Konstantin Dmitriyevich Ushinskiy (1824-1870) – the Russian pedagogue, founder of the Russian pedagogical science, lived and worked in Yaroslavl.
After he graduated from the law department of the Moscow University in 1846 Konstantin Ushinskiy was appointed acting as professor of “cameral sciences” (economics, finances, etc.) of the Yaroslavl Demidov Law Lyceum. In his lectures Ushinskiy exposed the leading for his time ideas and was loved by students. From March to May 1848 he edited the informal part of the newspaper “The Yaroslavl Guberniya Gazette” and promoted natural-science and historical knowledge. Articles written by Ushinskiy for the Yaroslavl newspapers were his first literary works. The Yaroslavl period of Ushinskiy’s life was really important: he perfected his pedagogical skills here, elaborated leading pedagogical views.
Konstantin Ushinskiy is the founder of the Russian pedagogics, in particular pre-school pedagogics; he greatly endowed to development of the world pedagogical conception. Ushinskiy deeply analyzed theory and practice of upbringing, including pre-school upbringing, and education in other countries, showed progress and shortcomings in this field, and thus summed up other countries pedagogics development issues.
One of the closest Ushinskiy’s companions-in-arms wrote: “Ushinskiy is a really national pedagogue, standing in one row with Lomonosov as the first national scientist, Suvorov – the national commander, Pushkin – the national poet, Glinka – the national composer.”
The Yaroslavl State Pedagogical University named after K.D. Ushinskiy – one of the oldest pedagogical higher educational institutions of Russia. The history of the University began in 1908, when the teacher’s institute opened. The institute was named after Konstantin Dmitriyevich Ushinskiy in 1945.