Child and the Curriculum

John Dewey was born on October 20, 1859, in Burlington, Vermont. He taught at universities from 1884 to 1930. An academic philosopher and strong proponent of progressive educational reform, in 1894 Dewey started an experimental elementary school. In 1919, he cofounded The New School for Social Research. He published over 1,000 pieces of writings during his lifetime. Growing up, John Dewey attended Burlington public schools, excelling as a student. When he was just 15 years old, he enrolled at the University of Vermont, where he particularly enjoyed studying philosophy under the tutelage of H.A.P. Torrey. Four years later, Dewey graduated from the University of Vermont second in his class. Dewey's philosophical treatises were at first inspired by his reading of philosopher and psychologist William James' writing. His philosophy, known as experimentalism, or instrumentalism, largely centered on human experience. He believed that education should be based on the principle of learning through doing.