How does a progressive education respond to the times?
- It develops a child’s critical thinking skills
- It encourages teamwork and collaboration
- It encourages students to utilize different sources for learning
- It fosters curiosity, experimentation and learning by doing
- It prepares students for lifelong learning
- It teaches students to apply their knowledge to society at large
It’s clear that a progressive education is what is needed by students to succeed in today’s rapidly developing world. Progressive education emphasizes the importance of preparing students for real-world topics and issues. The following are the key features of its teaching principles; problem-solving, collaboration, critical thinking, leadership, and immersive learning. In this article, we discuss further how a progressive education responds to these changing times.
Why is a Progressive Education Necessary?
With each new generation, the world changes in many ways. However, it can be argued that no change in recent years was quite as drastic as that which was spurred on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Adults have felt the effects of distancing themselves from others, living in a state of hyper-awareness, and having to do everything remotely. But the long-term effects of these, especially on children, are still yet to be fully understood.
Apart from the pandemic, technological innovations and ever-changing social, political, and business landscapes also expedite the rate of change in the country and the world. This is where the benefits of a progressive education can best be appreciated: by focusing on the child’s needs and fostering the positive belief that obstacles can be overcome, it strengthens resilience and problem-solving prowess in the child—two things he or she needs in this time of unrest and constant change.
So how, specifically, does a progressive education respond to the needs of today? Read on to find out.
It develops a child’s critical thinking skills
Problem-solving and critical thinking are considered the foundations of progressive learning. The overarching goal of this educational model is to encourage students to face problems head-on and find ways to solve them, improving their critical thinking skills in the process. When faced with real-world problems, then, these children will not buckle or skirt around the issue. Rather, they will work to solve those issues.
It encourages teamwork and collaboration
While teamwork and cooperation continue to be one of the most important lessons in life, too often students are not taught how to collaborate with others in school. This is because what often occurs in traditional schools is that they focus on individual assessments, competition, and grading by the numbers.
Those who value cooperation, however, understand why we need progressive education so much in the world today—and how it can be a cornerstone towards positive global development.
It encourages students to utilize different sources for learning
Beyond the four walls of a classroom is a world worth learning about. The way to access this is, is not only by reading a textbook, despite the wealth of information you might get from one.
True learning comes from many sources and these often enriches the experience of learning such that students are eager to continue their discoveries and ask questions. In this time when information is so readily available to children, it’s important to fully utilize these resources.
It fosters curiosity, experimentation, and learning by doing
This is especially important for children who are glued to their screens all day. As you have read in the previous section, we recognize that technology is a formidable means of gaining information and learning about things.
But we firmly believe that the only way to truly learn is by immersion, experimentation, and exposure to real life. If there’s one thing the pandemic has taught us, it’s that the outside world far outweighs whatever we might find through a screen.
It prepares students for lifelong learning
Because progressive education encourages experimentation and trial-and-error, it teaches students to have an open mind and to believe that they are never at a disadvantage for as long as they are learning.
This relieves the pressure on students, allowing them to learn for the sake of discovery and not just for a grade. It also trains them to keep discovering new things about the world they live in, a trait that is especially necessary in an innovative and technology-laden world.
It teaches students to apply their knowledge to society at large
Progressive education allows students to choose subjects, with the affirmation that every subject has a purpose. That purpose is to be of use to society, which is another lesson these children learn as they grow older.
From a young age, they are already taught that the things they learn have a bigger meaning and that they are meant to make the world a better place not only for themselves but for others as well.
Key Takeaway
In this article, we discussed why progressive learning is necessary and specifically, how a progressive education is able to meet the demand of the times. Reedley is a traditional and progressive school in Pasig, seamlessly blending the two models of education to leverage their benefits and eliminate their weaknesses. This dedication to providing a holistic and well-rounded model of education is what makes us one of the top international schools in Metro Manila.
If you want to know more, get in touch with us! We’re all ears, and always happy to hear from you.
