Practicing finding the spaces available within the educational situation—an essay review of John Dewey and education outdoors: making sense of the ‘educational situation’ through more than a century of progressive reform

Abstract

In this piece, I begin by reviewing and summarizing the book John Dewey and Education Outdoors by John Quay and Jayson Seaman. After an overview of the authors’ work, I use nuanced presumptions within the authors’ work to explore how principles of ecology (complexity theory), principles of embodied movement practices such as yoga and five Rhythms Dance, and a poststructural both/and perspective might create opportunities for re-imagining and transforming the cultural institution of education. Questions explored in this review include: What sort of relationship might allow us to remain open and engaged within a dynamic environment where change is the norm? What sort of relationship to difference allows us to remain open to the creative potential found in what is oppositional? Through exploring these questions, I hope to clarify a vision of transformation and change as a creative practice that grows out of learning to both work with, accept, and honor ourselves and strengthen connection with others, communities, the planet and the environment.