Reflect on Dewey's (1938)

As I was reading the text, I recalled all the different types of schools that I have worked in over the years. From traditional to completely progressive. And I was disillusioned from all for as (Dewey, 2000) saw decades ago, each was encased in a dogmatic mould of its own. I have gone through ‘traditional education’ to ‘free progress education’ to ‘international education’ and also ‘spiritual education’! Each defined itself as a reaction to others. I am astounded by the clarity of thought in John Dewey’s words and that fact that he saw this happening decades before. His thought is still prevalent.

My understanding of educative and mis-educative is that educative would be a way of educating that has a long-term perspective. Education here would be a space to learn skills and attitudes that stand the test of time. Mis-educative would be where the focus is immediate, such as an exam.

I’d like to illustrate through my milieu: Maths education in India.

In teaching of Mathematics, in my country, my milieu, traditional view is more prevalent. There is a hierarchy associated with the subject knowledge and students are judged on basis of their knowledge of Maths facts in a separatist way, instead of their applications in real life or integrity with other subjects. The focus is doing well in examinations and not a long term effect of studying the subject.

In my opinion such an experience of Maths teaching is mis-educative (Dewey, 2000, p.13) as it creates a bubble of meaning of intelligence and that is good or bad in maths as decided by the scores. It distorts the growth of students as for them life revolves around Maths instead of a goal in itself. It does not see the connection of Maths to the environment or its effect on development of the mind. Since the approach is close minded, the ‘possibility of a richer experience in future is restricted’ (Dewey, 1938, p.8) till they are able to come out of the dogma around the subject.

As outliers, progressive schools exist that believe in developing the whole person. For these schools developing the integral or holistic perspective of life as a continuous movement is a priority. Some of them, as IB schools (Iborganization, n.d.), have examination structure however, they are very progressive within it. Some, such as Shibumi (Shibumi, n.d.), have given up the structure of examinations completely and are in a constant search for an evolving model to be developed through dialogues and discussions. Their focus is to develop the skills to create lifelong learners. Skills that stand the test of time and can be used in any situation. Such as, developing an ‘adaptive expertise’ (Brandford, 2000, p.233). Hence this could be classified as ‘educative’ (Dewey, 2000, p.13).

However great the philosophy of education may be in these systems, working it out practically is a challenge that anyone working in these schools would be familiar with.

Perhaps it depends ultimately on the teacher and the depth to which he or she is trying to reach through the experiences and recreating such depth for the students. For ultimately education is an interaction between human beings for the purpose of growth of both.

References:

1.     Dewey, J. (1938). Experience and education. Retrieved from  http://ruby.fgcu.edu/Courses/ndemers/Colloquium/ExperiencEducationDewey.pdf

2.     Iborganization. (n.d.). International education. Retrieved from https://www.ibo.org/

3.     Bransford, J.D. (2000). How People Learn: Brain, Mind, Experience, and School: Expanded Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.

4.     Shibumi. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.shibumi.org.in/