John Dewey Philosophy Of Education

Developing the best education philosophy to teach children by is a difficult and heavily opinionated task. With a variety of philosophies developed over thousands of years, it is often difficult to decipher which philosophies are effective;however, Christian educators should begin with the example that is given in the Bible. Starting in Genesis, God displays a hands-on, student driven pedagogy when he commanded Adam to discover and name all the animals. Secondly, he allowed students to learn from mistakes such as when Jonah ran from God and was swallowed by the whale. However, God requires structure and obedience from his students, such as when he commanded Moses to lead the Israelites. Next, he creates an atmosphere of critical thinking and discussion as the reading …show more content…
His methodology included a hands on approach that allowed children to explore their surrounding environment. Until Dewey, educational instruction consisted of the teacher possessing an authoritative position, implementing learning through rote learning (PBS). Contrary to this pedagogy, Dewey believed that both the student and the teacher are simultaneously responsible for learning. By implementing interdisciplinary curriculum, Dewey was able to create an atmosphere that allowed children to move about freely, deepening knowledge through working on educational projects within bounds. Additionally, he believed that students should actively take part in the conversation of the topic at hand. Because of his approach, students were allowed to work in groups, permitting them to grow in critical thinking, collaboration, and communication skills. Furthermore, by trusting students to be the leaders of their education, schools can facilitate an atmosphere that helps children grow into lifelong learners. Because of John Dewey, many classrooms have adopted the practice of child lead