. Often ideal “I” can’t be perceived enough, and real
“I” is not clear enough (hazy and fantastic). Such cases may lead to lack of selfconfidence that in turn is followed by external aggression and rudeness. The right
choice of major subjects has a positive influence on active and responsible attitude
to study and formation of necessary features in students. Experience shows that the
students who have conscientious attitude to the specialties selected at university
display interest and diligence in study, fulfill all home tasks at the high level, display
activity during lectures and seminars. On the contrary, the students joining the
faculty by accident are indifferent and undisciplined at lectures, make no notes, seat
at the back of the classroom and talk or play with cell phones. Sometimes such
students “cooperate” with a negative motive and impede lectures or classes. For
prevention of such cases the dean’s office, subdepartments and teachers should
conduct individual work with students on their study and selected profession, form
interest and bent, try to explain their role in public life and personal life of youth.
Intellectual, moral and psychical development of students is connected with conflicts
and their resolution. Certain social and psychological conflicts are typical for youth.
Let’s specify some of them:
- Conflict between extensive dreams of young students and capabilities for their
accomplishment;
- Conflict between increase in material and moral needs and financial capacities for
their satisfaction;
- Conflict between large volume of information and capabilities and means for its
comprehension;
- Conflict between the necessities of learning large volume of educational material
and the students’ time budget;
- Conflict between strict norms and rules of higher schools and the students’
independence and freedom, etc.
The abovementioned conflicts connected with personality development of young
students and ways of their resolution are of great importance in the improvement of
educational work in higher schools.
16.Pedagogical and psychological conditions of personality development in
students
There are several specific factors typical for the pedagogical process that play a
significant role alongside with the specified general factors of the students’
personality development. Such factors include:
- Personal activity of students;
- Proper organization of the educational process;
- Proper arrangement of pedagogical communication;
- Influence of the student community;
- Thorough study of intellectual knowledge;
- Involvement of students in self-education and reading;
- Study of human and national values;
-Effective organization of the students’ time budget, etc.
Personality forms in the process of activity. Activity is a form of attitude to the world
surrounding an individual. Personal qualities are based on a unity of strong
consistent motives and consistent behavior. The same form of behavior may acquire
different nuances depending on a motive: diligence under the influence of a sense of
duty or for the sake of a teacher’s praise (or for a good mark). Success of the
educational work is directly connected with the student’s personal activity. Wellorganized purposeful activity of students is also an important condition for the
successful breeding. Being involved in the process of work, sports, scientific and
technical, artistic, and socio-political activity students acquire important personal
qualities and public experience, study the life and human relations, become morally
enriched and form as a specialist.
Proper organization of communication, especially the pedagogical communication,
also plays a significant role among the factors influencing on personality
development of students. The educational effect of the pedagogical communication
organized based on democratic principles is more powerful. Teacher-student
relations should be established according to the cooperation principle: a teacher
should take a student as an individual, should trust him and treat with care, attention,
and respect, serve as a model and be fair in everything.
The student community also has great influence on personality development of
young students: it promotes formation of mutual relations and team spirit in students,
as well as comparison of personal and public interests. Public opinion of the
community has strong educational power for students. Students are sensitive about
the community opinion and take it seriously. That’s why it is very important to direct
attention at the formation of a sound public opinion in student groups that would be
directed against certain negative cases, at the protection of truth and justice and
establishment of frank relations in the community. Involvement in self-education
and reading also hold a prominent place among the factors influencing the
intellectual, ideological, and mental education of students. Studying sciences, human
and national values students become intellectually and morally rich. Self-education
starts from books. Humans would be empty without reading. They would be
deprived of the greatest happiness of a man of culture, communication with books,
intellectual and aesthetic enjoyment. A teacher is a prime force here. Teacher’s deep
knowledge, reading, mental outlook, culture and personal example cultivate in
students love for knowledge and books.
17.Teacher’s role in society and pedagogical process. Features of teacher’s
activity.
