John Dewey and Experimentalism vs. the Banking Concept

       John Dewey was an educator and philosopher, who was a leader of educational reform. He was born in Burlington, Vermont in 1859. He exceled in public schools as a child, and went to the University of Vermont when he was only 15 to study philosophy. He taught for many years and later went on to study psychology at Johns Hopkins University. After this he became a professor at several different universities, all while continuing to develop his educational philosophy and promote educational reform.
       John Dewey's philosophy is known as experimentalism, which centers around the experiences of humans, and improving the human experience through experimentation. For his educational philosophy, this meant that he believed people should learn through experience, and that students should play a part in their education. This stands in stark contrast to the banking concept of education, which states that, "the scope of action allowed to the students extends only as far as receiving, filling, and storing the deposits," the deposits being whatever is told to them by the teacher. In fact, Dewey's philosophy was the exact opposite of the baking concept. He believed that students should take part in their learning by interacting with the curriculum, and that school was a place to learn how to live rather than just a place to gain knowledge about facts and skills. He was also a strong believer in the power of schools to produce social change.
       Dewey interested me because I think his concept of education is one that we can really learn from, and I think schools would do well to incorporate his ideas. I don't think that education should be the process of merely memorizing facts for a test, but rather an experience where you learn how to use your strengths and potential to help you for the rest of your life. School should make students aware of their world, and help them to think critically and solve problems, because these are skills that if they are developed, will be useful to students for their entire lives.

 

http://www.biography.com/people/john-dewey-9273497#awesm=~oAO57KSIaLuaaS

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dewey#On_education

http://www.iep.utm.edu/dewey/