John Dewey on Education

Some think of John Dewey as one of the fathers of our educational system in America. He certainly was one of the more influential men in defining what our public school system would be. He seemed most concerned that children first and foremost become socialized in a manner to be defined by society and its needs. I recently read an article that he wrote in 1897 in the School Journal. Here are some quotes from that article:

"The teacher is not in the school to impose certain ideas or to form certain habits in the child, but is there as a member of the community to select the influences which shall affect the child ...."

"I believe, therefore, that the true centre of correlation of the school subjects is not science, nor literature, nor history, nor geography, but the child's own social activities."

"I believe once more that history is of educative value in so far as it presents phases of social life and growth. It must be controlled by reference to social life."

"I believe that education is a regulation of the process of coming to share in the social consciousness ...."

[Speaking of education] "It is socialistic because it recognizes that this right character is not to be formed by merely individual precept, example, or exhortation, but rather by the influence of a certain form of institutional or community life upon the individual, and that the social organism through the school, as its organ, may determine ethical results."

"I believe that every teacher should realize the dignity of his calling; that he is a social servant set apart for the maintenance of proper social order and the securing of the right social growth."

Interesting isn't it? The highest goal is the socialization of the children in a way to be defined by society. Very humanistic, wouldn't you say? What does the Bible say about education of children? Is it to be done by the parents under God? Is it to teach who God is, what God has done, and what God calls us to? Is it to call our children to salvation of their souls and to train them up with biblical character? Is it for God's purposes or for man's?

I find it interesting that when parents are obedient to God and train up their children, there is one question everyone always asks them. "But how will your children learn to socialize?" I wonder where they learned that question from. I asked some young parents what they hoped for their children as they were growing up. The parents said "that our children will be properly socialized and learn how to get along with everyone else."

You know, there is no command in the Bible for Christians that says "You shall socialize your children." What do people really mean when they ask that question about socialization anyway? That their children can get along with others who are different from them? One might respond "so putting your 12 year old in a room full of 12 year olds 7 hours a day 5 days a week is going to accomplish that?" Children that spend their time learning in the context of a family learn to deal with adults, older children and younger ones, along with all the people they run into day after day, not being cooped up in a room with only their peers.

God has a plan. Its a perfect plan. He communicated it to us in his word, the Bible. Will we explore it, learn it and apply it to our lives??