Democracy and Education: an introduction to the philosophy of education
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| Democracy and Education: an introduction to the philosophy of education |
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In this landmark work on public education, Dewey discusses methods of providing quality public education in a democratic society. First published close to 90 years ago, it sounded the call for a revolution in education, stressing growth, experience, and activity as factors that promote a democratic character in students. |
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 Pioneering Work of democratic Culture |
| Review Date: December 29, 1999 |
| Reviewer: , |
| Dewey's classic work, although tedious at times, is a cogent and landmark exposition of progressive educational theory. Democracy for Dewey was both a means and an end to the building of a good and just society. In this regard he sought to develop strategies and methods for training students through learning and discipline to become socially responsible adults and conscientious citizens concerned with the rights of others and the common good and to be equipped with the knowledge and technical skills to be productive members of society in the context of our modern industrial world. Dewey is truly a giant not only of modern educational theory but of progressive humanitarian thought generally. Those who disparage him in a knee jerk fashion out of a misguided effort to trash the "liberal establishment," like the Intercollegiate Scholastic Insititute (ISI) which named "Democracy and Education" as one of the five worst books of the 20th Century, have radically misconstrued Dewey's views which merit serious study and application in practice. Dewey was truly one of the great Americans of the last century of which all people of good will can be proud. |
This book was...
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| Review Date: February 20, 2006 |
| Reviewer: C. Goss, Austin, Texas |
Fantastic; a book I would recommend to just about anyone. To address some of the critics mentioned in the other reviews: RE: "Dewey Dogma" (1) There is absolutely no pretense of an application of the scientific method, hence there can be no mis-application; (2) This book strikes me personally as one of the least dogmatic things I've ever read in my life. The ideas are fresh, original, and beautiful crafted and ordered; (3) "Education is Socialization" - an equation of broadly construed "-tions" that results in a statement that one can neither agree nor disagree with.
I could be wrong, but nowhere did I read these ideas as explicit recommendations to be implemented, rather I read this book as a general exploration of educational aims and processes. Dewey (justifiably in my opinion) explores closely connected concepts which I imagine are left out of other educational texts, which is why some with pre-professional backgrounds in education count the length and depth of this book as a negative.
His writing, in my opinion, is clear and concise (at least in comparison with other great philosophers) - writing that I would personally aspire to. His ideas, and I can't say this enough, are some of the most original I've come across. We didn't really cover the pragmatists in any of my philosophy classes. Reading this makes me wish we had.
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Great--but, unfortunately, largely overlooked--work.
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| Review Date: July 18, 1998 |
| Reviewer: Hairy Growler, Reston, VA United States |
| Perhaps the fact that this great work receives so little attention is indicative of what ails education: educators focus their attention on all the latest drivel concerning education while only paying lip service to Dewey, who remains the highest-ranking educational philosopher. It pains me to hear and read bungling educators mindlessly parrot Dewey's catch phrases (e.g., "learning by doing") while pushing educational doctrines completely antithetical to Dewey's ideas. Dewey had it right, but is grossly misunderstood by the bozos who vapidly regurgitate his words and phrases. In other words, I recommend that you go to the source. If you are in any way concerned with or interested in education and happen to stumble upon this lonely page, do yourself, your kids, and/or your students a favor and study this book carefully; It eclipses all other books on education. |
Why is this book ignored by educators?
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| Review Date: March 4, 1999 |
| Reviewer: , |
| Dewey describes a philosophy of education that values and respects the learner through experiential and situated educational experiences. Despite the fact that Democracy and Education was published at the beginning of the century, many of the common sense ideas that Dewey suggests have yet to be implemented in American education. Democracy and Education supplies educators with a valuable alternative to the traditional philosophy of education that is based on a socially constructed dis-connect between formal schooling and the social context that educatoin is situated in. Dewey starts with what he sees as the foundations of education, then builds a philosophy of education that sees a democratic society as the ultimate goal of American education. |
Obama's WishList
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| Review Date: June 4, 2009 |
| Reviewer: Patricia B. Ross, Wellesley, MA USA |
As a matter of protocol, President Obama, being the first President of color, might survey the status of American education and decide for himself how well America is meeting the challenges of the future by the statistics of the present - in no less a challenging arena than that which affirmative action sought to resolve - education of the masses.
Too frequently it is heard that educational reform is required to "keep up with the world," or to "remain competitive" in the world - often, and usually ignoring the main purpose of education - to communicate in the world and use education as the road to enlightenment and advancement in the world.
Having fallen victim to competitive postures over the years, educational advantage becomes educational elitism which tends to yield class-based discrimination often rooted in ethnic and racial discrimination.
If discrimination has ever been a priority in civil rights, beginning with the classics of Philososphy of Education for democracy would be a step in the right direction to restore this one.
Education for predatory advantage is such an injustice to the primary aim of education to enlighten, inform, communicate, and share empowerment. Loving to learn for it's own sake is on the brink of extinction by the miscalculation of greater humanity who would use it for private purpose rather than public privilege. |
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