Progressive Education

The Progressive Era A movement in education that ran from the 1880s to the 1940s A backlash against the traditional curriculum: Class-based Rote learning Teacher-centered Targeted for classical university track Remains influential today

John Locke

Forerunners to Progressive Education John Locke (1632-1704) English philosopher “truth and knowledge… are out of observation and experience rather than manipulation of accepted or given ideas “ (Locke as cited in Hayes, 2007, p. 2). What does this mean?

Jean-Jacques Rousseau

Forerunners to Progressive Education Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778) French philosopher “The underlying thesis of all Rousseau's writings stresses the natural goodness of man. It is society that corrupts and makes a man evil. Rousseau states that the tutor can only stand by at this period of the child's development, ensuring that the child does not acquire any bad habits.” True?

Johan Pestalozzi

Forerunners to Progressive Education Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi (1746 - 1827) Swiss educational reformer Social Justice (education for the poor) Everyday life is full of educational opportunites Education should balance “learning by head, heart, and hand.” Reflective practice Combining education and work Fought against rigid “method”

John Dewey

Progressive Education John Dewey (1859 - 1952) American philosopher and educational reformer What education is… A process of helping children to develop into “social” beings What the school is… It ought to be understood as an extension of real life--a community

Progressive Education John Dewey (1859 - 1952) The subject-matter of education… Ought to reflect society as a whole--what real people value The nature of method… Child-centered--let the child’s interests drive the bus The school as a means of social progress Education is the primary means through which social problems are addressed

William Heard Kilpatrick

Progressive Education William Heard Kilpatrick (1871-1965) Perhaps the greatest practitioners of Dewey’s ideas Spread Dewey’s ideas abroad Father of project-based learning

Project-based Learning https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMCZvGesRz8&t=38s

Progressive Education: Key Ideas Learning by doing Integrated curriculum focused on thematic units (e.g., design a chicken coop) Integration of entrepreneurship in to education Strong emphasis on problem solving Collaborative learning (developing social skills) Understanding as the goal of learning (not rote memorization) Education for Civic Understanding and engagement

Progressive Education: Key Ideas Highly personalized program of education Integration of community service Curriculum formed by looking forward: “What will kids need to know?” De-emphasis on textbooks in favor of varied learning resources Emphasis on lifelong learning Assessment by evaluation of child’s projects and productions