The subject matter of the analysis is the state of Polish pedagogical thought during the period between socialist orthodoxy and the heterogeneity of pedagogy open to pluralism. The synthetic study commences with a criticism of orthodox socialist pedagogy in the years 1948–1989, indicating its leaders and the trend of  educational ideas and practices that were opposed to it. This last movement was evidence of the heterodoxic phase of development of Polish pedagogical thought, which preserved the achievements of outstanding humanists from the interwar period (1918–1939) while maintaining contacts with world science and supporting the independent underground education of Polish society. This allowed Polish pedagogy to regain its own scientific identity after 1989, i.e. in the heterogeneity phase that characterises the development of social and human sciences in democratic states. The author presents the scientific schools, theories and models of education that were absent (because of being censored) in times of orthodoxy and that – in spite of damages in the times of two totalitarianisms (fascism and Bolshevism) – have been developing in Poland for one hundred years, situating its pedagogy in the centre of intradisciplinary and interdisciplinary comparative research on modern pedagogical thought around the world.

The article highlights and justifies the sources, achievements and need to further develop the pedagogy of animating activities. The author points to the multiple “loops” accompanying the constitution of this relatively new pedagogical sub discipline, referring to history and a comparative perspective. Animation is an original field of pedagogical activity with a significant educational, social, cultural and even economic potential. The achievements of Polish pedagogy of animating activities are impressive but little known around the world. The author refers to key academic centres, scientific publications and concepts regarding components of knowledge about animation, noting the need for its permanent updating.

The origins of educational science are tied to the anti-naturalistic breakthrough in the humanities and to the work of such authors as W. Dilthey, H. Rickert, J. Kerschensteiner, E. Spranger, or T. Litt. In Poland, the so-called ‘pedagogy of culture’ has enjoyed a broad, diverse and multi-threaded kind of development. A personal- creative role of values in the process of education lies at its core, while the pluralism of its directions stems from the different philosophical bases (along with religions affiliated with them) that became the constituents of its concepts. The paper identifies three main directions in the development of pedagogy of culture in Poland, referring to the philosophy of German idealism (Hegel’s objective spirit), the neo-Kantians of the Baden school, the Catholic direction with its philosophy of moderate realism (Thomism and neo-Thomism), and the direction rooted in Polish culture and philosophy: that of a secular and left-wing nature. The article presents the  classification I made of the selected directions in the development of educational science. It brings out both their individuality and specificities (as shown by the discussed concepts of the selected authors). The chief aim is to present the panorama of directions within the ‘pedagogy of culture’ in Poland in 1918–1939 with their philosophical and educational foundations, also characteristic of the rest of Central Europe at the time.

This article is an attempt to analyse the axiological aspects of the works by the classics of Polish general pedagogy. Kazimierz Sośnicki and Stefan Kunowski, were the creators of works constituting the foundation of this subdiscipline in our country. Creating general pedagogy as an objectified, meta-theoretical, analytical discipline, they were somewhat obliged to a certain distance towards the matter of values and evaluation in upbringing. At the same time, each of these pedagogues was the author of an original theory of upbringing, against which one can trace their specific approach to axiological matters and the presence of the latter in upbringing reality. An analysis of the works of the selected pedagogues on the subject of values and evaluation leads to questions about contemporary problems of pedagogy and upbringing practices in this area.

Man – Freedom – Good – Truth as a Horizon for Reflecting on Education in Józef Tischner’s Philosophy

Education constitutes an integral part of human life because of its constant presence. Sometimes it escapes our attention, proving that it requires continuous reflection. Quite often, instead of education in its proper sense, we are dealing with indoctrination, which aims only at pragmatic goals.

In this article I analyse the situation of education in Tischners philosophical-anthropological vision of the relationship between good and truth. I assume that the basic condition for consistent education is the realisation of good and truth in a specific way, with a certain dramatic dimension. The philosophy of education points to its difficulties and antinomies, to a struggle with good and truth. Tischner’s philosophy of drama is most of all a search for truth; it wants to avoid a suspicion that it intends – for example in the process of education – to enclose man, his understanding and self-understanding within a certain system. In this philosophy, man is perceived as a being capable of creating himself, capable of freely choosing the values and goals for his actions.

