Please help me understand the difference between a progressive school and a traditional one

[Anonymous]

And what are the advantages and disadvantages of a progressive education? I was not brought up in this country, and so I'm not really sure what a progressive school is.

Thanks.

[Anonymous]

"Progressive" can mean different things to different people. In general terms, a progressive school is more student-focused, whole-child centered (e.g., has a social curriculum in tandem with an academic one), and less teacher directed. Students are encouraged to take responsibility for their own learning and be self-directed. Progressive schools often take a more inquiry-based approach, where students are able to ask questions and study topics of interest to them, typically within certain parameters. Progressive schools tend to have fewer rules, and the student-teacher relationship has a more egalitarian feel.

The idea behind progressive schools is that students will be more independent, self-motivated, and inquisitive learners. The drawback is that these schools tend to have less structure in general, so students who need a lot of structure may struggle.

You will find that schools that describe themselves as "progressive" encompass a wide range of schools.

Some other progressive practices include things like block scheduling, multi-age classrooms, curriculum integration, student choice.

[Anonymous]

Be wary, some progressive schools say they are "progressive" when they are really not, in my opinion. Of course, there are also varying degrees of progressive. In other words, you need to visit the school yourself, and speak to people who send their kids to that school to see if the school is authentically progressive, or perhaps transitioning more to traditional...

Progressive:

Learning through exploration, and experimentation.
More project/art-based.
Less testing.
Often no letter grading until older grades, if at all.
Calling teachers by their first name.
Looking at the "whole child."
Children looked at individually instead of held to a specific standard, cookie cutter model.
More accepting of "quirky kids."

Hope this helps....

[Anonymous]

PP here.

And often there is less homework, especially in the younger grades.

More free choice.

[Anonymous]

I agree with the others. Other things about the progressive schools we looked at: more "play" time in the younger grades, including more outdoor time. In the upper grades, more focus on open-ended projects, rather than worksheets. More process-oriented, rather than product-oriented.

[Anonymous]

Traditional school: Lincoln Navigators, Range Rovers, and Escalades. Lots of money.
Progressive School: Volvos, hybrids, and Subarus. Lots of money.

[Anonymous]

Traditional school: Lincoln Navigators, Range Rovers, and Escalades. Lots of money.
Progressive School: Volvos, hybrids, and Subarus. Lots of money.

common misconception. 'progressive' educational philosophy doesn't mean you vote Democrat.

[Anonymous]

Op here. Thanks for the information.

[Anonymous]

I once read an article on progressive education that included an example which helped crystallize the difference for me: A traditional education approach might teach math concepts like fractions or percentages by having a teacher stand in front of the class and draw examples on the chalkboard (the "sage on the stage" it's often called). By contrast, a progressive approach might teach those same math concepts by setting up a pretend store or trading network among groups of students, so that they learn how to use the concepts in an interactive situation ("Peanuts are on sale: each pound after the 1st is 10% off!").

Instead of thinking of an entire school as progressive or traditional, it might be more accurate to think of whether individual teachers are progressive or traditional in approach. My understanding is that many teachers have shifted to a more progressive approach, to some degree or other. Also, some subjects lend themselves to a progressive approach, while others are better suited to a "traditional" presentation.

HTH.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I once read an article on progressive education that included an example which helped crystallize the difference for me: A traditional education approach might teach math concepts like fractions or percentages by having a teacher stand in front of the class and draw examples on the chalkboard (the "sage on the stage" it's often called). By contrast, a progressive approach might teach those same math concepts by setting up a pretend store or trading network among groups of students, so that they learn how to use the concepts in an interactive situation ("Peanuts are on sale: each pound after the 1st is 10% off!").

Instead of thinking of an entire school as progressive or traditional, it might be more accurate to think of whether individual teachers are progressive or traditional in approach. My understanding is that many teachers have shifted to a more progressive approach, to some degree or other. Also, some subjects lend themselves to a progressive approach, while others are better suited to a "traditional" presentation.

HTH.

Could not have said it better myself. Could not agree more. I am a teacher. I have always thought this! Great minds think alike, I guess. =)

[Anonymous]

pp here-

i agree with everything you said. however, i just meant to quote, "it is more accurate to think of whether individual teachers are progressive or traditional in approach, as opposed to the school."

[Anonymous]

Instead of thinking of an entire school as progressive or traditional, it might be more accurate to think of whether individual teachers are progressive or traditional in approach.

I respectfully disagree, with respect to schools in the DC area that specifically identify themselves as following progressive educational pedagogy. These 3-5 you can be sure will have a school-wide approach to progressive education and teachers may not opt out.

[Anonymous]

google is your friend. This topic comes up monthly on these boards. Google dcurbanmom progressive traditional