Think about a time when you really learned something in a deep and meaningful way….. I will bet that it did not take place in a classroom…. Or if it did, I bet that it was not a “normal” lesson. What kind of learning was it?
Someone who understood education deeply was John Dewey. For him, experience and interaction are key aspects of meaningful learning. The child, to learn, needs to be an active participant in the learning experience, and needs to grapple with the real world in real ways.
Another important aspect of his approach is to respect where the child is coming from. What they already know, and what they have experienced in their lives, are important contributors to how learning happens.
What does that mean for us as teachers?
- Our role is to facilitate learning experiences.
- We need to guide our students through those experiences.
- We need to accept and build on the fact that the learning experience will be different for each student.
Dewey believed that education is one of the most important ways that society is influenced and democracy is built. As teachers, we should embrace that thought. What we do is very important work. The way we do it is therefore crucial as we are building the future of our society.
The Pedagogy Of John Dewey: A Summary. (2016, January 23). Retrieved from https://www.teachthought.com/learning/pedagogy-john-dewey-summary/