ACTUALIZATION OF PROMINENT EDUCATORS’ OF THE PAST IDEAS IN PRACTICAL ACTIVITY OF PAVLO SHEVCHENKO

The author emphasizes the immediacy of national educational heritage preservation and exploring problem, such approach provides holistic picture of national education system reproduction, assists in determination of its identity and affirms its importance for future generations. Attention is focused on the scientific work of the rector of Kryvyi Rih State Pedagogical Institute P. Shevchenko (1929-2007); educators circle of the past and their ideas which P. Shevchenko was interested by and which were assessed in his pedagogical works. A review of P. Shevchenko's scientific work on the pedagogical heritage of H. Skovoroda (Pedagogical ideas of H. Skovoroda, 1994; Preparation for work and the role of “affinity” in human life in H. Skovoroda heritage, 2001), J. Pestalozzi (J. Pestalozzi on the development of elementary education and inwardness formation theory, 1997), J. Locke ( J. Locke on labor education, 1999) and J. Dewey ( J. Dewey on labor education at school and training for life, 2003) is made. The connection between ideas about combination of school and labor education of prominent educators of the past with the pedagogical views of P. Shevchenko, which were embodied in Kryvyi Rih State Pedagogical Institute / University practice, is traced. It is concluded that P. Shevchenko in his research of educators’ of the past activities and pedagogical achievements focused on their attitude to labor education, school that would meet the interests of school students and contribute to their successful implementation in adult life. In the ideas of H. Skovoroda, the scientist emphasized the thesis on the preparation of young people for work. According to P. Shevchenko, the attempt to comprehensively prepare children in special educational institutions for further work at industrial enterprises was especially useful in J. Pestalozzi's experience. Consonant with the views of P. Shevchenko, was the opinion of J. Locke on physical labor, which became a mean of education, promoted health and physical development of children, and was an important mean of child's responsibility educating, and knowledge about various crafts that can be useful in life . The socializing function of school attracted P. Shevchenko in the concept of J. Dewey. The selection of these ideas corresponded to P. Shevchenko’s professional work and scientific interests. These ideas are leading in the modern reform of domestic education system, it indicates the longevity of domestic pedagogical thought and its ability to predict promising educational trends.