I've updated the reading schedule. The spring break week is now correct and I've listed all the discussion leaders for the respective weeks.
Julie and/or I will have an additional reading for you guys by tomorrow sometime.
I've also tested out the comments that some folks were having problems with. Everything seems to be working now, but if you still can't post, email me and I'll see what's up.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Nice reflections on My Pedagogic Creed
Saturday was the anniversary of the initial publication of My Pedagogic Creed.
Here's a nice look at it from the Education Policy Blog. (I'm a big fan of the blog in general).
Here's a nice look at it from the Education Policy Blog. (I'm a big fan of the blog in general).
Friday, January 15, 2010
The Live Creature
At first glance, this piece from Art as Experience may not have much bearing on education, especially for early childhood teachers. Why did I ask you to read it?
I'll confess. This is my favorite piece by Dewey -- EVAR (as the kids say). I'm personally and professionally interested in aesthetics, particularly aesthetics and popular culture, but that's not why it's my favorite nor is it why I asked you to read this piece. In fact, all the stuff about art up until about halfway through page 395 is sort of extraneous to my major point in assigning The Live Creature. I find that stuff intensely interesting and am more than willing to talk about it, but it's not our focus.
Our focus, instead, is what Dewey says must be the origin of an aesthetic theory -- an understanding of ordinary experience. That's what the rest of the essay is about. He approaches it from a naturalistic point of view, in trying to understand what the experience of a human being has in common with that, say, of a dog. If we can nail that down, I think we'll get at not just the heart of the piece, but at a vital point for understanding Dewey's overall project.
To help, here are two key concepts -- equilibrium, consummation.
Once we get that down, here's a question: What is the role of aesthetic experience in schooling?
I'll confess. This is my favorite piece by Dewey -- EVAR (as the kids say). I'm personally and professionally interested in aesthetics, particularly aesthetics and popular culture, but that's not why it's my favorite nor is it why I asked you to read this piece. In fact, all the stuff about art up until about halfway through page 395 is sort of extraneous to my major point in assigning The Live Creature. I find that stuff intensely interesting and am more than willing to talk about it, but it's not our focus.
Our focus, instead, is what Dewey says must be the origin of an aesthetic theory -- an understanding of ordinary experience. That's what the rest of the essay is about. He approaches it from a naturalistic point of view, in trying to understand what the experience of a human being has in common with that, say, of a dog. If we can nail that down, I think we'll get at not just the heart of the piece, but at a vital point for understanding Dewey's overall project.
To help, here are two key concepts -- equilibrium, consummation.
Once we get that down, here's a question: What is the role of aesthetic experience in schooling?
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Thoughts on The Influence of Darwin on Philosophy
When you read this, you may wonder "Why is Dr. Pope making us read this essay? Are we going to talk about teaching Intelligent Design or something?"
Well, we can talk about that. But that's not the reason I assigned this piece. I think this piece is essential to understanding Dewey's ideas about knowledge, change, and the Absolute.
To put it very briefly, prior to Darwin the basis of philosophy was that knowledge was fixed and absolute. Anything worth knowing was Final. Darwin calls the existence of any essential quality of anything into question, by pointing out that organisms change over time and they do so as a result of environmental factors interacting (trans-acting?) with random changes in organisms. Thus what a thing IS is ultimately hard to pin down.
Dewey takes this insight and wants to apply it to philosophy, calling into question philosophy's traditional search for an Absolute Reality beyond our own. He wants us instead to focus on more immediate concerns:
"To improve our education, to ameliorate our manners, to advance our politics, we must have recourse to specific conditions of generation." (44) Specifics, not abstract generalities. Not essences. It's the move from Absolutism to Pragmatism.
Think this doesn't apply to education? Think of the difference between these two ways of describing a child who is acting up:
"He's a bad kid."
"He's a kid who acts badly."
Well, we can talk about that. But that's not the reason I assigned this piece. I think this piece is essential to understanding Dewey's ideas about knowledge, change, and the Absolute.
