Identifying a School’s Educational Philosophy
You will want to determine the educational philosophy that will work best for your child.
Education has come a long way since the days of the little red schoolhouse with its one-size-fits-all approach to teaching and learning. With today’s freedom to choose, one of the main reasons families select a private school for their child is because of its underlying educational philosophy.
Most schools have a philosophy that falls somewhere on a continuum from traditional to progressive. Understanding the characteristics of these two approaches, and looking for evidence of them in a school’s stated mission, will help you focus and narrow your school search to those programs that will work best for your child.
The following table lists identifying characteristics of traditional and progressive educational programs. In reality, you will rarely come across a school that is 100% one or the other but rather exhibits traits of each. However, most schools will lean more heavily toward one approach over the other. When evaluating schools, you will want to determine the approach that will work best for your child.
| TRADITIONAL | PROGRESSIVE |
|---|---|
| Teacher-centered | Child-centered |
| Bigger class size | Smaller class size |
| Isolated curriculum Subjects are taught separately |
Integrated curriculum Students cover many subject areas in one lesson |
| Product oriented | Process oriented |
| Learning of skills by repetition | Learning by a variety of activities and modalities |
| Concepts are presented as facts to memorize | Concepts are presented as questions to be investigated |
| Surface level learning Exhibited by recitation of facts |
In depth learning Exhibited by demonstration of deeper understanding |
| Quantitative evaluation Numerical testing and reports |
Authentic assessment Qualitative and narrative testing and reports |
Specific Progressive Approaches
During your research of schools – and especially of schools that include early childhood and elementary grades – you may come across programs identified as Waldorf, Montessori, and Reggio Emilia. These programs are three progressive approaches to early childhood education that originated in Europe. There are similarities and differences among the three, and the best way to learn about them is through researching the literature available online and elsewhere. As a starting point, below are very brief overviews of these early childhood approaches.
- Montessori schools are based upon the work of Italian educator Dr. Maria Montessori in 1907. The underlying philosophy of these schools is that children are individual learners and teachers are facilitators or guides. Students work at their own pace in classrooms that are organized around hands-on, self-directed, developmentally tailored projects and toys. Classrooms are often multi-age and can span two- or three-year age ranges. Montessori programs strive to develop self-motivated, curious, and self-disciplined children.
- Waldorf schools, also called Steiner schools, were founded in 1919 by Austrian educator Rudolf Steiner. The underlying philosophy at a Waldorf school is the development of the whole child. The schools emphasize creative learning with the goal of developing the child academically, emotionally and physically. School days follow a dependable routine within a home-like atmosphere with play materials made of natural substances. Television and computers are strongly discouraged for younger children. Teachers often remain with a group of students for several years, creating a strong bond between teacher and child.
- Reggio Emilia programs are based upon the preschools developed by Loris Malaguzzi and the people of Reggio Emilia, Italy in the 1940s. Their emergent curriculum reflects the interests of their students and learning is a collaboration between teachers and students. Teachers document their students’ learning and play through pictures and words. Reggio Emilia programs emphasize creativity and artistic pursuits, and they consider the educational environment as the “third teacher,” playing a crucial role in the education of their students.
Links to More Information
Association of Waldorf Schools of North America (AWSNA)
http://www.whywaldorfworks.org/
Three Approaches from Europe
http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v4n1/edwards.html
American Montessori Society
http://www.amshq.org/
North American Reggio Emilia Alliance
http://www.reggioalliance.org/
The Garlanded Classroom
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/23/nyregion/thecity/23regg.html
