some brief notes on jan amos comenius

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Some brief Notes on Jan Amos Comenius

By Dr. C. Matthew McMahon

Have you ever heard of Jan Amos Comenius? Do not be too overwhelmed with grief if you have not. In our day, most of the

world has not heard of him. Regardless of your denominational distinction, Comenius is someone Christians should become

familiar with. He wrote over 154 books in his lifetime, even after all of his original manuscripts were burned during a rebellion

in Holland. He was an amazing and prolific educator, and has been stamped The Father of Modern Education.

Born March 28, 1592, orphaned early, educated at the universities of Herborn and Heidelberg, Comenius began working as a

pastor and parochial school principal in 1618, the year the Thirty Years war began. After the defeat of the Protestant armies in

the Battle of White Mountainone of the most disastrous events in Czech history he barely escaped with his life while

enemy soldiers burned down his house. Later, his young wife and two small children died of the plague. For seven years he

lived the life of a fugitive in his own land, hiding in deserted huts, in caves, even in hollow trees. Early in 1628 he joined one of

the small groups of Protestants who fled their native Moravia to await better t imes in neighboring Poland. He never saw his

homeland again.[1]

For 42 years of his long and sorrowful life he roamed the countries of Europe as a homeless refugee. He was always poor. His

second wife died, too, leaving him with four children to care for. The political allies of the Czech nation either died or were

killed in the war. The beloved fatherland lay in total desolation. The scattered, impoverished church whose bishop he had

become was in danger of disintegrating after years of exile. The Polish city of Leszno, his home for a number of years, was

burned to the ground by the enemy. His treasured library and numerous manuscripts some of them results of decades of

workwere totally destroyed in the fire, leaving Comenius, an old man of 64, with virtually nothing but the clothes on his back.

Homeless and penniless, he made it to Amsterdam, Holland, where friends took him in and cared for him until his death in

1670. [2]

Comenius was a minister (an elder or bishop) of a church known as Unitas Fratrum (The Unity of Brethren), which attained

great theological, literary and cultural achievements immediately preceding the Thirty Years War. While small in numbers, it

spurred the whole Czech nation to great cultural advancement. The Brethren were exiled but saw themselves as guardians of

Czech spiritual treasures. Hoping that one day they would return home, they were trying to prepare for the great task of

rebuilding the land and the society devastated by war, and they knew that education would play a vital part in it. The Brethren

did not believe they were the one true church without which you could not be saved, but part of the universal church in the

world. No doubt there was much that influenced their thinking through Wickliffe missionaries to their country, and then laterby Jan Hus in Bohemia. This Unity branch of Christians were heavily influenced by the Reformation started at the time of Hus

(13691415). This Reformation did not die out in Bohemia when he was burned at the stake. A number of small communities

spun off from the Hussites, each rebelling against Rome in their own ways. They said, Thus believing according to the Holy Writ

in a Holy Church, we do not hold that we alone compose the Holy Catholic Church, or that salvation is obtained only among us,

or that we alone shall be saved. Comenius was also not settled on the issue of predestination (he may have been more akin to

an Amyraldian concept (a mix or rather confusion of issues in this way) but was very set upon bringing the church together an

unifying her), or some of the controversies at the time on the Lords Supper between the Reformed church and the Lutherans.

Comenius wife and children died of the plague. Shortly thereafter his country was thrown into greater war and turmoil. The

Unity of the Brethren was dying out, with Comenius as the most prominent figure of their church movement. In 1632 he

became the bishop of his church. It was after the battle of White Mountain in Bohemia in 1620 and their banishment from the

country that the church became all but extinct. He led a small group of people over the mountains into Poland in hopes that thehidden seed of faith that was ready to sprout would come forth. He found refuge for a short while there. He remarried, but his

second wife also died leaving him with four children, and he married again, his third wife outliving him.

His life was characterized by constant moving, despair and turmoil (this was part of the reason his second wife became ill and

died). However, he composed many works on education and became famous all through Europe through his writings. He

published some of the first picture books for children, as well as writing a work around pansophic principles that gained him

wide renown. What does pansophic actually refer to? Comenius believed there was on ly one truth. The light of reason must

submit in obedience to the will of God. This is Comeniuss fundamental pedagogical and pansophic principle. In England the


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The Labyrinth of the World, National Union of Czechoslovak Protestants, Chicago 1942.

The School of Infancy, University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill 1956.

Vladimir Jelinek. The Analytical Didactic of Comenius, University of Chicago Press, Chicago 1953.

Wilhelmus Rood. Comenius and the Low Countries, Abner Schram, New York 1970.

Matthew Spinka. John Amos Comenius, that Incomparable Moravian, University of Chicago Press, Chicago 1943.

