Turning Pragmatism into Practice

Daniel W. Stuckart is an Associate Professor of Social Studies Education at Lehman College in the Bronx, New York with research interests in urban education, technology and student-centered practices. He is co-author of Revisiting Dewey: Best Practices for Educating the Whole Child Today (2010).

John Dewey’s pedagogical concepts are timeless and Dr. Stuckart has delivered the preeminent writing on Dewey for the social studies classroom. His book provides social studies educators with the mechanisms for using Dewey’s instrumentalism philosophy to facilitate student learning towards an informed democratic populace. This should be on the bookshelf of every social studies educator!

• CHAPTERNatureFrom Humble Origins to GreatnessHis WorksOrganizational Strategies Related to Dewey’s WritingsIdeological Trends and Major WorksDewey and the Social StudiesA Paradox or Misunderstanding?A Radical Turn in PhilosophyGreek and Early Modern MetaphysicsDewey’s Theory of NatureThe Social Studies Wars RevisitedDewey’s Philosophy in ActionThe Instrumental Nature of Social Studies and the Social SciencesMisunderstanding the Middle PositionDeveloping a Democratic Vision for Teaching Social StudiesThe Central Problem of the Social StudiesDeveloping a Rationale for Teaching Social StudiesSummaryCurriculumHuman Participation in Nature’s RhythmsThe Unity of Teaching and LearningThe Social Studies Teacher’s InteractionTeacher Beliefs and Enacting a Social Studies CurriculumThe Intersection of Beliefs and Teacher PreparationAims Talk RevisitedThe Three Pedagogical TraditionsThe Traditional Approach: Citizenship Transmission TeachersDisciplinary Tools: Social Scientist Approach TeachersDewey in Action: Reflective Inquiry TeachersDesigning and Implementing a Reflective Inquiry CurriculumActive OccupationsCurriculum StructuresLong-Term ProjectsThematic UnitsIssues-Centered Units and LessonsReverse Chronology UnitsThe Social Studies Curriculum ContinuumUsing the Curriculum to Enlarge an ExperienceSummaryExperienceExperience and the Natural WorldHaving an ExperienceThe Denotative Method: Evolution Versus Intelligent DesignScientific PrinciplesThe Public and Its Social BeliefsDewey, Experience and EducationEducative ExperiencesCharacteristics of Educative Social Studies ExperiencesPsychologizing the Social Studies Curriculum with ExperienceExperience and JudgmentMoral Development as JudgmentHistorical JudgmentHistory Education as InstrumentalSummaryMoralityImpulse PsychologyInterest and Growth in EducationMaslow’s HierarchyDeveloping Student InterestsInterest and PleasureEffort, Motivation and ThinkingValuation and EthicsValuation TheoryPrimitive ValuationsValuings, Desires and InterestsMeans-End RelationshipsContextualismMoral PhilosophyDewey’s Moral LifeHabitsA Moral SelfTeacher Character Traits and AttitudesCharacter EducationA Social Studies Reflective Moral Inquiry ModelSummaryInquiryA Return to Dewey’s OntologyThe Nature of InquiryThe Unification of Theory and Practice in a Problematic SituationKnowledge as ProductionInquiry and ToolsA New Terminology for Old Ways of Doing and UndergoingInquiry as ContinuousDoing the Social StudiesSocial Studies InquiryInquiry is More than Big InvestigationsDigital Tools and ArtifactsThe ProblemThe Curious Case of the Common Core State StandardsSummaryCitizenshipDewey’s DemocracySocial NaturalismThe State as InstrumentYoung Persons’ PublicsPublics, Officials and GovernmentPublics and DemocracyPublic Officials as ExpertsPublic ProblemsThe Social StudiesControversial Public IssuesRefining Your Rationale with CPI and Local ValuesBuilding a CPI CurriculumEnacting a PPD CurriculumDiscussionDemocracy in SchoolsSummaryReferences