Beyond the ABCs: Understanding progressive education

 Photo by Daiga Ellaby on Unsplash

Guest contributor Geoff Harrison is the founder and head of school at The Compass School. With over three decades of experience in education, he is bringing a new school to Austin: a school where students embark on a journey of curiosity, discovery, and learning rooted in research and progressive education principles.

As a parent, you want the best for your child's education. You've likely heard the term "progressive education," but what does it actually mean? It's more than just a buzzword; it's a philosophy that puts your child at the center of learning, emphasizing critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration over rote memorization. It promotes a joy for learning and helps to cultivate lifelong learners. This article will break down the core principles of progressive education to help you understand if it's the right fit for your family.

The Beginning of Progressive Education

Progressive education didn't spring from one single source but rather evolved from a confluence of ideas and movements, primarily in Europe and the United States, spanning the 17th to the 20th centuries. The term “American Progressive Education” was coined in the 20th century by John Dewey, Maria Montessori, Caroline Pratt, and Lucy Sprague, and it has been supported by recent neuroscience research, which acknowledges that a child who has autonomy—a voice in their own education—learns best.

It's important to note that progressive education has taken various forms and interpretations over time. While some approaches emphasize individual freedom and creativity, others focus on social reform and preparing students for democratic citizenship. However, the core principles of child-centered learning, active engagement, and critical thinking remain central to the philosophy.

Traditional education often focuses on memorizing facts and figures, preparing students for standardized tests. Progressive education takes a different approach. It believes that true learning comes from active engagement, exploration, and discovery. Instead of passively receiving information, children in progressive classrooms are encouraged to ask questions, investigate, and construct their own understanding. Students pursue their curiosity, develop compassion, cultivate courage, and enjoy a level of autonomy.

It’s All About the Learner, the Whole Child

Child-centered learning is at the heart of progressive education. The curriculum is designed to meet the individual needs and interests of each child. Teachers act as facilitators, guiding students’ learning journeys and providing support where needed. Learning is personalized and relevant to the child’s world. Progressive education also emphasizes hands-on, experiential learning. Students learn by doing, through projects, experiments, and real-world applications. This active approach fosters deeper understanding and makes learning more engaging.

Developing critical thinking skills is a priority in progressive schools. Students are encouraged to analyze information, evaluate different perspectives, and solve problems creatively. They learn to think for themselves, rather than simply accepting what they are told. Collaboration is another key component. Students work together on projects, learning to communicate effectively, share ideas, and respect diverse viewpoints. This fosters social skills and prepares them for collaborative work environments in the future.

Progressive education recognizes that children are more than just their academic abilities. It emphasizes the development of the whole child, including their emotional, social, and physical well-being. Schools often incorporate arts, music, and physical activity into the curriculum. Progressive classrooms often operate on democratic principles, where students have a voice in their learning and classroom management. This fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility. While assessments are still important, progressive schools tend to use a variety of methods to evaluate student learning, including portfolios, projects, exhibitions, and self-assessments. The focus is on understanding a child's growth and progress, rather than just assigning a grade.

Photo by Maxence Pira on Unsplash

The principles of progressive education have no limitations to where a child can grow and develop. It meets the needs of every child on their journey and promotes opportunities for advancement based on the individual child and not just standards. Learn more about it on the Progressive Education Network.

Geoff Harrison | The Compass School

Answering the “Should I?” and “Can I?” questions

Ken Hawthorn founded and runs “a school in a makerspace”: Austin School for the Driven. For this guest post I invited Ken to share his decision-making process when students propose projects that could be dangerous or controversial. In his candid response below, he invites readers to help him think through two specific (and real) dilemmas, either by emailing him directly or by leaving a comment here on the blog. —Teri

Our school bifurcates the teaching of skills and ethics. The answer to almost any “Can I?” question at our school is “Yes, and here is how.” The answer to “Should I?” needs to be explored in parallel with the “Can I?” question. As a school founder, I take great pride in how far we are willing to take that bifurcation at Austin School for the Driven.

Recently I have been navigating a few topics where I find myself hesitating to live up to giving students all the knowledge so they have the power to take a responsible approach to decision making in our school. With so many unique schools keeping Austin weird, I hope sharing my own challenges and discomforts around some student questions may be helpful or thought-provoking to others. 

Student Question #1: Can we spray-paint under the bridge and make a mural? 

