What does the term education mean? To me, it is one of those perplexing terms that no one definition can accurately describe. Throughout “The Sources of a Science of Education,” Dewey emphasized the importance of viewing education as both a science and an art. When I think of the word science, my mind instantly focuses on the formulas and equations that are essential aspects of chemistry and physics. I think about the subject matter that I have been taught since elementary school; however, if you were to ask me that question after reading Dewey’s work, my response would be very different. Upon the examination of my own beliefs, I now see that it is the process of exploration and learning through experience that are of the utmost importance to science. With the knowledge that education itself is a process of exploration, I now see Dewey’s connection between these very different, yet similar fields.
As I continued reading Dewey’s work, a new series of questions arose from within me. What does it mean to be successful within the classroom? Is student success a measure of achievement on exams? Is it the teacher’s responsibility to ensure that students learn skills beyond simply memorizing the material, or will that suffice when measured on a national level? Dewey mentioned that it is important for educators to incorporate concepts from philosophy and sociology in the classroom to provide the students with more than just the information itself, something that I have always believed to be true. I think that it is essential for educators to provide their students with a means of developing critical thinking and argumentation skills that are vital for independent growth. I’m not entirely sure how to define both teacher and student success at the moment, but I have developed a starting point for the further examination of my own beliefs.
It is very difficult for me to reflect on education because it is a process lacking boundaries and correct answers, and I thrive in areas were correctness exists. I tend to enjoy the exploration of the concrete instead of battling with myself over concepts that seem abstract. Because of the abstract nature of education, I found myself experiencing a lot of confusion while reading Dewey’s writing. However, after completing it, I came to one concrete conclusion – the job of educators is more challenging than meets the eye. Teachers are faced with the challenge of developing a “formula” for success that Dewey warns does not exist. They are told that their classroom must meet a set of standards, yet they are not provided with a means for accomplishing this. I don’t believe that there is only one way to teach, but I do believe that there are certain components that make each unique classroom successful. I think further research needs to be conducted to assist in the determination of what techniques satisfy the needs of the majority of the student population.
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Kristyn, I found your post both interesting and relatable. I believe that the term education is difficult to define as well. I think that this complexity stems from the fact that a person’s educational experiences are all very unique. It would be interesting to see how a spectrum of people would define the term education. I like that you brought up what defines success. I know that the many look at success on a broader statewide level, but I believe that a teacher can define their success by the students they teach. The definition of success in the classroom is something that I think needs to be evaluated by looking at each one of your students, and seeing the progress that they continually keep making. I believe it is a teacher’s job to help the student push their own limits. Critical thinking and public speaking are two aspects of education that are invaluable. They provide an individual with the basic skills that should accompany everything else that they need to do. I agree that educational research is important, especially in determining more scientific approaches to education.
You bring up an excellent point about the evaluation of a teacher. Can you really judge a teacher’s worth based on scores on a standardized test? The idea behind NCLB is perfect for a politician: every student should be taught, and if you don’t, your school will be punnished. Although measurements for growth are available (PVAAS algorithms in Pennsylvania), they are not used in calculating annual yearly progress.
On the other hand, I’m sure many teachers are working much more dilligently at their lessons and their curricula because they know they will be held responsible. I remember a few elementary teachers that didn’t teach science because they didn’t like it; another spent much more time developing science lessons, while only paying lip service to social studies. That, coupled with the understanding that their administrators are much more concerned with their instruction.
There must be some happy-medium. Some way to motivate teachers to do their best, while at the same time avoiding the pitfalls of evaluating schools in a binary system (pass/fail), especially given the huge variables that exist between schools in terms of aptitude, resources, and other important social circumstances, (as described in Maslow’s Hierarchy).
Kristyn, I liked your post comment about questioning the idea of success in the classroom. Should it just be about having kids who score well on your exams, and how can we accurately capture the qualitative aspect of our teaching if students don’t fully realize how well they learned in our class until after they have left. When i think back to some of my best teachers, I never really knew how good of a job they were doing until I progressed to another classroom or got to college, and realized I had an excellent grasp on the material due to a certain teacher.
Reading Dewey, there were definetely points in the reading where I too had to re-read to make sure I got what he was saying. I think the jist of what he is saying is there is no cookie-cutter formula for every student. We must be able to take each situation, apply a wide breadth of understanding and techniques to reach the student, and help them provide an understanding that they can internalize and make sense of for their own world. Coming from the world of engineering, we don’t like the term “art” when it comes to science material, but whenever we introduce the human factor, it most certainly takes on an artform.