John Dewey
By: Eli Gonzalez
By: Eli Gonzalez
Over the years many great writers, philosophers and psychologist have had many great and significant impacts on our educators and the American education system. as many philosophers had created and still seem many of their theories still in practice. John Dewey was known as a significant father of the educational philosophies.
Throughout the history of Education there have been many educational philosophies that have shaped our education system today. John Dewey was a philosopher who created multiple theories and philosophies for our education systems and classrooms. John Dewey was a psychologist, philosopher, and educator who impacts and still has a permanent impact on our educational system. Many of his practices are still being used and taught. (Nickerson, 2024). John Dewey started his philosophy based on coming to the Americas during the 19th century. During this time he created a section that persuaded the citizens of Chicago that children should not be kept inside sitting for hours listening, but instead interactive with the lesson (Gibbon, 2019). Dewey saw the struggles that were occurring within the educational system in Chicago.
John Dewey created the Educational Progressivism that accumulated as he expanded his knowledge and visited different areas of education to understand and study to further prove his theory that students would learn more when they are interactive with the lesson being taught. Dewey believed that a traditional education was still important however he also believed that the student should have interactions that were in their interest (Howley-Rouse, 2021). Dewey wanted to create a way for students to grow at their own pace but yet still have a teacher to help guide them. Progressivism is also based on the students abilities and needs, but also allows room for a teacher to provide the education and knowledge to the students (PHILO-notes, 2021). Dewey believed that with the same fundamentals of the traditional education and adding the students abilities and needs into that education would not only be beneficial for the student but also opened up new ways for teachers to help students learn based on their abilities and needs.
Progressivism allows students to have room to learn within their own abilities. A way that progressivism can be used in a classroom, could be seen when students are allowed to use their own curiosity and experiences to learn within the classrooms or hands-on interactive social activities related to the class lesson (PHILO-notes, 2021). As the majority of teachers use handson and interactive activities to allow students to grow within their own abilities. Another way that you could use Progressivism within a classroom, could be a teacher that gives students the positive and safe environment to learn and grow with their own experiences and knowledge but also help them expand on that and give them the opportunity to interact and learn new ways (Spanella, 2022). This is another way how progressivism can be used in a classroom, but also can be used to combine into other educational philosophies.
John Dewey created and significantly impacted all the education system, many still practice and use his theory to guide and help students flourish and grow during their education career.
Here are some review question:
1) What was the main idea to John Dewey's theory?
A) Learning by sitting
B) Learning by listening
C) Learning by watching
D) Learning by doing
2) What was the name of John Dewey's educational philosophy?
A) Perennialism
B) Essentialism
C) Progressivism
D) Existentialism
correct answers:
1) D
2) C
Gibbon, P., Skinner, D., & Fuller, R. (2019, Spring). John Dewey: Portrait of a progressive thinker. National Endowment for the Humanities. Vol. 40, 2 https://www.neh.gov/article/john-dewey-portrait-progressive-thinker
Howley-Rouse, A. (2021, April 13). Dewey’s educational philosophy. THE EDUCATION HUB. https://theeducationhub.org.nz/deweys-educational-philosophy/#:~:text=hinder%20open%20dialogue.-,Critical%20inquiry,possib
Nickerson, C. (2024, February 1). John Dewey on education: Impact & theory. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/john-dewey.htmlilities%2C%20and%20explore%20doubtful%20possibilities.
PHILO-notes. (2021b, December 1). Progressivism in Education (What is Progressivism in Education, Progressivism in Education Defined). YouTube. https://youtu.be/6C6DUKx72_8?si=Z6wRYG9DNBncTwXk
Spanella, T. (2022, September 4) John Dewey on Education: Theory & Philosophy. Study.com. https://study.com/academy/lesson/john-dewey-on-education-theory-philosophy-quiz.html
Al imagine created. I asked Google Gemini to "Can you create an imagine of a Progressivism Educational philosophy classroom" and I also asked Google Gemini to "can you create an imagine of a Progressivism Educational Philosophy during the year 1995". It helped by create what a Progressivism Educational Philosophy classroom would seem. AI helped a lot with finding the appropriate image of what a classroom could possible look like with the Progressivism Educational Philosophy. AI is very useful in my opinion because it creates images to how I imagined a classroom to look.