APPENDIX

A DEFINITION OF PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION

(From a bulletin issued by the Progressive Education Association, Washington, D. C.)

“The aim of Progressive Education is the freest and fullest development of the individual, based upon the scientific study of his physical, mental, spiritual, and social characteristics and needs.

“Progressive Education as thus defined implies the following conditions:

“1.Freedom To Develop Naturally

“The conduct of the pupil should be self-governed according to the social needs of his community, rather than by arbitrary laws.... Full opportunity for initiative and self-expression should be provided, together with an environment rich in interesting material that is available for the free use of every pupil.

“2.Interest the Motive of All Work

“Interest should be satisfied and developed through: (1) Direct and indirect contact with the world and itsactivities, and use of the experience thus gained. (2) Application of knowledge gained, and correlation between different subjects. (3) The consciousness of achievement.

“3.The Teacher a Guide, Not a Task-Master

“... Progressive teachers will encourage the use of all the senses, training the pupils in both observation and judgment; and instead of hearing recitations only, will spend most of the time teaching how to use various sources of information, including life activities as well as books; how to reason about the information thus acquired; and how to express forcefully and logically the conclusions reached. Teachers will inspire a desire for knowledge, and will serve as guides in the investigations undertaken, rather than as task-masters. To be a proper inspiration to their pupils, teachers must have ample opportunity and encouragement for self-improvement and for the development of broad interests.

“4.Scientific Study of Pupil Development

“School records should ... include both objective and subjective reports on those physical, mental, moral, and social characteristics which affect both school and adult life, and which can be influenced by the school and the home. Such records should be used as a guide for the treatment of each pupil, and should also serve to focus the attention of the teacher on the all-important work ofdevelopment, rather than on simply teaching subject matter.

“5.Greater Attention to All that Affects the Child’s Physical Development

“One of the first considerations of Progressive Education is the health of the pupils. Much more room in which to move about, better light and air, clean and well ventilated buildings, easier access to the out of doors and greater use of it, are all necessary. There should be frequent use of adequate playgrounds....

“6.Co-operation Between School and Home to Meet the Needs of Child-Life

“The school should provide, with the home, as much as possible of all that the natural interests and activities of the child demand, especially during the elementary school years. It should give opportunity for manual experience for both boys and girls, for home-making, and for healthful recreation of various kinds.... These conditions can come about only through intelligent co-operation between parents and teachers. It is the duty of the parents to know what the school is doing and why....

“7.The Progressive School a Leader in Educational Movements

“The Progressive School should be ... a laboratory where new ideas if worthy meet encouragement; wheretradition alone does not rule, but the best of the past is leavened with the discoveries of today, and the result is freely added to the sum of educational knowledge.

“(The Association is not committed, and never can be, to any particular method or system of education. In regard to such matters it is simply a medium through which improvements and developments worked out by various agencies can be presented to the public.)”

FOOTNOTES:

[1]It will, I hope, be clear that these remarks apply specifically to the grammar school teacher who does have to teach everything. The case is less desperate in the higher reaches of our school system.

[2]Except inDutchNew York, and in Massachusetts.

[3]“The one dominant feature of this labour movement [1824-1836] was the almost fanatical insistence upon the paramount importance of education. In political platforms, in resolutions of public meetings, and in the labour press, the statement is repeated over and over, that the fundamental demand of labour is for an adequate system of education....“To this movement, more than to any other single cause, if not more than to all other causes combined, is due the common school system of the United States.... When the movement died out in 1835 to 1837 ... Horace Mann was leading the ‘educational revival,’ and the common school was an established institution in nearly every state.”—A. M. Simons: “Social Forces in American History.”

“To this movement, more than to any other single cause, if not more than to all other causes combined, is due the common school system of the United States.... When the movement died out in 1835 to 1837 ... Horace Mann was leading the ‘educational revival,’ and the common school was an established institution in nearly every state.”—A. M. Simons: “Social Forces in American History.”

[4]In which some of these chapters originally appeared, and to which my thanks are due for the privilege of republication.

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES:Page numbering of text portion was not changed when front matter Roman numeral pagination (preface, etc.) was changed in this new edition.Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized.

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES:

Page numbering of text portion was not changed when front matter Roman numeral pagination (preface, etc.) was changed in this new edition.

Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.

Inconsistencies in hyphenation have been standardized.

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