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Birth Date
John Dewey was bornJohn Dewey was born on October 20, 1859 to a pious Christian family in Burlington, Vermont to parents that were considered well-read and educated. He was, by all accounts, an introverted boy who enjoyed reading (Gibbon). He was one of four boys, and attended public school (Field). -
Graduated at the University of Vermont
Dewey received his bachelor's degree at the University of Vermont in 1879 (Gouinlock). While studying here, he was introduced to the theory of evolution, which seemed to have made a strong impression on the budding philosopher as the concept of natural selection was present in many of his works and musings. It is here he grasped the inklings of the concept of nurture, rather than human nature, being the important thing to focus on in terms of education (Field). -
Graduated at John Hopkins University
John Dewey earned a doctorate degree in philosophy at the John Hopkins University in 1884 (Gouinlock). There he studied under George Sylvester Morris and G. Stanley Hall, whose teachings left lasting impressions of German idealism and the scientific method (Field). After graduation, the university's president Daniel Coit Gilman urged him to pursue employment with the University of Michigan, but advised that he work to abstain from his tendency to withdraw socially (Gibbon). -
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Taught at University of Michigan
In 1884, John Dewey had begun teaching philosophy and psychology at the University of Michigan. There, through study of child psychology, he began to develop his philosophy towards education for which he's known (Gouinlock). There, he wrote the first books of his career, Psychology (a textbook) and Leibniz’s New Essays Concerning the Human Understanding. CONTINUED IN ASSIGNMENT TEXT BOX -
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Taught at University of Minnesota
Though Dewey only worked at the University of Minnesota for a year, it is during this time that he published The School and Society, a pamphlet that criticized the model of education in which students memorize and recite information. In this pamphlet, he outlined the basis for his call to reform public education, the principals of which were geared towards relating with working-class children by CONTINUED IN ASSIGNMENT TEXT BOX -
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Taught at University of Chigaco
It was while teaching at the University of Chicago that John Dewey's idealistic philosophy metamorphosed into pragmatism: a far more empirical school of thought likely instilled in him by Professor Hall during his time studying at the John Hopkins University (Field). Here, along with his wife, he founded his Laboratory School where the two of them experimented in applying his educational methodology. CONTINUED IN ASSIGNMENT TEXT BOX -
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Taught at Columbia University
Dewey spent the rest of his career teaching at the Columbia University. It was during this time that he wrote Experience and Nature. This and subsequent works during this period focused on his unwavering support of democracy in which citizens are educated, engaged, and informed (Gouinlock).
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Post-Retirement Works
In 1930, John Dewey retired from teaching, though he continued to publish a number of works including Art as Experience, A Common Faith, Logic: The Theory of Inquiry, Freedom and Culture AND Theory of Valuation and Knowing and the Known (Field). -
Death
John Dewey died in 1952, though his works and philosophy continue to inspire schools of thought today. The idea that children are curious and worth investing in and relating to regardless of background continues, and in K-12 schools group learning and teaching geared towards student-relevance are prominent thanks to his contributions to the field.CONTINUED IN ASSIGNMENT TEXT BOX