Carlsson and Collins Tackle Progressive Education

“So What is Progressive Education Anyway?” At Wednesday’s Parents’ Association meeting, English teacher Theresa Collins and 6th–12th grade Director of Studies Sven Alexis Carlsson took on this question during a lively and informative hour-long session in the Harris Center. Before diving into the historical context, Collins asked participants to think of “that one teacher” who made them feel like a true partner in/producer of learning and knowing. “I wanted to have our participants think about an experience they had in their own schooling when they felt like our students feel here: seen, known, taken seriously as learners and producers of knowledge and understanding. Though many of us attended schools that weren’t officially progressive, chances are we experienced some element of progressive education somewhere along the way, and usually it’s because of a beloved teacher who was a facilitator and guide for our thinking and learning.”

Using long-held principles of progressive education and words from Parker educators (Colonel Parker, Flora J. Cooke, John Dewey and Principal Dan Frank) as anchors of understanding, Carlsson and Collins led the group through a brief history lesson about Parker and the progressive education movement, facilitated conversation around the schooling experience of parents in the audience and “that one teacher,” explored current progressive practice at Parker and concluded with an activity for parents to gauge how their understanding had changed in the course of one powerful hour.

“Our purpose in this short workshop was simple: to provide parents with a common vocabulary of progressive pedagogy anchored in history and language that has been in existence for more than 100 years,” Collins said. “Though some of the wording has shifted to reflect the times in which we are living, there are important through lines of progressive practice that have remained steadfast: Interest as the motive of all work; teacher as facilitator and guide; student as co- creator of thinking, learning and knowledge production; and education as preparation for life itself. All these elements are present and visible at every stage of development in our school—but sometimes it’s hard to talk about it without the right words. Our workshop, we hope, provided parents with more clarity of articulation so they can go beyond thinking, ‘I know what it feels like or looks like’ and forward toward, ‘I know where progressive education came from, and I know what it is and looks like in my student’s day.’”

Carlsson added, “Hopefully our time with the PA felt as enjoyable and productive to the parents in attendance as it did to us. I felt the Parent Partnership Agreement really come to life through their thoughtful responses and willingness to engage in the intellectual work of deeply understanding exactly what a progressive classroom is. There has already been great interest in the upcoming Progressive Education Parent Workshop series that Theresa and I are running, and hopefully even more parents sign up.” He continued, “It has also been impactful to see the measures the PA takes to make sure all parents, specifically those unable to attend this kind of programming, have access to the resources and materials we generated.”

Before leaving the Harris Center, Collins and Carlsson asked parents to complete a thinking and writing routine in which they responded to the prompt, “Before I thought...Now I think…” to reveal how their thinking on progressive education shifted during the workshop. Parents’ Association Secretary Debbi Botjer put it this way: “Before my husband and I decided to send our daughter to Parker in 6th grade, we did our homework. So we understood the basic principles and tenets of progressive education and knew that it was the approach we wanted for our daughter. But I struggled with how to succinctly and clearly explain progressive education to family and friends. I walked out of the presentation yesterday with my 30-second ‘elevator pitch’: Don’t tell me what you KNOW, tell me what you THINK.”

Many other parents shared their responses, which are listed here.