“I believe that education is the fundamental method of social progress and reform.”
- John Dewey, 1987
I don’t
think many would argue with me when I say Dewey sets a pretty high bar for
education. This standard in particular, however, is probably just one notch
below the teacher being a prophet. It is this aspect of education, the potential
for societal change, which first sparked my interest in becoming a teacher.
I can recall listing off the things
that worried me—equal rights, environmental destruction, social justice—and
thinking, naïvely, that they could be addressed in a single generation if
schools just took on the task. Despite coming to realize how difficult it will
actually be, I still have to agree with Dewey.
I then have to wonder how I can
pull this off. The paradigm Dewey sets up, though at first seeming so terribly
abstract, actually seems surprisingly applicable. Much of his beliefs are
closely connected with practices we have been studying in the process of
becoming teachers. We have read philosophies on education’s social functions
and are about to enter a school which exemplifies Dewey’s belief that “the
discipline of the school should proceed from the life of the school as a whole
and not directly from the teacher.” I can see elements of Dewey’s belief in “no
succession of studies” in how we teach for sustainability and his focus on
social interaction and stand that “school must represent present life” is
closely related to what is happening with Detroit Future Schools.
All of this lays the path for a
social transformation. Over one hundred years later, Dewey’s work can still inspire
and empower teaching. I see his influence in all of what we do. The challenge
now is put that work into action.
Here we come, here we
come.
Shannon, your point that we are “about to enter a school which exemplifies Dewey’s belief that ‘the discipline of the school should proceed from the life of the school as a whole and not directly from the teacher,’” seems particularly relevant to our working in the Scarlett community. We see that they are working to establish a life within the school that is based on respect, both for themselves and for each other. They are working to establish an environment in which students feel safe to express their thoughts and confident that their voice will be heard and acknowledged. I see the benefits of the CPR (circle of power and respect) in that students who might not otherwise speak, are finding their voice. They are learning to pay attention to what their classmates are saying, and developing the language of academic dialogue, saying things like “I’d like to elaborate on what Sara said.” Referring to their classmates by name and recognizing their ideas as valuable enough to build on and refer back to has many positive effects: it provides positive reinforcement, and leads to the development of a sense of community as well as greater self-confidence.
ReplyDeleteThis exercise could lead to the sustainability of positive, respectful social interactions in the lives of the students. We only have thirteen more days with our students; I’m not sure what kind of effect we will have had on their learning in such a short time, but I can I appreciate the tools I’m getting for teaching by being there.
Well, it would be in line with what society expects teachers to do, but nowhere close to what they think we do. It's funny how "society" expects teachers to work miracles, but when we do, often fails to recognize them. I think we are prophets and reformers. Embrace it now!
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