I have not completed this book but have read up to chapter 4 so far. I am going to share my thoughts thus far. John Dewey was certainly ahead of his time. I consider his thoughts on necessary education reform to be valid today. In the first two chapters he seems to lay out his arguments on the need for change in the educational system.
The School and Social Progress
Chapter one talks about education and the way in which it directly impacts our social progress. Dewey says that we or society tends to look at education from an individualistic standpoint. Many of us don't necessarily think about education on a broader scale but rather how the education our sons or daughters are getting will improve their wellbeing and development. We only care about what's lacking when it directly impacts those closest to us. I think Mr. Dewey is correct and makes some valid points here. The school and its role in shaping minds directly impacts the future of our nation and the world. When we choose not to invest in it now we pay the price later and there could be grave costs. I think about the recent housing crisis we experienced and are still trying to recover from. The fact that the fundamental knowledge needed to understand what we were doing and how the decisions we were making in various private and public sectors would impact the country later were not understood until later on. Experience is a good teacher so we can learn from this mistake and the unfortunate turn of events that took place. But learning from it means more than passing legislation to prevent abuse on Wallstreet or questioning the watchdogs that may have failed in there roles. What about also looking at the education of society? Lot's of groups had a hand in this failure. Why? Because they didn't understand the big picture. Everyone was working in their own silo. MBA graduates that came up with this brilliant idea to package mortgage backed secur
ities in ways that would open up more attractive or appealing investment options. So they did. They were innovators and for a while they were brilliant graduates who went to make lots of money and work on Wallstreet. Loan officers who may have not had any knowledge about the mortgage industry or even our financial system outside of what they were trained were making lots of money making loans to anyone with a pulse. And homebuyers, many of whom had never been formally taught how to manage their personal finances but rather learned from the school of hardknocks were buying homes whether they could afford them or not. We looked smart when we bought homes because we made money with equity skyrocketing quickly for a short timespan. Although we didn't understand the products were using to buy these homes it didn't matter because we were approved and that meant we should board the train before it passes by. If you talk to many students today, I'll bet many don't understand the big picture. They don't realize the significant value that their contributions can have on our well-being as a nation.
The School and the life of the child
Chapter two talks about curriculum and how it is not tailored to meet the needs and cognitive capacities of students but rather to deliver facts that were hand picked by educators or administrators that felt it could be used later. Although many students may not have been able to make a connection with what they were learning with the world around them they were instructed to memorize the information delivered to them by their teachers. When students memorize a set of facts is the same as learning concepts that those facts relate to? Maybe students would become more engaged and maybe their abilities would be stronger and therefore they would become more valueable contributors to our society and the future of our nation and world. Students need to be able to connect with the information they are taking in and apply it so that it makes sense and so that they can understand the big picture. When information is abstract as Dewey called it the learner tends to become disengaged and disconnected with signicance and value of its content. I think what Dewey was saying is that we have to find a way to help students make that connection at their level. The brains of children and teens and their cognitive develop should be considered when determining what information should be delivered to various age groups and the manner in which they learn so that it can be designed appropriately. For example, I've heard that kindergardners learn through play so learning should be fun and playful. Psychology and education should work hand in hand to explore the best curriculum type based on research of the brain and the way people learn at different stages of mental development.
Waste in Education
In chapter 3 Dewey talks about the waste in education. The waste of time, potential talent, and opportunity. According to Dewey the time we spend delivering information that is not meaningful to students and therefore does not resonate with them is like wasted time. Why? Because they don't remember it, they don't know how to use it. They may learn it later when a direct need motivates them to revisit the information. This inturn wastes the opportunity to enhance the natural strengths and talent in our classrooms. There's so much potential in our classrooms, so many opportunities to help these young minds that will eventually make decisions in and run our nation. But we have to learn and explore ways to better reach them at their level and in ways that will engage them and help them to see their potential and the value of the information they are taking in. When we spend time using the wrong approach or delivering information that does not match the learners state of learning because of where their brain capacity lies, we waste time and opportunity.
Three Years of the University and the Psychology of Elementary Education
Chapter 4 talks about the elementary school at the University of Chicago and the progression of the experiment. It seems that Dewey didn't like refering to the school as an experiment but it sounded like an experiment to me. Maybe at that time referring to the educational setting os students was taboo and reduced the value of Dewey's work and explorations. I applaud his courage to look outside of the norm to explore ways to enhance the educational system. It's only then that we find better ways of doing things. When we are willing to experiment and learn from the results we get so that we may uncover discoveries. I read another blog that disagreed with Dewey's approach in combining students of different abilities and I do agree that this could pose some challenges but I also believe this approach could work depending on the way an instructor uses the tech
nique. It can be another tool in reaching a wide audience of learners some who may learn better from other students and being able to collaborate and become more vocal in smaller groups then they might be in a larger group. It is necessary to explore better practices when the fact that a problem exists within a system is admitted. It enables us to see what works and what doesn't at a given time. The approaches used by instructors in the elementary school that Dewey founded may not apply now but overall the concept of reforming education and being willing to explore better practices is true in my opinion. I think the fact the societies needs change as new discoveries are made and we find creative ways to use affordances we have available to us makes reform necessary. The constant evolution of technology is a prime example of the need for change. One system can't ever be the infinite solution. We have to be willing to address the need to examine our educational system constantly to determine whether it is effective for that current ti
me and the needs of the students in the world they currently live in. We also have to ensure that our school systems prepare students for their future rather than a past that apply anymore. I'm saying all that to say that yes some of the practices that Dewey discusses in his book are no longer applicable today with advances in technology and discoveries in psychology of cognitive development as it relates to learning but his theories on exploring social and education reform has had a profound impact on educators and continues be very influential today.