Teachers play a big role in education and study of children and bringing them up as
highly skilled professionals. Future of the society and nations depends on teachers.
There is a saying that illiterate teachers and doctors are enough to destroy a nation:
the first will make people morally and the latest physically disabled. This case
requires special attention in training of teacher staff. Teacher delivers the experience
gained by the older generation to the younger generation. A good teacher does not
take less trouble than parents in education of a child; he forms intellectual and moral
world of persons and makes future of the society. It is a teacher who educates all
people – doctors, scientists, military leaders, politicians etc. The level of knowledge
and education, formation of mind and sense of the younger generation, depend on
teachers, their professional skills and citizenship qualities. Features of the profession
of teacher must be taken into consideration to properly organize pedagogical activity.
These features include:
a) The profession of teacher is an honorable activity since teacher dedicates his life
to the future of the people. The life which is dedicated to the people is happiness.
b) The profession of teacher is responsible activity, since teacher works with the
precious capital; mistakes may not be allowed here. Plato has said on this occasion
that if a shoemaker sewed defective shoes, only one person would suffer from this
mistake; but if a teacher was not able to properly cope with his work, a generation
consisting of illiterate and indecent persons would form in the society.
c) The profession of teacher is very difficult and complicated work, since human,
object of teacher’s activity is complicated. Each young person is unique, is an
individual having peculiar properties, different inner features. A teacher should
know his students well, should be a good psychologist and should be able to “read”
hearts: “To educate – is first to know, recognize a person. Education without studying
a person, understanding all the complicated processes going on in his head is
senseless” (Sukhomlinski). Difficulty of pedagogical activity is also denoted in the
fact that person educated by a teacher is changeable; weak and undisciplined student
may be improved and vice versa.
d) The profession of teacher is creative work; since teacher can’t work with by
certain instructions. He should independently and creatively approach problems in
each certain case and make nonstandard decisions. Thus, he should be able to think
independently and creatively. Pedagogical activity is creative activity by its nature.
A teacher encounters with very different and sometimes unexpected questions in his
daily work. These questions don’t have concrete answers. A teacher as a researcher
analyses the pedagogical situation emerged (diagnosing), plans results of the
measure to be taken (forecasting), selects relevant methods and tools and applies
them. According to Blonski, famous Russian pedagogue and psychologist, a real
teacher must be Socrates, but not encyclopedic dictionary. In other words, a teacher
acting within the framework of general principles and provisions regulating the
process of education and study must approach creatively, but not spontaneously.
Each teacher has the right to take an initiative, demonstrate his creativity, express
his individuality, and determine his own pedagogical line and style as well.
18.Functions, rights and duties of higher school teacher
Efficiency of higher school teacher is closely related with highly implementation of
the functions by him. These functions include: instructive, educative, developing,
motivating and scientific researching functions.
Instructive function is expressed in inculcating systematized scientific knowledge
on the given profile and professional skills in students at higher schools. Deliverance
of ready information to students is not enough in this process; it’s important to
increase the sense of independence in students and involve them in creative
researches. The main importance must be attached to thought and independent
thinking, but not memory. A teacher creates an opportunity for development of
students’ independent and critical thinking ability by posing them the questions such
as “Why?”, “By what feature is it differed?” “Which one is correct?”, “What do you
think about it?”, etc. instead of the questions such as “What is it?”, “What is it
called?”, “Which are they?”. Each teacher should inculcate the need for self-study
in the students. According to Sukhomlinski, if a teacher lags behind his intellectual
development even a day, he will be deprived of being torch of knowledge for his
students.
Educative function is expressed in rendering assistance to formation of individual
and professional properties necessary for a specialist in students and their
development as mature persons by all means – content and the process of organizing
study, methods, and tools. Each subject taught at higher schools has its peculiar
educative opportunities. By using these opportunities a teacher should try to
inculcate ideological-moral as well as ethical values in students. The most important
factor is that higher school teacher should be an example for students by his
personality as a literate person, since person is educated by person, honest by honest,
belief by belief and fairness by fairness. The educative function is realized by several
methods, including by properly establishing relations between a teacher and students.
