Dewey Connections

When I got to Article 5 in John Dewey's My Pedagogical Creed, I was surprised to see the following quote. He says,

"I believe that the art of thus giving shape to human powers and adapting them to social service, is the supreme art; one calling into its service the best of artists; that no insight, sympathy, tact, executive power is too great for such service."

I was surprised because it reminded me so much of a quote by one of my favorite writers, John Steinbeck. Steinbeck says,

"I have come to believe that a great teacher is a great artist and that there are as few as there are any other great artists. Teaching might even be the greatest of the arts since the medium is the human mind and spirit."

I decided that Steinbeck and Dewey would probably get along. I think Steinbeck would have embraced Dewey's idea that schools are primarily social institutions and that they are "a process of living, not a preparation for future living." Education should provide students with authentic experiences, not just haphazard rote learning. I think Steinbeck would like that because his writing always strives to show true human experiences--not just the experiences of people of privilege and power (sounds a little like Critical Theory...hmmm....) He knew how to do this because he went out and lived with the people whose story he wished to tell. Steinbeck connected his practice, or art, with real life experience. I think Dewey would really appreciate that about him.

Another connection I made was when I read what Dewey had to say about sentimentality. He has some pretty strong feelings.He says, "next to deadness and dullness, formalism and routine, our education is threatened with no greater evil than sentimentalism." I have a friend, Nick, who always says, "Sentimental value is an oxymoron." He and Dewey would also have a lot to talk about. I tend to agree with both of them.

The last connection I'll mention is actually the first one that comes to mind and I make it every time I think of John Dewey. I share my home with a nine year-old Shih Tzu, Dewey. He wasn't named after the educational philosopher, or even Melvil Dewey and his famous decimal system. I think it's safe to say Dewey wouldn't have much to say about either one of them. He's more interested in what really matters--food in his bowl, a walk in the woods, and his favorite spot at the foot of the bed.