Context: As explained in the "Editorial
Foreword," the Executive Council of Kappa Delta Pi asked Dewey to discuss
questions "that divide American education into two camps and thereby weaken
it at a time when its full strength is needed in guiding a bewildered nation
through the hazards of social change." Dewey’s response, according to the
editor, is intended to help "the many educators and teachers who are earnestly
seeking reliable guidance at this time."
In his "Preface" to this booklet, Dewey states that his
purpose is not to add to the perceived conflict between traditional and
progressive education, but that such debate is to be expected:
"It would not be a sign of health if such an important
social interest as education were not also an arena of struggles, practical
and theoretical."
However, Dewey seems concerned that the discussion about
issues of education should not degenerate into a battle of warring camps:
"It is the business of an intelligent theory of education
to ascertain the causes for the conflicts that exist and then, instead
of taking one side or the other, to indicate a plan of operations proceeding
from a level deeper and more inclusive than is represented by the practices
and ideas of the contending parties."
Although Dewey says that the debate should not be settled
by attempting "to bring about a compromise between opposed schools of thought,
to find a via media, nor yet make an eclectic combination of points
picked out hither and yon from all schools," he decries the slavish adherence
to either "traditionalism" or "progressivism":
"For in spite of itself any movement that thinks and
acts in terms of an ‘ism becomes so involved in reaction against other
‘isms that it is unwittingly controlled by them. For it then forms its
principles by reaction against them instead of by a comprehensive, constructive
survey of actual needs, problems, and possibilities. Whatever value is
possessed by the essay presented in this little volume resides in its attempt
to call attention to the larger and deeper issues of Education so as to
suggest their proper frame of reference."
Chapter 1 – Traditional vs. Progressive Education
Summary: Traditional education has been
criticized as one that imposes on students from the outside and from above
(by teachers, etc.). Students’ limited experiences make the adult nature
of the imposed material irrelevant and hard to understand. Progressive
education has arisen, in part, because of dissatisfaction with traditional
education. It offers freedom from the static nature of traditional education
and growth through students’ present experience.
Chapter 2 – The Need of a Theory of Experience
Summary: All experience is not educative.
Experiences, as in the traditional schools, can be mis-educative if they
are static, don’t contribute to students’ growth, or don’t lead students
to understand or appreciate later experience. The primary justification
of progressive schools is that, by providing better experience, they provide
students with better preparation for lifetime appreciation, independence,
and development. However, progressive education, when it is done right,
is not simple.
Chapter 3 – Criteria of Experience
Summary: If we believe in the democratic
ideal, why wouldn’t we want children to have experience with democratic
social arrangements and positive interactions, as in progressive schools?
The manner in which students learn is as important as what subject-matter
they learn; they should be taught in a manner consistent with their becoming
positively interactive, democratic, and dynamic learners.
Chapter 4 – Social Control
Summary: Everyone experiences social control
in life, but this does not have to represent autocratic rule. Social control
of individual actions, by agreement and by the members of a group for the
benefit of the members of the group, are common and accepted. Teachers
should act or speak firmly, when (rarely) needed, in behalf of the group.
Students should be participants in group planning as well as activities.
The teacher should be a member of the group – the most mature and experienced
member. Children should learn manners and should use them when participating,
planning, and interacting with others.
Chapter 5 – The Nature of Freedom
Summary: The most important freedom is
freedom of intelligence. Freedom of movement does not automatically create
freedom of intelligence, but it can be a means to that end, since it can
allow the teacher to know the child better and the child to know himself
better. Freedom should be of a type that helps students learn to control
their impulses and desires. The ideal aim of education is to create intelligent
self-control.
Chapter 6 – The Meaning of Purpose
Summary: Individual freedom is achieved
with the ability to identify desires and create a plan that makes those
desires or ideas into realities. It is a teacher’s obligation to provide
students with the opportunity to participate actively in the process of
creating such a plan of action.
Chapter 7 – Progressive Organization of Subject Matter
Summary: Traditional education has been
criticized as failing to teach critical discrimination and the ability
to reason. The scientific method should be used to derive the significance
of everyday experience and subject matter as well as discovery of the potentialities
inherent in experience. Any study must fall within the scope of ordinary,
everyday experience.
Chapter 8 – The Means and Goal of Education
Summary: Progressive education, to accomplish
its goals, must be based on intelligently directed development of the possibilities
inherent in ordinary experience. Those who think progressive education
is not successful or valuable are doing it wrong. Progressive education
can only succeed when certain conditions apply: Primarily, this involves
use of sound standards and methods to achieving its goals, which are based
on providing the best educational experience possible to create confident,
self-controlled, and capable citizens. Experience is the means as well
as the goal.
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