These relations must be sincere, attentive, kind, and humane relations based on
mutual belief, trust, respect, and demand. A teacher should inculcate in students the
will of improving themselves, forming positive qualities and avoiding drawbacks
and should direct students and timely appreciate their progress. Real education is to
stimulate students to self-education.
Developing function – is expressed in ensuring mental development of youth in the
process of instruction and education. In addition to the duties regarding giving
knowledge, a teacher should settle the problems on development of personality of
the youth. To make students conduct researches, think independently and provide
them some problems to analyze are far more efficient than delivering them some
ready information. Analyzing problems, hypothesizing, coming to some conclusions
give a student the senses of self-confirmation, pride and self-respect and stimulates
him to independently solve new problems.
Motivating function – is expressed in stimulating and orienting a student by different
methods. The main factor is formation of moral needs in a student. No one can be
instructed by force or threat. A student may gain knowledge only by his own efforts
and activity. Favorable condition should be ensured for this purpose during the
process of instruction. Such kind of experiment was carried out: a cluster of students
which was assigned the same task, was divided into 3 groups: teacher appraised and
motivated the students included in the first group; showed mistakes and strictly
reproached the students included in the second group; and he didn’t approach any
student in the third group. While checking the task assigned the students it was found
out that the best result was obtained by the first group and the worst result by the
third group. Academician Mirzajanzade, interpreting this experiment in the work of
“Introduction to specialty”, concluded that teacher should not threaten students
(pupils) by nervous actions or examination grades in difficult points of instruction
process. Motives are closely related with emotion in education as is the case in all
areas. An activity should cause positive emotions to motivate a person to that activity.
Negative emotions (fear, disbelief, uneasiness, anxiety) decrease efforts to any work
and instruction. Endearing words, appraisal, positive opinion, confidence, assistance
in difficult points by the teacher motivate students and stimulate them to study well.
Studying, independent reading, exercising of problems must attract students. A
student who studies without any difficulty will probably gain better results; the
process of study motivates students.
Scientific-researching function – is more specific function for a higher school
teacher. Unlike secondary school it is science that is taught at higher schools and a
teacher is a scientist as well as researcher working on certain scientific problems.
Researching function intends researches to be conducted by the teacher in the field
of increasing quality of mastering the sciences taught at higher schools and efficient
organizing pedagogical process as well.
Implementation of the above-mentioned functions by teachers in a coordinated and
complex way may render assistance in efficient organizing pedagogical activity at
higher schools and educating young students. Teacher’s functions are an integral part
of his rights and duties. Educator’s rights and duties were reflected in the Education
Law of Azerbaijan Republic (article 33). Educator’s rights are:
‐be provided with normal conditions for work, scientific pedagogical activity and
education and technologies that meet modern standards;
‐get actively involved in organization and management of the instruction process in
accordance with charter of the educational establishment;
‐freely choose forms, methods and tools for teaching;
‐require respect for his /her honor and dignity;
‐hold positions at educational establishments and elect and be elected to elective
posts in relevant cases;
‐have further training, master a new specialty, have probationary period, advance
professional level and scientific degrees;
‐receive premiums and be rewarded in the established way;
‐for professors who have exceptional long-term services and important contributions
by keeping monthly salary, additional salary, and other privileges, if they will be
dismissed from academic and administrative offices.
Educator’s duties are:
‐participate in implementing the national policy in the field of education;
‐ ensure mastering of training programs;
‐ ensure formation of active citizenship position in students, to educate them in the
spirit of patriotism and inculcate love for Azerbaijan and prepare them for
independent life and labor activity;
‐instill the senses of care and respect for the independence, Constitution and laws,
state emblems of our republic, history, culture, language, traditions of our nation,
national and international values as well as society and environment in students;
‐ comply with pedagogical ethics and moral norms, honor the reputation of the
profession of a teacher and set a good example as a literate person;
‐pay respect to students’ honor and dignity;
‐protect children and youth from physical and mental violence and deter them from
bad habits;
‐ advance professional and scientific-pedagogical level, conduct scientific
researches, hold additional workshops and extracurricular activities.
