I haven’t touched this blog since 2015, but returning to it reminded me of how much I value learning through doing, one of the core principles of John Dewey’s approach to education. Dewey believed that experience is the foundation of learning, and, in a funny way, this blog was my space to demonstrate learning through experience while documenting experiments, discoveries, successes, and missteps for my students and their families to read. It feels fitting that my latest graduate assignment on Dewey found a home here.
John Dewey, a central figure in Progressive education, asserted that “education is life,
not merely a preparation for life” (Britannica, n.d.-b). He conceptualized learning as a
continuous reconstruction of experience and advocated for classrooms as dynamic environments
where students actively engage in meaningful, real-world problem solving (Williams, 2017).
His philosophy emphasized drawing out children's potential and reinforcing their sense of worth within
a democratic community.
Dewey’s ideas gained momentum during the Progressive Era, a time when traditional
schooling failed to serve a growing and diverse student population. His response was a more engaging,
socially relevant vision of education (Britannica, n.d.-a). The Progressive Education Association helped
promote these principles, influencing today’s emphasis on project-based learning and community
engagement. His philosophy remains evident in interdisciplinary curricula and inquiry-based approaches.
Socially, Dewey’s model fosters collaboration and mutual respect. Emotionally, it affirms individual value
and nurtures self-esteem. Academically, activity-based learning deepens understanding and supports
learners requiring hands-on or language-based scaffolds.
Born in 1859, a period marked by rapid industrialization and significant social change, Dewey’s
pedagogical impact derived from his intellectual rejection of fixed, traditional ideas (Britannica, n.d.-b).
His philosophical background led him to view the child not as a passive recipient of knowledge, but as an
active, evolving organism whose cognitive processes must adapt to their immediate and social
environment. This framework fundamentally shifts the importance of education from rote content
mastery to the mastery of the learning process itself, ensuring children are equipped with the critical
thinking and inquiry skills necessary for full participation in a complex, democratic
society (Britannica, n.d.-a; Britannica, n.d.-b).
Despite our modern focus on testing, Dewey’s core principles remain apparent in several contemporary
educational models that prioritize social engagement and experiential learning (Williams, 2017).
Programs such as Responsive Classroom, Montessori Schools, Place-Based Education, and Philosophy
for Children all incorporate his theories by creating rich social settings where students learn best
through natural interaction and guided inquiry (Williams, 2017).
As an instructional coach currently assisting with a full-day kindergarten pilot, my professional goal is
to guide teachers in integrating purposeful play into the daily schedule. This implementation directly
aligns with Dewey’s critique of traditional, developmentally inappropriate schooling and his advocacy
for learning through natural social settings (Williams, 2017). I will coach teachers to design play
experiences that act as a "reconstruction of experience," allowing young learners to actively engage
with their environment and collaboratively solve problems, thereby mastering the learning process
itself (Britannica, n.d.-a). For example, I can guide the design of a 'Dramatic Play Center' based on a
current class topic to foster collaboration, communication, and real-world problem-solving in a setting
that is authentic and meaningful to the children.
References
Britannica. (n.d.-a). Education - Progressive education. In Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved July 2025, from https://www.britannica.com/topic/education/ Progressive-education
Britannica. (n.d.-b). John Dewey. In Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved July 2025, from https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Dewey
Williams, M. K. (2017). John Dewey in the 21st century. Journal of Inquiry and Action in Education, 9(1). https://digitalcommons.buffalostate.edu/jiae/vol9/iss1/7
