Anton Semenovich Makarenko
Anton Semenovich Makarenko was a notable Ukrainian educator, author, and influential figure in Soviet pedagogy, born during a tumultuous period marked by the Russian Revolution and World War I. Initially trained as a primary school teacher, he dedicated his career to rehabilitating delinquent and homeless youth, known as besprizrniki, through innovative educational methods. Makarenko served as a warden for juvenile offender colonies, where he developed revolutionary teaching tactics aimed at reintegrating these youths into Soviet society. His seminal work, "Pedagogicheskaia poema" (1934-1936), reflects his experiences and the characters inspired by the young individuals he helped, ultimately earning him recognition as the "engineer of human souls." Despite his contributions, Makarenko faced political challenges, leading to a decline in his standing by 1937. Nevertheless, he continued to write on education and pedagogy, being acknowledged with the Order of the Red Banner of Labor in 1939. His legacy includes not only his literary achievements but also his impact on Soviet educational practices, as he navigated the complexities of his time while promoting visionary ideals.
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Subject Terms
Anton Semenovich Makarenko
Educator
- Born: March 13, 1888
- Birthplace: Belopol'e, Khar'kov, Ukraine
- Died: April 1, 1939
- Place of death: Golitsino, Russia
Biography
Born in the Ukraine during the turbulent times that led up to and followed the aftermath of the Russian Revolution, Anton Semenovich Makarenko discovered his literary talents through his role as educator and warden of youth colonies. These colonies were formed to deal with the delinquent and homeless adolescents following the upheaval of the Russian Revolution and destruction of World War I. His father, Semen Grigorevich, was a foreman in the railway works of his native town of Belopol’e, and his mother, Tatiana Mikhailova Dergachova, was a descendent of a tsarist army soldier. In 1904, Makarenko graduated with honors from the equivalent to a U.S. high school and trained to be a primary school teacher. His flair for creative organization was exhibited in the plays and other activities he provided for the students at the railway school where he was transferred by the government. In 1917 he graduated from a pedagogical institute and moved on to a directorship of primary schools.
In 1920, offered a position as warden of a colony for juvenile offenders, Makarenko rose to the challenge, developing revolutionary teaching methods and creating innovative educational tactics that dealt with the besprizrniki, or homeless, directionless youth of Soviet Russia following the fall of the czar and the rise of Communism. Makarenko utilized isolation, labor, and reeducation methods to transform the youth into viable citizens of the new Soviet state. The goal of such reeducation was the eventual reintegration of the youth into Soviet society. Out of these efforts came ultimately Makarendo’s monumental three-volume (ten years in the writing) Pedagogicheskaia poema (1934-1936; Road to Life, 1936), which fictionalized his experiences and created imaginative characters inspired by many of the young men he helped rehabilitate. So successful was Makarenko that he earned the appellation of “engineer of human souls.”
An instrumental figure in Makarenko’s life was Maxim Gorky, the famous author, who mentored the young writer and praised his work. By 1937 and falling out of political favor, Makarenko was forced out of the Soviet system. In progress on Pedagogicheskaia poema, he wrote some treatises and a play entitled Mazhor (1933), which won him some recognition; but it was the former that became his masterwork and a best seller in Soviet Russia by 1939. The popularity of Pedagogicheskaia poema earned him membership in the Union of Soviet Writers.
After 1937, Makarenko lived in Moscow, working on numerous literary projects including novels, movie scripts, and articles. His themes centered on education and often promoted visionary and revolutionary ideals in the area of pedagogy. Although disaffected from the Soviet regime, Makarenko was awarded in 1939 the Order of the Red Banner of Labor for his “advancement of Soviet literature.” Ironically he expired due to a sudden heart attack a few days before receiving news of his membership in the Communist Party. Pedagogicheskaia poema (a film version was produced in 1955) remains Makarenko’s opus because it dramatically depicts actual events and movements that united Soviet aims with human success. Makarenko, as teacher and writer, was an impetus for such success.