Education should therefore be perceived in a Socratic way i.e. as a dynamic process oriented towards good and truth, in which movement (aspiration) takes place from an unsatisfactory state (of moral and intellectual abilities) of the pupil to (optimal) development of their personal perfection.

The Theory of Moral Reasoning – An Outline of Synthesis

The theory of moral reasoning exposes the correlation between thinking and moral behavior as well as the passage of its development through subsequent stages. Adequately to the child’s cognitive development, his or her moral reasoning ability also develops, i.e. the competence to analyze and evaluate events and situations in  the context of social rules and norms. In my definition of moral reasoning, I consider it as a conscious and purposeful thought process, by means of which a given individual defines the difference between good and evil in relation to ideas, situations and behaviors of one’s own and other people. The moral reasoning of the individual, which opens up space for educational activities, is a synthesis of personal and environmentally conditioned factors. Fortunately, in the last decades, in Anglo- Saxon environment, but also in Poland with my participation, research with this and many other contexts of moral reasoning has appeared.

The aim of the analysis is to emphasize the importance of philosophical justifications that underlie the foundations of pedagogical activity that makes a person ready to live in a community. In contemporary culture, the domain of values, of great importance for personal development and social integration, turns out to be the most  problematic. It is often left at the junction of what is rational and irrational, although more attention is paid to rationality in everyday life. The dynamically changing socio-cultural context, affecting the educational processes, urges us to look for the principle of legitimacy for the axionormative sphere. One of the proposals of contemporary humanities is to involve the category of myth as a guarantee of preserving of values essential to culture. That’s why the article deal with the problem of the validity of standards of conduct in view of the use of the explicative category of myth. In this way, I would like to appeal for values that are significant in making a  person ready to build relationships with others, and which, due to the progressive individualization of social space, can seem unobvious. The article consists of two parts. In the first one I will take up the goal of social education. I will undertake, therefore, an attempt to interpret the “common space” term as: (1) culture, (2) the moral efficiency of the individual, (3) cultural heritage and (4) the ultimate goal of life. This part will refer to the theory of social education of the Polish pedagogue Jacek Woroniecki. The second part will deal with the issue of the theoretical justification of “common space” as a value in the post-enlightenment culture which introduces  he mythological narrative into the pedagogical argumentation. In this part I will critically refer to the views of Wolfgang Brezinka, a German scholar.

Paideia as Cultivation of the Potentiality of the Human Being Aiming at Fullness of Humanity. Introduction to the Classic Philosophy of Education

Thomistic pedagogy (classical, realistic) has received numerous studies in recent years and as such is a serious alternative to many branches of the contemporary philosophy of education. Its attractiveness results from the realism of being and cognitive realism as well as a negative attitude to various ideologys and utopias, including those in the field of education. It places education and training on strong anthropological and moral foundations, indicating that education is the cultivation of humanity’s potentiality. In a classic paideia, a man is lifted “up”, directed to perfection. This way, the “culture” of use, consumption, utilitarianism, hedonism, ignorance is distanced and as Plato once well stated “it is not worth living a thoughtless life for a man” (Plato, Socrates Defense, 38a).

Pedagogy of a Lonely Man? Reflections on the Pedagogy of Janusz Korczak from the Perspective of His Diary

Janusz Korczak, the creator of a unique pedagogical system, has been captivating and inspiring successive generations of educators all over the world for several decades. On the one hand, they continue his legacy and perform their own research, on the other, they try to thoroughly understand his ideas and the assumptions of his pedagogy. His Diary suggests that the decision to devote his life to neglected children as well as the main assumptions of his pedagogical system could be traced back to his childhood feelings of loneliness and alienation and the resulting suffering and shame, which in adulthood transformed into affirmation of his separateness. Therefore, in the text I ask the question whether the concept of loneliness (in its essence and with its consequences) can be considered one of the keys to understanding Janusz Korczak and his pedagogy.

