Dewey and Me
Lindsay Davis
September 1, 2008
My concept of what education is…
I believe that education must begin with a mutual respect between students and teachers. Without respect of others learning becomes impossible. Education also encompasses all areas of learning, including social, emotional, and overall academic knowledge. Our job as educators is to prepare each child with the tools to succeed throughout life. We must prepare them to get along with others and this will prepare students to function in society. We must also prepare students with the academic tools to pursue ongoing education or to obtain a job within society. Teachers should also take into consideration the learning needs of each child. He/She should do so by offering students a variety of learning techniques and should also differentiate instruction so all students can succeed.
With our growing understanding of individual learning styles and needs it is important for educators to differentiate instruction. This allows students to meet the learning goals and objective with support that takes into consideration the specific learning needs of each and every child. By doing this we can elevate classroom success and instill meaningful learning.
What I think a school should be…
Dewey states “school is primarily a social institution” (1897, 78). To some degree I agree with that. I believe that school is an extension of the surrounding community and it is a crucial part of the community. Students learn best when the social community of the school is functioning collaboratively. When students are working together and respecting each others educational atmosphere more learning can take place.
Such social respect should carry over into all aspects of life. Dewey says “school must represent life-life as real and vital to the child as that which he carries on in the home, in the neighborhood, or on the playground” (1897, 78). I believe it is our job as educators to make learning meaningful to each child by connecting the learning with real life situations and applications. By doing so we are making daily learning a process of now and not just preparation for the future.
How I view curriculum and knowledge…
While I do believe that social respect is the foundation of learning I do not believe it should be the center of focus for learning. To function as part of today’s society student must be prepared with the fundamentals of reading and writing in order to succeed. It is important, as teachers, to be a part of the community and help shape the children of that community into active participants within society, but that alone will not provide him/her with success. Jobs have evolved and in order to obtain a job that will support an individual and his/her family, each student must have a strong academic foundation. This foundation can, and must, be linked to real life situations but also must prepare each student to succeed throughout his/her life.
My approach to classroom teaching…
Classroom teaching should be a combination of things based on the different learning styles of each student. To make learning meaningful to each child educators must take into consideration the different ways students learn. Learning styles consists of auditory, kinesthetic, and visual learners. While lecturing style is not the preferred method, some students are auditory learners and must be given the opportunity to interpret the subject at hand. A student who learns by doing is a kinesthetic learner and must be challenged by hands-on activities. A student who is a visual learner use visual cues such as facial expressions, charts, and pictures to interpret information.
On a daily basis I try to incorporate each type of learning style to each of my daily lessons. I try to provide each student with experiences to tap into prior knowledge as wells as to encourage a deeper thought process. I also validate each student’s thoughts and feeling by displaying meaningful responses labeled with his/her name. It gives each student a sense of accomplishment and helps him/her understand that his/her answer is important and valued. This is important to do, and ties back into the extension of community and respect for others.
My view of what schools should do for society…
Schools should provide a safe environment for each student to come and share his/her ideas. It should also be a place where parents and families feel comfortable sending his/her child to receive the best education. Parents and families should also feel welcomed into the school environment. Without parent support and collaboration it is difficult to make the learning process travel full circle. Schools are extensions of the community and provide each student with necessary experiences to become successful throughout his/her life. This success should be translated into how students treat each other and the surrounding community members, as well as current academic and present to future success throughout life.
It is also important to have businesses and community programs as part of the school and neighborhood community. Each business and/or community program helps complete the circle of learning by providing the school and students with valuable support to help each and every child be successful throughout his/her life. From my experience I have seen how community volunteers can provide students and their families with services ranging from tutoring for struggling readers to providing a Thanksgiving meal for a family with a need or a current family crisis. Having community support also sets an example for each student. It is a real life example of how each aspect of the surrounding community can support each other.
References
Dewey, J. (1897). My Pedagogic Creed. School Journal,
54(3), 77-80.
