The pedagogical-formative relevance of Janusz Korczak's narrative work

Abstract

This article explores the contemporary pedagogical relevance of the narrative work of Janusz Korczak, the Polish paediatrician and educator known for his lifelong commitment to children's rights. Through the analysis of his literary and pedagogical texts – particularly When I Am a Little Boy Again and King Matt the First – an attempt is made to highlight Korczak’s “implicit” pedagogy, grounded in profound respect for childhood and characterized by an anti-authoritarian, child-centered educational vision, similar to what the Deweyan and neo-Deweyan framework of progressive pedagogy proposes. The article underscores the activist and democratic value of Korczak’s narrative, presenting it as a tool for ethical, civic, and emotional education for both children and adults. It also reflects on the universal significance of the child as an active and competent subject, drawing connections with contemporary educational practices, from active citizenship programs to participatory pedagogy. Korczak’s insights, which anticipated many themes of modern education, remain a vital reference point for a genuinely democratic renewal of educational action.