An analysis of American Education

Abstract: Philosophers John Dewey and bell hooks recognized the pivotal role education plays in personal development. Dewey believes that a student's ability to think is more important than their ability to produce an answer. Similarly, hooks believes that education for critical thinking can have a liberating effect. Following these thinkers, I ask: Do the educational values of Dewey and hooks appear in schools in the United States, and what role does education play in individual flourishing? In this study, I explore both Dewey's and hooks’ work on education, the challenges that schools face with these values, and how we can individually experience the liberating effect of education. I conducted surveys to learn if schools share these values and explored the potential benefit of Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development in schools. I conclude that to flourish in the ways Dewey and hooks believe we can, we must pursue an education that is creative, critical, and constructive.