Teacher’s above-mentioned rights and duties are closely interrelated.
19.Teacher’s professional skills
Efficiency of educational process depends on teacher’s personal properties and, his
pedagogical professional skills. Pedagogical professional skills mean set of
pedagogical-psychological qualities featured higher results in the process of
instruction and education. Main pedagogical skills are: academic (theoretical),
didactic, constructive, communicative, organizational and perceptive skills.
Academic (theoretical) skills – are skills related to certain branch of science (physics,
mathematics, pedagogy, psychology, etc.). Academically skilled teacher is
distinguished by his high scientific training, wide world outlook and deeper interest
in scientific problems. He independently approaches the science, topic taught by him
as well as lecture materials, brings scientific knowledge to the attention of audience,
substantiates his thoughts from scientific point of view, and rouses interests for the
science.
Didactic skills – are teacher’s teaching skills. Sometimes even a teacher is not able
to teach though his scientific level is very high. However didactically skilled teacher
delivers scientific knowledge to the students better, explains subjects in the way that
the students can understand and that is relevant to the students’ level and tries to
denote his thought in simple, clear, and perceivable way. A teacher thinks of the level
of difficulty of the material to be taught while getting prepared for it and
distinguishes the most important points. If necessary: regulates size and level of
difficulty of the material. A teacher should improve his pedagogical-psychological
training, master advanced pedagogical experience, participate in classes conducted
by his colleagues and take advantages from the positive sides and try to creatively
use them in his own practice to master didactic skills.
Constructive skills – are expressed in teacher’s skills to plan activity of his own and
his students. An experienced teacher determines purpose and duties of the subject,
taught by him, defines what kind of knowledge and skills will be inculcated in the
students as well as size of the materials and systems, methods and tools to be applied
and plans all kinds and forms of activity (lecture, exercise, individual activity,
scientific researches, extracurricular activity, etc.) to be held with the students for
this purpose. Constructive skills create an opportunity to properly define strategy
and tactics of the process of instruction and education and act expediently.
Communicative skills – are expressed in skills of establishing mutual relations with
others. Teachers having these skills can properly communicate with students, gain
respect of the students and colleagues and obtain high results in the process of
instruction and education. Pedagogical communication is featured by mastering
some good qualities by a teacher: optimism, kindness, humanism, sociability,
fairness, sensitiveness, attentiveness, carefulness, respect and demand, ability to
understand others, confidence in others, etc. Only a real teacher properly coordinates
types of communication (official and unofficial communication) and organizes his
activity based on the style of democratic communication (cooperation, mild tone of
voice, request, advice, taking into consideration of students’ interests and demands,
opinions and desires, etc.). Communication activity of such kind of a teacher is
unstable and dynamic: essence and features of communication as well as tone of
voice may change depending on situation, purpose, and students’ behavior, etc. A
teacher may be serious and mild, ironic, and furious, authoritarian and liberal
depending on a given situation, person’s educational level. Besides, his emotional
condition may change from secret sympathy into cold relations, from sincerity into
strictness and vice-versa. Perception of others during communication process is
related to several factors. Person’s world outlook, faith and vision, features of his
demands and the state of meeting those demands, special importance of others for
him (participation in meeting of his some demands) may be considered significant
factors. Person may differently approach others (negatively or positively, critically
or gently) depending on those factors. Strictness, rudeness, rancorousness,
unsociability, and other qualities are dominant in men of negative type of personality.
They look at others through “black glasses”, perceive them in a negative plan and
approach them negatively. However, positive communicative base dominates in kind,
sensitive, sincere, and honest persons. Such kinds of persons look at others through
“green glasses”, perceive them in a positive plan and approach them positively.
