MRS Jou nal o Mul idisciplina y Resea ch and S udies
Abb e ia e Ti le- MRS J Mul Res S ud
ISSN (Online) 3049-1398
Vol-2, Iss-11 (No embe -2025)
This is an open access a icle unde he CC BY-NC license 44
THE PRINCIPLE OF HUMANITY AND TOLERANCE IN MODERN THEORY OF
UPBRINGING: AN EDUCATIONAL MODEL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A
SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE PERSONALITY THROUGH A CREATIVE
PEDAGOGICAL APPROACH
D . A i Abne *
Bu gas S a e Uni e si y "P o . D . Assen Zla a o ", Republic o Bulga ia
Co esponding Au ho : D . A i Abne (Bu gas S a e Uni e si y “P o . D- Assen Zla a o .” Republic o Bulga ia)
A icle His o y: Recei ed: 04 / 08 / 2025:, Accep ed: 09 / 11 / 2025:, Published: 20 / 11 / 2025
Abs ac : This s udy p esen s he esul s o implemen ing an educa ional model g ounded in he p inciple o humani y and ole ance,
aimed a os e ing he de elopmen o socially esponsible a i udes in p ima y school pupils h ough a c ea i e pedagogical app oach.
The esea ch was conduc ed wi h pupils om he 3 d and 4 h g ades, di ided in o expe imen al and con ol g oups. The p ac ical
componen was ca ied ou wi h he ac i e pa icipa ion o a he apis Pe ya Da ako a in a non- o mal educa ional se ing ha
encou aged ee c ea i e exp ession and meaning ul dialogue. The p og amme comp ised ou pedagogical modules: d awing and
pe sonal isual exp ession, c ea ing s o y empla es, s o y elling and d ama isa ion, and collec i e in e p e a ion h ough he c ea ion
o a pic u e wi h s ones. The main goal was o cul i a e a i udes o espec o di e si y, empa hy, and coope a ion among he pupils.
Analysis o he esul s indica ed a clea ly obse able posi i e shi in empa hy, ole ance, and social esponsibili y among he pupils
who pa icipa ed in he p og amme, while he con ol g oup main ained compa able le els o hese a i udes h oughou . The
conclusions d awn om he s udy con i m ha he p oposed model is an e ec i e ool o de eloping alue-based a i udes o
humani y and ole ance h ough expe ien ial lea ning and a -based ac i i ies. I p o ides a p ac ical con ibu ion o con empo a y
inclusi e educa ion s a egies by p omo ing in e pe sonal unde s anding and a cul u e o peace ul coexis ence among p ima y school
pupils.
Keywo ds: humani y, ole ance, c ea i e pedagogical app oach, expe ien ial lea ning, social esponsibili y, a -based educa ion,
inclusi e educa ion.
Ci e his a icle: Abne , A. (2025). THE PRINCIPLE OF HUMANITY AND TOLERANCE IN MODERN THEORY OF
UPBRINGING: AN EDUCATIONAL MODEL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SOCIALLY RESPONSIBLE PERSONALITY
THROUGH A CREATIVE PEDAGOGICAL APPROACH. MRS Jou nal o Mul idisciplina y Resea ch and S udies, 2(11),44-47.
h ps://doi.o g/10.5281/zenodo.17657082
INTRODUCTION
The p inciple o humani y and ole ance occupies an
inc easingly impo an posi ion in con empo a y educa ional
heo y, gi en he g owing challenges associa ed wi h globalisa ion
and cul u al di e si y. Upb inging is no longe ega ded me ely as
a p ocess o ansmi ing knowledge bu as a complex sys em
encompassing socialisa ion, alue o ien a ion, and he e hical
o ma ion o he indi idual. Acco ding o UNESCO, “educa ion o
sus ainable de elopmen equi es cul i a ing empa hy, espec o
di e si y, and a sha ed sense o esponsibili y” [1]. This implies
ha educa ion canno be con ined o echnical aining o he
de elopmen o cogni i e skills alone bu mus in ol e os e ing
a i udes and capaci ies o peace ul and esponsible co-exis ence.
