追尋教學的藝術

Abstract

本文旨在討論Dewey思想中所含蘊的教學藝術原理。全文的目的有三：首先，梳理Dewey哲學中關於經驗、自然與藝術等概念的基本涵義，特別是《藝術即經驗》一書的美學要義，以便說明其對理想教學特質的啟發性；其次，根據Dewey的教育信念，衍繹出Dewey的「教師哲學」，主要著重在三種教師角色的勾勒與分析：藝術家、民主服務者與具有關愛的師者；最後，希望能透過「藝術」這個融貫於Dewey經驗哲學的核心概念，開展Dewey教育思想的美學論述。由於藝術對Dewey來說不僅是一種表現形式，具有經驗特質，同時也是對道德、政治、社會與教育等各種關係的實踐，因此，若能敘明藝術在前述關係中的意義與應用，將有助於我們瞭解Dewey的教學藝術觀。

This article develops some “artistic” (or “aesthetic”) teaching principles based on J. Dewey’s thought, through a discussion of three different yet related topics. Firstly, it analyzes the core concepts in Dewey’s philosophy including “experience,” “nature” and “art” with a view to explaining their role in revealing the essence of an ideal teacher, especially in Art as Experience. Secondly, based on Dewey’s pedagogy, the paper interprets his philosophy of teaching by explaining how a teacher can be an artist, a servant of democracy, and a “lover.” Finally, by further investigating Dewey’s concept of “art” which is closely related to his philosophy of “experience,” the paper explores the aesthetic dimension of Dewey’s educational thought. For Dewey, art is not only a form of expression containing empirical elements, but also the embodiment of various relations present in the practice of morality, politics and education, and in all social interactions. Thus, illustrating the role of art in these relations will help us to understand Dewey’s concept of the “art of teaching.”