Negative and positive types of communication are also observed among teachers. A
teacher addresses to a student who didn’t exercise the task by the reason of his
disease: “Your disease doesn’t concern me, this exercise must be ready tomorrow;
otherwise you’ll get 0”. However, another teacher takes different position: “I regret
that you were not able to exercise your task by the reason of your disease. But do it
when you are able. You may take my advice, if necessary”. As it is obvious,
approaches of these 2 teachers to the same situation are very different: the negative
type of communication is demonstrated in the first case and positive type of
communication in the latest. If the first teacher considers the student just as an object
of education, the second teacher approaches him as an active subject of education.
Each teacher should try to build humanist communicative base in relation towards
others both in himself and his students. Only in this case the teacher will be able to
build up normal communication with the students and will gain more influence.
Pedagogical tact plays an important role among communicative skills. Pedagogical
tact is expressed in observing certain limits, not exceeding the established barriers
in communication, and finding “the golden mean”. Ushinski wrote on this occasion
that strictness which allows joking (but not in all points), softness which does not
exceed the limits, fairness which does not become into irrelevant cavil and
impartiality, kindness which does not exceed its limits, observance of rules and
regulations which doesn’t involve paltriness and the most important factor, regular
wise activity must dominate at schools. Exceeding the established limit during
communication process may cause counter effect: excessive demand results in
disobedience, excessive mildness results in disrespect, excessive critics offends
other’s pride and causes the sense of self-protection and objection. Pedagogical tact
is expressed in the ability of skillfully solving difficult situation. Sometimes a
teacher tries to substitute negative emotions with positive emotions to settle the
problem. For example, a student talks and impedes the teacher delivering a lecture.
A teacher may prevent from tension, conflict, and unpleasant situation by
substituting negative emotion (cry, threat, punishment and critics) with positive
emotion (humor, fun and irony) (“Hey guy, you seem to be keen on speaking, please,
keep your mouth till the break”, “You are talking without a stop today”). A teacher
having pedagogical tact does not allow critics in his activity much more, since
students study better under the condition of appraisal and tenderness in comparison
with critics. Communicative skills are closely interrelated with organizational skills.
Organizational skills are the skills of a teacher of organizing and directing activities
of his own and his students. These skills are of great importance for pedagogical
activity because of its organizational nature. Organizational skill is also expressed
in organizing and strengthening student staff, mobilizing them for solution of the
duties set before and motivating and stimulating them.
Perceptive skills – are the skills of penetrating student’s inner world and perceiving
his mental state. This includes several skills: pedagogical observation, feeling pity
for others and pedagogical intuition. Pedagogical observance is the skill of obtaining
information about student’s inner world, mental state, and development (shortages
in knowledge and behavior or some positive changes). Observance is closely related
with another skill – empathy (to understand others, share their sorrow). To perceive
inner world of other persons (including through facial expression), to share their joy
and sorrow are of great importance in each type of communication, especially in
pedagogical communication. A teacher should consider himself in the place of the
students and try to share their interests and care. Observation and practice give rise
to development of intuitive skill. Intuition is also expressed in pedagogical mind in
teacher’s activity. Famous educator Makarenko had special pedagogical sense. He
wrote in his work of “Pedagogical poem”: “I was able to precisely say at the first
sight that which product might be obtained from each raw material (person) based
on appearance – voice, walking, smell and some other petty details of a person”.
A teacher who perfectly mastered the above-mentioned skills will be able to obtain
higher results in the process of instruction and education by properly building up
communication. Pedagogical skills are closely interrelated with teacher’s personal
qualities.