I have been navigating this question for a year now. Spray-painting in the hands of children is nothing new at Austin School for the Driven. We have used spray paint on our RC car bodies and water-dipping projects. It makes me smile every time our school takes a field trip to Home Depot and we get the stink eye from security as our kids fill a small cart with spray paint cans. What is new is the student request to spray-paint in a public place.

RC car bodies spray-painted by students at Austin School for the Driven

There is existing spray paint on the walls of the tunnel they are targeting. If I said yes to this question, I would be a teacher leading students on an urban beautification project. On the other hand, saying yes to this question could be seen as an adult leading minors to commit a crime. For me this is a difficult question.

The students are absolutely serious about the quality of the proposed mural. To date, the students have scanned the tunnel with Lidar and created a 3D digital model that we can deploy at full-size scale as augmented reality inside of our classroom. We have found a spray paint simulator and are learning about the variety of nozzles that can be used to get very narrow or wide paint patterns.

What is the right decision here? What side should the “Should I?” land on this question?

Lidar scan used by Driven students to create a 3D model of a local tunnel showing preexisting graffiti

Student Question #2: How does vaping work?

This is a “Can I?” question. I am totally fine having students do research and then discussing the “Should I?” part. What is less comfortable for me is providing knowledge involved with the “Can I?” question. It is sad that this question came up on one of our hikes along Shoal Creek Trail because there were so many of the disposable vaping devices littered along the trail.

No, we are not bringing a vaping device to campus, but building a functional model to vaporize propylene glycol or glycerol could be really educational. A vaping device actually is a reasonably technical machine. You have the battery, the heating coil, the baffle mesh, and a computer to regulate voltage, measure resistance, and target a certain wattage. There is a charging circuit and another circuit that acts as a fail-safe if the temperature goes up or there is too much battery discharge. There are also thousands of other machines we could build in the lab. Would building a model in some way still glamorize vaping?

I ask this question, and the question about spray-painting the bridge, because I don’t yet have an answer; I do not know what the right answer is. Austin School for the Driven exists as an experiment to see what happens when we hold standards and at the same time maximize student agency within a framework of “Yes,” “No,” and “Maybe” answers to questions of “Can I” and “Should I,” which then define the learning boundaries of the school.

Kenneth Hawthorn | Austin School for the Driven

On being small

Laura Delgado, who founded and directs The Nest at The Montessori Tree, joins us on the blog today to share a bit of her vast wisdom about children, parents, education, and “smallness.” She also invites you to a lovely annual event for children and their parents in South Austin this weekend.

One of my daughter’s favorite books ever was You Are (Not) Small by Anna Kang. In the book, two creatures struggle to agree about which of them is big and which is small. Eventually, they come to realize that size is relative, of course.

I loved this book because it inspired so many conversations with my daughter about her size and how she felt about being small in a world full of big people. Frankly, she continues to have mixed feelings about it. 

Just the other day, my husband commented on how big she was getting and she said, “Don’t say that. I want to be small still. I want to be teeny tiny.”

I imagine many children feel this way. While they certainly appear frustrated, at times, about not being able to do everything they want to do on account of their size, I also think many relish their “smallness.” It’s as if they know how fleeting childhood really is . . . says the mom who can’t fathom that her daughter will soon be entering the tween years!

On the other hand, we, as adults, often find ourselves amazed at how quickly our children are growing. And, many times, we feel compelled to comment, “Look how big you are!”

Years ago, I asked a young friend, “Are you ready to use the potty? You’re big now.” Of course, I falsely assumed that he wanted to be big and that my question would somehow motivate him to use the potty.

And, of course, it backfired. He was quick to respond, “But, I don’t want to be big.”

I felt that deeply! And, it taught me a valuable lesson about the assumptions and biases we bring into our classroom and how important it is to continually challenge those assumptions in our work with children.

Speaking of size, a huge assumption I’ve witnessed in and out of the classroom is the idea that “bigger is better.” Perhaps, even in Texas, where everything is bigger, that notion is being increasingly challenged, as it should be. Because, in truth, we know that there is value in all sizes, right? 

Perhaps I’m a little more sensitive to that line of thinking because I was always the smallest kid in the class. I also grew up in a time and place where children’s voices weren’t always valued, and, admittedly, I began to believe that my voice didn’t matter because I was small.

Fast forward a few years, I find myself advocating for all things “small.” Besides working with toddlers in spaces filled with small furniture and materials, I am passionate about supporting small schools and small school owners. 

