Abstract
Recent events have showcased students using their political voice to take action on an issue they care deeply about. The debate on reforming gun laws in the United States is an old one, and one not likely to be solved in quick fashion, but this resurrection is worthy of Lazarus, as students have taken the lead on this crusade. Their quest has garnered supporters across the globe, as the students articulately address the root cause of this issue, debate their critics, and lobby key decision makers for change (Correal et al., 2018).
How did these students become so confident? Where did they learn the skill set to advance their agenda? How did they learn to navigate the political structures to advance their cause? The answers to these questions are provided by the students themselves – they have a phenomenal teacher (Vassolo, 2018). This teacher, through his curriculum, created educative experiences, which helped develop interests, which led to inquiry, which challenged students fed up with inaction to become catalysts for change. While this type of instruction is not the norm (Barr et al., 1978; Ochoa-Baker, 1996), the educational philosopher, John Dewey, certainly thought it should be; so how can social studies teachers fulfill Dewey's vision and create meaningful learning experiences for their students?
In his new book, Turning Pragmatism into Practice: A Vision for Social Studies Teachers, Daniel Stuckart connects Dewey's atomized philosophical dots and “guides teachers and teacher candidates in developing, implementing, and reflecting on a vision for an interactive social studies curriculum” (p.1). By sifting through his rich and dense writings, Stuckart reveals Dewey's contributions to the creation of the social studies and how his pragmatic philosophy became the corner stone for this curriculum. In so doing, he reveals how Dewey's ideas “provide tools for engaging with the curriculum” (p.1). This results in a truly Deweyan approach to delivering social studies instruction that develops community, encourages inquiry, and builds educative experiences for students.
Organization and pedagogy
Turning Pragmatism into Practice is divided into six chapters, with each chapter devoted to one of Dewey's big ideas. Stuckart explains how that idea fits into the social studies, as well as its implications for teaching and instruction. Each chapter begins with three focus questions and a vision for social studies teachers. These are designed to help guide the reader's thinking as they consider Dewey's theoretical framework for an active and engaging curriculum. So what Deweyan lessons can teachers take into their practice?
Chapter 1, “Nature,” discusses the metamorphosis of Dewey's thinking and its departure from traditional philosophical thought. Here, Dewey's theory of nature is highlighted. By illuminating how content and method become unified in a person's experiences, Stuckart explains how this combination of content and method contributed to the debate around the creation of the social studies. Furthermore, Stuckart begins his construction of a “Dewey roadmap” by suggesting social studies teachers reflect on ways in which they can incorporate Deweyan thought into their instruction.
Chapter 2, “Curriculum,” revolves around Dewey's theory of curriculum. It addresses the teacher as facilitator and the role they play in determining what students learn and how they should learn it. Teacher instructional beliefs and attitudes are evaluated and discussed as the central tenants of how the social studies is learned. As such, Stuckart provides guidance on overcoming the obstacles associated with a Deweyan curriculum by recommending alternative instructional approaches for conceptual learning.
In Chapter 3, “Experience,” Stuckart examines Dewey's theory of experience, which he identifies as the crux of Deweyan thought. Dewey defined experience as, “the interaction of a person's needs, desires, purposes, and abilities with the objective circumstances of the surrounding environment” (p. 54). In other words, people are transacting with their environment in such a way that they are dealing with and solving problems they encounter in their surroundings. For Dewey, this transacting is what the beginning, middle, and end of an experience is about. By transacting with the environment, people are learning from the past, applying it to the present, and thinking about implications for the future. Through transaction, a natural end occurs and everything changes because of it. This is a key implication for social studies. As Stuckart suggests, teachers who afford students the opportunity to inquire, investigate, and problem-solve, are changing the way their students perceive their learning. They are connecting content and methods where students feel like they participate in their education. Furthermore, classrooms provide a safe instructional environment, where teachers can support students, and afford them opportunities to study the controversial issues affecting them. Through this active classroom structure, students grow as learners because they are genuinely interested (Deci & Ryan, 1985).
Chapter 4, “Morality,” focuses on one of Dewey's neglected educational philosophies, interest and effort, and the intrinsic role they play in helping students complete activities (p.71). For Stuckart, this association is the driving force through which students learn. His goal is for teachers to help foster and develop student interests for learning by developing lessons that allow for thinking and inquiry (p.89). As Stuckart explains, this process is driven by desire. Anytime a student is interested in a topic, they will be motivated to learn. This motivation drives students forward and they will put forth the effort to complete the assigned task. Because the task revolves around problem solving, the activity is reflective in nature.
Chapter 5, “Inquiry,” begins with the assertion that it is the heart of social studies (p.90). Here, Stuckart connects Dewey's instrumentalism (the idea that the solving of problems involves conceptual tools or instruments) with the interdisciplinary approach of the social studies. His point being, when social studies teachers “do social studies,” they encourage student inquiry and engagement with contemporary problems that lead to potential solutions and actions. It is through this process that citizenship education emerges because students are afforded the opportunity to grapple with public concerns.
Finally, in Chapter 6, “Citizenship,” Stuckart addresses Dewey's notion that democracy is the “ideal political system for unleashing the individual's power for intelligent activity” (p. 108). Consequently, as Stuckart explains, Dewey's view of democracy is synonymous with problem solving and collaboration (p.108). Therefore, Stuckart's vision for social studies teachers is to encourage curricular opportunities for students to engage social problems, examine alternative perspectives, problem solve,
and implement proposed solutions. In doing so, classroom teachers directly contribute to the creation of an informed citizenry, capable of tackling the public sphere and its problems.
Throughout, Stuckart encourages teachers to be reflective about their practice, especially in relation to their existing beliefs and preconceptions toward instruction and the construction of knowledge. To aid this endeavor, he has included a table, titled “Crafting a Social Studies Teacher Vision” (p. 2–3). Here, readers are asked to use it as a planning tool to help guide their thinking as they reflect on Dewey's pragmatic approach and its implication for teaching.
Contributions to social studies
Turning Pragmatism into Practice does an excellent job reminding practitioners that all social studies roads lead to John Dewey (p.121). From highlighting the importance of Dewey's views on diversity and group work, character education, and discussions in teaching children, Daniel Stuckart emphasizes the influence Dewey continues to play in current scholarship. From Diana Hess’ work (2010) providing teachers with strategies for engaging students in effective democratic discussion to McGee-Banks and Banks’ (1995) inclusiveness approach to historical narrative, Dewey's philosophical footprints are evident. The work of these scholars, as well as others, continue to champion Dewey's ideas and provide practical application measures for their implementation in the social studies classroom. These approaches encourage inquiry because students are exposed to various perspectives, cultures, and backgrounds that lead to learning (Ladson-Billings, 2001).
Social studies teachers have tremendous burdens beyond their curriculum. Stuckart acknowledges these obstacles, but offers sage advice in suggesting that teachers take baby steps to implementing Dewey's vision. It all starts with self-reflection. Once social studies teachers examine their own beliefs, as Stuckart suggests, the needle begins to move. The challenges to creating an interactive social studies curriculum are real, and Turning Pragmatism into Practice is not a step-by-step guide to doing so. However, it is a “road map” to help social studies teachers build a social studies curriculum around the child that provides them with rich learning experiences.
In closing, “Dewey” or don't we? This is the million-dollar question social studies teachers must grapple with as they engage students in the business of learning. Turning Pragmatism into Practice offers suggestions on how to implement Dewey's vision for the social studies by the people who hold the classroom keys. By transforming Dewey's dense writings and making them accessible to the social studies teacher, Stuckart has created a “roadmap” for active student learning in the 21st century that contributes to the well-being of our democracy.