Chapter one talks about education and the way in which it directly impacts our social progress. Dewey says that we or society tends to look at education from an individualistic standpoint. Many of us don't necessarily think about education on a broader scale but rather how the education our sons or daughters are getting will improve their wellbeing and development. We only care about what's lacking when it directly impacts those closest to us. I think Mr. Dewey is correct and makes some valid points here. The school and its role in shaping minds directly impacts the future of our nation and the world. When we choose not to invest in it now we pay the price later and there could be grave costs. I think about the recent housing crisis we experienced and are still trying to recover from. The fact that the fundamental knowledge needed to understand what we were doing and how the decisions we were making in various private and public sectors would impact the country later were not understood until later on. Experience is a good teacher so we can learn from this mistake and the unfortunate turn of events that took place. But learning from it means more than passing legislation to prevent abuse on Wallstreet or questioning the watchdogs that may have failed in there roles. What about also looking at the education of society? Lot's of groups had a hand in this failure. Why? Because they didn't understand the big picture. Everyone was working in their own silo. MBA graduates that came up with this brilliant idea to package mortgage backed secur
ities in ways that would open up more attractive or appealing investment options. So they did. They were innovators and for a while they were brilliant graduates who went to make lots of money and work on Wallstreet. Loan officers who may have not had any knowledge about the mortgage industry or even our financial system outside of what they were trained were making lots of money making loans to anyone with a pulse. And homebuyers, many of whom had never been formally taught how to manage their personal finances but rather learned from the school of hardknocks were buying homes whether they could afford them or not. We looked smart when we bought homes because we made money with equity skyrocketing quickly for a short timespan. Although we didn't understand the products were using to buy these homes it didn't matter because we were approved and that meant we should board the train before it passes by. If you talk to many students today, I'll bet many don't understand the big picture. They don't realize the significant value that their contributions can have on our well-being as a nation.The School and the life of the child
Chapter two talks about curriculum and how it is not tailored to meet the needs and cognitive capacities of students but rather to deliver facts that were hand picked by educators or administrators that felt it could be used later. Although many students may not have been able to make a connection with what they were learning with the world around them they were instructed to memorize the information delivered to them by their teachers. When students memorize a set of facts is the same as learning concepts that those facts relate to? Maybe students would become more engaged and maybe their abilities would be stronger and therefore they would become more valueable contributors to our society and the future of our nation and world. Students need to be able to connect with the information they are taking in and apply it so that it makes sense and so that they can understand the big picture. When information is abstract as Dewey called it the learner tends to become disengaged and disconnected with signicance and value of its content. I think what Dewey was saying is that we have to find a way to help students make that connection at their level. The brains of children and teens and their cognitive develop should be considered when determining what information should be delivered to various age groups and the manner in which they learn so that it can be designed appropriately. For example, I've heard that kindergardners learn through play so learning should be fun and playful. Psychology and education should work hand in hand to explore the best curriculum type based on research of the brain and the way people learn at different stages of mental development.
Waste in Education
In chapter 3 Dewey talks about the waste in education. The waste of time, potential talent, and opportunity. According to Dewey the time we spend delivering information that is not meaningful to students and therefore does not resonate with them is like wasted time. Why? Because they don't remember it, they don't know how to use it. They may learn it later when a direct need motivates them to revisit the information. This inturn wastes the opportunity to enhance the natural strengths and talent in our classrooms. There's so much potential in our classrooms, so many opportunities to help these young minds that will eventually make decisions in and run our nation. But we have to learn and explore ways to better reach them at their level and in ways that will engage them and help them to see their potential and the value of the information they are taking in. When we spend time using the wrong approach or delivering information that does not match the learners state of learning because of where their brain capacity lies, we waste time and opportunity.
Three Years of the University and the Psychology of Elementary Education
Chapter 4 talks about the elementary school at the University of Chicago and the progression of the experiment. It seems that Dewey didn't like refering to the school as an experiment but it sounded like an experiment to me. Maybe at that time referring to the educational setting os students was taboo and reduced the value of Dewey's work and explorations. I applaud his courage to look outside of the norm to explore ways to enhance the educational system. It's only then that we find better ways of doing things. When we are willing to experiment and learn from the results we get so that we may uncover discoveries. I read another blog that disagreed with Dewey's approach in combining students of different abilities and I do agree that this could pose some challenges but I also believe this approach could work depending on the way an instructor uses the tech
nique. It can be another tool in reaching a wide audience of learners some who may learn better from other students and being able to collaborate and become more vocal in smaller groups then they might be in a larger group. It is necessary to explore better practices when the fact that a problem exists within a system is admitted. It enables us to see what works and what doesn't at a given time. The approaches used by instructors in the elementary school that Dewey founded may not apply now but overall the concept of reforming education and being willing to explore better practices is true in my opinion. I think the fact the societies needs change as new discoveries are made and we find creative ways to use affordances we have available to us makes reform necessary. The constant evolution of technology is a prime example of the need for change. One system can't ever be the infinite solution. We have to be willing to address the need to examine our educational system constantly to determine whether it is effective for that current ti
me and the needs of the students in the world they currently live in. We also have to ensure that our school systems prepare students for their future rather than a past that apply anymore. I'm saying all that to say that yes some of the practices that Dewey discusses in his book are no longer applicable today with advances in technology and discoveries in psychology of cognitive development as it relates to learning but his theories on exploring social and education reform has had a profound impact on educators and continues be very influential today.
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