Since starting my own small program, almost six years ago, and having witnessed and experienced the value that small schools have brought to our family’s life and to our broader community, especially through the pandemic, I feel strongly that small schools should be acknowledged and celebrated more. And, now that I know that my voice does indeed matter, even if I’m “small,” I want to use it more!

This year, I’m thrilled to do my part by collaborating with thirteen other small schools in hosting our 3rd Annual Small Schools of South Austin Tour on Saturday, October 19th from 9am to Noon. It’s a celebration, of sorts, of the diverse program offerings available to families in South Austin. And, also, an easy way for families to explore some unique options they may not have previously considered (as we are not always the first to show up on a Google search.)

Parents, I cannot emphasize enough what a unique opportunity this is for you! Whether you are currently looking for a school or looking ahead to the future, this Saturday you will have a chance to visit as many schools as you can in one morning. Plus, children are welcome, so there's no need to arrange childcare! Did I also mention it’s FREE?

If there’s one thing I know about small school owners, it’s that they have BIG hearts and I know that each of our participating school owners is ready to open their doors to you to showcase their passion and dedication to providing children with meaningful and engaging alternative learning experiences. If you’re even a little bit curious, I invite you to come check us out!

For more information and a full listing of schools, you can follow me @themontessoritree or find the event on Facebook. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Laura Delgado | The Nest at The Montessori Tree

What is critical thinking?

Guest contributor Stephanie Simoes is the founder of Critikid.com, a website dedicated to teaching critical thinking to kids and teens through interactive courses, worksheets, and lesson plans.

“Critical thinking” is a trendy term these days, especially in the education world. Alternative schools in Austin commonly advertise that they encourage kids to think critically. Conversations about critical thinking are often accompanied by some version of the Margaret Mead quote, “Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.” But such discussions often neglect a crucial question: “What does it mean to teach children how to think?” Critical thinking is an abstract term. Are we all on the same page when talking about it?

As the founder of a critical thinking site for kids, this question is important to my work. We all get what “thinking” is, so the real question is—what makes it “critical”? I like to use a simple definition: critical thinking is careful thinking. It requires slowing down and questioning our assumptions.

Fast and Slow Thinking

Our brains are hardwired to respond to stimuli quickly, a crucial advantage in emergencies. When faced with a potential threat, immediate reaction is essential—there’s no time for deliberation. While this quick thinking might make us mistakenly perceive a harmless situation as dangerous, it’s a safer bet to err on the side of caution in high-stakes moments. It’s a matter of survival: better to assume danger where there is none than to overlook a real threat.

While fast thinking[1] is a valuable skill, it is prone to errors.

Here’s an example. Try to answer this question in less than 5 seconds:

If 1 widget machine can produce a total of 1 widget in 1 minute, how many minutes would it take 100 widget machines to produce 100 widgets?

After you’ve given your quick, intuitive answer, take as much time as you need to think about it.

Many people’s initial, intuitive response is 100 minutes. However, with more careful thought, we see that the correct answer is 1 minute. (The production rate per machine is 1 widget per minute. The rate doesn’t change with the number of machines.)

The key takeaway of this puzzle is that careful, deliberate thinking is often more accurate than quick thinking.

Applying slow, careful thinking to every daily decision would be impractical. Imagine how long you would spend at the grocery store if you conducted a deep analysis of every single choice! In many cases, our intuitive, fast thinking serves us well. However, problems can arise when we cling to the conclusions drawn by our fast thinking—especially in situations where accuracy matters.

In the widget machine problem, it’s relatively straightforward to recognize and correct our intuitive response with a bit of careful thought. However, letting go of our intuitive conclusions is not always this easy.

Humility and Critical Thinking

We might cling to our intuitive answers, even when faced with clear evidence or reasoning that challenges them, for several reasons.

First, it can be hard to change our minds when the intuitive answer feels very obvious or the correct answer is very counterintuitive. A famous example is the Monty Hall Problem. The correct answer to this puzzle is so counterintuitive that when Marilyn Vos Savant published the solution in Parade Magazine in 1990, the magazine received around 10,000 letters (many from highly educated people) saying she was incorrect!

It can also be challenging to let go of wrong answers when we have invested in them, such as by spending time and energy defending them. Sometimes, it’s simply a matter of not wanting to admit we were wrong.

