Progressivism: Philosophy of Education Erick Paul U.

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Lifes Meaning: What is the meaning of life? Keeping cool said the ice, Driving hard said the hammer, Being up-to-date said the calendar, Being sharp said the knife, Making light around you said the fire, Sticking to it said the glue, Being bright said the lamp, Being on time said the clock, And best of all Learning from it - said the mistake.

to seek understanding, coordinate all environments into a whole, teach a process of inquiry, and promote personal growth and democracy.

The instructional process is flexible with a concern for individual differences and for problem solving and discovery. In this learner-centered approach, the role of teacher is to identify the needs of the learner and to serve as a resource person.

OUTLINE: Progressivism
Basic ideas John Dewey

JOHN DEWEY (October 20, 1895 June 1, 1952)

Leading figure for PRAGMATISM - Both meaning and truth of any idea are functions of its practical outcome/ purpose. John Dewey was a reformer with a background in philosophy and psychology who taught that people learn best through social interaction in the real world. Dewey believed that because social learning had meaning, it endured. Book learning, on the other hand, was no substitute for actually doing things. Progressivists do not believe that the mind can be disciplined through reading Great Books, rather that the mind should be trained to analyze experience thoughtfully and draw conclusions objectively.

Practical examples and applications of Progressivism in Education Progressivism and Education Major Beliefs, Values, Practices

Conclusion

BASIC IDEAS
Progressivism are student-centered philosophies. It was established in America from the mid 1920s through the mid 1950s. It is associated strongly with the works of John Dewey. It seeks to inquire and to then do what works best; that is, it seeks to be pragmatic. However, everything centers on the human experience. Aims: It seeks to promote democracy by developing strong individuals to serve in a good society. It supports diversity because education is the necessity of life.

Dewey saw education as an opportunity to learn how to apply previous experiences in new ways. Dewey believed that students, facing an ever-changing world, should master the scientific method: (1) (2) (3) (4) Become aware of a problem; define it; propose various hypotheses to solve it; examine the consequences of each hypothesis in the light of previous experience; and (5) test the most likely solution. Education should be life itself, not a preparation for living Learning should be directly related to the interests of the child The teachers role is not to direct but to advise

The school should encourage cooperation rather than competition

MAJOR BELIEFS, VALUES, PRACTICES

Emphasis on learning by doing - hands on Integrated Curriculum focused on thematic units Strong emphasis on problem solving and critical thinking Group work is emphasized Assessment by evaluation of students projects and productions The curriculum is more flexible and is influenced by student interest Teachers are facilitators of learning who encourage students to use a wide variety of activities to learn Progressive teachers use a wider variety of materials allowing for individual and group research. Progressive teachers encourage students to learn by discovery Progressive education programs often include the use of community resources and encourage service-learning projects.

PRACTICAL EXAMPLES AND APPLICATIONS OF PROGRESSIVISM IN EDUCATION

It takes a whole village to educate a child watching others, working with others, and experiencing first hand the whole realm of learning. Most children are born inquisitive and eager to learn. Preschoolers and early childhood learners are in the discovery mode and must be allowed to experience the relevancy of learning. Education is the joint effort of teachers and community to provide learning for children. Progressivism organizes schools around the concerns, curiosity, and realworld experiences of students. The progressive teacher facilitates learning by helping students formulate meaningful questions and devise strategies to answer those questions. Answers are not drawn from lists or even Great Books; they are discovered through real world experience. Progressivism is the educational application of a philosophy called pragmatism.

PROGRESSIVISM AND EDUCATION

Progressivism is a philosophy that states that education is found in the needs and interests of students. Experimental learning or learning by doing is a natural progression of learning. Giving students freedom to explore their interests and experience positive reinforcement will produce better students as well as provide the teacher with a rewarding teaching experience. Including resources found in the community expands the horizons of learners. this results in happy teachers , and happy teachers make happy students!

CONCLUDING WORDS
This educational philosophy (Progressivism) stresses that students should test ideas by active experimentation. Learning is rooted in the questions of learners that arise through experiencing the world. Effective teachers provide experiences so that students can learn by doing.

Education is life itself. --John Dewey