Running Head: Students First

Students First
Kimberly Wilkins
Chandler-Gilbert Community College
Dr. Joni Burris

From dame schools that were held in colonial womens homes, to prestigious colleges of
today, education is crucial to our lives. Education is associated with students learning, growing,
and progressing to help succeed in life. There is a theory developed by a man named John
Dewey that stresses active learning through problem solving, projects, and hands-on
experiences (Koch, 2016, p.42). This theory of education I plan on implementing in my future
classroom because it sparks the interests of students, puts learning in motion and places the
students first. Their interests and skills are important and if a teacher can implement them in
everyday lessons, students will thrive.
John Dewey (1859-1952) was probably one of the most influential educators of the
twentieth century, and the founder of Progressivism (Koch, 2016). He was also a professor at the
University of Chicago and Columbia University (Koch, 2016). He believed that all students
should be active participants in their own learning and have more responsibility in driving their

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education (Koch, 2016). Along with that, students learn by doing, and that their interests must
be a driving force behind curriculum and classroom experiences (Koch, 2016, p.42). He also
explained that schools should help children learn how to live and cooperate with others. For the
teachers, he believed they should not be bound by rigid rules and standards about what and how
to teach, but integrate more real-life experiences (Koch, 2016).
I love the idea of Progressivism! It is wonderful because it focuses on individual students
and their needs. There are three aspects of his theory I want to mention. The first is that
Progressivism involves being aware of students needs and tailoring the curriculum to fit. The
second aspect is relating lessons to real-life, and the third is allowing the students to ask
meaningful questions, then assisting them in finding their own answers (Koch, 2016).
With these three aspects of Progressivism in mind, I have come up with some ideas and
ways I will incorporate this theory in my future classroom. Aspect one is being aware of the
students needs and tailoring the lesson plans to accommodate them. This is so important because
each student is different and has different interests and hobbies. What better way to help them
learn than by incorporating these interests with the lesson? For example, if I were to have some
students in my class who loved to draw and create things and the unit we were learning about
was space, instead of showing them PowerPoints, having them listen to lectures while taking
notes, I would have them draw our solar system and the planets. Or I could have each table make
a solar system using all sorts of different supplies such as pipe cleaners, paper mache, glitter,
glue and paint. If I had other students who like to be outside, I would create an assignment where
at home the students had to go outside and star gaze for a specific amount of time and then draw
what they observe. I feel as though by doing assignments like these, the students will in return be
more interested in what we are learning about because they are getting to learn about it in a way

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that appeals to them specifically. It also shows them that I care about the things they like and that
I care about them!
The second aspect of Deweys theory is relating lessons to real-life. If I were teaching a
lesson about government, law making or the Constitution, I would have my students print out a
news article involving a new law that was passed, or an article about events happening in the
Senate, or the House of Representatives. I could also have each of them think about if they could
be president of their own country, what law would they like to make. Then, each of them would
create their own law following the law-making process we learned about in class and present it to
the class. These would be beneficial activities for my students because they would have the
opportunity to see that what we are learning in class, happens in real-life and effects each of
them.
Finally, the third aspect of Deweys philosophy is that when students ask questions,
teachers should urge them and help them to find the answer themselves in a creative way. For
example, in my future classroom, if I had a student ask the question, How are butterflies born?
I would create a unit about the process of how butterflies come to be. I would have caterpillars
for all my students, and I would teach them how to feed and take care of them. Students would
make daily observations on the caterpillars progress as it moves into a chrysalis and evolves into
a butterfly. This activity would help the students who were curious about caterpillars and
butterflies answer their own question because they would get the opportunity to watch the
caterpillars make their cocoons and emerge as butterflies. Another example would be if some of
my students were curious about how a certain plant grows, we would plant a garden, and
students would decide what plants to grow based on the growing season, climate, and location.
Students would work together to prepare and till the ground, plant the seeds, and tend to the

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plants. This would help them learn about how plants grow, and consequently, their questions
would be answered.
All in all, it is so important for students to be able to learn in ways that appeal to them
because children tend to learn better and quicker when they can use their skills and talents. It is
also important to help them relate the lessons to real-life and find answers in creative ways.
Progressivism is an amazing theory that John Dewey developed and I believe every teacher
should live by it in their classrooms. When I am a teacher, I plan on using it in my own
classrooms and with my students because it shows them that their teacher cares about what they
like and are interested in and that their teacher is putting them first. If there could be classrooms
where students are being taught in the way of Progressivism, I believe along with John Dewey,
that students would thrive!

References
Koch, J. (2016). TEACH. 3rd Edition. Boston, MA: Wadsworth: Cengage
Learning.

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