In the article I would like to show Prywatne Gimnazjum Męskie im. Stefana Batorego, the so-called ‘Lublin School’, as an educational environment which, on the threshold of formation of Polish statehood and in the first years of the young state’s functioning, was able to attract many scholars and create a climate friendly to the development of young people, many of whom became eminent scholars, writers, artists, clergy and lawyers. One of them was, among others, Kazimierz Dąbrowski (1902–1980), a psychiatrist, psychologist and pedagogue, doctor of medicine and philosophy, creator of the theory of positive disintegration, who between 1916 and 1923 studied in it. I would like to present people whom Dąbrowski encountered while studying in Lublin and who, thanks to their personality, charisma and scientific achievements, influenced the development of a young man, eager for knowledge.

The Concepts and Achievements of Marian Falski Are Still Useful

Professor Marian Falski to many people, especially the older generation – is associated with the longest-used primer in Poland, which Falski was the author. For people involved in the organization of education and educational policy, as well as the history of education – the activity of M. Falski is associated with the broadly understood organization of education in the first years after the First World War (and for the next several decades) – primarily with the design of the school network, guidelines related to rural education. In later years Professor Falski spoke about the reforms of the entire school system – including on secondary education (significant work on “Mid-level education issues”), on the concept of collective municipal schools, or on the reformed education and works of the Committee of Experts at the beginning of the seventies of the twentieth century, preparing a report on the state of education.

The phenomenon of educational ideals is immensely important to educators and teachers – they are used as tools to build images that determine goals, methods, forms, and means of educational works and so they have an impact not only on educational theory and practice, but also on the development of future generations and the entire society. The issue of female educational ideals is a particularly interesting one – the approach to women, their role in society and education, has changed hugely over the past centuries. In this paper, I wanted to present a certain excerpt of this process with regard to the Poland of the years 1918–1939.

The scientific goal of research presented in the article was to reconstruct female educational ideals functioning in the interwar period as found in educational periodicals and analysing their diversification against philosophical and ideological premises of various educational concepts. Results of research presented below constitute and attempt to identify a neglected or forgotten aspect of Polish pedagogical thought.

The text is an attempt to indicate pedagogical references in the philosophical concept of Adam Rodziński. In his personalistic approach to the problems of a person, morality and culture, one can find pedagogical accents, especially those that concern the ethics of education, emphasising the personal dignity of a child and the importance of culture in the process of education. The article presents the figure of A. Rodziński and the analysis of his texts in terms of pedagogical references and relevancies. What is most characteristic of A. Rodziński in this context is his being a consistent personalist, emphasising the dignity of a human person, including the child, as the subject of education.

About Connection between Pedagogy and Children Literature in the light of Vita of Stanisław Jachowicz

The article present the vita of Stanisław Jachowicz ‒ the author of literary works for children in Poland as well as the educationalist living in the XIX century. The authoress caracterises briefly the main areas of his literary, pedagogical and social activity. She takes into account the meaning of Jachowicz’s activity for the development of contemporary literature for children. The silhouette of the writer-educationalist is presented as a background to take a subject of connections between pedagogy and children literature. An attempt has been made to point to common areas and influences, that determine pedagogical function of literary works for young readers. The authoress accentuates the co-existence of pedagogical ideas and messages included in literary works for children in the times of its development.

Aleksander Birkenmajer’s Research on the Philosophy of Witelon as an Inspiration to Change the Assessment of the Middle Ages in Education Programs

