As I recently learned, John Dewey was influential as a public education philosopher, and his book “The School and Society” is considered a primary source of education theories. While reading the excerpt I was able to make many connections between what I've been learning in education classes and Dewey's original ideas. My science methods coursework was fully based on recent scientific research articles that support “modern” science education practices such as inquiry labs, identifying misconceptions, the BSCS 7 E Model, and the nature of science. (Sorry...I'm science!) Apparently much of the modern research is based on, or connected to Dewey's work, because each of those major elements of my methods class were described briefly in one chapter by Dewey. I was impressed and gained much respect for John Dewey after reading his work and wonder why I hadn't heard of him before.
Basically a whole semester's worth of methods coursework was touched upon in this single reading. Dewey indicated that the traditional classroom is developed around passively learning by listening. He proclaims that old education's “center of gravity is outside the child.”(pg. 34) Following a cook-book type lab experiment is not focused on the child; he or she generally does not internalize knowledge by following step by step procedures. Dewey instead promotes inquiry labs, and so does more recent scientifically based research. He also suggests that students learn better by engaging in activities before they are informed by the teacher. Research on the BSCS 7E model, in which students are engaged and explore concepts before the concepts are explained, scientifically proves Dewey is right. (BSCS 7E is a lesson model has 7 “E-word” steps.) Finally, before the nature of science was defined, Dewey had already been preaching it. The nature of science is not science content in specific, but how to do science and how science is learned. We redirect our focus on students' lives by teaching them the nature of science, which allows them to find joy in exploring questions, develop the habit of investigating and learning on their own, and become independent and lifelong learners. These lessons can not be learned by sitting in a desk listening or reading. I think that was the point Dewey was trying to make, that studens in public schools need more than passive lessons, they need lessons that involve their lives.
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Lora - I love it that you were able to see/make so many connections. (literacy/reading strategies: text to world/text to text connections. Excellent to see that!!). Just great that so much of what you learned in Methods was parallel to the Dewey reading.
ReplyDeleteinteresting, though, because, I have to say, I doubt my students in Methods would say the same thing. Hello? my methods students?
Really, I don't think that some of the 'stances' that Dewey is speaking to are things that really came up in English Methods.
I am not sure whether I should be worried about this or not.
Interestingly, I have always, somewhat secretly, thought that Dewey feels more "applicable" to the natural/science/physical world, rather than the world of words and books (one way to think of the English world). But, that is not necessarily okay. By which I mean, Dewey's ideas can and should apply to ALL of us. If we believe in what he says, and I do, then we all have an obligation to think about what that means for our classroom practice/practices.
SO, for me, I guess this becomes food for thought. are there ways...? how would I....? what are the links between Dewey's school of thought and what I do/can do/should do in the English Methods course. In what ways are Dewey's theories able to be applied and carried out in the English / Language Arts classroom.
okay, maybe my poetry project has a Dewey/inquiry/exploring ~ starting with the student kind of focus. ???
English students? thoughts?