Dewey argues that there are two sides to education, psychological and social. Both are needed and neither are above each other. It is believed that psychological is the basis for the educational journey. The child has a basic desire to explore and consequentially learn. The social side is what continues the educational experience. The child needs someone to help guide their educational journey and natural inquiries. The social side of education is important because “the child has his own instincts and tendencies, but we do not know what these mean until we can translate them in their social equivalent.” The quote shows that Dewey emphasizes that both sides of education, psychological and social go hand in hand for the child’s education to be successful. The psychological side is formal and natural process while the social side of education is “a forced and external process.”
I can draw from Dewey’s argument on the two sides of education when I reflect on how I learned when I was younger and how I continue to thrive while learning. While reflecting on my childhood, Dewey’s two sides to education makes sense. As kids, we all have a knack for exploring and letting our curiosity get us in trouble. But as our psychological side of education showed, parents as well as teachers stepped in to guide our curiosity to better fit the formal education of society and better prepare us for society. If as children we never experienced the social side of education then the chances of being educated ready for a college degree would be low. Viewing Dewey’s definition of the two sides of education gives insight to how poorer populations are educated. Often the poorer children are unable to remain in school because of pressures at home where they might be needed to stay home. These children are still learning because of the psychological side but do not have the guidance from the social aspect. It does not make these children uneducated but examples on why children need both sides of education to truly be successful learners.
I like how you related Dewey’s ideology to your own experience as a young student.
Elizabeth,
Your focus on the psychological and the social offer us ongoing principles to consider as we learn more about learning contexts in Rockbridge County, and how children home experiences translate, disrupt, or perhaps are not validated or included in their respective school cultures. Many teachers might find their different preparations as obstacles, rather than opportunities especially if there is little parental engagement or support in their continuing education. I sense that Dewey’s additional principles of continuity and interaction become important when we think about a learner’s longer path, even if they decide not to seek a college education. According to Dewey, a life-long, experiential learner is one who can take every present moment to adapt, persist and develop through life in face of societal changes, and accept the possibility of the unknown.
I’m curious to know more about how you’ve understood your own learning experiences and individual powers. MAJ Hodde