John Dewey on Education
John Dewey, Mortimer Adler and Nel Noddings impacted our system of education in very profound ways. Dewey believed that there should be communication between the student and the teacher. Adler believed that schools should only teach the traditional courses (English, Math, Science, Social Studies and Foreign Language). Noddings believed that teachers should be more caring towards their students. John Dewey’s idea of education greatly affected our system of education today.
John Dewey’s ideas for education were to concentrate on students’ psychological and sociological qualities. Dewey believed in promoting an “unconscious education” where “the individual gradually comes to share in the intellectual and moral resources which humanity has succeeded in getting together. He becomes an inheritor of the funded capital of civilization” (Dewey 261). In other words, he thought this was a good method for teachers to analyze a student’s behavior in order to teach them more effectively. This also provided an opportunity for the student to learn without even realizing it. Dewey stated that a student’s psychological needs were the basis of his method of education. “The child’s own instinct and powers furnish the material and give the starting-point for all education” (Dewey 262). Dewey stressed the idea that, “Without insight into the psychological structure and activities of the individual the educative process will…be haphazard and arbitrary” (Dewey 262).
Dewey was also extremely interested in the social aspects of a student. He said that the, “knowledge of social conditions, of the present state of civilization, is necessary in order to properly interpret the child’s powers” (Dewey 262). This was a new technique for an educator to see and distinguish the instincts and tendencies in a student. Therefore, in order for an educator to know more about a student he/she must first study the student’s psychological traits in order to understand the unique
John Dewey’s ideas for education were to concentrate on students’ psychological and sociological qualities. Dewey believed in promoting an “unconscious education” where “the individual gradually comes to share in the intellectual and moral resources which humanity has succeeded in getting together. He becomes an inheritor of the funded capital of civilization” (Dewey 261). In other words, he thought this was a good method for teachers to analyze a student’s behavior in order to teach them more effectively. This also provided an opportunity for the student to learn without even realizing it. Dewey stated that a student’s psychological needs were the basis of his method of education. “The child’s own instinct and powers furnish the material and give the starting-point for all education” (Dewey 262). Dewey stressed the idea that, “Without insight into the psychological structure and activities of the individual the educative process will…be haphazard and arbitrary” (Dewey 262).
Dewey was also extremely interested in the social aspects of a student. He said that the, “knowledge of social conditions, of the present state of civilization, is necessary in order to properly interpret the child’s powers” (Dewey 262). This was a new technique for an educator to see and distinguish the instincts and tendencies in a student. Therefore, in order for an educator to know more about a student he/she must first study the student’s psychological traits in order to understand the unique