Transitioning from Progressive to Traditional

[Anonymous]

Our child attends a somewhat progressive school....probably a 5 on a 1-10 traditional/progressive scale. Does the fact that he is enjoying his school experience and (from teacher reports) is progressing just fine mean that he is in the right type of environment? His school seems a bit laxidasical discipline-wise, and academically doesn't seem to push/challenge the kids. There isn't any homework at this point, which I'm fine with. But at home, he doesn't seem to be terribly inquisitive or motivated to learn more (i.e., picking up a book to read on his own, wanting to participate in the optional science fair at school, etc.). As I mentioned, he's having a great time. But I wonder if it's because he's getting to do what he wants to do and not too much is asked of him. Certainly don't want to fix something that isn't broken, but I wonder if a more traditional environment may be better from a values, discipline and work ethic perspective. I'm just concerned that he's developing a "get by" attitude.

Does this sound familiar to any of you? Did you decide to move to a more traditional school? Was it a good move?

[Anonymous]

We did exactly the same thing a couple of years back. Our child was also doing "just fine" and we felt the same things you describe. The discipline (or lack of) was the main driver for us. Academically, we felt that there should be a bit more going on, too. We switched and the transition was easy. Our child needed a bit of extra help the first year to "catch up" and then after that was fine. We felt there was just enough added challenge academically and our child has been quite happy with the new school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We did exactly the same thing a couple of years back. Our child was also doing "just fine" and we felt the same things you describe. The discipline (or lack of) was the main driver for us. Academically, we felt that there should be a bit more going on, too. We switched and the transition was easy. Our child needed a bit of extra help the first year to "catch up" and then after that was fine. We felt there was just enough added challenge academically and our child has been quite happy with the new school.

Thanks for your post. How many years were you at the original school before you decided to move? Did you wait it out until an "entry" year before applying out again?

You mentioned that your child needed a bit of extra help to catch up the first year. Was it at all frustrating for your child? Did the new school provide the extra help or did you have to hire a tutor? Thanks!

[Anonymous]

To OP: Would you mind sharing your child's approximate grade and current school?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:To OP: Would you mind sharing your child's approximate grade and current school?

He will going into 2nd grade in the fall. I'd prefer not to say where he's currently in school for a couple of reasons. I don't want to provide any skewed views of his current school, or bias those parents that will be considering it for their own children. Also, I'm thinking more and more that it's progressive (versus the school itself) that may not be best for my child's personality/disposition.

[Anonymous]

OP, you are wise to keep your question so specific! You are obviously familiar with this board, where one post about a particular family's experience can basically start a revolution!

Before you start looking for a new school, delve a little deeper into what is going on now. Especially during the early years having a good time at school is vital! It helps to develop a positive attitude toward learning that will serve him well later on. Moreover, there was a series of stories on NPR earlier this year related to this that might make you feel a little more confidence in the less traditional school environment (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=89511072 is one).

Also: Have you spoken to the teachers in detail about his learning styles and progress? Maybe he is very inquisitive at school and when he gets home he just wants to chill. Perhaps he is the type who likes to leave his "work" at the "office", so to speak. He might not be pursuing a lot on his own outside of school right now because he is tuckered out from all the stuff he does during the day. Frankly, even in traditional schools kids his age don't come home looking for extra credit activities! Also, try not to fall into the homework = better camp. Homework is only effective if it is meaningful. Lots of research shows that worksheets, etc. are just busywork that basically adds very little to the child's learning process.

Good luck with the decision. I hope it all turns out OK!

[Anonymous]

I don't see why a traditional school would make a child more curious.

Maybe it's not the approach but his first grade teachers?

[Anonymous]

when posters talk of discipline being a problem, could you elaborate? What do you want the teachers to do?

I am very much against the punitive approach especially for young children. It can be so damaging to them.

I an curious though to learn more about what patents expect for the other child in the class and for your child.

An anon msw

[Anonymous]

OP here. It's not that I think a traditional school will make him more curious. I just think that a progressive school gives him more freedom and accountability for his learning, versus a traditional school that may (I don't know) require and/or challenge him to at a minimum hit all the basics and get the foundation covered. Nothing wrong with progressive. Actually, I'm quite a fan. Again, I think it's his personality/disposition which (seemingly) inhibits his ability to take advantage of the independent thinker type learning environment that he's in. If it's asked of him, he'll do it (no problem). But if it's not required, he'll pass on it. Right now he seems to need more guidance versus self-directed learning. He's just not there yet (I'm hoping he'll get there eventually in his own time), and I don't want any gaps in learning to occur in the meantime. I don't know if I'm making any sense or if totally missing something (thus, the post). I'm not discounting the importance of having a good time at school and the need to develop a positive attitude toward learning.

