Language: Finnish

ISSN: 0783-1552

Abstract/Notes: John Dewey was a pragmatist, progressivist, educator, philosopher, and social reformer (Gutek, 2014). Dewey's various roles greatly impacted education, and he was perhaps one of the most influential educational philosophers known to date (Theobald, 2009). Dewey's influence on education was evident in his theory about social learning; he believed that school should be representative of a social environment and that students learn best when in natural social settings (Flinders & Thornton, 2013). His ideas impacted education in another facet because he believed that students were all unique learners. He was a proponent of student interests driving teacher instruction (Dewey, 1938). With the current educational focus in the United States being on the implementation of the Common Core standards and passing standardized tests and state exams, finding evidence of John Dewey's theories in classrooms today can be problematic (Theobald, 2009). Education in most classrooms today is what Dewey would have described as a traditional classroom setting. He believed that traditional classroom settings were not developmentally appropriate for young learners (Dewey, 1938). Although schools, classrooms, and programs that support Dewey's theories are harder to find in this era of testing, there are some that still do exist. This paper will explore Responsive Classroom, Montessori Schools, Place-Based Education, and Philosophy for Children (P4C), all of which incorporate the theories of John Dewey into their curricular concepts.

Language: English

ISSN: 2159-1474

Language: Spanish

Abstract/Notes: During the past century Loris Malaguzzi (1920–1994), a principal figure in the establishment and creation of the preschools of Reggio Emilia, Italy, was one of the seminal thinkers in early childhood education. The influence of John Dewey, one of the most important American philosophers, is visible in contemporary early childhood classrooms of Reggio Emilia. However, as this editorial contends, in the author’s experience, many pre-service teachers have the misconception that the two programs that originated in Italy—Maria Montessoir and Reggio Emilia—are synonymous. This editorial discusses another connection; namely, the relationship between John Dewey’s philosophy of education and the pedagogy of Reggio Emilia preschools. Pre-service teachers’ understanding of Dewey’s theory and the Reggio Emilia experience makes an important contribution to the development of their personal teaching philosophy and understanding of best practices in the field.

Language: English

DOI: 10.1007/s10643-011-0451-3

ISSN: 1082-3301, 1573-1707

Language: Italian

ISSN: 0042-7241

Language: French

ISSN: 0014-1941, 2102-5800

Abstract/Notes: Objectivism, the libertarian philosophy established by Ayn Rand during the postwar years, has attracted a great deal of attention from philosophers, political scientists, economists, and English professors alike in recent years, but it hasn’t received much notice from historians with an interest in education. This article will address that problem by discussing how Rand and her followers established a philosophy of education during the 1960s and 1970s that was based, in part, on vilifying the so-called collectivist ideas of John Dewey and lionizing the so-called individualist ideas of Maria Montessori. Unfortunately, the narrative that emerged during this time seriously misrepresented the ideas of both Dewey and Montessori, resulting in a somewhat distorted view of both educators.

Language: English

DOI: 10.32316/hse/rhe.v25i1.4285

ISSN: 0843-5057, 1911-9674

Abstract/Notes: This article explores Montessori’s story in terms of her initial warm reception by America to her educational research, and her later cooling off, once Dewey’s student, Kilpatrick, published The Montessori System Examined and declared her work to be based on psychological theory that was fifty years behind the times. I argue that there is a troubling gendered side to Montessori’s story that affected her in significant ways and still lingers and limits her contribution to educational theory, and for my purposes, democratic theory. We recognize Dewey’s significant contributions to democratic theory but not Montessori’s; I hope to help right that wrong.

Language: English

DOI: 10.1353/eac.2012.0001

ISSN: 1559-1786, 1085-4908

Abstract/Notes: This study examined how teachers in multi-grade classrooms manage and use available resources in their classrooms. The study focused on multi-grade classrooms in farm schools in the Free State province of South Africa that cover Grades 1 to 9. The concepts “multi-grade classrooms” and “resources” are explained below. The availability and utilisation of resources in multi-grade classrooms is discussed in some depth. A qualitative research design was used to collect data. Interviews were conducted with 9 teachers who worked in multi-grade classrooms. The data reveals that the availability of resources has improved somewhat in the multi-grade classrooms surveyed; however, textbooks specifically meant for multi-grade classrooms are still lacking. The data also points to several other trends. For example, most multi-grade schools in the sample have insufficient resources. Where available, the resources are either under-utilised or used improperly. Furthermore, it is usually the case that learners are required to share resources across various grades. Moreover, teachers often use their personal resources to get their work done, and in this regard, smartphones play an important part. Finally, the study also reveals that teachers do try to use various types of resources to cater for different learning styles.Keywords: activity centres; classroom organisation; Montessori educational theory; multi-grade classrooms; resource corners; resources

Language: English

DOI: 10.15700/saje.v39n3a1599

ISSN: 2076-3433

Abstract/Notes: Includes a list of individuals assisting Montessori with her work in San Diego. Also, reports on a 10-lecture series Montessori provided: "For the benefit of mothers, teachers and all others interested, Dr. Montessori has decided to offer a short course of ten lectures and two demonstrations of the use of the didactic appareatus, to begin Wednesday, July 7th, at 3:30 p.m. in the lecture room, at the normal school. Those interested in this course should make personal application on Monday and Tuesday, between the hours of 2 and 3, in the afternoon, in Dr. Montessori's office at the normal school, where they may learn the nature of the work and the requirements for admission. This short course has been arranged in response to the many requests that have been made for it by persons unable to take the advanced course which was begun in Los Angeles and will be continued in San Diego and, later, in San Francisco, for about four months. The first public address by Dr. Montessori will be given at the exposition on the afternoon of July 12, which has been set aside by the exposition management as 'Education Day.'"

Language: English