Ever wonder why American schools took a dive?

[wolfstrike]

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 and to assist him in properly responding to these influences


Dewey proclaimed that schools should condition children for the desired "social order"[vi]. Teachers must stress "mutually helpful living" in order to indoctrinate children in collectivism. Schools must deemphasize facts, knowledge, and real-world skills[vii]. Dewey changed the "whole conception of school discipline,"

The kids don't need to understand "economic value." They need "social power and insight"


Dewey cast one of his most destructive legacies when he made the otherworldly contention that the child must "play" to his heart's content in order to achieve his "supreme end," the "fulness [sic] of realization of his budding powers, a realization which continually carries him on from one plane to another"[xvi]. Dewey's silliness fired up the "self-esteem" movement. Stroke children. No pressure. Their "budding powers" will kick in eventually

In One Nation under Therapy, Christina Hoff Sommers and Sally Satel find that Dewey's kind of foolishness produces "overprotected children" who are "denied essential life lessons," instilled with unearned self-esteem, and duped into believing that "that they should be judged by no one's standards but their own"

Dewey ridiculed the learning of facts and ignored Psychology 101 in warning teachers against using grading, non-promotion, and after-school detention to get results. The child must specify his own "relevant material"

He directed the famous Dewey Commission held in Mexico in 1937, which cleared Trotsky of the charges made against him by Stalin,[27]

[546kerry]

didit he also take god out of the schools

[glennac]

Great OP there wolfie. A lot of truth in that. The communist philosophy has taken over education. I know in the South it started in the mid to late 60's up till then we had real history and patriotism taught in schools. Thank you very much

[Crazygator]

And I thought the answer was drugs.

[the mojo]

You want to cure a child's overprotected status ?

Put them in a farm environment for the summer.

No TV, no internet,no gagets,no gizmo's.

Sun up to sun down gut busting work.

[printer2]

Not going to give this the attention it deserves as I am swamped in real life. But from the little I read on the man's ideas I would say you are selectively taking fragments and building a picture without the full scope of his ideas.

Dewey advocated for an educational structure that strikes a balance between delivering knowledge while also taking into account the interests and experiences of the student.

Of course you are giving an unbalanced account to support your thoughts, much easier than an honest discussion.