Friday, April 24, 2009

John Dewey's Perspective on Morals

April 24, 2009

As I read more of John Dewey’s work I am continually impressed by the way he can, so eloquently, describe the many factors that influence instruction and why. In chapter 26 of Democracy and Education- (http://www.ilt.columbia.edu/publications/projects/digitexts/dewey/d_e/chapter26.html), entitled Theories of Morals, Dewey outlines the major differences between the two types of moral groups that exist; the inner and outer. He describes the inner as motive and character that exist in the conscious, and the outer as consequences and conduct that result outside of the mind. In many schools students are taught to follow instructions for fear of getting in trouble, the opposite being the children who want to be good students because of intrinsic motivation. So how do we as educators stimulate intrinsic motivation?

Here is a link to a great article on intrinsic motivation and how to support it in the classroom: http://teachers.net/gazette/AUG00/tracy.html

Dewey goes on to illustrate that learning takes place when people are unable to follow their instincts and habits and must adapt or readjust in unfamiliar situations. “Desires for something different, aversion to the given state of things caused by the blocking of successful activity, stimulates the imagination.”
This idea caused me to reflect on my own education and the lessons I will never forget because of the impact they had on my character. Here is one lesson I will always remember –

One day in sixth grade my English teacher was conducting class as usually and was asking questions about a book we had just read. It soon became apparent, however, that she was praising certain students and harshly criticizing others. She even began to call a few students stupid and lazy. There were glances shooting all over the room and I think we were all thinking the same thing “Has our teacher completely lost it?” Oddly enough the class went on uninterrupted for most of the period. At one point, the teacher started to read off test scores in front of the whole class and when a student had a failing grade she would denounce his or her performance. Finally, after a few students were on the verge on tears, my friend, Caitlin, stood up and started walking out of the room. When the teacher asked where she was going Caitlin replied that she did not have to take this and was going to the office to report the teacher’s behavior. At this point my teacher explained that she had just simulated what it was like living in Germany under Nazi control. She described how she was picking on children with lighter colored hair, a characteristic that one has no control over. This led to a great discussion driven by interest in the activity.

Through engaging interest and reflection, teachers can hold students’ attention while giving them practical knowledge that can be transferred into real situations. Dewey points out that teachers must adopt methods of instruction that hold interests and are relevant to learners’ lives. According to Dewey, this type of instruction is successful no matter what the surrounding conditions are.

Another blog I suggest:
http://newsfromthewest.blogspot.com/2009/03/educational-system-was-designed-to-keep.html

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Tribute to John Dewey


John Dewey

1859-1952

John Dewey had a profound impact on education and his influence is still evident in schools today. He was an educational reformer, teacher, activist, philosopher and many other things. His works spanned several areas including education, logic, ethics, politics, war and religious experience. In one particular book, Democracy and Education, Dewey outlines education as a social process and describes the idea of school as a method for preparing students to function as members of a society. He also includes a brief overview of historical educational theories and there role in shaping the structure of schools.
While studying education as an undergraduate, I simply read Dewey’s articles to prepare for class discussions. His views on education and learning were interesting but I never really gave them much thought. After gaining some educational experience, however, Dewey’s perspectives seem more relevant and I find myself comparing his theories to modern issues. After rereading his works I have a deeper understanding of Dewey’s legacy on the field of education. While reviewing Democracy and Education, several points caught my attention as theories that still ring true today.
-“Any education given by a group tends to socialize its members, but the quality and value of the socialization depends upon the habits and aims of the group.” This idea guided schools to create curriculums with learner outcomes in mind.
-“Diversity of stimulation means novelty, and novelty means challenge to thought.” Using different modes of instruction is one way to keep the brain active, as shown in modern brain scans.
-“Travel, economic and commercial tendencies, have at present gone far to break down external barriers; to bring peoples and classes into closer and more perceptible connection with one another.” Many universities require or encourage travel abroad programs to give students a broader perspective of the world outside of the United States.
-“School facilities must be secured of such amplitude and efficiency as will in fact and not simply in name discount the effects of economic inequalities, and secure to all the wards of the nation equality of equipment for their future careers.” Inequality is still a major issue plaguing America’s schools today and there is much debate over the best way to fix this issue.
As we venture into a new political era, it will be interesting to see the changes that occur in the field of education. John Dewey offers amazing insights into the nature of learning and the role of socialization throughout history. His perspectives on education could serve as a foundation for the future methods of the learning process.

To learn more about John Dewey check out- http://cuip.net/jds/
To read Democracy and Education go to- http://www.ilt.columbia.edu/publications/dewey.html

Monday, April 13, 2009

Poverty and Potential Article

In the brief, Poverty and Potential: Out-of-School Factors and School Success- http://epicpolicy.org/publication/poverty-and-potential, David C. Berliner outlines the six major factors that negatively impact achievement in our nation’s schools. These factors include; 1) low birth weight and prenatal influences, 2) inadequate medical care, 3) food insecurity, 4) environmental pollutants, 5) family stress, and 6) neighborhood characteristics. This powerful text demonstrates the limits of the No Child Left Behind law (NCLB) and illustrates the physical, sociological, and psychological effects of poverty on children and learning. I was surprised by many of the terrible statistics in the brief and how the cycle of poverty is largely ignored in this country. It is an outrage that inadequate public services and environmental factors, as well as violence and stress are robbing the future generations of a proper educational experience. As a teacher I find it unfair for children to have to deal with problems that are out of their control.
If Americans want to be viewed as humanitarians in the world, we must reevaluate our own social and economic structures and fix public systems that are unequal. The cycle of poverty must be broken and all children must be given the opportunity to change their future economic status. I have created a list of factors that I believe need to be addressed based on the issues included in Berliner’s brief.

-Affordable Medical Insurance - I recently watched the Michael Moore documentary Sicko and found it full of interesting arguments. Check out the movie’s website at http://www.michaelmoore.com/sicko/index.html and keep in mind that fixing the health care system would improve two of the six OSF factors mentioned in Berliner’s brief.
-Food Security - As Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs depicts, children cannot focus on learning to read if their basic physiological and security needs are not met. There needs to be reliable resources for families who struggle to feed their children.
-Living Environments that are Free of Pollutants - It is the perfect time for our country to make major changes in the way we interact with our environment. We know the devastating effects of pollution and we have the technology to improve the way we do things, so what are we waiting for?
-Family Support and Safer Neighborhoods - Families need to have support systems to turn to for dealing with social and emotional issues, and counseling should be available to anyone who needs it. Neighborhood violence is another major problem that must be addressed. Living in Chicago, I cannot believe how many children are murdered each year. Gun violence is so out of control in America and it is time we start fixing the laws that regulate gun possession and use.