To put it very briefly, prior to Darwin the basis of philosophy was that knowledge was fixed and absolute. Anything worth knowing was Final. Darwin calls the existence of any essential quality of anything into question, by pointing out that organisms change over time and they do so as a result of environmental factors interacting (trans-acting?) with random changes in organisms. Thus what a thing IS is ultimately hard to pin down.
Dewey takes this insight and wants to apply it to philosophy, calling into question philosophy's traditional search for an Absolute Reality beyond our own. He wants us instead to focus on more immediate concerns:
"To improve our education, to ameliorate our manners, to advance our politics, we must have recourse to specific conditions of generation." (44) Specifics, not abstract generalities. Not essences. It's the move from Absolutism to Pragmatism.
Think this doesn't apply to education? Think of the difference between these two ways of describing a child who is acting up:
"He's a bad kid."
"He's a kid who acts badly."
Notes/Questions on My Pedagogic Creed
Here are my reading notes/key points/questions about Dewey's My Pedagogic Creed. You can post further questions as comments, or just jump right in and make your own post!
Article 1: What Education Is
It's a cultural process -- the process of bestowing "the funded capital of civilization" on the young. The young then get to meaningfully participate in civilization. Civilization then continues. Formal education is part of this process.
Process is one that we might call maturation. From self --> society. Puberty to adulthood. (See Parker's "Teaching Against Idiocy").
Process has two sides: psychological and sociological (or individual and social). Each individual has unique interests and powers. Education won't work unless it begins with where each child is at. Then must connect individual interests/abilities with social ends. (Themes of continuity and ends/means).
Article 2: What The School Is
The school is the social institution given the specific task of educating, given Dewey's definition of education.
"Education is the process of living and not a preparation for future living." (230)
Schools ought to be a genuine form of social life that reproduces and simplifies the complex social relations of the adult world. This allows children to gradually become a part of those relations without being overwhelmed or "disintegrated." (231) It is the transition between home and society, so it must base itself in home activities.
Does the school provide moral education? If so, how?
What do teachers do?
Article 3: The Subject Matter of Education
Wong to start with "subjects." Must start with social life and demonstrate that "subjects" gradually grow out of our everyday activities.
"The progress is not in the succession of studies but in the development of new attitudes towards, and new interests in, experience." (232-233)
"Education must be conceived as a continuing reconstruction of experience; that the process and the goal of education are the same thing." (233)
Article 4: The Nature of Method
Action is where we must begin and end. Interests motivate action. Emotions follow action.
Odd bit about images (233). What's he up to there?
Article 5: The School and Social Progress
Education is the way we change culture because it's how culture is reproduced.
"Through education society can formulate its own purposes, can organize it's own means and resources, and thus shape itself with definiteness and economy in the direction in which it wishes to move." (234)
Article 1: What Education Is
It's a cultural process -- the process of bestowing "the funded capital of civilization" on the young. The young then get to meaningfully participate in civilization. Civilization then continues. Formal education is part of this process.
Process is one that we might call maturation. From self --> society. Puberty to adulthood. (See Parker's "Teaching Against Idiocy").
Process has two sides: psychological and sociological (or individual and social). Each individual has unique interests and powers. Education won't work unless it begins with where each child is at. Then must connect individual interests/abilities with social ends. (Themes of continuity and ends/means).
Article 2: What The School Is
The school is the social institution given the specific task of educating, given Dewey's definition of education.
"Education is the process of living and not a preparation for future living." (230)
Schools ought to be a genuine form of social life that reproduces and simplifies the complex social relations of the adult world. This allows children to gradually become a part of those relations without being overwhelmed or "disintegrated." (231) It is the transition between home and society, so it must base itself in home activities.
Does the school provide moral education? If so, how?
What do teachers do?
