Dewey, Pedagogy, and Psychagogy

• In Event: New Ways of Seeing Dewey

Abstract

This presentation examines the fusion of pedagogy and psychagogy in Dewey’s conception of teaching. Pedagogy denotes the familiar triad of teacher, student, and subject matter. That triad pivots around Dewey’s core notion of growth. Psychagogy points to the education of soul. Dewey is mindful of how romantic if not mystifying the latter term can be. However, he deliberately refers to the teacher’s “whole-souled” conduct and “soul action.” He foregrounds the teacher’s effort to inspire and help guide students’ “soul life.” After elucidating Dewey’s position, I will argue that as quixotic as it may sound, there is no time like the present to reconstruct and draw upon Dewey’s soul work, for the sake of students and society alike.

Author

• David T. Hansen, Teachers College, Columbia University