How to Love a Child and Other Selected Works is the first
comprehensive collection of Korczak's works translated into English. It
contains his most important pedagogical writings, journal articles, as
well as private texts. Volume 1 comprises three pedagogical works, the
first being How to Love a Child. This is a tetralogy presenting the
life of a child in a family from birth to puberty, the challenges of
raising children in childcare institutions, Korczak's first practical
experiences gained while working at summer camps and a detailed account
of his work at the Orphans' Home--the orphanage where he was the
headmaster. The second work, The Events of Childrearing, is based on
the notes he wrote down during his observations of children made in
kindergarten and at school. These are the events of children's everyday
life: conversations and interactions as well as moments of solitary
reflection, carefully recorded and thoroughly interpreted. The third, A
Child's Right to Respect, is an ardent manifesto for children's rights
such as the right to be what they actually are, to live an aware and
responsible life today and to respect for the hard work of growing.
Korczak's writing is characterized by uncompromising views, acute
observations, subtle reflection, and, above all, love for children. All
written in his distinctive style combining poetic metaphor with
pedagogical reflection, a lofty turn of phrase with the mundanity of
everyday life and humor with scholarly rigor.