G. H. Turnbull. Samuel Hartlib. A Sketch of His Life and His Relations To J. A. Comenius, Oxford University Press, London 1920.

R. F. Young. Comenius in England 1641/2, Oxford University Press, London 1932.

[1]Christian History : Jan Comenius. 1987; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996 (electronic ed.). Carol

Stream IL: Christianity Today.

[2]Ibid.

[3]Christian History : Jan Comenius. 1987; Published in electronic form by Logos Research Systems, 1996 (electronic ed.). Carol

Stream IL: Christianity Today.

John Amos Comenius

The great bronze statue of John Amos Comenius (1592-1670) on Moravian's campus depicts him as a fierce old man. It may

reflect Comenius's reaction to being driven from one home after another by religious wars and persecution, watching his first

wife and their two children die under refugee conditions, and being continually misled by false hopes of returning to his

homeland. But it may be an expression of his enduring rage at the educational conditions of his time, a rage he never directed

at students, but always at the difficulties they faced in learning.

Throughout his life he tried to improve the ways students were taught. His first success in this area was a beginning Latin

textbook, Janua Linguarum Reserata ("The Gate of Languages Unlocked"), published in 1631. Much later in life, he showed that

he still had the needs of beginners on his mind, producing the first -ever children's picture book, Orbis Pictus ("The World

Illustrated"), published in 1658. Both these books became best-sellers, translated into every major European language and used

by beginning learners for over a hundred years.

Comenius's most important work, however, was written between 1628 and 1632, first in Czech and then in Latin: the Didactica

Magna, usually called in English The Great Didactic. Perhaps a more meaningful translation would be "The Whole Art of

Teaching." It explored how people learn and how they should be taught from infancy through the university and beyond.

Published in 1649, it was a radical work for its time. In an age when people believed that human beings were born naturally evil

and that goodness and knowledge had to be beaten into them, Comenius believed that they were born with a natural craving

for knowledge and goodness, and that schools beat it out of them.

Although he did not use the modern words (nor did the Victorian translator who made his work available in English), Comenius

addressed such topics as

Education for everyone

Students' natural tendency to learn

Learning by easy stages


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Financial aid

Career preparation

Extracurricular activities

Lifelong learning

It is thanks to him that educators today think these things are important.

PHILOSOPHY OF EDUCATION OF JOHN AMOS COMENIUS

Introduction

Have you ever heard of John Amos Comenius, or Jan Amos Komensky? Do not

Be too overwhelmed with grief if you have not. In our day, most of the world has not

heard of him. Regardless of your denominational distinction, Comenius is someone

Christians, most specifically educators and students should become familiar with. He

wrote over 154 books in his lifetime, even after all his original manuscripts were burned

during a rebellion in Holland. He was an amazing and prolific educator, and has been

stamped TheFather of Modern Educationand Teacherof Nations.

His Life

Comenius was born March 28, 1592, and was orphaned early, because his

parents died of a plague in 1604. Educated at the universities of Herborn and Heidelberg,

Comencius began working as a pastor and parochial school principal in 1618, the year the

Thirty Years war began. After the defeat of the Protestant armies in the Battle of White

Mountainone of the most disastrous events in Czech historyhe barely escaped with

his wife while the enemy soldiers burned down his house. Later, his young wife and two

small children died of plague. For seven years he lived the life of a fugitive in his town

land, hiding in deserted huts, in caves, even in hollow trees. Early in 1628, he joined one

of the small groups of Protestants who fled their native Moravia to await better times in

neighboring Poland. He never saw his homeland again.

For 42 years of his long and sorrowful life he had roamed the countries of Europe

as a homeless refugee. He was always poor. His life was characterized by constant

moving, despair, and turmoil (this was part of the reason why his second wife became


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ill). His second wife died too, leaving him with four children to care for. However, he

composed many works on education and became famous all throughout Europe through

his writings. He published some of the first picture books for children, as well as write a

work around pansophic principles that gained him world fame.

What does pansophicactually refer to? Comencius believed there was only one

truth. The light of reason must submit in obedience to the will of God. This is

Comenciusfundamental, pedagogical and pansophic priciple.KINAADMAN An Interdisciplinary Research Journal

Vol. 18, No. 2 October 2007

Holy Name University, Tagbilaran City, Bohol

In England, the English unknown to him, published his notes on the topic, and

then invited him to come to England to work there in opening a new school. Upon

arriving, unfortunately, civil war broke out and stopped the possibility of a school.