September 1, 2008
My concept of what education is…
I believe that education must begin with a mutual respect between students and teachers. Without respect of others learning becomes impossible. Education also encompasses all areas of learning, including social, emotional, and overall academic knowledge. Our job as educators is to prepare each child with the tools to succeed throughout life. We must prepare them to get along with others and this will prepare students to function in society. We must also prepare students with the academic tools to pursue ongoing education or to obtain a job within society. Teachers should also take into consideration the learning needs of each child. He/She should do so by offering students a variety of learning techniques and should also differentiate instruction so all students can succeed.
With our growing understanding of individual learning styles and needs it is important for educators to differentiate instruction. This allows students to meet the learning goals and objective with support that takes into consideration the specific learning needs of each and every child. By doing this we can elevate classroom success and instill meaningful learning.
What I think a school should be…
Dewey states “school is primarily a social institution” (1897, 78). To some degree I agree with that. I believe that school is an extension of the surrounding community and it is a crucial part of the community. Students learn best when the social community of the school is functioning collaboratively. When students are working together and respecting each others educational atmosphere more learning can take place.
Such social respect should carry over into all aspects of life. Dewey says “school must represent life-life as real and vital to the child as that which he carries on in the home, in the neighborhood, or on the playground” (1897, 78). I believe it is our job as educators to make learning meaningful to each child by connecting the learning with real life situations and applications. By doing so we are making daily learning a process of now and not just preparation for the future.
How I view curriculum and knowledge…
While I do believe that social respect is the foundation of learning I do not believe it should be the center of focus for learning. To function as part of today’s society student must be prepared with the fundamentals of reading and writing in order to succeed. It is important, as teachers, to be a part of the community and help shape the children of that community into active participants within society, but that alone will not provide him/her with success. Jobs have evolved and in order to obtain a job that will support an individual and his/her family, each student must have a strong academic foundation. This foundation can, and must, be linked to real life situations but also must prepare each student to succeed throughout his/her life.
My approach to classroom teaching…
Classroom teaching should be a combination of things based on the different learning styles of each student. To make learning meaningful to each child educators must take into consideration the different ways students learn. Learning styles consists of auditory, kinesthetic, and visual learners. While lecturing style is not the preferred method, some students are auditory learners and must be given the opportunity to interpret the subject at hand. A student who learns by doing is a kinesthetic learner and must be challenged by hands-on activities. A student who is a visual learner use visual cues such as facial expressions, charts, and pictures to interpret information.
On a daily basis I try to incorporate each type of learning style to each of my daily lessons. I try to provide each student with experiences to tap into prior knowledge as wells as to encourage a deeper thought process. I also validate each student’s thoughts and feeling by displaying meaningful responses labeled with his/her name. It gives each student a sense of accomplishment and helps him/her understand that his/her answer is important and valued. This is important to do, and ties back into the extension of community and respect for others.
My view of what schools should do for society…
Schools should provide a safe environment for each student to come and share his/her ideas. It should also be a place where parents and families feel comfortable sending his/her child to receive the best education. Parents and families should also feel welcomed into the school environment. Without parent support and collaboration it is difficult to make the learning process travel full circle. Schools are extensions of the community and provide each student with necessary experiences to become successful throughout his/her life. This success should be translated into how students treat each other and the surrounding community members, as well as current academic and present to future success throughout life.
It is also important to have businesses and community programs as part of the school and neighborhood community. Each business and/or community program helps complete the circle of learning by providing the school and students with valuable support to help each and every child be successful throughout his/her life. From my experience I have seen how community volunteers can provide students and their families with services ranging from tutoring for struggling readers to providing a Thanksgiving meal for a family with a need or a current family crisis. Having community support also sets an example for each student. It is a real life example of how each aspect of the surrounding community can support each other.
References
Dewey, J. (1897). My Pedagogic Creed. School Journal,
54(3), 77-80.
