Journal of Education and Educational Development Vol. 2 No. 2 (December 2015) 191 - 201 Discussion John Dewey and His Philosophy of Education Aliya Sikandar Institute of Business Management aliya.sikandar@iobm.edu.pk Abstract This review paper on John Dewey, the pioneering educationist of the 20th century, discusses his educational thoughts, and writings, which gave a new direction to education at the turn of the century. Dewey’s contributions are immense and overwhelming in the felds of education, politics, humanism, logic, and aesthetics. This discussion will focus on Dewey and his philosophy related to educational approaches, pedagogical issues, and the linkages that he made between education, democracy, experience, and society. At the heart of his educational thought is the child. Dewey’s idea on humanism springs from his democratic bent and his quest for freedom, equity, and the value of child’s experiences. Keywords: Dewey, educational approaches, humanism, pedagogical issues Introduction This discussion is based on John Dewey’s (1859-1952) contribution to education and educational philosophy. He remains the most infuential American philosopher and educationist of the 20th Century, who gave a new direction to educational thought and processes. With his frm democratic belief in civil societies and education, Dewey rejected authoritarian structures and subsequently the traditional teaching methods in schools. He believed in progressive education and advocated for reforms in pedagogical aspects of teaching and school curricula; most importantly, Dewey believed that at the centre of the whole academia was the child, and Dewey’s educational philosophy and reforms were concerned primarily with the child. Today, Dewey’s philosophy of education and its relation to 191