Sofiia Rusova’s contribution to the theory and practice of forming children’s intellectual culture

Abstract

The article presents the views of Ukrainian educator, public figure, and writer Sofiia Rusova (1856–1940) on the ways and means of forming mental abilities, skills, values, and mental processes in preschool and primary school children – an important contribution to the theory and practice of developing intellectual culture. She emphasised the need to connect intellectual education with moral, aesthetic, physical, religious, and labour education. advocated teaching children to make efforts to achieve goals and to develop self-discipline. Rusova regarded nature studies as both a vital source of knowledge and the best discipline for the mind. She also believed that national school could provide a true foundation for mutual assistance among the peoples of the world. The following ideas of Sofiia Rusova remain relevant today: the organisation of education that leads to a child’s desire for self-directed learning; the development of mental skills, humanistic and aesthetic values, and spirituality of a child; the integration of language development with thinking through the use of folk art and literary works, particularly those related to nature; and the use of positive (beneficial) suggestion by teachers.