John Dewey – The Man Who Asked and Answered the Question: Why do so many kids hate school? In the 1920s and 30s, John Dewey, a philosopher and a psychologist, became the “father of experimental education.” He introduced a new idea that said that the current school systems were not recognizing students as individuals. He had a “theory of experience” that stated that people need structure to learn, but also that each individual learns in a different manner. Treating students as individuals would allow them to learn in the way that works best for them. Since this was a new concept, the academic community was unsure of how it would work out. But Dewey emphasized that what people experience in their lives affects how they understand education. He had two main points that he expressed to the people that emphasized how bringing human experiences into educational practices would improve student’s achievements. They are:
1. Continuity: The theory that every experience a person has affects their future, and how they will best learn.
2. Interaction: The concept that if teachers interact with their students continually, they will learn how to create a curriculum that will be effective for their learning process.
We agree!