Comencius then traveled to Sweden, though invited by both France and Holland to

continue his work. He had faith in the Swedish chancellor Oxenstierna, to implore him to

help the Bohemian people when the treaty of peace would calm the tumultuous storms of

the countrysaffairs. The treaty of Westphalia was pivotal in ceasing the Thirty Years

War but it was more of a help to the Lutherans and the Calvinists rather than some of the

small groups. The Brethren in Bohemian whom he longed to care for were still

oppressed. Oxenstierna had forgotten him. The political allies of the Czech nation either

died or were killed in the war. The beloved fatherland lay in total desolation. The

scattered, impoverished church whose bishop he had become was in danger of

disintegrating after years of exile. The polish city of Lezno, his home for a number of

years, was burned to the ground by the enemy. His treasured library and numerous

manuscriptssome of them were results of decades of workwere totally destroyed by

fire, leaving Comencius, an old man of 64, with virtually nothing but the clothes on his

back. Homeless and penniless, he made it to Amsterdam, Holand, where friends took

him in and cared for him until his death in 1670.

His Achievements

Comencius contributions to the educational scene are immeasurable in many


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ways. He pioneered modern educational methods. He wrote several textbooks on

Education. These were so original that they won him the name Father of Modern

Education. And because of his efforts on behalf of universal education, he earned the

title of Teacherof Nations.

His Works and Contributions

Visionaryand innovator

He thinks in bigger pictures and he believed that much of lives learning should be

woven together, a concept he called VIA LUCIS (Way of Light), a universal plan of

education and peace.

Philosopher

He was able to develop a philosophy called Pansophismand Realism

Bishop

He was a bishop of the Unitas Fratrum (The Unity of Brethren), commonly

known as Moravian Church in Moravia, which attained great theological, literary andKINAADMAN An Interdisciplinary Research

Journal Vol. 18, No. 2 October 2007

Holy Name University, Tagbilaran City, Bohol

cultural achievements immediately preceding the Thirty Years War. Being a bishop, his

religious beliefs were also incorporated into his teachings.

Writer

He published 154 books, most dealing with educational Philosophy and Theology.

Educator/Teacher/Rector

He was once an educator/teacher during his times in Poland, Sweden,

England, and Holland. He advocated the use of visual aids in classroom teaching. Like

modern educators, he used pictures, maps, charts, and other visual aids. He even brought

drama into the classroom. He believed learning should be interesting, dramatic, and

stimulating.

Realist

He was a realist who states that knowledge comes primarily through the senses.

He believed that education was founded on the training of sense perception rather than on


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pure memory activities.

He introduced the inductive method of learning wherein the examples are given

first before the concept. Being a realist, his ideas about nature set the tone of his works.

Leader

He was a leader of the persecuted Protestant Unity of Czech.

His Contributions

1. ORBIS SENSUALISM PICTUS (1638)The Visible World in Pictures

It is a book for learning Latin which is believed to be the first illustrated textbook

of Janua Linguarium Reserata. It is the first ever childrenspicture book. He felt it was

necessary for children to see what the world looks like with the help of pictures. It

became best sellers and was translated in the year 1659 into every major European

language, and was used by beginning learners for over 200 years.

2. JANUA LINGUARIUM RESERATA (1631)The Gate of Tongues Unlocked

This book is an introduction to Latin grammar, and contains the outline of his

method of teaching languages through the vernacular and of relating Latin to the

vernacular through parallel passages and illustrations.

3. DIDACTICA MAGNA (16281632)The Great

The most important work of Comencius. This book explored how people learn

and how they should be taught from infancy through the university and beyond. This

book also described a very different educational system. He believed that schools should

be organized in stages from easy to difficult. Comencius believed that human beings

were born with a natural craving for knowledge and that schools beat it out of them.

Comencius addressed topics such as:

a. Education for Everyone

b. Students natural tendency to learn

c. Learning by each stages

d. Cliff Notes

e. Finalcial Aid

f. Career Preparation


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g. Extracurricular activities

h. Lifelong Learning

4. Realism

Realism is education in which natural phenomena and social institutions rather

than language and literature, is the chief subject of the study. It is also considered as an

educational philosophy, which advocates that education should be concerned with the

realities of life and should prepare a person for his/her duties in life. Comencius himself

is a realist, a sense realist who states that knowledge comes primarily through the senses.

Education was founded on the training of sense perception rather than on pure memory

activities. Sense realism condemns the use of excessive and harsh discipline in learning,

Realists like Comenius introduce the inductive method of learning or teaching.

5. Pansophism

From the persecutions and hardships he suffered in his life, he came to develop a

philosophy, called Pansophism. This philosophy emphasized political unity, religious

reconciliation, and cooperation in education. The philosophy of pansophism related

education to everyday life and called for a systematic relationship to be developed for all

knowledge. He advocated teaching in the common vernacular language of students rather

than in Latin, and the establishment of the universal system of education with

opportunities that included women and people of all nations.

