John Dewey and the Philosophy For Children Program

Abstract

Introduction:  The philosophy of education proposed by John Dewey, in works which spanned the course of his life, seemed revolutionary at the time, but profoundly influenced the course of American education since then.  Indeed, it would be difficult to find a subject or a school in America whose operations cannot be traced directly to Dewey.  Unfortunately, for the most part it was the trees of Dewey's philosophy, rather than the forest, which have had the most influence; and since the trees were never intended to stand in isolation, the appearance of American education has become more Deweyian, but the essence has not changed at all.