Progressive Education and Constructivism
Progressive education is a movement dedicated to educating the whole child, with an emphasis on social justice. At Greene Hill School (GHS) we are guided by these meaningful principles every day. GHS works continually towards being an anti-racist institution and designs our curriculum and program to uphold the rich variety of lived experiences within our community and world.
Education is a process of living, not a preparation for living.
At Greene Hill, our interdisciplinary curriculum is organized around yearlong themes that are developmentally appropriate and inspiring.
History of Progressive Education
In the 1900s, during the Progressive Era of reform, socially-minded activists and educational theorists aligned their theories of progressivism with those of earlier philosophers. Their beliefs about child development, such as the importance of active engagement and educating the whole person, have influenced the core principles of progressive education to this day.
For over 60 years, John Dewey (1859-1952) shaped progressive educational theory and practice. The Laboratory School in Chicago became a place for his research and observations and led to the writing of numerous articles and books. Dewey codified the way we think of progressive education today in books like “The School and Society” and “Democracy in Education.”
A general summary of Dewey’s philosophy includes the following tenets:
Education is a process of living, not a preparation for living.
Curriculum should be based on children’s interests with some structure provided by adults.
The most meaningful experiences for children are ones rooted in their current stage of development and the scientific method.
School should prepare children to be fully participatory members of a democratic society.
School should be equally concerned with the intellectual, social, emotional, and physical needs of the child.
Progressive education has gone in and out of favor over the years, depending on the current cultural landscape. Educators throughout the world, and from many traditions, have practiced pedagogy in ways that we consider progressive; supporting students in building their intrinsic motivation, engaging in real world or active problem solving, caring for a child’s emotional well being and complex identities, and connecting deeply with their families.
Constructivism
Constructivism is at the heart of Greene Hill School’s approach to teaching. It is the theory that all people construct their own knowledge, developing meaning and understanding through experience and reflection. Based on the research of developmental psychologists and educational theorists like Jean Piaget, Lev Vygotsky, and Eleanor Duckworth, constructivist theory provides a strong framework through which teachers at Greene Hill understand how children learn and what their role is in supporting student learning. We see learning as an active, life-long process, through which people continuously build upon what they already know to refine ideas and create a more complex worldview. The constructivist classroom provides ample opportunities for posing questions, formulating and testing ideas through hands-on experience, and examining theories through rich discussion. Here are just a few examples of constructivist theory in action at Greene Hill School:
At the onset of an immigration study, children interview relatives, family friends, and community members about their experiences coming to America. Through discussion and readings, they identify common themes in the immigration experience, and wonder together about the stories that stand outside those themes.
Students designing and testing catapults to gather data to help determine the algebraic equation of an arc.