Active Learning Concept - Progressive Education

As defined by dictionary.com Progressive Education is “any of various reformist educational philosophies and methodologies since the late 1800s, applied especially to elementary schools, that reject the rote recitation and strict discipline of traditional, single-classroom teaching, favoring instead more stimulation of the individual pupil as well as group discussion, more informality in the classroom, a broader curriculum, and use of laboratories, gymnasiums, kitchens, etc., in the school.”

The key concept: Learn how to think instead of just memorizing.

John Dewey, “Were all instructors to realize that the quality of a mental process, not the production of correct answers, is the measure of educative growth something hardly less than a revolution in teaching would be worked.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=zwIcl-G93Mo

Montessori schools are an example of some of the practices of progressive education. Their practices consist more on the freedom of movement, where students are allowed to guide, they have little homework and teachers sit around their students to participate and guide them.

Another very interesting aspect of the Montessori classroom is that classrooms are grouped by ages. “Dr. Montessori based her educational philosophies, including the materials and classroom setup she developed, on her scientific observations. She discerned six distinct stages of development – birth to age three, age three to six, age six to nine, age nine to 12, age 12 to 15 and age 15 to 18 – and thought that children’s learning progresses naturally during these development stages rather than by grade level.” - The Montessori Comeback, article of Forbes.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/emilylanghorne/2019/03/27/the-montessori-comeback/#228eee084648

The article presents various facts on the comeback of the system to not only private but public schools where this system may be needed even more. Overall it seems that a progressive learning approach though not new will become the way most schools will want to adapt.