John Dewey



John Dewey

Introduction

John Dewey is a multitalented and influential person. He was not only a psychologist but also a philosopher and educational reformer. He is one of the most significant philosophers of the twentieth century. His career lasted as long as three decades and he is known even today as the father of modern education. Philosophy of education has two dimensions to it; one is the applied philosophy whereas the other is the educational philosophy. Philosophy of education is based on the definition, meaning and goals of education as laid down by a vision of education. The philosophy of education deals with the problems in the field of education and while the central theme of the field is education, the focus is on the philosophy behind it.

John Dewey's Educational Philosophies

The educational philosophies of Dewey have been presented in many books in the past. While in the United States, Dewey was deeply interested in reforming the theory of education and educational practice. In his philosophies, he proposed educational learning through activities of different nature so that practical learning could be encouraged. He devised a new curriculum and opposed the authoritarian methods of teaching (Tomlinson, 2007).

Dewey thought that the educational system of his day did not provide citizens adequate preparation for life in a democratic society. It did not make them savvy and did not groom their cognitive abilities in a way that would help them in their practical and personal lives. In addition, he argued that the purpose of education is not limited to preparing the student for the practical life ahead. It is also to improve their personalities and make them better human beings. Dewey is not the only to have propagated this idea. In the words of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, whose work is the focal point of many developments in the matters of education, the basics of education is as follows:

“Men, be humane. This is your first duty. Be humane with every station, every age, everything which is not alien to man (Sidorkin, 2009, pp. 67).”

This humanity is important for both teachers and students in that they may be able to listen to each other and respect each others' views even if they are in direct contrast with each other.

John Dewey's development of thought

In order to characterize the thinking of John Dewey, first it is important to understand his academic and cultural legacy. Dewey inherited things from European culture and ??filtered them for the ones which will be useful to the United States. Not only was he inspired by the utilitarian and empiricist philosophies and culture but he also has a strong influence of French and Germans cultural elements. According Ravaglioli, the biography of Dewey culture, reflects at least the genesis of Deweyan theory. He was very much inspired by authors such as Darwin, Huxley, Comte, Hegel, James and Mead (Megan, 2011). Dewey notes the continuity between means and ends and proposes a theory of valuation for the appreciation of situations. Hence, no one man should exploit the other as ...