Article 3: The Subject Matter of Education
Wong to start with "subjects." Must start with social life and demonstrate that "subjects" gradually grow out of our everyday activities.
"The progress is not in the succession of studies but in the development of new attitudes towards, and new interests in, experience." (232-233)
"Education must be conceived as a continuing reconstruction of experience; that the process and the goal of education are the same thing." (233)
Article 4: The Nature of Method
Action is where we must begin and end. Interests motivate action. Emotions follow action.
Odd bit about images (233). What's he up to there?
Article 5: The School and Social Progress
Education is the way we change culture because it's how culture is reproduced.
"Through education society can formulate its own purposes, can organize it's own means and resources, and thus shape itself with definiteness and economy in the direction in which it wishes to move." (234)
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Welcome to EDUC 600!
Hello everyone and welcome to Teaching in a Democracy. This blog will be essential for our course. What will we be using it for?
- You'll be posting links to the readings you find for your classmates. Here's the one for the Plato reading for January 20th: Plato's Allegory of the Cave.
- You'll be posting advance organizers for your chosen discussion days. This will be key points and questions to consider. I'll be posting an example soon.
- You'll be posting summaries of our class discussions. This will free up folks from taking notes in class, archive our discussions, and be useful when it comes time for your final exam.
- You'll be posting comments and questions on the posts of others.
- You can post other thoughts, questions, or comments about the reading, either as a post itself or as a comment to others.You can post links to other relevant articles and news (even when it's not your week).
- I'll be using it for some administrative stuff, like announcements and links to the reading schedule.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Arts Curriculum-Other/Class Reaction/Reading Reaction
After examining Maxine Greene's essay on the arts-aesthetic curriculum, I found our class discussion to be intriguing and informative. I enjoyed being able to discuss English and literature in its merits, but also hearing from other classmates who were able to discuss their discipline as well. Brad's comments about math were insightful, explaining some frustration with the rigidity of a math curriculum and its ability to stifle student thought and creativity. I also valued Adranna and Chris' comments on music education, which is not something I know much about. Coming into this class, I thought that an arts education should be diminished (music, art, chorus) in lieu of a stronger curriculum that would enhance student knowledge, especially since students are underachieving and many are not getting the education that they need.
I cam across an article that discusses the merits of arts education, as well as the significant impact it has had on student achievement.
http://www.edutopia.org/arts-music-curriculum-child-development
The article asserts that arts education helps achieve what we as a nation are demanding from public education- social/emotional development, civic engagement, and academic achievement. Arts education is also closely linked to improvements in math and literacy scores. Many of Greene's points are echoed in this article, exhibiting that arts education is highly beneficial to students, but acknowledges its decline with decreased funding.
The article also discusses top-down mandates versus implementation in the classroom, such as Tyack and Cuban outline in their book. In order to effectively transform our schools into ones that are enhancing student knowledge and education, arts education is essential.
"When you think about the purposes of education, there are three," Horne says. "We're preparing kids for jobs. We're preparing them to be citizens. And we're teaching them to be human beings who can enjoy the deeper forms of beauty. The third is as important as the other two."
I cam across an article that discusses the merits of arts education, as well as the significant impact it has had on student achievement.
http://www.edutopia.org/arts-music-curriculum-child-development
The article asserts that arts education helps achieve what we as a nation are demanding from public education- social/emotional development, civic engagement, and academic achievement. Arts education is also closely linked to improvements in math and literacy scores. Many of Greene's points are echoed in this article, exhibiting that arts education is highly beneficial to students, but acknowledges its decline with decreased funding.
The article also discusses top-down mandates versus implementation in the classroom, such as Tyack and Cuban outline in their book. In order to effectively transform our schools into ones that are enhancing student knowledge and education, arts education is essential.
"When you think about the purposes of education, there are three," Horne says. "We're preparing kids for jobs. We're preparing them to be citizens. And we're teaching them to be human beings who can enjoy the deeper forms of beauty. The third is as important as the other two."
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