Introduction

This paper seeks to address ideas on Hirsch’s theory while also offering critics viewpoints regarding them. E. D. Hirsch is one of the most influential figures in the discourse about the American educational curriculum. His notable works include books like Cultural Literacy, What Every American Needs to Know (1987), The schools we need (1996), and the knowledge deficit (2006), and the Making of Americans (2009). In this study, I will focus on two notable critics of his works, John Dewey and Howard Gardner.

John Dewey was a philosophical founder of pragmatism and is primarily considered the progressive education leader in America. Scholars such as Li  (2020), who have given Dewey’s work redefinitions, provide profound insight into how his psychology has transformed our education. He has several published books such as The School and the Society (1899), Democracy and Education (1916), and Human Nature and Conduct (1922). 

Howard Gardner was a development psychologist whose book Frames of mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences (1983) raised him to fame. It was inspired by working with gifted children and also brain-damaged adults at a veterans hospital. He alludes that intelligence occurs in several forms ranging from linguistic, logical, mathematical, and interpersonal. His subsequent works The Unschooled mind (1991) and the Disciplined Mind (1999) applies his theory of Multiple Intelligence besides the theory of disciplinary expertise.

Concepts/ ideas on Hirsch’s theory and the critics

Role of education to students- According to Hirsch, the main purpose of education is the transmission of knowledge that exists within a group to children. Dewey, on the other hand, has a varied outlook on the role of education. At the core of his content, however, the prominent message is that education serves to develop humans to achieve within the limits of their capabilities. He suggests that to reach these limits, the curriculum should be built upon a student’s skills and abilities. According to Gardner, education’s main aim is “to master the fundamental ways of knowing”. He suggests that the education curriculum should be modeled to focus on problem finding, problem-solving, and creativity.

Hirsch proposes that education should serve the societal good by giving everyone a participating voice in the social, political, and economic environment. In an interview with a Baltimore Sun reporter, Hirsch says that the shared common knowledge curriculum that he is a proponent of will help build a common body of knowledge and, as such, is a way to secure civil rights (Gibbon). In the book Making of Americans (2009), Hirsch advocates for assimilation, civic knowledge, and Americanization. His critic, Gardner, however, gives an alternate thesis that education should make sense of global citizenship rather than on promoting American identity as was pushed for by Hirsch.

Role of education in providing opportunity- according to Hirsch, education provides justice to all members of the society regardless of their social and economic status. He believes that education that a standard curriculum gives a student an equal chance at life. Dewey believes that student success is not necessarily bent on the curriculum structure but the learning experiences. His child-centered approach suggests that teachers need to observe student interests and their nature to guide them along the path lines to success.

Knowledge transmission- Hirsch proposes that a teacher be an expert in his content area since the school has to equip the children with the necessary skills and knowledge to enable academic progress. Dewey, however, considers the teacher to be a guide to their students while the learning remains to be child-centered.  He believes that a teacher remains an expert in teaching, though not necessarily an expert in the subject area. He criticizes Hirsch’s opinion that the teacher is the primary information giver (Dewey). 

The Learning process- Hirsch is a proponent of a sequential learning curriculum focusing on direct instruction and assessment. He promotes an objective, informational-based curriculum with definite right and wrong. Gardner proposes an alternate individualized system of training, disciplinary understanding, and projects for individualized assessment. Dewey, on the other hand, in his book Experience and Education cited by Beard (2018), seeks to promote constructivist ideas regarding learning through meaningful, interesting experiences involving the individual, social and environmental interactions. 

Curriculum progressivism- according to Hirsch, schools have become too progressive and, as a result, made the curriculum to be incoherent. He blames formalism and naturalism, among others, as the causes of this incoherence. His critic, Gardner, explains that schools refused to individualize instruction and were not progressive enough.

Naturalism viewpoint- according to Hirsch, the main goal for education is knowledge transmission to Children. While it may matter, Talent is not a substitute for hard work in a bid to succeed. Dewey gives a broader view of success and examines it to the relationships people have with others, nature, and the universe. His theory promotes constructivist ideas regarding learning through meaningful, exciting experiences involving the individual, social and environmental interactions.

Value – By labeling acculturation as the primary goal of education, Hirsch suggests that a commonly shared body of knowledge will effectively communicate and succeed within the larger audience. Thus it is the content quality and quantity that gives a student value. Dewey contrasts this by suggesting that the quality of the learning experience gives value to a student. Faced with sound expertise, Dewey suggests that a student is likely to grow and seek new opportunities.