Tartu ülikooli üldise õpetajate instituudi kaasdirektorid Jäsche ja Pöschmann ning nende pedagoogilised vaated
Creators: name: Leppik, Lea
Publisher: name: Tartu Ülikooli ajaloo küsimusi
Year: 2021

description: One of the important tasks of the University of Tartu/Dorpat, which was reopened in the spirit of the Enlightenment in 1802, was to train teachers for local provinces. The General Teachers’ Institute (1803– 1820) had three directors: philologist Morgenstern, philosopher Jäsche and historian Pöschmann. All three directors were also members of the university school committee and thus directly contributed to the formation of the Tartu school district. While Morgenstern dreamed of a philological seminary from the very beginning, believing that the moral upbringing of teachers based on antique models was paramount in educating teachers, the General Teachers’ Institute at the University of Tartu initially followed the direction of teaching many different subjects (including sciences). Morgenstern’s pedagogical views have been described repeatedly, but those of the other two directors have not. As a philosopher, Jäsche has been considered a follower of Immanuel Kant, and his pedagogical views, which have reached us through a speech he gave to students in 1808, were also clearly influenced by Kant. He considered that studying at a university should be a conscious and purposeful effort, but not a dull craft. Its ultimate goal was to improve oneself and others, and the path to personal happiness was to serve society to the best of one’s ability. Pöschmann lived and worked in Tartu for a short while (10 years, he died in 1812), but he managed to prove himself as a very enthusiastic academic instructor and organiser. He played an important role in the school committee, for example in founding the Vyborg Girls’ School. He can also be considered a pioneer of the local Livonian school- history writing. In order to improve the instruction of students, which Pöschmann considered essential in view of the characteristics of the local school system, he compiled a number of handbooks highly valued by his contemporaries. His Einleitung in die allgemeine Menschengeschichte als Leitfaden zu akademischen Vorlesungen von G. Fr. Pöschmann provided an overview of the history, sources, and auxiliary sciences of historical writing. His book about studying at the university titled Ueber die zweckmässige Führung des academischen Lebens: ein Leitfaden zu Vorlesungen von G. Fr. Pöschmann was intended as a guide for young men who had to start organising their own life when they flew the nest. In addition to explaining the system of all sciences and the best techniques for studying at university, the book included practical instructions for budgeting ec. In his keynote speech, in which Pöschmann spoke of new and old methods of education (1808), he showed himself to be a moderate school innovator who was able to maintain a balance between the variety of methods and teachings prevailing at the time, and, above all, respect for both teachers and students. So many of the topics that were relevant at the time (e.g., how much material should be memorised or how strict discipline should be) are still at the forefront today. In their surviving publications, both co-directors of the General Teachers’ Institute display broad ideas inspired by the Enlightenment, and their activities in the school committee showed their readiness to contribute to the spread of education.
description: Tartu Ülikooli ajaloo küsimusi, No. 49 (2021): Morgenstern ja tema aeg