Weird Pedagogy That Works

December 09, 2011 we watched the film «Major Payne» with comments by Nikolai Ivanovich.

The plot of the film often repeats the life stories and plots of other works. While watching, I often caught myself on analogies: some of Payne’s features are too reminiscent of someone else.

strange start

Major Payne gets to know his charges in a very aggressive way. This can be explained by the disobedience of children. But! Before you demand — you need to give instructions. Did he give it? Why punish them? Moreover, Payne is a military man. It is not so easy to “bring” and “upset” him. So the behavior is conscious. Payne deliberately makes it clear that the opinion of the group does not matter to him. It is he who evaluates them, and not vice versa.

The real author of such pedagogical maneuvers in my life is the self-defense and hand-to-hand combat coach Viktor Vladimirovich Ermakov. A combat officer, a major of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, an instructor in combat and special training, he agreed to conduct training with students of a civilian university by some miracle.

Thank God he didn’t shave our heads. Otherwise, his introductory session mirrored Payne’s behavior. Contrary to tradition — to praise training, Viktor Vladimirovich cited articles of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation «for exceeding the limits of necessary defense» and «causing harm to health of moderate severity.» Listed possible injuries in the course of training. He was skeptical about our physical parameters, and finally moved on to organizational issues. Sort of — a calm presence, turning into rudeness, without a hint of interest.

I will draw a parallel with the “Pedagogical poem” by A.S. Makarenko. With all the kindness of Anton Semenovich, the first tangible results of managing teenagers appeared after he hit (!) A pupil. Separately, we can talk about what this step cost the teacher. But the fact remains. You will adjust, not me.

«Venerable Sirs and Ladies». About what is important and what is not

Major Payne called his pupils «stooges» and «morons.»

Our coach — «bodies», «trunks», «dumplings» and «captured Romanians».

Nikolai Ivanovich is right: it does not hurt. Does not hurt op, comments and parodies. Does not offend the appeal «girl in a blue T-shirt.»

Note: I am only one girl in the whole group. I go to every workout. We have been training for four months. My name is Natasha.

At some point it really doesn’t matter. At some point, ohr invigorates and gives strength.

But — on one condition. Your trainer is a professional.

We figured it out pretty quickly. Viktor Vladimirovich did not just demonstrate tricks. He taught: he gave analogies from the course of physics and mechanics, conveyed the meaning of each movement and gave exercises to practice.

Very often, Viktor Vladimirovich removed the coating from the floor during training. Mats, carpet — everything rested at the end of the hall. And we were given a wooden floor. Hard? Yes. Uncomfortable? Yes. “And the gopnik in the gateway will also lay a carpet for you ???”. Viktor Vladimirovich taught in a practical way: as in life.

Referring to the work of A.S. Makarenko: “I was convinced a long time ago that the greatest respect and the greatest love on the part of the guys (…) are manifested in relation to other types of people. What we call high qualifications, confident and clear knowledge, skill, art, golden hands, taciturnity and the complete absence of phrases, constant readiness for work — this is what captivates the guys to the greatest extent. You can be dry to the last degree with them, demanding to the point of captiousness, you can not notice them if they stick out at your fingertips, you can even be indifferent to their sympathy, but if you shine with work, knowledge, luck, then calmly do not look back : they are on your side, and they will not betray. It doesn’t matter what these abilities of yours are manifested in, it doesn’t matter who you are: a carpenter, an agronomist, a blacksmith, a teacher, a machinist.

When it doesn’t matter

One of the highlights of Major Payne, in my opinion, is the scene with the drunken stepfather. With all the outward coldness of Payne, he protected the teenager. He didn’t care.

Just as he cared about the little Tiger situation when he told the story. When it’s all the same — tambourine. When it doesn’t matter, they turn on and play.

Our coach has never been directly interested in us. Outside the hall, he didn’t seem to care about our existence at all.

The first time I doubted this thesis, when, having met me at the entrance to the sports complex, V.V. seriously warned: “If I see you again without a hat, I won’t let you go to training.” I am 17 years old, I am a student in a foreign city. The fact that someone cares about my hat and head was surprising.

We were surprised more than once. Sometimes it’s petty, sometimes it’s serious.

At least four of us got our first job in our specialty at the suggestion of V.V. Probably, this is not an entirely clear example for a huge Moscow. But for Novokuznetsk, finding a job in the specialty in the 3rd year of the Faculty of Law is luck. Teachers prophesied unemployment for us, V.V. prophesied nothing. He simply gave the coordinates of the leaders who were ready to consider the candidacies of students for the vacancy of a lawyer.

I don’t remember that V.V. gave us some lectures on the ethics of the use of force. But I saw how our guys changed. They studied with V.V. do not accept. They learned from V.V — to protect. Protect — loved ones, relatives, and sometimes strangers on the street late in the evening.

It makes no sense to quote here from the Pedagogical Poem. Because the whole book is one big “It doesn’t matter”, from the first to the last page.

«Life is a raspberry»

Payne in every frame of the film is cheerful, fit and joyfully calm. If you think about it, not an obvious reaction for a man who, after a career in the elite military, is forced to train clueless children. Nobody really supports him. A colleague is constantly lecturing, the principal of the school is “out of this world” at all. Any “normal” person would have been visited by decadent moods long ago. And Payne smiles, flashing his iron tooth.

