John_Dewey_Essay

Experience and Education Reflection In John Dewey’s book Experience and Education, I learned that not all education is taught in the same way. Education can have either have a societal purpose or a purpose for the individual student. Dewey describes this process by giving the two extremes of progressive and traditional education. I think that throughout my education there has been a mix of both of these teaching styles. The first school I went to was private, and the teachings there were more traditional based. High School and beyond in contrast I feel had a more progressive approach. I also played sports, which I think has had the biggest influence on my education. Both of these types of education and especially playing sports, has helped better prepare me for adulthood and the worlds challenges. Experience has played a vital role in my education. Learning about a subject can be beneficial, but to truly understand something you must experience it. An example was when I was first learning how to do power point presentations in middle school. When I learned how to do a power point I thought that that was it. There is nothing more that can further my skill. All I have to do is pick a topic and put the information down on the slides in an organized and brief fashion. When I actually had to do a presentation, many other factors came into play. I learned that you need to know your audience, make eye contact, not to just read from the slides, and most importantly be well rehearsed. All these factors were not even visible until I experienced it. Dewey’s theory on experience is about continuity and interaction. He says that continuity is how your experiences will influence your future and that interaction is when one uses their past experience in present situations. In his mind no experience has pre-ordained value. The value of the experience is based on the way in which it has had an effect on the individual. The first school I went to was a private school. It was very traditional oriented and old fashioned. Dewey pointed out that this style can sometimes be off-putting, by emphasizing on routine and using the same out dated practices which really aren’t similar to many of things going on in the present. Although this may be true, I think that learning in a traditional style gives you a better understanding of what work and play are. My teachers there convinced me that education is important and that you must participate or you will be at a disadvantage to others. This has helped me immensely in my life. There were so many temptations in high school and college and I think having this mindset really saved me. High school and on it was like stepping into another world. Everything was different: the people, teachers, size. The teaching style there was very progressive. In many classes there were current event assignments and other present related activities which was a new mindset for me. It was a bit frightening, but I also felt like I got an awakening. I started to become more open-minded and expanded my views on things. It showed the world in a new light. I am glad that I changed in that direction. I know that if I would have stayed in private school there would be a lot of things I’d have missed out on. College was education on a whole another level. Events, clubs, organizations, leaving family, and having roommates were a huge change for me. Almost everyone was talking about their careers and what they want to do when they get out; it was a big eye opener. When in college your pretty much on your own. I would say that the classes I have taken so far are a mix between progressive and traditional teaching styles. As a business major you mainly have to take lecture classes which are very traditional. This is because its not really hands on, and it’s more straight work from the book. The electives I have taken have been more progressive. Most elective classes either have field trips or some in class activity for the students to do which is like working out in the field. Luckily I was prepared from my previous education experiences, and I ended up improving my education on both ends. Out of all the experiences I have been through, I think the most important influences on my education were playing sports. I’d say that it mainly has to do with the Dewey’s theory on experience. There is more interaction in sports then one would think. You have to use your past experiences from previous games to make better decisions and it’s almost becomes second nature after a while. This skill can be used for academics as well and I feel that it has helped me accomplish more then I thought possible. I have also become more disciplined and goal oriented from playing sports. Life is all about setting goals and being disciplined. Playing sports has taught me to never lose composure and stick with it even when things get tough. Goals are constantly being reminded when you’re on a team. In life there are also goals and aspirations. When I want to accomplish something, I use my sports career as a reference to help achieve that goal. John Dewey talks about the pros and cons of progressive and traditional education and I think both are vital to helping you achieve success. They give you valuable skills that you can use both inside and outside the classroom. Sports are then what I consider to be the foundation of all that I have learned. It has given me direction and a sense of my goals, and what I must do in order to accomplish them. I think Dewey would agree that sports are a valuable experience and they are not just physical stimulating but also mentally. Works Cited John Dewey. Experience and Education. New York: Touchstone, 1938.