Celebrating Teachers’ Day: Embracing Learning Through Play for All Ages

Learning Through Play: What Did Comenius Actually Mean?

When teaching, educators often integrate fun activities to both entertain and motivate their students. A popular concept that comes to mind in this scenario is “learning through play,” as introduced by Jan Amos Comenius, a prominent figure in modern education, known for his contributions as a Czech thinker, philosopher, and writer, often referred to as the Teacher of Nations. However, his actual intent might have been somewhat different: In 1651, he penned the treatise Schola ludus / School through play in the town of Sárospatak, Hungary, where he was invited to improve the local educational system. The focus of this work was not solely on teaching through play but rather on a theatrical version of his textbook Janua linguarum reserata / The Gate of Languages Unlocked. This involved structured instruction performed on stage and was conducted in Latin.

Comenius’s acclaimed works, especially The Gate of Languages Unlocked and Orbis sensualium pictus / The World in Pictures, are well-known even today. Although his main goal in the 17th century was to simplify Latin instruction for students, many teachers still incorporate his techniques in their classes today. His approach is notably more engaging and relies on visual learning rather than traditional memorization, promoting actual understanding instead.

Six types of pupils, or clever, lazy and rebellious children

The World of Jan Amos Comenius is best experienced at the exhibition in Fulnek, which highlights the various stages of his life. Here, visitors will get an idea of how he was perceived by the community in a small serf town just before the Thirty Years’ War. The exhibition is set up where the former Moravian Church congregation once was.

What principles did Comenius advocate? He believed that educators should recognize the appropriate age and skills of their students and created categories to sort them into six types based on their abilities: bright (a joy to teach) / bright, lazy / sharp, rebellious / lacking sharpness of mind / lacking sharpness of mind, lazy / lacking in sharpness of mind, rebellious.

Tips for individual subjects

Even the more challenging and less motivated students can benefit from some rewards now and again. Consider taking your students, or the entire class, on an exciting practical learning expedition. You never know, those previously rebellious or lazy students might just shine!

For history lessons, consider visiting a castle, chateau, or a museum. For example, you can enjoy guided tours at Prague Castle. You might even arrange a special tour that gives you exclusive access to the grounds. The Archbishop’s Palace in Kroměříž is also open to visitors, where you can see the recently renovated palace’s picture gallery showcasing Titian’s artwork titled Apollo and Marsyas. Don’t forget to explore the beautiful gardens – Podzámecká and Libosad! For those with secondary school and high school students, be sure to check out the captivating exhibition History in the historic building of the National Museum, as well as the permanent exhibit History of the 20th Century in the New Building. A visit to the Center for Cultural and Political History of the 20th Century at the Moravian Museum could also be quite fascinating.

For a biology excursion, you are welcome to explore the main building of the National Museum. The collections here will provide students with insights into prehistoric life and its creatures, as well as the evolution of different species; geology is also covered. In the Minerals Hall, there are an astounding 100,000 minerals to see! The exhibits also include items that visitors can physically touch. To learn about current animal life, visiting a zoo is a great option, with choices like Prague Zoo, Brno Zoo, Plzeň Zoo, Ostrava Zoo, Zlín Zoo, or Tábor Zoo.

Technical subjects can also benefit from hands-on experience. Consider a visit to the National Technical Museum in Prague, the Technical Museum in Brno, the National Agricultural Museum, the Technical Museum in Kopřivnice, or the Centre for Architectural Heritage in Plasy for practical knowledge.

For an art lesson, you could spend a delightful day visiting the Rudolfinum Gallery, the Rudolfinum building itself, DOX – Centre for Contemporary Art, the Moravian Gallery in Brno, or the National Gallery in Prague.

If you want to enhance a lesson on literature, consider a trip to the Municipal Library in Prague, the new Memorial of National Literature in Petschek Villa, the Cabinet of German-Language Literature at the Prague Literary House, or the Memorial of Literature in Moravia.