What is Progressive Education Anyway?

• It is demanding and challenging on many levels.

Over one hundred years ago, John Dewey, the preeminent American philosopher, educational reformer, and father of progressive education suggested that learning is a social and interactive process, and that students learn best in an environment where they are allowed to experience and interact with the curriculum. Progressive schools seek to create environments where children are engaged and passionate in their learning, are pursuing investigations, asking relevant, meaningful questions, and reflecting on their work.  

It is different to be a student in a progressive school.  At our school, Touchstone Community School in Grafton, a 30-year old progressive school, educators ask students to go beyond the simple answer, the memorized formula, or basic content.  Students instead are challenged to dig deeply, to question intently, and to think multi-dimensionally — to go beyond assumptions.  Educators at progressive schools ask children to take their talents, their strengths, and their areas for growth and to stretch.  Progressive schools teach students to moderate and test ideas, to consider ideas from many perspectives, and to set and achieve goals.  John Dewey said, “Arriving at one goal is the starting point to another.” 

Walking into a classroom at my school, whether the PK or the middle school, you would see students at tables rather than desks, students working individually and in small groups, students learning to listen as well as to answer, and a profound sense of engagement and respect.  This doesn’t just “happen” but is created by teachers who are dedicated to the creation of a safe learning community, and who are given the time and opportunity to nurture the social and emotional growth of their students.  Progressive schools value academic and emotional growth in equal measure.  This is true for the youngest to oldest learners. 

It is different to be a teacher in a progressive school—there is no pre-scripted curriculum, no pre-packaged set up.  Teachers who choose to work in a progressive school are life-long learners, creative thinkers, and passionate educators.  This educational philosophy attracts and retains teachers who are eager to plan, review and re-plan curriculum for their classrooms and for each individual student.  These teachers use their experience and professional knowledge to align, design, and reflect on the academic and social progress of each student.  It’s not easy to teach at a progressive school because the work is constantly shifting, the classroom is organic and multifaceted, and a teacher’s role is one of partner, mentor, guide, expert, and friend.

It is different to be a parent in a progressive school!  At most progressive schools there are no spelling quizzes with a big 98% on the top coming home to be hung on the fridge, no report cards with end of year GPAs.  Instead, there is a profound partnership between teachers and parents, which requires cooperation, respect, and very strong communication. It is important, in a progressive school, that the community of parents is engaged and involved, excited by the school’s work, and in full partnership with their child’s teachers.  Parents at progressive schools often talk about “taking a leap of faith” because the usual and standard markers are not how their children are assessed.  Progressive education believes that assessments can be deeper, more thoughtful, more individualized, and more authentic than standardized testing can reveal.  However, this makes the job of the parent profoundly more demanding: parents at progressive schools need to be involved! 

John Dewey said, “Education is a social process.  Education is growth.  Education is not a preparation for life; education is life itself.”  At a progressive school, education is life.  Children learn for life.  Yes, it is different—for some it is quite an unfamiliar model, for some it is a leap of faith, for others it is everything they have been searching for in an educational community.