Dewey’s Conception of an Environment for Teaching and Learning

Abstract

In this article, I examine the main contours of John Dewey’s conception of an environment for teaching and learning. I show how his conception derives from two components of his philosophical anthropology: (1) his understanding of the nature of a growing self, and (2) his view of how human beings influence one another. With this background in place, I examine why Dewey argues that an environment for teaching and learning should be what he calls “simplified, purified, balanced, and steadying.” I discuss how Dewey distinguishes an educative environment from what he calls “surroundings.” Finally, I address why he argues that teachers should not focus directly on learning, but rather on the environment that obtains in the classroom. Throughout the article, I try to show how timely and powerful Dewey’s conception of an environment remains—for teachers, teacher educators, and all who care about meaningful teaching and learning.

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