Regarding his first grade teachers, I think they're great in the context of the philosophy of the school. I think perhaps the approach gives him too much flexibility.

Regarding discipline, I'm definitely no expert (even as his mother). But, I would expect there to be some sort of messaging to discourage recurring or copycat behaviors. To PP, as a MSW what would you suggest or what have you seen that is effective in schools?

Anyway, please keep your thoughts coming! Thanks.

[Anonymous]

I'm no expert on child development but I have to ask a couple of questions: Couldn't this just be his personality, which wouldn't change if you sent him to another school? And isn't he a little young to start worrying about whether he is volunteering for the science fair?

You know your kid best and, like I said, I'm no expert, so take my query with a big grain of salt -- but could you be worrying too much too early?

[Anonymous]

How are you with the rest of the school? The parents, other kids, what's offered aside from the main academics, the facilities, etc.?

I also think it might be a little too early to tell... so in that case, I would evaluate the whole picture...

If you are happy with everything else, I would stick it out a while. If you aren't happy with other aspects, then that's another story.

Remember kids develop in fits and spurts. It is possible in 6 or 8 months he will blossom where he is and really take to the program. It sounds as if you at the core believe it can work (the progressive approach). Perhaps he just needs more time. He is so young!

If, though, you have hard evidence that he's just not making it there (and it's not just worries that he's not signing up for the science fair or reading books on his own), or you have major problems with the school in other ways, then by all means... consider a different program!

[Anonymous]

My advice is that if you're not willing to be a patient, not overly anxious parent, then ditch anything that resembles a progressive education. A progressive education respects the child and differential rates of development, and what that means is that it's no an issue if children are all over the place in first or second or really even third grade. As a previous poster mentioned, children develop in fits and starts and bursts and spursts and such. If your child must be accomplishing X by first grade, X + 2 by second grade, x + 10 by fourth grade, etc., then just calm your anxiety by putting your child in what you trust (i.e. probably a traditional school which somewhat mirrors your own school experience), and be done with it.

If you're willing to be more patient, though, and trust both your child and his school, then consider staying in the somewhat progressive school. I can definitely tell you that I know a number of primary grades students are Burgundy (a pretty progressive school) who could be called "behind" by the standards of someone at, say, WES or Beauvoir or the like, but they seem perfectly caught up by 8th grade and have a wonderful exmissions record. True progressive education is hard work -- for the teachers, for the child, and -- yes -- for the parents. It takes trust and patience.

That all said, there are children who don't do particularly well in a progressive environment, just as there are children who don't do well in a traditional environment or in any sort of commonly found school environment for that matter. Know your kid... but I wouldn't assume that a six or seven-year-old boy isn't doing well because he doesn't want to do extra academic work outside the classroom.

[Anonymous]

In reading the posts in this thread, I have one more, slightly different suggestion for the OP. You may want to ask yourself about the overall feel of the school community for your family rather than thinking along the individual academic and motivational lines you initially posted about. (Those are good questions too, of course, and are probably paramount. This is just one more aspect of progressive education to consider.) Have you made close friends among the other parents in the school? Do you feel you're part of a community of like-minded people? How do you feel about the other parents' approaches to discipline, structure, order, values, etc.? My own feeling is that these community-related feelings are part of what one chooses a private school for, so you may want to evaluate the fit along those lines too. This could give you some additional, parallel information to consider along with your original questions.

[Anonymous]

I have to disagree with some of the previous posters. There's a lot of stereotyping of uptight, socially conservative parents at traditional schools. My politics and outlook are decidedly liberal, and I went to what would be described as a "traditional" single-sex school and loved every minute of it --and got a fabulous education to boot. My son was accepted at both traditional and non-traditional schools, and, even though WE (the parents) felt very comfortable in the non-traditional environment (where we knew lots of other parents), we opted for the traditional school because we felt it was the right choice for our son. We aren't attending to the school. He is. And what he needs is lots of structure, and space and time to burn off energy. And there are lots of nice, patient, laid-back parents there too!

[Anonymous]

I think PPs might just be suggesting it's not always clear that what a very young child needs is more structure -- that OP might consider waiting it out a bit. What was it about your son's learning style that helped you realize a more traditional environment was a better fit? That's the kind of insight that might help OP.