Wi hin he scope o mode n pedagogical heo y, he p inciple o
humani y is de ined as a commi men o ecognising he digni y,
igh s, and eedoms o e e y indi idual, i espec i e o hei
social, cul u al, o pe sonal backg ound. Such a commi men
p esupposes openness owa ds o he s and a eadiness o
meaning ul in e ac ion. James Banks unde sco es his no ion,
obse ing ha “ ole ance is no passi e accep ance bu ac i e
engagemen wi h di e si y h ough dialogue and c i ical hinking”
[2]. In his sense, ole ance is e ealed as a p ocess o dialogue and
c i ical e lec ion ha anscends simplis ic de ini ions and c ea es
oppo uni ies o genuine cul u al exchange. Thus, he
con empo a y p ocess o upb inging is concei ed as a dynamic
ield in which skills o in e pe sonal unde s anding, coope a ion,
and a alue o ien a ion owa ds espec o di e si y a e
delibe a ely cul i a ed. The cu en academic discou se emphasises
he in eg al na u e o upb inging, which mus b ing oge he he
cogni i e, emo ional, and social de elopmen o he indi idual.
Acco ding o Ge Bies a, con empo a y educa ion is no con ined
o he ansmission o knowledge bu is di ec ed owa ds he
o ma ion o humani y and c i ical engagemen wi h he wo ld.
This necessi a es he de elopmen o pedagogical models ha build
upon adi ional o ms o eaching while p io i ising he o ma ion
o a socially esponsible pe sonali y [3]. As Blaga Dimo a no es,
“ he unde s anding, awa eness, and ad ancemen o socie y in
MRS Jou nal o Mul idisciplina y Resea ch and S udies. Vol-2, Iss-11 (No embe ): 44-47
45
ela ion o he concep o sus ainable de elopmen equi e he
o ma ion o an in o med ci il socie y ha can clea ly and
easonably assess he consequences and esponsibili ies o i s own
ac ions upon he li es o u u e gene a ions” [4]. He pe spec i e
u he s eng hens he a gumen ha con empo a y educa ion mus
in eg a e ci ic, mo al, and ecological dimensions in o de o os e
esponsibili y and sus ainabili y as co e educa ional alues. A he
same ime, Ellio Eisne a gues ha he a s in educa ion cul i a e
c i ical hinking, in e p e a i e abili ies, and empa hy, he eby
suppo ing social and emo ional lea ning [5]. Wi hin his con ex ,
a -based app oaches es ablish hemsel es as e ec i e means o
enac ing he p inciple o humani y and ole ance, as hey enable
expe ien ial e lec ion on alues and os e he de elopmen o
empa hy.
DISCUSSION
In pedagogical heo y, c ea i e app oaches a e unde s ood
as alue-o ien ed s a egies ha c ea e condi ions o he
de elopmen o c i ical hinking, o he analysis o social no ms,
and o he cul i a ion o an imagina ion di ec ed owa ds a mo e
humane and jus socie y. Acco ding o C a , Je ey and Leibling,
such p ac ices enable he class oom o be ans o med in o a space
o dialogue, collabo a ion, and social engagemen [6]. A -based
pedagogical ac i i ies also os e a cul u e o mu ual espec
essen ial o inclusi e educa ion. Con empo a y educa ional
sys ems a e wi nessing a g owing in e es in in eg a ing a is ic
p ac ices wi h educa ional aims, pa icula ly wi hin in e cul u al
con ex s. As UNESCO highligh s, one o he condi ions o
sus ainable de elopmen is educa ion o global ci izenship, which
includes skills o in e cul u al unde s anding, peace, and espec
o human igh s. In his sense, a -based app oaches can se e as a
means o o e coming cul u al ba ie s and s e eo ypes h ough
sha ed c ea i e wo k and collec i e in e p e a ion o meaning [1].
