AUTHOR APPROACH TO EDUCATION IN A PRIMARY SCHOOL: AN EXPERIMENTAL RESEARCH BASED ON THE EXPERIENCE OF THE SCHOOL OF LIBERAL ARTS (SLA)

Abstract

The article explores the theoretical and methodological foundations, as well as the practical outcomes, of implementing an author’s educational model developed at the School of Humanitarian Labor (ShHP, Kherson, Ukraine). Based on principles of humanistic pedagogy, the model represents an integrated system that combines intellectual, moral, aesthetic, civic, and physical dimensions of a child’s development. The author emphasizes the importance of an aesthetically organized learning environment, strong family-school partnerships, and the high pedagogical culture of teachers as key factors in the success of the model. A pedagogical experiment was conducted between 2020 and 2024, comparing the level of value-based upbringing among Sh H. P. students and those from traditional general education institutions. The evaluation was based on five key criteria: morality, aesthetic sensitivity, civic engagement, cognitive reflection, and emotional openness. Results obtained using the author’s ShHP-Q scale demonstrated a statistically significant advantage for ShHP students across all dimensions. The greatest difference (+1.3 points) was observed in aesthetic development, highlighting the role of the arts in the model. The article substantiates the need to reorient the educational process of the New Ukrainian School towards integrated, learnercentered approaches that enable children to live and experience humanistic values on a daily basis. The findings can serve as a reference for improving educational strategies in general secondary education.