The 1900’s were a booming time for
education in America. The population was
increasing due to lower infant mortality rates than the previous centuryG1 .
School curriculum was strict and focused on math, science, and reading.
Children did not enjoy school mostly because of the dark, uncomfortable, and
unhealthy conditionsG2
(Mintz, 2004). G3 AP4
John
Dewey would change teaching practices with his development of progressive
education. Dewey believed that social and emotional development was key and integrated
it into teaching practices (Novack, 1960). He believed that children needed to
learn by doing; they needed to “exercise body and mind” (Novack, 1960). Dewey
wanted students to have a rich education, to find what things interested them.
Vocational trades and hands-on experiences began to change the course of how
and what children learned. At this time schools also began to provide
etiquette, health and hygiene education. Children were receiving a more global
education that would help prepare them for the futureG5
(Labaree, 2005).
Dewey’s theories
blended attention to the individual child with the outdated class-based
hierarchy. G6 It was becoming
understood that children were individuals and should be treated as such, and
not as miniature adults (Thompson & MacAustin, 2003). The new school
envisioned manual training, science, nature-study, and art be given priority
over reading, writing, and arithmeticG7 . Children who use
their hands to learn and explore will later develop the ability to understand
more abstract concepts, and problem-solving (Novack, 1960). Dewey’s
understanding of development reflected that young children need to be exposed
to multiple G8 opportunities to
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