Resources

Definition and Principles of Progressive Education

(The Park School, Baltimore)

-child at the centre of the learning process

-real world learning, experiences

-freedom to develop naturally

-interest as motivation (contact with world, application of knowledge, intrinsic motivation from consciousness of achievement)

-teacher as a guide and a researcher of children’s interests and motivations (use of senses, observations, judgements)

-scientific study of pupil development (objective and subjective reports of physical, mental, moral, social characteristics)

-greater attention to all that affects child’s physical development (health and wellbeing, access to outdoors)

-cooperation of school and home

https://www.parkschool.net/about/philosophy/principles-of-progressive-education/

Educational Principles

(Progressive Education Network)

“Amplify students’ voice, agency, conscience, and intellect to create a more equitable, just, and sustainable world”

“Encourage the active participation of student in their learning, in their communities, and in the world”

“Respond to the developmental needs of students, and focus on their social, emotional, intellectual, cognitive, cultural, and physical development”

“Honour and nurture students’ natural curiosity and innate desire to learn, fostering internal motivation and the discovery of passion and purposes”

“Emerge from the interests, experiences, goals, and needs of diverse constituents, fostering empathy, communication and collaboration across difference”

“Foster respectfully collaborative and critical relationships between students, educators, parents/guardians, and the community”

https://progressiveeducationnetwork.org/mission/

Loving Learning: How Progressive Education Can Save America’s Schools

(Tom Little and Katherine Ellison)

Tom Little’s definition of progressive education: “Progressive Education prepares students for active participation in a democratic society, in the context of a child-centered environment, and with an enduring commitment to social justice.” (p. 52)

Main Themes: engaging in student interests, project-based learning, interdisciplinary approach, strong school community, real world experiences

• Successful learners are confident, caring, creative, able to define their place in the world (p. 24)

• Children’s emotional needs and development are just as important as their academic progress

• Students need a strong sense of community and social justice (p. 24-25)

• Three classroom strategies backed by “abundant” research that proves they are extraordinarily effective for today’s global economy: inquiry-based education, multidisciplinary approach, and project-based learning (p. 28)

Research/Studies Referenced:

• “...building strong school communities helps young people avoid risky behaviors such as substance abuse and sexual promiscuity.” (pg. 28)

• “...students with strong relationships at school not only do better academically but are far less likely to drink too much, abuse drugs, skip school, bully other kids, and be sexually promiscuous. They’re more likely to wear seat belts in cars, and less likely to carry weapons and have suicidal thoughts.” (pg. 62)

• ... low-income high school students who earned few or no arts credits were five times more likely to drop out of high school than low-income students who earned many arts credits.” (pg. 80-81)

• “... under certain circumstances, students involved in multimedia projects outperform students who don’t use technology when it comes to communication skills, teamwork, and problem solving.” (pg. 118)

Little, Tom; Ellison, Katherine. Loving Learning: How Progressive Education Can Save America's Schools. W. W. Norton & Company. Kindle Edition.

Invent to Learn: Making, Tinkering, and Engineering in the Classroom

(Sylvia Libow Martinez and Gary Stager)

• Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) Emile/On Education: celebrate natural abilities of child and advocates for children developing freely in nature (p. 12)

• Johann Pestalozzi (1746-1827): learning is natural, results from first-hand experiences, from concrete to abstract, known to unknown, simple to complex; much to learn from nature, play, and observation (p. 12)

• Friedrich Froebel (1782-1852): kindergarten - learn by interacting with natural world, provocations/materials (p. 12)

• Maria Montessori (1870-1952): use of materials for learning specific concepts (p. 13)

• Jean Piaget (1896-1980): constructivism and stage development, advocated interdisciplinary learning and for teachers to be polymaths (p. 14)

• John Dewey (1859-1952): education as continuous growth across a lifetime, emphasis on community, democracy, experience; advocated for authentic interdisciplinary projects connected to the real world

Libow Martinez, Sylvia; Stager, Gary. Invent to Learn: Making, Tinkering, and Engineering in the Classroom. Constructing Modern Knowledge Press. Kindle Edition.