Sukhomlinsky And His Children

August 16, 2015 5 Comments

The famous Ukrainian educator, Vasilii Sukhomlinsky, had a special relationship with the children with whom he worked.  He had the ability to immerse himself into the child’s awe-struck world of wonder and discovery.  Sukhomlinsky knew how to instruct without being didactic.  He was ever sensitive to a child’s desire to learn and ask questions.

In China, virtually all of his works have been translated and he is considered one of the greatest of the world’s educators.  In the West, alas, such is not the case.  However, through the efforts of Australian Sukhomlinsky scholar, Alan Cockerill, Sukhomlinsky’s name is gaining prominence.  Alan has established a site and a newsletter to promote Sukhomlinsky’s multi-faceted pedagogy.  He has translated several of Sukhomlinsky’s works and has been a tireless supporter of the Ukrainian educator’s work.  Most importantly, he has put together a video showing Sukomlinsky interacting with his children.  The video is in Russian with English subtitles.  To watch this brief video, please go to my facebook page at:  facebook.com/robertmkweiss.

Filed under Education, Language, Nature, Ukrainian Education, Vasilii Sukhomlinsky Tagged with , , ,

About Robert M. Weiss
From an early age, I've taken great pleasure in reading. Also, I learned to play my 78 player when I was quite young, and enjoyed listening to musicals and classical music. I remember sitting on the floor, and following the text and pictures of record readers, which were popular in the 1940s and 50s. My favorites were the Bozo and Disney albums. I also enjoyed watching the slow spinning of 16s as they spun out tales of adventure. I have always been attracted by rivers, and I love to sit on a boulder with my feet in the water, gazing into the mysteries of swirling currents. I especially like inner tubing on the Rogue River in Southern Oregon. Since my early youth, I've been interested in collecting minerals, which have taught me about the wonderful possibilities in colors and forms. Sometimes I try to imagine what the ancient Greeks must have felt when they began to discover physical laws in nature. I also remember that I had a special passion for numbers, and used to construct them out of stones. After teaching Russian for several years, I became a writer, interviewer, editor, and translator. I continue to delight in form, and am a problem solver at heart.

5 Responses to Sukhomlinsky And His Children

  1. berlioz1935 says:
    August 19, 2015 at 11:03 pm

    An excellent video describing the Sukhomlinsky Method. I wish the people who have the say in the education of our children would take note. Thank you for sharing. I will follow your FB page from now on.

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  2. Robert M. Weiss says:
    August 20, 2015 at 1:51 am

    Thanks for taking the time to watch the video, Peter. Alan and I wish to express our appreciation.

    Like

    Reply
  3. lisaburkett says:
    September 6, 2015 at 3:56 pm

    Sukhomlinsky’s way of engaging the children in thought using nature was brilliant. As the child’s mind spins with the possibilities and the imagination flows, questions develop. Today so many children stop thinking for themselves and just get fed information that becomes useless because of the lack of imagination and individuality. Thank you for sharing Robert. I hold his teachings close to my heart.

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  4. Robert M. Weiss says:
    September 6, 2015 at 6:12 pm

    Thank you, Lisa, for taking the time to read this post. I, too, have a special place for Sukhomlinsky in my heart.

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