Education

John Dewey is nothing less than a rock star of modern education. His ideas and
approaches to schooling were revolutionary ideas during his lifetime and remain
fundamentally important to modern schooling today. In this video, we will take a brief
look at the background of John Dewey as well as a more in depth look at his
educational philosophies and ideals. When we're done, you should be able to describe
Dewey, but more importantly, you should be able to identify his philosophy in action.

BIOGRAPHY
John Dewey was born in Burlington, Vermont, on October 20, 1859. He was a bright
kid, attending college at the University of Vermont at only 15 years old! At the University
of Vermont, Dewey focused on the study of philosophy. Dewey graduated with his
bachelor's degree in 1879. He then began his teaching career. He taught two years of
high school in Oil City, PA, and one year of elementary school in Charlotte, Vermont.
In 1884, Dewey received his Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University and immediately
began his university teaching career at the University of Michigan. Dewey spent most of
his early career there, except for a one-year stint at the University of Minnesota. In
1894, Dewey left for the University of Chicago, where he would become the head of the
philosophy department. At the University of Chicago, Dewey would work to develop
much of his viewpoints that have lasted far beyond his time. In 1904, Dewey would
become a professor at Columbia University, where he would retire in 1930.

The Views of John Dewey

John Dewey is probably most famous for his role in what is called progressive
education. Progressive education is essentially a view of education that emphasizes
the need to learn by doing. Dewey believed that human beings learn through a 'hands-
on' approach. This places Dewey in the educational philosophy of pragmatism.
Pragmatists believe that reality must be experienced. From Dewey's educational point
of view, this means that students must interact with their environment in order to adapt
and learn. Dewey felt the same idea was true for teachers and that teachers and
students must learn together. His view of the classroom was deeply rooted in
democratic ideals, which promoted equal voice among all participants in the learning
experience.
Learning by doing refers to a theory of education expounded by American
philosopher John Dewey. He implemented this idea by setting up the University of
Chicago Laboratory School.[1] His views have been important in establishing practices
of progressive education.
I believe that the school must represent present life – life as real and vital to the
child as that which he carries on in the home, in the neighborhood, or on the
playground.

— John Dewey (My Pedagogic Creed)

"… The teachers were to present real life problems to the children and then guide
the students to solve the problem by providing them with a hands-on activity to
learn the solution ... "Cooking and sewing was to be taught at school and be a
routine. Reading, writing, and math was to be taught in the daily course of these
routines. Building, cooking, and sewing had these schooling components in it and
these activities also represented everyday life for the students.

—  Peggy Hickman