Pansophism which means allknowledge,attempted to incorporate theology,

philosophy and education into one. Spiritual, philosophical and scientific learning is

integrated. He believed that learning spiritual and emotional growths were all woven

together.

The philosophy of pansophism presented the goal of education as the

development of universal knowledge among all people, including women and children,

and all nations. Comenius envisaged educated people as those who sought knowledge

from all sources in order to become more like God in whose image they were made

omniscient and universally compassionate.

Pansophism contained a strong argument for international education. He believed


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that all knowledge comes from God and that human beings can come to know each other

and ultimately God, through the universal knowledge. He believed that the religious and

national hostilities that caused such violence to his people, the Brethren, and the other

people of Europe were caused by ignorance. A product either not knowing or of being

falsely indoctrinated, ignorance led to bigotry, discrimination, and intolerance the root causes of war and bloodshed.

Complete knowledge, such as that which Comenius

believed possible, would dispel ignorance, bring people closer to each other, cause them

to respect ultimately and bring them to know God.

Basic Pansophic Priciple of Comenius

1. An absolutely new vision of the whole, of the entire world is required.

2. A picture of the world should be viewed as unity, in its inherent organization and reality.

3. It will result in the Universalis Sapientia or universal knowledge that is interconnected by a unity of its

laws acting throughout all disciplines deductible from every one of them.

4. Universal Knowledgewill make what is possible to clarify in future individual

and opposed truths, and simultaneously, unite all views within a common objective.

5. Pansophiawill extend all over the world, opening boundless opportunities for cognition and perfection.

6. When their reality is understood as a unique living organism, all its components reveal their true meaning and reality itself

reveals its laws to people, they will come to universal harmony.

7. Man should apprehend all that and create harmony in him.

8. Man will acquire a universal key and guideline to further cognition and discoveries.

9. Pansophiais a true vision and understanding of the world, it should become accessible door for all people of the earth in th

eir native languages.

10. If man lives in truth and performs his part in the universal harmony, then all people would come to a concord, to peace.

ComeniusViews of Education

For Comenius, the ultimate purpose of human life is to become united with God and to obtain eternal

bliss in life after death, with l ife here on Earth being the preparation for life after death. For this purpose,

everyone should know all things, become a person who can control things and himself, and become like the image of God.

He advocated necessity of three kinds of education; intellectual, moral, and

religious education. To teach allthings to all menwas the theme of Comeniustheory

of education, which was called PANSAPHIA. Comenius considered that the talent to

realize the goals of education is naturally inherent in people, and it is the role of

education to bring out this natural gift, that is nature.

Comenius said that fundamentally, parents are responsible for their childrens

education, but should they become unable to do it, schools replace them. To him, the


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image of the ideal person was that of a pansophist, a person who has learned all

knowledge concerning God, nature, and human beings.

Comenius believed in the creation of a new worldwide social order that would contain peace-making and

peacekeeping institutions. To create the cultural context for his new

social order, the leaders of the church and the state needed to transform schools into agencies

of human enlightenment that would open minds and hearts rather than close them through indoctrination. Comenius

argued that teachers should respect childrens humandignity rather than coerce them physically or psychologically.

Teachers should be kinder to the chidren instead of being harsh. He also argued that teachers should develop instructional

methods by which children could actively use their sense of learning. Schools that were transformed into places

of enlightened and humane learning would cultivate an ecumenical

vision of the peaceablekingdomwhere all could live in mutual respect.

Comenius saw children through Christseyes, which are precious gifts from God to be cherished rather

than annoyances to be suppressed. Children will be the joint heirs

of Christ just as much as their Christian parents are. Someday they will rule the Kingdom

of God and judge the very devils. Therefore, children are to be treated as if they are more precious than

gold. They should be showered with love. Material should be adapted to their ability to learn.

Since a combination of words and pictures is more powerful than either alone, the two should be united in childrens

texts. Curricula should move from simple to more complex with repetition and review so that the learner will gain mastery.

Never should children be punished for failing but rather be helped and encouraged. The subjects taught should have practical

use. Where possible, demonstration and direct observation should be the norm.

According to Comenius, there should be four grades in an educational system which is

equivalent to preschool, grade school, high school and college. He hopes that through education,

mankind might be changed for the better.

Principles of Teaching Introduced by Comenius

1. Older children should stay longer in school, while younger ones stay in school only for a short period of time.

2. All classes of the same level should have the same textbooks, teachers, and tests or examination.

3. Morning hours should be devoted for intellectual subjects, while the afternoon hours should be

spent on subjects that promote physical and aesthetic development.

4. All subjects should be thoroughly mastered.

5. Education should be in accordance with the childsnatural interest.

6. The level of teaching should be suited to the childsunderstanding.

7. Effective learning is done through the use of vernacular

some brief notes on jan amos comenius

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