Democracy+and+Education+Chapter+9


 * Democracy and Education Chapter 9**

Summary: The aim of education depends on the context of ones surroundings, as they exist at a given time. According to Rousseau, nature plays a primary role in the process and development of education, “education, we receive from three sources-nature, men, and things." Nature refers to the potential one has before being influenced by environmental circumstances. It is the guidance of men that enables one to put his or her potential into effect, with the assistance of the surrounding environment. In order for these sources to work effectively with one another, there needs to be a balance between the three. While these sources play three distinctive roles in the process of development, it is necessary that all three interact towards a common goal. The aim of natural development, along with Rousseau's theories allow for normal development, must be their physical health. Along with their physical well being, one must be conscious of the distinctive differences among individuals. Education should provide an environment, which enhances ones natural tendencies. The job of education is to provide one with the ideologies that nature fails to provide. Although social efficiency is important, one cannot rely solely on these surrounds because methods are always changing. Society comes with rules and social norms, and we must utilize them to our benefit as opposed to let them define us in a negative way. Social efficiency is the ability to learn from the rules of our society. One must always keep in touch with their natural instincts and abilities to be able to adapt to changes. Culture is an important factor in making social efficiency work. "And there is perhaps no better definition of culture than that it is the capacity for constantly expanding the range that and accuracy of one's perception of meanings."


 * Key Passages:**

"We begin with a consideration that education is a process of development in accordance with nature, taking Rousseau's statement, which opposed natural to social; and then pass over to the antithetical conception of social efficiency, which often opposes social to natural." Pg. 112

"The process of acquiring language is a practically perfect model of proper educative growth. The start is for native activities of the vocal apparatus, organs of hearing, etc. But it is absurd to suppose that these have an independent growth of their own, which left to itself would evolve a perfect speech." Pg. 113-114

"The natural, or native, powers furnish the initiating and limiting forces in all education; they do not furnish its ends or aims. There is no learning except from a beginning in unlearned powers. Rousseau's contrary opinion is doubtless due to the fact that he identified God with Nature; to him the original powers are wholly good, coming directly from a wise and good creator." Pg. 114

“The aim of natural development says to parents and teachers: Make health an aim; normal development cannot be had without regard to the vigor of the body--an obvious enough fact and yet one whose due recognition in practice would almost automatically revolutionize many of our educational practices.” Pg. 115

“It is a fact that we must look to the activities and achievements of associated life to find what the development of power -- that is to say, efficiency -- means. The error is in implying that we must adopt measures of subordination rather than of utilization to secure efficiency. The doctrine is rendered adequate when we recognize that social efficiency is attained not by negative constraint but by positive use of native individual capacities in occupations having a social meaning.” Pg. 118

"...social efficiency is nothing less than that socialization of mind which is actively concerned in making experiences more communicable; in breaking down the barriers of social stratification which makes individuals impervious to the interests of others." Pg. 120-121

"The dualisms too deeply established to be easily overthrown; for that reason, it is the particular task of education at the present time to struggle in behalf of an aim in which social efficiency and personal culture are synonyms instead of antagonists." Pg. 123


 * Important Terminology:**

1) Nature: The capacities and dispositions which are inborn, “as they exist prior to the modification due to constraining habits and the influence of the opinions of others.” This is important to Dewey because it is one of the three things that we receive education from.


 * 2) Social Efficiency:** “means neither more nor less than capacity to share in a give and take of experience. It covers all that makes one’s own experience more worth while to others, and all that enables one to participate more richly in the worthwhile experiences of others." Without social efficiency, people would not be aware of the social norms that exist in our society today.


 * 3) Aim:** A goal or purpose one works towards. This is not something that is achieved all at once, it is a constant effort and a work in progress.


 * 4) Culture:** “the capacity for constantly expanding the range and accuracy of one’s perception of meanings.” One’s natural surroundings are created from their culture, because each culture is different, it brings different meanings to one’s life, therefore, making everyone’s education process different.


 * Discussion Guiding Questions:**

1) What are three ways that we are educated?

2) Give an example of a natural tendency. How does this define a child’s educational process?

3) Say you’re in a foreign country where the customs are different. How does one use social efficiency to adapt to a situation?