Both Birkenmajer’s method of work and his achievements, can serve as an example of a appropriate scientific approach to the Middle Ages. The picture of the period he presented radically differs from the stereotypes still prevailing in school educational programmes. Aleksander Birkenmajer (1890–1967) was an prominent Polish medievalist. Owing to his comprehensive education he gained rare competence to work on medieval manuscripts. In his texts, he repeatedly highlights the close relatedness between the history of philosophy and the history of mathematics and natural sciences. The close relation between philosophy and the then science, albeit its scope was much narrower than the purview of today’s natural sciences, became the methodological directive for him. In his research on the philosophy of Witelon, Birkenmajer emphasized the point that he was a philosopher – naturalist, using light in solving metaphysical problems, like many others did in his times, e.g. Richard Bacon or Robert Grosseteste. Witelo’s Perspective is virtually a mathematical-physical treatise with a metaphysical introduction. Birkenmajer managed, among others, to determine that Witelon was the author of the treatise De natura daemonum, the acquaintance of which can have a significant impact on the understanding of his philosophical views as a whole. The Polish medievalist also discerned in the treaty some symptoms of the so-called ‘theory of double truth’, whose influence the Silesian scholar might not be quite aware. Birkenmajer brought out and convincingly described certain aspects of Witelon’s philosophy, which significantly delimit the possibility to construe his ideas in the neo-Platonic paradigm.

The Establishment and Educational Activity of the “Sokół” Gymnastic Society at the Turn of the 19th and 20th Century in Galicia

Summary: The article presents the development of the “Sokół” Gymnastic Society which was established in 1867 in Lviv. The new idea, within several years, has covered the Galicia region, penetrating also into the remaining partitions. The Society’s activity was also developing during the interwar period. An important factor influencing the Sokół movement increase in popularity was “Sokół” Gymnastics Guide published since 1881. It enabled, among others, promoting gymnastics and key organizational slogans. It also functioned as a link between Lviv and numerous branches, the so-called ‘nests’. Latin motto “Mens sana in corpore sano” – “A sound mind in a sound body” has become the leitmotif of the organisation. The Society played a significant role in promoting gymnastics and many sports disciplines. The ‘nests’ also became educational and cultural centers. Through promotion of physical culture, patriotic content was brought up and passed on to future generations.

The achievements of many Polish educators from the inter-war period were ignored during the Polish People’s Republic, contributing to the loss of their legacy despite the political upheaval of 1989. One such example is Tadeusz Strumiłło, whose legacy has not been investigated to date, despite the fact that it contains scientific materials from the philosophical, through pedagogical, social problems and their prevention, to the scout movement. The legacy of Strumiłło shows pedagogical thought and his participation in organising and promoting the scout movement in Poland, entering the scout organisation through the Eleusis Association, and his participation in organising Polish scouting from the very beginning of its existence on Polish soil. He was also among those who laid the foundations of the scouting movement, was an active participant in it and performed key functions, as well as co-created its ideological shape. Additionally, he contributed significantly to the unification of the scouts into a uniform organisation of the Polish Scouting Association.

Moral Education in the light of “Moral Dissertations” Published in the Pages of “Katolik Dyecezyi Chełmińskiej” in the Years 1849–1850

Summary: Since ancient times morality has been the subject of reflection by philosophers and theologians of various religions. Religious education is closely related to moral education. From the beginning, ethical issues has also occupied an important place in the teaching of the Catholic Church. In the 17th and 18th centuries, moral problems were described in particular by authors of moral theology textbooks. Along with the development of the nineteenth-century periodicals, the issues of moral education were also addressed in Polish newspapers. One of them was the “Katolik Dyecezyi Chełmińskiej”. This newspaper was published in West Prussia in 1849–1851. In this magazine were published, among others, “moral dissertations”, aimed at spreading moral attitudes and behavior in accordance with the teaching of the Catholic Church. A purpose of the article is a (re)construction of moral education in the light of these dissertations, as well as to clarify: who they were addressed to, what they were to serve and what moral ideas they tried to expand.

Mikołaj Krasnodębski, Spór o rodzinę. Filozoficzno-cywilizacyjne fundamenty myślenia o rodzinie. Warszawa: Szkoła Wyższa Przymierza Rodzin w Warszawie, 2019, ss. 157, ISBN 978-83-611-4082-5

Sylwia Winnik, Dziewczęta z Auschwitz. Głos ocalonych kobiet, Warszawa: Wydawnictwo Muza. Sport i Turystyka, 2018, ss. 303, ISBN 978-83-287-0837-2

Adam A. Zych, Leksykon gerontologii, Kraków: Oficyna Wydawnicza „Impuls”, 2019, ss. 282, ISBN 978-83-809-5301-7