杜威“儿童中心论”的再认识

Re-recognition of J.Dewey’s Children-centered Theory

"儿童中心论"是杜威教育思想的重要内容,由于历史的原因,建国后我国对杜威的教育理论一直持否定的态度,不少人斥责他过于强调儿童的兴趣和需要,放纵了学生的自由,降低了教师威信、否定社会的作用。实际上,杜威强调儿童是教育活动的出发点,强调教育要尊重儿童的天性,促进儿童发展,同时杜威反对二元对立的思维方式。所以应从教育、社会、儿童的基本关系来理解杜威的"儿童中心论"。

Children-centered Theory is one of the most important concepts of John Dewey＇s philosophy of education. Yet his philosophy of education had long received much controversy in China after the liberation due to some historical reasons. Many saw this theory as emphasizing children＇s interests and needs so much as to leave the children untrammeled; as a consequence, teachers＇ authority was weakened and the society＇s role was negated. Actually, this is a one-sided view. What J. Dewey holds is that children are the orientation of all educational activities, and he thinks that education should be tailored to children＇s nature and to children＇s development both physically and mentally. Simultaneously, J. Dewey objects to the thinking mode of duality antitheses. J. Dewey＇s Children-centered Theory should be comprehended based on the fundamental relation between education, society and children.