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06.20.08, 14:46 PM NY Schools
15 replies
what is the difference between traditional school and progressive school? which one is better? [ Reply | Watch | Flag ]
NY Schools 06.20.08, 02:46 PM Flag
 

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neither is better. It all depends on your dc and what kind of learner they are. Some kids do better in a traditional setting others in a progressive setting. My dc is in a progressive after being in a traditional. So much better for her [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.20.08, 02:47 PM Flag
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thanks. but what is the difference? can you give me an example? such as curriculum. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.20.08, 02:49 PM Flag
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the curriculum is basically the same it's the way things are taught that differs. For instance in my dc traditional preK it was about work sheets, memorizing letters and numbers, sitting at her table while the teacher taught, she wasn't really allowed to question if something can be done another way. The teacher would say we learn it this way. In her progressive school the kids are participants in the learning process. They are encouraged to voice their ideas and they actually try out the ideas to see if the same outcome is reached. PPL say progressives are good for thos kids who are self starters, works well in groups, ect. YOur best bet is to tour both kinds of schools and see them in action [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.20.08, 02:55 PM Flag
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Sounds like your traditional was on the more extreme side. Just like some progressives can be. The best schools encorporate a bit of both. The parochial schools are usually at the far end of the traditional spectrum and the Steiner/Waldorf's are at the far end of the progressive spectrum. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.20.08, 03:13 PM Flag
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or: yes you are right..this was my experience with my dd traditional school [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.20.08, 04:32 PM Flag
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np. What school was your dc at for pre-K? Your characterization of it sounds highly exaggerated. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.20.08, 04:34 PM Flag
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ohmigod. I'm an educator, and this preschool sounds awful. What was it? Any serious educator knows that worksheets in preschool are horrible, anti-developmental. children should be exploring. in centers, etc. Not sitting at a table memorizing stuff and doing worksheets! my lord. Please tell us the name of this school [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.20.08, 06:08 PM Flag
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np. Sounds like Garden House to me. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.20.08, 06:46 PM Flag
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GHS mom here and that is nothing like Garden House. Garden House is more like the progressive description above. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.21.08, 06:55 PM Flag
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Kids are more likely to get letter grades earlier at a traditional school than a progressive school. There may also be more tests/fewer projects as a means of assessing at a traditional school. Another difference is that traditional schools may choose text books rather than more "primary sources" for learning. I hope this helps a bit. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.20.08, 02:59 PM Flag
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Curricula (especially in social studies) can vary quite a bit between traditional and progressive schools. A traditional school is more likely to have a set group of material covered and to cover a broad range of subject matter (a so-called classical curriculum). A progressive approach may take something like the Maya or the Hudson River and spend an entire school year looking at different aspects of this subject. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.20.08, 03:26 PM Flag
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Also, even the most [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.20.08, 04:22 PM Flag
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^^traditional schools have incorporated the best parts of progressive ed. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.20.08, 04:23 PM Flag
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but they are still pretty traditional. [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.20.08, 06:09 PM Flag
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Here's something on the subject: Traditional schools believe that, by the time students graduate, they should have been exposed a certain body of information and they will all be expected to know the same facts. They will be quizzed and tested to make sure they have acquired these facts. Progressive schools believe students learn best by constructing their own knowledge. That means exposing them to a topic and then letting them investigate that topic and learn on their own, generally through lots of hands on activities or self-directed research. Traditional schools tend to cover a lot of information, while progressive schools tend to pick fewer topics and allow students to delve into them deeply. Some private schools (such as Dalton) begin with a progressive approach in the lower school and then switch to a traditional method of teaching in the upper school. “Traditional schools see their role as transmitting knowledge,” writes Clara Hemphill in her book, New York City’s Best Public High Schools. “They emphasize what teachers call `content’—dates in history, formulas in math, good grammar and spelling, knowledge of the periodic table in chemistry…Progressive schools, on the other hand, seek to give students the tools they need to gather and analyze information to weigh evidence from different sources, and to form their own opinions. These schools emphasize `process’—developing the skills needed to research a problem, rather than knowledge per se.” Progressive educators believe kids should not be “passive vessels,” simply learning what the teacher teaches them. Instead, they should be actively participating in their own education. In an ideal educational environment kids would be taught “both broad general knowledge and analytical skills,” Hemphill writes. She warns what “inadequate traditional schools treat education as a list of facts to be mastered. Inadequate progressive schools, on the other hand, encourage kids to voice their opinions—even if they haven’t read the books on which their opinions should be based. Inadequate traditional schools can be oppressive, while inadequate progressive schools can be chaotic and unchallenging.” Posted on Monday, October 15, 2007 at 10:03 by Registered CommenterHelicopter Mom | CommentsPost a Comment | EmailEmail | PrintPrint [ Reply | More
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General Topics 06.20.08, 04:09 PM Flag
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