Critical thinking requires more than just slow, deliberate thought. It also demands an open mind, humility, and an awareness of our minds’ flaws and limitations.

Building Blocks of Critical Thinking

Paired with slow, deliberate thought and humility, the following tools help us to be better critical thinkers so we can communicate more clearly—even when communicating with ourselves:

1. An understanding of cognitive biases: These are systematic errors in our thinking that can lead us astray. There are many online resources that explore these biases in detail.

2. An understanding of logical fallacies: These are flawed arguments. Logical fallacies can be used deliberately to “win” a debate, but they’re often made accidentally. Recognizing logical fallacies helps us to keep conversations on track. You can learn about some common logical fallacies in my Logical Fallacy Handbook or teach your kids about them with my online course, Fallacy Detectors.

3. Science literacy: We were taught many facts in science class, but many of us never really learned what science is and how it works. This is the foundation of science literacy. For an introduction to this, I recommend biology professor Melanie Trecek-King’s outstanding article “Science: what it is, how it works, and why it matters.” Another important part of science literacy is knowing How to Spot Pseudoscience.

4. Data literacy: Data literacy is the ability to properly interpret data to draw meaningful conclusions from it (and to know when drawing certain conclusions is premature). It means understanding how data is collected, identifying potential biases in data sets, and understanding statistics. Data literacy helps us make sense of the vast amount of information we encounter daily. You can introduce your teens to some common errors in data collection and analysis in Critikid’s course A Statistical Odyssey—a course that adults have enjoyed and learned from, too!

Preparing Kids for the Misinformation Age

A quick scroll through social media reveals a minefield of bad arguments and misinformation. You have probably come across logical fallacies like these:

“You either support A or B.” (False dilemma)
“Buy our product—it’s all natural!” (Appeal to nature)

The lack of science literacy among influential voices is also concerning. I can’t count how many times I have seen or heard the phrase,

“Evolution is just a theory.”

This phrase confounds the scientific and colloquial definitions of theory. If unintentional, it demonstrates a lack of science literacy; if intentional, this is a logical fallacy known as “equivocation,” in which a word is used in an ambiguous way to confuse or mislead the listener.

The need for data literacy is also apparent. You may have heard arguments like:

“Illness X has increased since Y was introduced, so Y must be the cause.” (Mistaking correlation for causation)
“There are fewer cases of food poisoning among people who drink raw milk than those who drink pasteurized milk.” (Base rate neglect)

We have an incredible amount of data at our fingertips, but without data literacy, we don’t have the proper tools to make sense of it all.

Critical thinking shouldn’t be taught as an afterthought; it needs dedicated, explicit instruction. Children face a battlefield of misinformation and faulty logic every time they go online. Critical thinking is their armor. Let’s help them forge it.

Stephanie Simoes | Critikid.com

[1] Nobel-prize-winning psychologist Daniel Kahneman calls fast thinking “system 1 thinking” in his book Thinking, Fast and Slow. I highly recommend this book to anyone who finds the content of this blog post interesting.

The adult in the room

Dr. Erin Flynn, today’s guest contributor, founded and directs The Hedge School Cooperative, a small, inclusive high school in Dripping Springs. This piece is adapted from the school’s blog and addresses a simple topic that is often overlooked in discussions about education: the importance of kindness.

I was recently talking with a friend [read: ranting]. Earlier in the week, I had been called "too kind/nice/sensitive" for the billionth time. My friend asked me why it bothered me so much, and this is what I parceled out: I grew up with the label, and it followed me into teaching and later as a principal. It is never said as a compliment; it is often said as an admonishment. It is seen as weak and ineffectual, as though a kind/sensitive person cannot possibly do a good job.

What is even more troubling about this, to me, is the idea that a person being kind to students, especially middle school / high school aged students, prevents them from being effective teachers or leaders. Why wouldn't someone want to be kind and sensitive when working in a position of responsibility for students?!

Let me be clear, I am not talking about being a "pal" to students. I set and keep boundaries. And I do this while prioritizing how the minor in this situation is feeling. I am the adult in the room. What does this mean? I believe it looks like the following:

• I set the tone for the classroom, whether consciously or not, so I need to be conscious of what I am feeling and spreading.

• I acknowledge when I have been wrong and/or hurtful.

• I apologize.

• I try not to take things personally.

• When I fail at this, I do the following: take a break if needed; take the student aside to have a private conversation; acknowledge the harm caused by the comment/action (not the person); ask if they are doing okay and if I can help in any way; and always listen, listen, listen.

