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Progressive education

Honoring children's voices, fostering joy in learning, and nurturing skills for engaged, thoughtful citizenship.

What is progressive education?

Progressive education goes by a variety of names and descriptions, but at its heart, it is education for democratic citizenship. The legacy of progressive education traces to theorists like John Dewey and Paulo Freire and to practitioners like Caroline Pratt and Vivian Paley. It is informed today by the work of educators like Gholdy Muhammad and Bettina Love. 

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What these thinkers have in common is a concern for individual flourishing within a diverse community. They see education as a means of building the disposition and ability to cooperate with others to secure the freedom and happiness of all.

 

In a time when our civic institutions are increasingly fractious, the traditions of progressive education remind us how to foster dialogue across differences, consider the needs of others, and speak and act for the common good.

Our core practices at The Children’s School include:

 

  • Emergent curriculum: Project topics and the direction of study are driven by the group or individual student.

  • Project-based learning: Hands-on work and group collaboration nourishes multiple learning styles.

  • Democracy in action: Students actively participate in democratic processes as they learn to honor all viewpoints, find solutions to community challenges, and creatively resolve problems.

  • Social justice focus: Using the anti-bias education framework developed by Learning for Justice, we work to deepen children’s understanding of equity and justice at every grade level.

Adolescent sitting cross-legged on top of a desk reading a book.

What makes The Children's School unique?

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At TCS, learning unfolds through inquiry-based projects that are rooted in the learners' curiosity, interest, and desire to contribute to their communities. In an inquiry-based classroom, the role of the teacher is that of facilitator, coach, and fellow learner rather than the one who tells everyone else the right answer or the right way to do something. The project approach means that curriculum unfolds in a connected, integrated way rather than as a series of discrete, unrelated topics.

The Children's School is committed to:

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  • An integrated, project-based curriculum that aligns with local, state, and national academic standards.

  • Experiential learning that encourages hands-on, cooperative experiences.

  • Critical thinking, problem-solving, and intrinsic motivation.

  • Challenging students to take personal and social responsibility, and to respect their own and others’ values.

  • Assessing students' skills and knowledge in a developmentally appropriate way without reliance on test scores.

  • Developing students who are confident leaders.

  • Child-centered learning that honors small class sizes and low student-teacher ratios.

  • Encouraging children to investigate, explore, question, and discuss.

  • Honoring each child's unique blend of personal qualities, family makeup, and cultural knowledge.

  • Welcoming parents/guardians as partners in teaching.

  • Supporting lifelong learning.

Young child with muddy hands, playing with mud on a table.

Learn more about progressive education from our founder, Daniel P. Ryan, Ed.D.

Photo of progressive education leader, Daniel P. Ryan, Ed.D. with a video play icon.

Learn about the many aspects of progressive education from our founder, Daniel P. Ryan, Ed.D. This video playlist includes talks on: 

  • The Progressive Education Approach

  • The Difference from Other Schools

  • On Standardized Tests

  • Emergent Curriculum

  • Technology and Play-Based Learning

  • Adolescents and Preparation for High School

  • Democracy in Action and Social Justice

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