History of Chernihiv Regional Postgraduate Institute of Postgraduate Pedagogical Education named after K. D. Ushinsky in the persons of its leaders (to the 80th anniversary of its founding)

In 1940 Chernihiv Regional Institute of Teachers Professional Development was created on the basis of the existing regional methodical cabinet. The Institute acted as a higher educational establishment. Its main focus was professional development of teachers. The Institute staff consulted teachers, conducted meetings and lectures, held exhibitions that promoted the exchange of the best teaching experience. During the Nazi occupation of Chernihiv town (from September 1941 to September 1943) the Institute did not work. The Institute resumed its activities on September, 30, 1943. In the difficult postwar years of the rebuilding of public education its main areas of work were the following: checking school transferable and final exam preparation; practical assistance in the kindergartens; conducting workshops for the district methodological clusters of teachers; studying the experience of children’s centers and boarding schools; inspecting the district educational offices; checking the state of methodological work in the area; studying the state of teaching Foreign languages, Mathematics, Physical Education; inspecting educational work in the regional schools and sharing teaching experience. In 1954 there were the following cabinets in the structure of the Institute: of pre-school education, of pedagogy, of children’s centers, of Ukrainian language and literature, of Russian language and literature, of Mathematics and Physics, of extra-curricular work, of Primary school education, of Biology and Chemistry, of Foreign languages (French, English, German), of Physical Education, of History and Geography, of Labour training, and later – the cabinets of Educational films and of Job training. For years the structure of the Institute has not been practically changing. The cabinet of teaching work led by the Head and methodologists remained the important organizational and methodical link of the Institute. The Institute was subordinated to Chernihiv Oblast Board of Public Education. In 1989 there were 22 educational-methodical cabinets in Chernihiv Regional Institute of Teachers’ Professional Development. There have been substantial changes in the structure and activities of the institute since the independence of Ukraine. New objectives were set before the staff of the Institute. On March 23, 1993 Chernihiv Regional Institute of Teachers’ Professional Development has been liquidated, and on its basis Chernihiv Regional Institute of Teaching Staff Training and Retraining was created. There were the following chairs: of Pedagogy and Psychology, of Humanities and Social sciences and methods of their teaching, of Natural and Mathematical sciences and methods of their teaching. There were such laboratories: of Management in education and new pedagogical techniques; of Psychological research; of teaching Humanities and Social disciplines; of teaching Natural and Mathematical disciplines; of Educational methods in pre-school educational establishments and schools. In September 1993 the Department of Teaching Staff Retraining was created. You could get a second higher education in the Ukrainian language and literature, or the English language and literature, or the foreign Literature, or practical Psychology. For 20 years of its existence there has been done a lot for the training and retraining of teaching staff of Chernihiv region at the department. From 1993 to 2013 1273 professionals have been retrained, among them the teachers of Ukrainian and literature, of English, of foreign Literature and practical psychologists. On August 7, 2001 Chernihiv Regional Institute of Teaching Staff Training and Retraining was reorganized into Chernihiv Regional Institute of Postgraduate Pedagogical Education. By the order of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine dated 29 October 2009 Chernihiv Regional Institute of Postgraduate Pedagogical Education was named after K. D. Ushinskyi, an out standing pedagogue whose life was closely connected with Chernihiv. By 01.01.2012 there had been eight chairs at the Institute: of Natural and Mathematical sciences, of Social sciences, of Foreign languages, of Information and Communication technologies in education, of Management in education, of Psychology, of Ukrainian language and literature, of Pre-school and Primary school education. In 2014 the structure of chairs was reorganized due to staff reduction. There are 38 full-time lectures, including 3 doctors, 1 professor, 29 candidates of sciences,19 associate professors, and senior lecturers on the chairs. The Institute is located in three buildings; it has 23 classrooms and sufficient space to accommodate chairs, offices, and other structural units, with necessary educational equipment and visual aids, computer and photocopying services. The scientific and educational library works at the institute; it has 54,624 copies of books, brochures and periodicals. Distance Learning Center functions using telecommunication technologies. The Institute employees and students have access to the Internet. The multimedia and interactive boards are used in the educational process. Since 2000 Regional Center of Practical Psychology and Social work has been functioningat the Institute. In 2006 Chernihiv Regional Psychological, Medical and Pedagogical Advise Bureau was included into the structure of the Institute professional teachers’ development, educational activities, retraining and professional development