“Education is not a preparation for life; Education is life itself.” John Dewey “Education is not a preparation for life; Education is life itself.”

Biographical Information 1859 Born October 20 1875 Majored in Philosophy at University of Vermont 1879 Taught 2 years of High School in PA 1882 Studied Philosophy and Psychology at John Hopkins University 1884-1930 Taught Philosophy at several Universities including The University of Michigan, Columbia University, and University of Minnesota. 1894-6 Founded University Elementary School (now known as University of Chicago Laboratory Schools) 1930 Retired 1952 Died June 1 at the age of 92

Dewey’s Ideas on Education Learning by Doing Engaging Education With Life Experience Thinking as an Active Process

Learning by Doing “To savages it would seem preposterous to seek out a place where nothing but learning was going on in order that one might learn” Children learn when there is active thinking as opposed to strict memorization Students must experience to learn

Engaging Education with Life Experience “Education is not preparation for life; Education is life itself” Teachers are responsible for bringing appropriate stimuli to the classroom by basing it on interests of the students.

Thinking as an Active Process Teach children to solve problems so that when they are faced with social and moral questions they will know how to react. The thought process is best utilized when there are problems and questions all around.

The 5 Step Process of Problem Solving Occurrence of a problem Analysis of a problem Formulation of a hypotheses Experimentation and elaboration of ideas Corroboration of the ideas (This was based on Bacon’s Seventeenth Century idea of inductive reasoning)

Dewey’s influences on Progressive Education Oliver & Shaver -- Democratic decision making in the classroom Schwab -- Using the Scientific Method Gardner -- Experience-based learning Taba -- Real world examples

A Few Famous Written Works 1887 Psychology (a textbook) 1899 The School and Society (a collection of talks to parents at University Elementary School) 1901 The Child and The Curriculum(an essay) 1908 Theory of the Moral Life (a book on ethics in society) 1910 How We Think 1916 Democracy and Education 1925 Experience and Nature 1934 Art as Experience 1938 Experience and Education

John Dewey 1859 - 1952

Dewey’s Ideas on Education Learning by Doing Engaging Education With Life Experience Thinking as an Active Process