Discussing Suffering with Children

Maria SZCZEPSKA-PUSTKOWSKA

Division of General Pedagogy, Institute of Pedagogy, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Gdańsk, ul. S. Bażyńskiego 4, room S 513, 80-952 Gdańsk, Poland , Poland

Małgorzata LEWARTOWSKA-ZYCHOWICZ

Division of General Pedagogy, Institute of Pedagogy, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Gdańsk, ul. S. Bażyńskiego 4, room S 513, 80-952 Gdańsk, Poland , Poland

Longina STRUMSKA-CYLWIK

Division of General Pedagogy, Institute of Pedagogy, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Gdańsk, ul. S. Bażyńskiego 4, room S 513, 80-952 Gdańsk, Poland , Poland

Abstract

This text is dedicated to the issue of suffering which has always been and still is a real theoretical and methodological challenge. Suffering is an inevitable aspect of human existence and a component of human condition, and it requires conceptualization and methodological solutions. Even though it seems that suffering is a category very well-known to pedagogy, aa well as one well accustomed by it, in fact pedagogy hardly deals with it conceptually. We can even talk about pedagogical evasion rather than about pedagogical solutions to the problem of suffering. Issues of suffering, situated in the context of discussing it with children are the object of interest to the authors of the text.

Keywords:

suffering, pedagogy, conversations / talks (with children)