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How did the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools influence John Dewey’s educational theories?

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Fragment of a Roman fresco showing Socrates seated and draped in a white robe, with Greek text above, on a red background with visible cracks. — Philosophy of education Socrates, Roman fresco, 1st century bce; in the Ephesus Museum, Selçuk, Turkey.

The University of Chicago Laboratory Schools, founded by John Dewey in 1896, served as a vital "laboratory" for testing and refining his progressive education theories. By functioning as a research and demonstration center, the schools allowed Dewey to move beyond traditional, rote-based instruction toward a model centered on the child’s development and needs.12

The schools influenced his philosophy in several key ways:

Experimental Pedagogy: The environment enabled Dewey to replace traditional drill and memorization with collaborative, hands-on activities.1
Integrated Curriculum: He implemented a system where subjects like history, science, and arithmetic were correlated and connected to real-life experiences, emphasizing practical skills such as manual training and domestic science.1
Democratic Inquiry: The schools provided a practical space to develop a philosophy of education designed to prepare students for a democratic society, fostering the "informed and engaged inquirers" he believed were essential for human progress.2

Ultimately, the Laboratory Schools transformed Dewey’s theoretical interests in child psychology into a concrete, progressive pedagogy that influenced teacher preparation and educational research nationwide.12