5 Facts About Progressive Schools

5 Facts About Progressive Schools
Published
Written by
Progressive schools are different from traditional schools. These five facts highlight some of those differences.
Progressive schools are different from traditional schools. Their educational philosophies and teaching methods are different. Because there are so few progressive schools, relatively speaking - only about 75 schools call themselves progressive - most people are surprised when they discover that these schools exist. Here then are five facts about progressive schools which we hope will encourage you to find out more about progressive education.

1. Most progressive schools don't issue report cards.
Professor John Dewey disliked the notion of children sitting in rigid rows listening to a teacher, memorizing facts and regurgitating those facts on command. Dr. Dewey felt that students needed to learn by doing. Implicit in this philosophy of education is an aversion to testing and report cards. You will monitor your child's progress in less traditional ways. Instead of receiving a document with traditional grades such as A's and B's you will receive a reporting detailing your child's progress in a variety of areas which the school feels are important.

2. Montessori, Waldorf and Reggio Emilia schools are progressive schools.
Instrinsic in a Montessori education is the idea that a child needs to explore in order to learn. Learning is guided in the Montessori classroom. The teacher does not direct the learning. She guides it. Classes are multiage so that a younger child learns from older children. Waldorf schools are world-famous for developing children's imaginations. Reggio
Emilia inspired schools emphasize the involvement and collaborative aspects of educating their students. These are approaches and ideas which are not usually found in traditional schools.

3. Lab schools are progressive schools.
A lab school by definition is a school attached to a university's college of education. It is a place where teachers can experiment with new and different methods and approaches to education. All under the watchful eye of seasoned professionals who know a thing or two abut education and pedagogy. Over the years many lab schools have separated from their original university affiliations and developed their own administrative and governing bodies.

4. Graduates from progressive schools matriculate to college.
Even though there are no AP courses offered in most progressive high schools, graduates from progressive schools tend to get into the colleges to which they apply. Instead of spending months, even years, learning material which will be the subject of a series of standardized tests in spring of their senior year, students in a progressive school typically will undertake in depth exploration and study of English, history, languages and all the other subjects one would expect. The difference is that these subjects become the means for developing critical thinking and an understanding of the world at home and abroad.

5. Progressive schools are not permissive schools.
The notion that students in a progressive school get away with all kinds of stuff is simply not true. The point of a progressive education is to allow young people the opportunity experience ideas and things for themselves. As opposed to just reading about it. Experiential learning is a vital part of a progressive education. But banish any visions of your little darling doing whatever she wants whenever she wants. That's not the way it works. Progressive schools have a strong sense of community. Everybody is expected not only to learn and play together but also do the physical work necessary to make the school community a better place. A progressive school is not simply an institution where you learn in an academic setting. You learn while camping, gardening or participating in a host of activities designed to bring out the full potential of each child.


Additional Resources [+]
{"http://www.privateschoolreview.com/articles/209":{"comments":{"data":[]}}}

Previous Article

Schools with Non-traditional Approaches Schools with Non-traditional Approaches
Categorizing schools is not a neat process. But there are several educational approaches and philosophies offer some alternatives to traditional schools. Here are some pros and cons about alternative schools.

Next Article

You Know You Are in a Montessori School When.... You Know You Are in a Montessori School When....
Montessori classrooms are different from the classrooms in conventional schools. Here's what to look for.

comments powered by Disqus

Recent Articles:

About Girls' Schools: In Their Words
About Girls' Schools: In Their Words
Published April 15, 2013
Here are a dozen or so girls' schools' public thoughts about themselves and their missions.

Make Summer a Special Time! Make Summer a Special Time!
If you have children in private school, then you are most likely looking at three months, perhaps even longer, which you must fill with activities of one kind or another during the long summer break.

Are You Liable? Are You Liable?
Is your DEL key about to get gaveled? It doesn't matter whether you teach in a public or private school setting. You expose yourself to legal risks every single day on the job.

  • More articles: Choosing a Private School, Getting into Private School, High School Issues, Jobs in Private Schools, Opinion
    • RSS/XML Feed RSS

    Why Private School:

    Kinds of Schools

    The various kinds and types of private schools

    • Top Roman Catholic Boarding Schools Top Roman Catholic Boarding Schools
      These Roman Catholic boarding schools offer good value, great educations and a faith-based community experience.
    • For Profit vs Not for Profit Schools For Profit vs Not for Profit Schools
      What are the advantages and/or disadvantages of a for profit versus a not for profit school? Is one kind of school better than the other?
    • Waldorf Schools
      Waldorf schools offer a well thought out approach to K-12 education.
    • Teaching Boys Teaching Boys
      Why teach boys in a single sex setting? The answer to this question and several others here.
    • Schools for Gifted Children Schools for Gifted Children
      Teaching gifted children requires deft handling. These children need intellectual and sensory stimulation. But they also need guidance and careful nurturing so that they grow up handling their special gifts and themselves appropriately.
    • Read more articles (23)

    Most Popular Articles:

    Note: Data has been gathered from the Dept. of Education, schools, and commercial data sources.