20.Teacher’s personal qualities and pedagogical skills
Teacher’s pedagogical activity is an integral part of his personal qualities. A teacher,
first of all, educates by his personality. Therefore, he should be a real person and
perfect himself as a mature person. Once Ushinski, famous Russian pedagogue and
psychologist, dealt with the problem and wrote that any training program or textbook
can’t substitute teacher’s personality in the process of instruction and education: A
person may only be brought up by another person. A teacher may have several
personal qualities. They may be divided into certain groups:
1. Teacher’s ideological-citizenship qualities. This category includes the qualities
such as teacher’s belief, faith and convictions, citizenship maturity, political
consciousness, scientific world outlook, social activity, and intellectual level. A
teacher should feel problems of his nation and native land and bring up the youth in
this spirit. People’s poet B.Vahabzade remembers Huseyn Javid, once was his
teacher of literature, and his difficult life and how he taught them with a heavy heart
by being deeply touched as well. Such kind of honorable and patriot teachers played
a big role in educating the famous poet in the national-moral spirit, in the spirit of
love for Azerbaijan and as a patriot poet-citizen. We need more such kind of teachers
today – after gaining independence as well.
2. Teacher’s professional qualities. This category includes teacher’s scientific
knowledge, higher professional training, pedagogical-psychological and methodical
skills, optimism, demand, the sense of responsibility, awareness of student’s
psychology, the skill of building up proper and mutual relations with them, causing
interest in students towards the subject that is being taught, etc. The most important
factor is that a teacher should comprehensively know and love his branch. It’s not
accidental that uneducated teacher was likened to a lamp having no light or to a
spring having no water. Students also pay special importance to teacher’s scientific
level while appreciating him. 85% of students and postgraduate students participated
in the inquiry held in the subject of “My lovely teacher” mentioned teacher’s
scientific training, love for as well as causing interest to his branch as the main
factors. It’s known from practice that the subject which is loved, is mastered faster
and better. Another quality which is highly appreciated and interrelated with
pedagogical skills is the skill of building up communication by a teacher with
students, approaching them as mature persons and establish relations which are
based on sincerity, respect, and demand. Pedagogical professionalism demands
some professional qualities:
Sociability – creates an opportunity to penetrate into student’s inner world;
The ability to take oneself in hand – creates an opportunity for the teacher to control
his feelings;
Insistence – helps to attain the goal set before and to be high-principled man;
Mutual understanding – if a teacher and student don’t understand each other, their
relations may become cold or even a conflict may arise;
Carefulness – as far as educator carefully approaches his students, they will be more
sincere with the educator; an egoist teacher who loves just himself may not be a good
educator;
Optimism and sense of humor – help to create optimistic and good mood in the team.
In addition to the above-mentioned properties, a professional teacher should gain
new pedagogical thinking ability, be able to creatively approach solution of cognitive
and practical problems and pay attention to development of independent, critical,
creative, and dialectical thought in the students.
3. Teacher’s personal-moral qualities. This category includes fairness, kindness,
humanism, honesty, trustfulness, simplicity, modesty, accountability, culture,
pedagogical ethics, and other qualities. A good teacher is, first of all, a good educator
and noble and cultured person. The profession of teacher is humanist profession.
Humanism is mutually related to kindness, fairness, and demand. Fairness – is the
basis of pedagogical culture: “Fairness ennobles human heart; however unfairness
coarsens it and causes cruelty” (Sukhomlinski). A teacher should be the example of
moral purity, since without this factor he will not have moral right to act as an
educator. Person being unstable from moral point of view can’t be assigned the
responsible work of education of the younger generation, because a teacher can’t
inculcate the qualities which he doesn’t have, in others. A teacher can bring up the
youth as noble persons owing to his high cultural level and morality. He must have
external and internal culture, positive moral qualities (honesty, truthfulness,
simplicity, kindness, etc.) and be a mature person.
