The School and Society: Being three lecturesDewey, John
Philosophy
The School and Society: Being three lectures
Dewey, John
Education; Education -- Philosophy; Educational psychology; University of Chicago. University Elementary School
The connection with the university, as indicated in this chart, I need
not dwell upon. I simply wish to indicate that there ought to be a free
interaction between all the parts of the school system. There is much of
utter triviality of subject-matter in elementary and secondary
education. When we investigate it, we find that it is full of facts
taught that are not facts, which have to be unlearned later on. Now,
this happens because the “lower” parts of our system are not in vital
connection with the “higher.” The university or college, in its idea, is
a place of research, where investigation is going on, a place of
libraries and museums, where the best resources of the past are
gathered, maintained and organized. It is, however, as true in the
school as in the university that the spirit of inquiry can be got only
through and with the attitude of inquiry. The pupil must learn what has
meaning, what enlarges his horizon, instead of mere trivialities. He
must become acquainted with truths, instead of things that were regarded
as such fifty years ago, or that are taken as interesting by the
misunderstanding of a partially educated teacher. It is difficult to see
how these ends can be reached except as the most advanced part of the
educational system is in complete interaction with the most rudimentary.
The next chart (III) is an enlargement of the second. The school
building has swelled out, so to speak, the surrounding environment
remaining the same, the home, the garden and country, the relation to
business life and the university. The object is to show what the school
must become to get out of its isolation and secure the organic
connection with social life of which we have been speaking. It is not
our architect’s plan for the school building that we hope to have; but
it is a diagrammatic representation of the idea which we want embodied
in the school building. On the lower side you see the dining-room and
the kitchen, at the top the wood and metal shops, and the textile room
for sewing and weaving. The center represents the manner in which all
come together in the library; that is to say, in a collection of the
intellectual resources of all kinds that throw light upon the practical
work, that give it meaning and liberal value. If the four corners
represent practice, the interior represents the theory of the practical
activities. In other words, the object of these forms of practice in the
school is not found chiefly in themselves, or in the technical skill of
cooks, seamstresses, carpenters and masons, but in their connection, on
the social side, with the life without; while on the individual side
they respond to the child’s need of action, of expression, of desire to
do something, to be constructive and creative, instead of simply passive
and conforming. Their great significance is that they keep the balance
between the social and individual sides—the chart symbolizing
particularly the connection with the social. Here on one side is the
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account