As we discussed in class, WWI was an event that not only helped define Randolph Bourne and John Dewey as individuals and but also one that forever changed their relationship. Dewey originally supported the war and believed it to be a means for advancing the progressive movement. However, when he saw the destruction and horrors of WWI he changed his beliefs and acknowledged that Bourne, his former student, had more accurately assessed the international crisis. This article highlights one of the ways the war changed Dewey’s feelings towards his primary interest, education. After the war, Dewey put a great deal of energy into advancing his ideas regarding peace education. Dewey understood and appreciated the enormous impact a school can have on a young person’s life and saw peace education as an opportunity to better educate children living in the post-war era. His work in peace education as well as other education reform shows a genuine belief in the idea that schools should be created with a child's best interest in mind.
http://www.tc.edu/centers/epe/PDF%20articles/Howlett_ch3_22feb08.pdf
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
From class discussion I knew that Dewey revolutionized the American educational system. This article caught my attention because it expanded on his ideas of education to promote international peace. It was interesting to see how Dewey advocated history and geography together culturally but also to promote nationalism. He said nationalism must not be taught without a background of international law and organization. I found this article interesting because it further explained Dewey's educational philosophy beyond what we discussed in class.
ReplyDelete