Bu na d and Hennessy no e ha e lec i e p ac ices in a s
educa ion a e inhe en ly dialogic in na u e, encou aging collec i e
in e p e a ion and sha ed meaning-making. Such app oaches
p omo e c i ical engagemen and collabo a ion among lea ne s,
ein o cing democ a ic alues and suppo ing he aims o inclusi e
educa ion. They sugges ha he ole o he educa o e ol es
owa ds ha o a acili a o o dialogue and a pa ne in educa ional
in e ac ion, os e ing s uden s’ au onomy and building
ela ionships ounded on mu ual espec and ole ance [7]. A he
ounda ion o D . A i Abne ’s au ho ial educa ional model lies he
p inciple o humani y and ole ance, which is no limi ed o a
gene al pedagogical alue bu de ines he con en and di ec ion o
educa ional ac i i y. The model aims o suppo he o ma ion o a
socially esponsible pe sonali y h ough app oaches ha encou age
espec o e e y indi idual, ecogni ion o di e ence, he
de elopmen o empa hy, and he cul i a ion o solida i y. Such an
o ien a ion is especially impo an in he Bulga ian educa ional
con ex , whe e he di e si y o s uden g oups and he goals o
inclusi e educa ion pose new demands on pedagogical p ac ice. A
de ining cha ac e is ic o his model is expe ien ial lea ning, which
in eg a es ac i e engagemen , c ea i e explo a ion and sus ained
e lec ion. A is ic ac i i ies o e s uden s he chance o in es iga e
social ques ions such as inequali y, disc imina ion and peace
h ough di ec in ol emen ha deepens unde s anding and
encou ages in e p e a i e insigh . This pe spec i e highligh s he
need o educa ional s a egies ha mo e beyond he me e
ansmission o knowledge, ocusing ins ead on de eloping
s uden s’ capaci y o e hical judgemen , empa hy, and social
esponsibili y. When lea ning is s uc u ed wi hin meaning ul and
engaging con ex s, educa o s can encou age he explo a ion o
complex social issues in ways ha connec wi h lea ne s’ pe sonal
expe iences. C ea i e and e lec i e p ac ices also p o ide
oppo uni ies o s uden s o examine and econside hei own
assump ions, os e ing openness and dialogue ac oss di e ences.
Con empo a y esea ch emphasises he impo ance o delibe a ely
cul i a ing c ea i e hinking and inno a ion as ounda ions o
lexibili y, p oblem-sol ing skills, and deep c i ical engagemen
[8]; [9], ein o cing he alue o a holis ic educa ional app oach
ha p epa es lea ne s o na iga e and ac esponsibly wi hin a
di e se and in e connec ed wo ld.
Figu e 1. C ea i e pedagogical model o social esponsibili y
Sou ce: Concep ual model de eloped by D . A i Abne . All igh s
ese ed.
In he i s s age, child en a e gi en he ask o d awing
images ha ep esen hemsel es, hei amilies, o hei cul u al
en i onmen . The cen al idea is o c ea e an oppo uni y o
pe sonal exp ession and sel -disco e y h ough a . The
pedagogical aim is o encou age openness and sha ing, u ning
di e ences in o a s a ing poin o dialogue. The eache in i es
he child en o explain hei chosen colou s and o ms, he eby
os e ing an a mosphe e o espec o indi iduali y and cul u al
di e si y. This s age lays he ounda ion o mu ual unde s anding
and accep ance. The second s age aims o de elop collec i e
imagina ion and collabo a i e skills. Child en wo k in g oups o
design he s uc u e o a s o y, c ea ing a empla e ha includes
cha ac e s, se ing, and a cen al p oblem. The eache encou ages
each child o con ibu e hei own idea, he eby building skills in
lis ening, nego ia ion, and espec o di e ing opinions. He e,
ole ance is os e ed h ough expe iencing he need o ake accoun
o o he s and o wo k owa ds a sha ed goal. In he hi d s age, he
g oups p esen hei s o ies o he o he s h ough s o y elling o
d ama isa ion. Pupils ake on oles, a emp o exp ess he eelings
and mo i a ions o he cha ac e s, and come o unde s and di e en
pe spec i es. The pedagogical pu pose he e is o de elop empa hy,
o cul i a e he abili y o in e p e social si ua ions, and o suppo
emo ional exp ession. The eache mode a es a discussion a e
each p esen a ion, guiding a en ion o he alues embedded in he
s o y and hei ele ance o eal li e. The ou h s age is a
syn hesising c ea i e ac i i y. Child en use s ones o di e en
colou s and shapes o c ea e a collec i e pic u e oge he . Each
s one symbolises indi iduali y, di e en backg ounds, and he
unique con ibu ion o each child. The eache leads a discussion
abou he symbolism o he colou s and shapes, emphasising ha
MRS Jou nal o Mul idisciplina y Resea ch and S udies. Vol-2, Iss-11 (No embe ): 44-47
46
despi e hei di e ences, hei combina ion p oduces a ha monious
and beau i ul image. This se es as a isual me apho o he alue
o uni y in di e si y and o he meaning o humani y and ole ance
in in e pe sonal ela ionships. The child en c ea ed h ee o iginal
s o ies, designing hei own empla es and hen p oducing s iking
mosaics o accompany hem. The s o ies a e p esen ed below:
1. The pic u e depic ing he ancho : An ancho es ed
s eadily on he seabed, holding he ship i m e en in he
mids o a s o m. Sailo s ecognised i as a symbol o
ai h in one ano he and esponsibili y owa ds he c ew.
