Dewey and the Importance of the Teacher

Dewey, in dismantling the dichotomies of opposing views, firmly puts the responsibility of education in the hands of teacher. The traditional school system relied heavily on organization, texts, control, and repetition as a means to educating. These strategies, in practice, allowed teachers to rely heavily on means outside themselves to educate their students. “The traditional scheme is, in essence, one of imposition from above and from outside” (p. 18). The radical, in opposition to top down dictatorship, put heavy reliance on the student. The student was responsible in this case for coming up with his or her own judgments and opinions. “….newer schools tend to make little or nothing of organized subject matter of study; to proceed as if any form of direction and guidance by adults were an invasion of individual freedom, and as if the idea that education should be concerned with the present and future meant that acquaintance with the past has little or no role to play in education” (p.22). This paradigm relieves the teacher from the pressure of teaching as the students more or less lead the way in creating their own educational experience. Dewey, straddling traditional and radical camps, puts the responsibility of education in the hands of teachers. His emphasis on creating meaningful experiences means teachers can no longer rely on repetition and texts, or the students as a means to education. It is up to the teacher to create meaningful experiences. The creation of these experiences rely on the teacher making great effort in planning lessons which both relate to the student and expand their understanding of the subject matter. This is a very difficult task as it depends on the teacher having an exceptional knowledge of the students as well as the content being taught. Bringing the organization of the traditionalist, and the student orientation of the radical, Dewey has constructed a teaching method that positions the teacher in a critical role in education.