19
Lifelong learning
Although he suffered several strokes of fate, Johann Amos Comenius (1592-1670) never lost his faith in the benevolence of man. The Chech theologician, philosopher, educator, and last bishop of the United Brethren was sure of the human ability to educate himself and of the unlimited capacities of the mind. His method was holistic and free of force. He wanted to encourage the “desire to fathom something”, learning should be “playful and diverting” … in his book Orbis sensualium pictus – The Visible World he writes: “The ground of this business, is, that sensual objects may be rightly presented to the senses, for fear they may not be received. I say, and say it again aloud, that this last is the foundation of all the rest: because we can neither act nor speak wisely, unless we first rightly understand all the things which are to be done, and whereof we are to speak. Now there is nothing in the understanding, which was not before in the sense. And therefore to exercise the senses well about the right perceiving the differences of things, will be to lay the grounds for all wisdom, and all wise discourse, and all discreet actions in ones course of life. Which, because it is commonly neglected in schools, and the things which are to be learned are offered to scholars, without being understood or being rightly presented to the senses, it cometh to pass, that the work of teaching and learning goeth heavily onward, and affordeth little benefit.”
The woodcut of a locust is part of a pronounciation table that Comenius developed as a didactic means (a vivid and vocal alphabet).