Konstantin Ushinsky: a short biography

Ushinsky Konstantin Dmitrievich became famous first of all as the Russian founder of pedagogy, and then as a writer. However, the life of this talented person was not long, the illness took away all his strength from him, he was in a hurry to work and do as much as possible for others. In 1867, he returned to his homeland from Europe and a few years later, in 1871 (according to a new style), he died, he was only 47 years old.

Konstantin Ushinsky really did a lot for Russia. His passionate dream, recorded in his personal diary from his youth, was to become useful to his Fatherland. Correct education and enlightenment of the younger generation and this person devoted his life.

Konstantin Ushinsky: a short biography

Kostya was born in Tula on February 19 in 1823 in the family of a small nobleman - a retired officer, a veteran of the war of 1812. Biography Ushinsky Konstantin Dmitrievich indicates that he spent his childhood in the town of Novgorod-Seversky, located in the Chernigov province, in a small parental estate, where his father was sent to work as a judge. His mother died very early, at that time he was 12 years old.

After graduating from the local gymnasium, Konstantin became a student at the Law Faculty of Moscow University. He graduated with honors. Two years later he became an acting professor of cameral sciences at the Yaroslavl law school.

However, his brilliant career was quickly interrupted - in 1849. Ushinsky was fired for "riots" among the student youth, this was promoted by his progressive views.

Beginning of pedagogical activity

Konstantin Ushinsky was forced to work in a petty official position in the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Such activities did not satisfy him and even aroused disgust (he wrote about this in his diaries).

The writer received the greatest pleasure from his literary work in the magazines "Library for Reading" and "Contemporary", where he placed his articles, translations from English and reviews of materials published in foreign print media.

In 1854, Konstantin Ushinsky began to work as a teacher, then an inspector at the Gatchina Orphan Institute, where he manifests himself as an excellent teacher, an expert in the fundamentals of upbringing and education.

Proceedings

Under the influence of the development of the social pedagogical movement in 1857-1858. Ushinsky wrote several articles in the "Journal for Education", which became a turning point in his fate, he immediately came to authority and fame.

In 1859 he received the post of inspector of Smolny Institute of Noble Maidens. In this famous institution, closely connected with the royal family, at that time the atmosphere of ingratiating and servility flourished. All training was conducted in the spirit of Christian morality, which eventually resulted in the inculcation of secular manners, devotion to tsarism and a minimum of real knowledge.

Reforms

Ushinsky immediately reformed the institute: despite the resistance of reactionary teachers, he introduced a new training plan. Now the main subject was Russian language and literature, as well as natural sciences. In the lessons of physics and chemistry, he introduced experiments, since these visual principles of teaching contributed to better assimilation and understanding of topics. At that time the best teachers were invited - methodologists on literature, geography, history, etc., and this is Vodovozov VI, Semenov DD, Semevsky MI.

An interesting solution was the introduction of a two-year pedagogical class in excess of the general educational seven classes, so that the pupils are better prepared for useful work. He also introduces into the practice of pedagogical work conferences and meetings for teachers. Pupils receive the right to rest on vacation and on holidays with their parents.

Konstantin Ushinsky was very happy with all these events. Biography for children will be interesting also because it was for them that he wrote a lot of amazing tales and stories.

Children's Reader

At the same time, in 1861, Ushinsky created an anthology "Children's World" in Russian for the younger classes in two parts, which included the material on natural science.

In the years 1860-1861. He is editing the "Journal of the Ministry of Public Education", completely changes the uninteresting and dry program there and turns it into a scientific and pedagogical journal.

All his time is devoted to this business, Mr. Ushinsky Konstantin Dmitrievich. A brief biography indicates that his works have brought many benefits to society. He writes and puts into the journals quite reactionary articles. For such self-will, the author could not fail to pay. He was persecuted, his colleagues accused him of political unreliability and free-thinking.

Experience in Europe

In 1862, he was dismissed from the Smolny Institute. And then the Tsar's government sends him abroad on a long trip to study European women's education. Ushinsky takes this trip as a link.

However, he gets down to business, studies everything with great interest and visits a number of European countries. In Switzerland, he especially scrupulously studies the setting of primary education. Konstantin Ushinsky presents his conclusions and generalizations in the textbook for class reading "Native Word" and the methodology for it. Then he prepares two volumes "Man as an object of education" and collects all the materials for the third.

Disease and unhappiness

In recent years, he acted as a public figure. He published many articles on Sunday schools and the schools of artisan children, he was also a participant in the pedagogical congress in the Crimea. In 1870 he visited several educational institutions in Simferopol and willingly met with teachers and their pupils.

One of the teachers, IP Derkachev recalled that in the summer of 1870 Ushinsky, on his return home from the Crimea to Bogdanka Gluhovsky uyezd (Chernigov region), wanted to call on his friend NA Korfu in Yekaterinoslav, but he could not do it. One of the reasons was his cold, and then the tragic death of his eldest son Paul. After that Ushinsky together with his family moved to live in Kiev and bought a house on Tarasovskaya. And immediately with his sons he goes to the Crimea for treatment. On the way, Ushinsky Konstantin Dmitrievich gets cold and stops in Odessa for treatment, but soon dies, it was in January 1871 (according to a new style). He was buried in Kiev in the Vydubitsky Monastery.

Favorite women Ushinsky

The wife of KD Ushinsky was Nadezhda Semyonovna Doroshenko. He met her in Novgorod-Seversky. She was from an ancient Cossack family. Ushinsky married her in the summer of 1851 during a business trip in this city. They had five children.

Daughter Faith (for her husband Poto) in Kiev on their own money opened a men's City College, named after his father. The second daughter Hope for the money from her father's work created an elementary school in the village of Bogdanka, where Ushinsky once lived.