Dewey, Cronon Response

When I read both John Dewey's piece and Williams Cronon's piece, I was struck by the similar themes that kept getting brought up in each excerpt.

Both Cronon and Dewey share similar opinions on how formal education at school isn't the only form of education, and how at times it can be harmful. Cronon says, "All the required coursed in the world will fail to give us a liberal education if, in the act of requiring them, we forget that their purpose is to nurture human freedom and growth" (Cronon 2). When I read that, I was reminded of what Dewey wrote, "There is the standing danger that the material of formal instruction will be merely the subject matter of the schools, isolated from the subject matter of life-experience" (Dewey 8). I would agree with both men on this point. I think that sometimes we can get so ensnared in the results-based educational system that exists today, we can forget why we are learning this and how it applies to everyday life.

Both men also emphasize the importance of communication and community to one's education. I also agree with this sentiment. Dewey says, "All communication is educative" (Dewey 5). Cronon's first four "ideal" qualities also stree the importance of communication to education as well (Cronon 3).

I personally feel like Cronon's list of ten qualities is too romantic. I don't feel like the world would work if everyone fit these ideals. For instance, if everyone "can solve a wide variety of puzzles and problems," eventually would we not run out of problems? This is way too idealistic for me. I think there is some value in every single human not being perfect. Maybe that sentence was too romantic.

I found myself agreeing with Dewey's work a lot more, aside from the stiff and grandiose prose he wrote in. The most fascinating thing he said was on the last page in the last paragraph where he talked about the widening gap between formal teaching and direct activity. He reasons that as socities become more complex, this gap widens.

This leads me to my question:

Dewey talks a lot about the balance between formal teaching and direct involvement. How big do you think Dewey would say that gap is now not only at UW-Madison but in other areas of life?

Also, another question I though of:

Cronon's definition of liberty is "exercising our freedom in such a way as to make a difference in the world and make a difference for more than just ourselves" (Cronon 5). Do you agree with his definition or do you think liberty is moer about "thinking or saying or doing whatever we want?" Or is there some middle ground you think is more accurate?