The value of Catholic early childhood education – the role of parents and kindergarten as perceived by Ukrainian women

Abstract

The article addresses the role of Catholic early childhood education, the parents and the kindergarten in setting the developmental background for the child’s future life perspectives and personal development. This research subject is analysed in the context of the situation in Ukraine, and the article focuses on how the respondents – Ukrainian female refugees – perceive the value of the process. The article begins with an outline of the essentials of Catholic education and their practical implementation through the educational conception developed by Edmund Bojanowski. Then it analyses opinions of refugee women from Ukraine, surveyed with action research methodology and a diagnostic survey to discover how the respondents understand the value of Catholic education and its importance in responding to contemporary life challenges. The respondents’ opinions reveal how the state of war in Ukraine has brought home the importance of family education and the role of the parents and Catholic early childhood education in kindergarten for the well-being of the individual, the family and society. Research conclusions highlight a need to enhance early childhood education practices in an era of dynamic socio-cultural change, marked the unexpected and highly challenging events. Despite on-going secularisation, there is a growing conviction that Catholic early childhood education can offer a solid foundation for this enhancement, due to its reliance on stable, universal set of values and its emphasis on the regularities of child development.

Keywords:

• Child
• family
• kindergarten
• Catholic education

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 The Commission for Research Ethics at the Institute of Pedagogy of the Catholic University of Lublin, in its decision of 15.03.2022 found that the ethical principles were met, as the research maintains full anonymity of those taking part voluntarily.

2 The programme of pre-school education available online in the following language versions: Polish, English, French, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Ukrainian:

• M. Opiela, M. Kaput, E. Piekarz, A. Kornobis, Z. Zymróz, S. Chudzik. 2021. Program wychowania przedszkolnego według koncepcji pedagogicznej bł. Edmunda Bojanowskiego. Lublin: Werset. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12153/1575.

• M. Opiela, M. Kaput, E. Piekarz, A. Kornobis, Z. Zymróz, S. Chudzik. 2021. Preschool education programme based on the pedagogical conception by Bl. Edmund Bojanowski, . Lublin: Werset. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12153/1578.

• M. Opiela, M. Kaput, E. Piekarz, A. Kornobis, Z. Zymróz, S. Chudzik. 2021. Programme éducatif préscolaire selon la conception pédagogique du bx Edmond Bojanowski. Lublin: Werset. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12153/1601.

• M. Opiela, M. Kaput, E. Piekarz, A. Kornobis, Z. Zymróz, S. Chudzik. 2021. El programa de educación preescolar según la concepción pedagógica del beato Edmundo Bojanowski. Lublin: Werset. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12153/1612.

• M. Opiela, M. Kaput, E. Piekarz, A. Kornobis, Z. Zymróz, S. Chudzik. 2021. Программа дошкольного образования согласно педагогической концепции блж. Эдмунда Бояновского. Lublin: Werset. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12153/1602.

• M. Opiela, M. Kaput, E. Piekarz, A. Kornobis, Z. Zymróz, S. Chudzik. 2022. Програма дошкільного навчання відповідно до педагогічної концепції блж. Едмунда Бояновського. Lublin: Werset. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12153/3057.

• M. Opiela, M. Kaput, E. Piekarz, A. Kornobis, Z. Zymróz, S. Chudzik. 2022. O Programa de educação pré-escolar de acordo com a concepção pedagógica do Bem-Aventurado Edmundo Bojanowski. Lublin: Werset. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12153/3064.

3 Games and plays – descriptions and instructions with video material in the following language versions: Polish, English, French, Portuguese, Spanish, Russian and Ukrainian:

• M. Opiela. ed. 2022. Gry i zabawy według notatek bł. Edmunda Bojanowskiego. Lublin: Werset. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12153/2490.

• M. Opiela. ed. 2022. Games and Plays based on the notes of Blessed Edmund Bojanowski. Lublin: Werset. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12153/2554.

• M. Opiela. ed. 2022. Activités ludiques et jeux pour enfants d’après les indications du bienheureux Edmond Bojanowski. Lublin: Werset. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12153/3439.

• M. Opiela. ed. 2022. Jogos e brincadeiras Proposta do Edmundo Bojanowski. Lublin: Werset. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12153/3851.

• M. Opiela. ed. 2022. Juegos y diversiones según los apuntes del beato Edmundo Bojanowski. Lublin: Werset. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12153/2503.

• M. Opiela. ed. 2022. Игры и забавы. Oснованo на заметках блаженного Эдмунда Бояновского. Lublin: Werset. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12153/2504.

• M. Opiela. ed. 2022. Ігри та розваги. За нотатками Бл. Едмунда Бояновського. Lublin: Werset. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12153/3217.

4 Stories in Polish:

• M. Opiela. ed. 2022. Opowiadania według notatek bł. Edmunda Bojanowskiego. Lublin: Werset. http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12153/2492.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Maria Loyola Opiela

S. Maria Loyola Opiela is a Professor at John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin (Poland). She works at the Institute of Pedagogy. She studied Pedagogy in Lublin, and further She received a doctoral degree in Sociology at the Catholic University of Lublin and a doctoral degree in Pedagogy at the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. Her achievements concern Pedagogy and its disciplines, especially kindergarten and care pedagogy, family pedagogy, history of pedagogical thought. She is a Religious Sister (religious name Loyola) from the Congregation of the Sisters Servants of the Mother of God, Virgin Immaculate Conception (of Debica).