Wi hou i , no one could emba k con iden ly on a
oyage, o e e y jou ney depends on us and mu ual
suppo .
2. The pic u e depic ing he ishe man and dog on an
island: On a small island, a ishe man sa peace ully
wi h his dog a his side, bo h gazing owa ds he ho izon.
Ins ead o ushing o compe ing, he ishe man showed
pa ience and calm, sha ing quie momen s ha e ealed
he joy o companionship and espec o all li ing
beings.
3. The pic u e depic ing he amily and he moon: On a
clea nigh , a amily sa oge he benea h he b igh
moon. The younges child asked how o become a good
pe son. The pa en eplied so ly ha goodness lies in
uly seeing o he s, espec ing hem, and o e ing help -
o i is h ough hese ac s ha esponsibili y owa ds all
people is bo n.
Figu e 2. Ope a ional P ocess
Sou ce: Visual ma e ials a e o iginal and c ea ed by he au ho . All
igh s ese ed.
FINDINGS
To assess he in luence o he educa ional model g ounded
in he p inciple o humani y and ole ance, designed o encou age
socially esponsible a i udes h ough c ea i e pedagogical wo k, a
s udy was conduc ed wi h pupils om Yea s 3 and 4 in wo school
classes. The esea ch in ol ed an expe imen al g oup (3B and 4B)
and a con ol g oup (3A and 4A), each consis ing o 20 pupils. The
wo k ook place in a eal school en i onmen , whe e lea ning
un olded in an a mosphe e o c ea i i y, dialogue and us . The
p og amme de eloped h ough ou in e connec ed lea ning
modules: d awing and pe sonal isual exp ession, c ea ing s o y
empla es, s o y elling and d ama isa ion, and a collec i e pic u e
made wi h s ones. Each module opened a space o imagina ion,
empa hy and e lec ion on human alues. The pupils we e guided
o ecognise emo ions, o lis en o one ano he and o exp ess
unde s anding h ough sha ed c ea i e ac i i y. The sessions we e
ca ied ou wi h he pa icipa ion o a he apis Pe ya Da ako a,
whose expe ience helped he pupils o connec a is ic wo k wi h
genuine eeling and o ans o m hei imp essions in o exp essi e
images and na a i es. The main pu pose o he s udy was o help
child en de elop espec o di e si y, empa hy and coope a ion in
hei e e yday in e ac ions. A he beginning, bo h g oups
displayed almos iden ical le els o empa hy and ole ance
(Expe imen al g oup: M = 35.2, SD = 3.7; Con ol g oup: M =
34.9, SD = 3.9). A e he comple ion o he c ea i e p og amme,
he expe imen al g oup achie ed a signi ican inc ease in i s mean
sco es (M = 56.8, SD = 4.1), while he con ol g oup showed only
a sligh ise (M = 36.1, SD = 4.0). The di e ence be ween he wo
g oups was s a is ically con i med ( (39) = 9.21, p < 0.001),
showing ha he change was meaning ul and di ec ly ela ed o he
sha ed lea ning expe ience. Beyond he numbe s, he child en in
he expe imen al classes became mo e a en i e o one ano he ,
mo e willing o help, and mo e open in communica ion. Thei
d awings and s o ies e ealed wa m h, since i y and an eme ging
abili y o unde s and di e en poin s o iew. The esul s
demons a e ha when lea ning akes place in an a mosphe e o
us and c ea i i y, g ounded in humani y and ole ance, pupils
na u ally de elop empa hy, emo ional unde s anding and a sense o
esponsibili y owa d o he s. Such expe iences show ha ue
educa ion is no con ined o knowledge alone, bu o he sha ed
disco e y o wha i means o be human.
Figu e 3. Obse ed Ou comes
Sou ce: Designed and de eloped by D . A i Abne . All igh s
ese ed.