I can’t say that our coach was enlightened 365 days a year. Anything happened. And how much «everything» — we did not always understand. Working in the police is not the kind of adventure that is shown in the series.

But V.V. knew how to switch, choose the right mood. It seems that as soon as he cast a sly glance at us and thoughtfully stretched out a strange expression: “Life is raspberry”, how all things outside the gym ceased to excite him. What remained was attention, skill and a sense of humor.

In the Pedagogical Poem, the protagonist’s ability to control his emotions is clearly seen at the end of the work. The ideas of Makarenko, set out in the scientific report, were received with hostility. Makarenko understood what would follow: repressions, disbandment of the colonies. What is customary to do in such a situation? What do you do when your life’s work is about to die?

“Pay no attention, Anton Semyonovich,” said Lapot. — Gathered, you know, bores …

“I don’t pay,” I consoled the lads.

But the issue has already been resolved.

Without shuddering and without lowering the general tone, I began to wind down the team. It was necessary to withdraw my friends from the colony as soon as possible. This was necessary both in order not to put them to the test under the new order, and in order not to leave any centers of protest in the colony.

(…)

In the colony, I did not tell anyone about my departure, and Yuryev promised to remain silent.

I rushed to the factories, to the bosses, to the Chekists. Since the question of the release of the colonists had been raised for a long time, my actions did not surprise anyone in the colony. Using the help of friends, I almost without difficulty arranged jobs for the Gorky people in Kharkov factories and apartments in the city. Ekaterina Grigoryevna and Gulyaeva took care of a small dowry, they already had experience in this matter. Two months remained before Gorky’s arrival, there was enough time.

(…)

I was a strong person at the time, and I smiled at the boys.»

«Decent»

While watching, Nikolai Ivanovich asked: what would the children be doing at the time of Payne’s departure, if they were «decent»? You have to be «nice». And meanwhile, very much I understand feelings of children.

We found ourselves in a similar situation 4 years later. Not for any war V.V. did not leave. Yes, he was in «hot spots». But our «trouble» came from a completely different direction. Viktor Vladimirovich was elementarily promoted. The rank of lieutenant colonel and a new position — the city of Kemerovo, the regional center.

Our group was hard to watch. These were not «dumplings», worse. The presence of V.V. still somehow led to a working condition. But as soon as he left someone to train instead of himself, complaints began, more and more often it sounded “I can’t”.

The situation was complicated by the fact that no one knew exactly when the transfer order would come. Tomorrow? A week later? In a month? Uncertainty.

The exit was found. Photo album. Until now, we have felt sorry for ourselves. And what about V.V.? He goes to another city, to another team, to other conditions. What can we do for him?

From that moment on, going to training took on a new meaning. We distributed the album, each page — for photos, wishes and thanks. Take the album home, write what you want. There is only one condition: there should be no whining in any line. Don’t whine! Work has begun. The photo album was passed from hand to hand, filled with warm words and wishes, grew with photographs.

We made it. By the time the order came, everything was ready. A large leather-bound photo album contained all our wishes and parting words.

Handing over the gift, we said almost nothing. One of the elders asked:

— VV, do not open now. Better at home, with a glass of cognac.

V.V. complied with our request. Late in the evening we received a text message, one for all: “Guys, this is not a glass of cognac. Not even a bottle here.» It wasn’t about alcohol. It was about something else.

None of the pupils knew about the upcoming departure of Makarenko. Was it easier for them? Probably not. And at the same time, Anton Semenovich brought up strong people. I think they did it. The main thing is to find a job in time, to take care of others.

Everything will be fine, and even better

Like the Payne movie, our story had a good continuation.

Lieutenant Colonel Ermakov just moved to another city. Not to the moon flew, not to Mars. Each of us can come to visit, call or say hello. Are we doing it? Yes. Such a tradition. Once a year — to come to V.V. for a visit. Communication has long gone beyond sports topics. We broadcast news, discuss plans, come for advice, share important discoveries… And rightly so.

«Pedagogical Poem»:

“And not only Matvey, others also came, always unusual for me adults: Osadchy — a technologist, and Mishka Ovcharenko — a driver, and a meliorator behind the Caspian Sea Oleg Ognev and a teacher Marusya Levchenko, and a car driver Soroka, and a fitter Volokhov, and a mechanic Koryto , and the master of MTS Fedorenko, and party leaders — Alyoshka Volkov, Denis Kudlaty and Volkov Zhorka, and with a real Bolshevik character, still sensitive Mark Sheingauz, and many, many others.

Conclusion

Why this work?

To once again realize that in life it happens like in a movie, and even better.

To share your observations.

To unobtrusively advise the «Pedagogical Poem» to those who have not yet read it.

To recommend sports, if anyone is not in the subject.

And also — to wish each of us on the eve of the New Year: may there be more wise, kind and strong people in our lives. And may we be the same. Perhaps this is our main work.

Video from Yana Shchastya: interview with professor of psychology N.I. Kozlov

Topics of conversation: What kind of woman do you need to be in order to successfully marry? How many times do men get married? Why are there so few normal men? Childfree. Parenting. What is love? A story that couldn’t be better. Paying for the opportunity to be close to a beautiful woman.