John Dewey’s My Pedagogic Creed is written during a period when the industrial revolution was strong and rampant. The education system at the time seemed to be aimed at producing as many workers as possible to increase the wealth of the economy by teaching a specific set of curriculum that disregarded the child’s psychological and social needs. Dewey says that education is comprised of both psychological and social factors and that it can only be effective if these two factors are taught synergistically; they are mutually exclusive and one without the other would be disastrous to the student. Dewey creates an effective argument through the use of inductive reasoning, which provides his audience of teachers, administrators, and anyone in a position
…show more content…
In “Article Two: What the Education Is,” (Dewey 462) he states, “Examinations are of use only so far as they test the child’s fitness for social life and reveal the place in which he can be of most service and where he can receive the most help.” (Dewey 463). To truly form an individual, this change in the schooling system must take place. If the school just simply tests a child in math, science, history, etc. then it is unconsciously taking away the uniqueness of a child. To truly educate the child is to cater to each of his unique needs and interests. Another instance is in “Article Three: The Subject Matter of Education” (Dewey 463) when he talks about constructive activities like “cooking, sewing, manual training,” (Dewey 464) he states “that they represent, as types, fundamental forms of social activity; and that it is possible and desirable that the child’s introduction into the more formal subjects of the curriculum be through the medium of these activities (Dewey 464).” He is saying that the formal subjects of education should be introduced by the activities of everyday life and then encompassed around them in order to relate them to the child. You see this problem in today’s education with algebra students saying, “Why do I need to learn the Pythagorean theorem. I’m never going to use this in my
In “Article Two: What the Education Is,” (Dewey 462) he states, “Examinations are of use only so far as they test the child’s fitness for social life and reveal the place in which he can be of most service and where he can receive the most help.” (Dewey 463). To truly form an individual, this change in the schooling system must take place. If the school just simply tests a child in math, science, history, etc. then it is unconsciously taking away the uniqueness of a child. To truly educate the child is to cater to each of his unique needs and interests. Another instance is in “Article Three: The Subject Matter of Education” (Dewey 463) when he talks about constructive activities like “cooking, sewing, manual training,” (Dewey 464) he states “that they represent, as types, fundamental forms of social activity; and that it is possible and desirable that the child’s introduction into the more formal subjects of the curriculum be through the medium of these activities (Dewey 464).” He is saying that the formal subjects of education should be introduced by the activities of everyday life and then encompassed around them in order to relate them to the child. You see this problem in today’s education with algebra students saying, “Why do I need to learn the Pythagorean theorem. I’m never going to use this in my