CONCLUSION
The p esen ed au ho ial educa ional model, g ounded in he
p inciple o humani y and ole ance and implemen ed h ough a
c ea i e pedagogical app oach, demons a es signi ican po en ial
o os e ing socially esponsible a i udes among p ima y school
pupils. The indings o he conduc ed s udy e eal a clea inc ease
in empa hy, espec o di e si y, and social esponsibili y among
pupils who pa icipa ed in he p og amme. This con i ms he
impo ance o expe ien ial lea ning and c ea i e pedagogy as
means o de eloping alue-based o ien a ions, which a e especially
necessa y in oday’s mul icul u al and globalised socie y ( [1];
[10]. The model is buil on he ac i e in ol emen o child en in
dialogic, in e ac i e, and a -based ac i i ies ha p o ide
oppo uni ies o pe sonal in e p e a ion o social hemes and
sha ing o indi idual pe spec i es. This pedagogical amewo k,
besides encou aging cogni i e de elopmen , also p omo es pupils’
MRS Jou nal o Mul idisciplina y Resea ch and S udies. Vol-2, Iss-11 (No embe ): 44-47
47
emo ional and social compe ence [3]; [11]. Such an app oach aligns wi h con empo a y educa ional impe a i es o suppo he
de elopmen o global ci izenship, os e ing skills o peace ul
coexis ence and espec o human igh s. Fu he mo e, he
inclusion o a p ac ices and symbolic in e p e a ion wi hin he
educa ional p ocess o e s aluable oppo uni ies o expe ien ial
explo a ion o complex social issues, he eby building c i ical
hinking and a cul u e o dialogue [12]. These s a egies suppo
he ision o educa ion as a space o cul i a ing democ a ic alues
and social engagemen , as emphasised by nume ous con empo a y
esea che s and in e na ional o ganisa ions [1]; [10]. In his sense,
he p oposed model ep esen s a p ac ical and adap able ool o
con empo a y inclusi e educa ion, suppo ing he de elopmen o a
sus ainable cul u e o humani y, ole ance, and solida i y among
p ima y school s uden s.
REFERENCES
[1]
UNESCO, "Reimagining ou u u es oge he : A new social
con ac o educa ion.," UNESCO Publishing, pp 15, 2021.
[2]
J. Banks, Di e si y and Ci izenship Educa ion: Global
Pe spec i es 1s Edi ion, San F ancisco: Jossey-Bass p ess.
ISBN-13: 978-0787987657, 2006.
[3]
G. Bies a, Wo ld-Cen ed Educa ion 1s Edi ion, London :
Rou ledge p ess, ISBN-13: 978-0367565527, 2021 .
[4]
B. Dimo a, "Fo ma ion sus ainable skills in he con ex o
ci ic educa ion," Edu ion & Technologies. Vol. 15, issue 1,
pp. 30-33. DOI: h ps://doi.o g/10.26883/2010.241.5867,
2024.
[5]
Е. Eisne , The A s and he C ea ion o Mind Pape back, New
Ha en: Yale Uni e si y P ess, ИСБН-13: 978-0300105117,
2004.
[6]
C a , А., Je ey,B., Leibling, M, C ea i i y in Educa ion,
Con inuum In l Pub G oup. ISBN-13: 978-0826448637, 2001.
[7]
Bu na d, P & Hennessy, S, Re lec i e P ac ices in A s
Educa ion (Landscapes: he A s, Aes he ics, and Educa ion,
5), New Yo k, USA: Sp inge p ess, ISBN-13: 978-
1402095658, 2006.
[8]
О. Bo ysiuk, C ea i e Thinking in he Class oom: In-class
Ac i i ies o Spa k Inno a ion and De elop C ea i i y in
S uden s (All School..., Independen ly published. ISBN-13:
979-8341485082, 2024.
[9]
A. S a ko, C ea i i y in he Class oom, New Yo k: Rou ledge
p ess. ISBN-13: 978-0367609542, 2021.
[10]
OECD, The Fu u e o Educa ion and Skills 2030., OECD
Publishing, 2021.
[11]
Ampa zaki, M., Kalogiannakis, M, Pedagogy, Lea ning, and
C ea i i y, London: In echOpen p ess. ISBN-13: 978-
1803566658, 2023.
[12]
J. M. K. a. a. Caus on, The Way o Inclusion: How Leade s
C ea e Schools Whe e E e y S uden Belongs, A ling on,
Vi ginia. USA: ASCD p ess. ISBN-13: 978-1416631804,
2023.