4. Teacher’s volitional-emotional qualities. A teacher should be strong-willed and
patient and be able to control his emotional state. A teacher should be able to control
his feelings, words, actions and must not get nervous for each petty problem, though
it is very difficult to work with students of various character and level. Nervousness,
cry, threat, and punishment are indicators of teacher’s pedagogical inexperience: if
there is cry, uproar, there will be roughness, misunderstanding and conflicts. One of
the important factors for the teacher is having an influence among students. A teacher,
being the example of deep knowledge, culture, and morality, will have wide
influence. Gaining an influence is very hard, but losing it is very easy: tactless action,
unfair approach or careless word may cause to a teacher to lose his influence.
Therefore, every teacher should responsibly approach his speeches and actions and
be on guard of his influence. Higher influence is the main indicator and result of
teacher’s pedagogical skills.
21. Teacher’s pedagogical skills
Teacher’s pedagogical skills mean gaining efficient results by undertaking less labor
and spending less time. Pedagogical skills are set of humanist orientation in teacher’s
activity, his pedagogical knowledge and abilities and pedagogical methods as well.
Let’s separately consider these elements of pedagogical skills.
1)Humanist orientation of teacher’s personality – is the basis of pedagogical activity
and skills. This category includes ideas, interests, trends, world outlook, view of
pedagogical activity, etc. Humanist orientation helps teacher to take proper position
in solution of certain daily problems, act expediently, build up normal
communication with the students and properly determine strategy and tactics of
pedagogical activity.
2) Pedagogical professional knowledge – is the main term of teacher’s
professionalism. It’s impossible to be a professional teacher without perfectly
mastering scientific-pedagogical knowledge and applying theoretical knowledge in
the practice. A teacher should also master psychological knowledge and should be a
good psychologist. According to Ushinski, a teacher who doesn’t know pedagogy
and psychology well is likened to quack doctor who is not trained in the field of
medicine. Of course, “treatment” provided by such kind of “doctor” will not yield
any result. It’s also same in the case of teacher-educator: a teacher, who doesn’t know
pedagogy and psychology acts spontaneously in pedagogical activity, is not be able
to exert influence on his students.
3) Another important element of pedagogical skills is pedagogical-professional
abilities. A teacher may be considered professional pedagogue in case he mastered
the professional skills mentioned in the previous section – academic, didactic,
constructive, communicative, organizational, perceptive, and other skills. Higher
results may be obtained in case these skills are applied by being interrelated and in
a complex way, but not separately. Emotional approach, sensitivity towards human
being – student’s (pupil’s) personality which is at the stage of formation are highly
appreciated. Sensible teacher penetrates into students’ inner world, understands them,
shares their joy and sorrow and tries to bring them up as sensible and mature persons.
4) Another important factor of teacher’s pedagogical skills is pedagogical method.
Pedagogical method is external part of teacher’s behavior and expressed in several
abilities: teacher’s appearance, self-control, emotional state, speech standards, etc.
Teacher’s appearance should meet aesthetic and pedagogical requirements: dress
and hair should be orderly and accessories and make-up used by women teachers
must be within the limits. Aesthetic effect of teacher’s appearance should be
reflected in his facial expression, in the style of walking, sitting, looking, gestures.
Such petty details in behavior should create an impression in the students about
teacher’s being calm, patient, kind, and confident person. Teacher’s sprawling on a
chair, continuously staring at the floor, languid arms and indifferent looks reveal his
weakness and disbelief. Teacher’s facial expression and gestures should correspond
to content of his speech and serve to increase emotional influence of the information:
if he talks about a pleasant matter, his facial expression should also be fine, eyes
should “smile” and voice tone should be mild. It’s not accepted to talk about a serious
problem smilingly. A teacher should be optimist and in good mood, be able to joke,
if necessary, and have the sense of humor. It is important factor for the teacher to
control his emotional state in various situations (in classes, during communication
or when is glad, sad, or nervous). The above-mentioned elements of pedagogical
skills are mutually related. A person may not be pedagogically skilled at once; a
teacher can be professional pedagogue by regularly, systematically, and expediently
improving himself. According to Makarenko, pedagogical skills are to be taught to
future teachers and they should have special training in a way that doctors and
musicians are taught relevant skills.