Preface

As in other areas of social interest, Dewey suggests that education functions within an arena of struggles. Despite this environment of conflicting ideals, Dewey finds a solution to this problematic atmosphere by claiming that rather than taking sides in this argument one must proceed to a deeper level of understanding and inclusion that presents itself in the form of an intelligent theory(or philosophy) of education (5). Without such theory, principles of change seem to form only as reactions to the disapproval of the existing mechanism of education; they never truly meet the "actual needs, problems, and possibilities" of the individuals being educated (6).

This concept of a foundational theory that grounds education through the ebbs and flows of curriculum reconstructing, social change, etc. makes sense in a world where change is constant. I'm interested in discovering how Dewey applies this one theory across a broad range of educational concerns. However, what truly resonated with me was Dewey's acknowledgement that a simple reactionary change from one extreme to another does not necessarily constitute appropriate change that affects in a positive fashion the integrity of one's education. How he elaborates on that assertion...we shall see.