• I do not hold grudges.

These are not revolutionary tactics; I learned them from other adults in my life. These adults were compassionate, kind, and kept boundaries with me. Being the adult in the room is possible both to practice and to do consistently. (Even when you're not in a room.)

Dr. Erin Flynn | The Hedge School Cooperative

Finding balance in a self-paced process

Samantha Jansky and Janita Lavani are co-founders of Ascent: An Acton Academy in North-Central Austin. With many years of experience as Socratic guides and Acton curriculum developers, they have a lot to say about the balancing act required of both learners and adults in a flourishing self-paced learning environment. We’re pleased they agreed to share some of their wisdom with us on the Alt Ed Austin blog.

The ingredients of a healthy self-paced learning process can prove empowering and set learners up for success for life. However, there’s an element of balance required to pull them all together. Paradoxically, autonomy requires accountability, and flexibility requires structure. While it might seem as though these are in conflict, they work in tandem to give much-needed balance to an individual’s learning process.

Autonomy, as you could have guessed, is at the core of self-paced learning. At Ascent, the learners determine for themselves how and when to approach their work. They do so when they are motivated through pursuing their curiosities, when they are equipped to engage freely in their environment, and when they practice toward mastery. Learners are not bound by limits placed on them because of their age. They can go as far and beyond what is expected of them in a particular subject. They can also choose when to work on the material; perhaps they are someone who likes to focus on a certain subject for weeks at a time, or perhaps they like a little balance each day. Ultimately, it is up to them to decide how to approach their work.

The flexibility of self-paced learning plays into genuine autonomy. Learners practice adjusting timelines, revisiting concepts, and incorporating feedback, allowing them to navigate their learning journey with resilience and a growth mindset. it offers the opportunity to practice adaptability in the face of unforeseen challenges and push through when faced with resistance.

This flexibility, however, doesn’t imply a lack of structure or discipline; rather, it encourages individuals to take ownership of their learning journey and create the structure themselves through tools introduced to them (some examples include SMART Goals, the Urgent/Important Matrix, squad frameworks, and the badge system to stay on track). Self-paced learning means you work on each subject at your pace—slowing down when you need to grasp something, and accelerating once you’ve mastered a topic. Self-paced learning empowers individuals to keep moving forward.

One of the most important tools offered to learners in a self-paced environment is goal-setting: establishing realistic objectives and timelines to maintain a sense of purpose and direction. Goal-setting ensures that the learners stay focused, motivated, and accountable. In a learner-driven environment, the learners are accountable to their growth. A key difference between this and more traditional learning environments is that a learner’s standing in any subject area is not compared to a predefined standard; rather, their progress is measured against their past achievements and efforts. The practice of setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Tough/Time-Bound) Goals is critical in this regard. A true SMART goal is challenging. It pushes your limits to see what you can do, and it is built upon past progress and learning. This is where the rigor of a learner-driven environment comes into play.

The combination of clear goals, accountability, and active engagement creates a tremendous amount of structure in a learner-driven environment—but it’s not a “top down” structure created by someone else. When the learners have autonomy over their learning and their work output, they are the ones creating the structure they need to thrive, leading to a strong sense of responsibility.

Here’s a story that pulls all of this together. It’s one of many examples we have seen over the years of the magic of balancing autonomy with accountability and structure with flexibility.

It was a chilly February morning, and one learner was celebrating. Running around the studio, she was ecstatic. “I got my level 2 Math badge, I got my math badge!” The other learners in the studio were not silent on the matter, either. Loud jubilation and high-fives took place all over the space.

This young hero had finally found her stride in math—a process that included a lot of help but that was hers to own. For a couple of years, she had struggled to find flow in this particular subject. Her squad frequently supported her in goal setting, and her guides engaged her with questions and challenged her to set tough goals and develop a regular practice. She had the tools, such as SMART goals, a watch that reminded her to take quick breaks before getting back to work, a badge system that offered extrinsic motivators in each subject area, and powerful online platforms. She had the support of her parents, who checked in with her frequently but were also aware of when they needed to give her space; they also left her plenty of space to fail (and to own that, too).

This recipe was one for success, but she needed time to find her stride—to accomplish big wins in math on her timeline, at her pace. This allowed her gradually to build up confidence. She faced setbacks and learned to lean on her support system when she got an answer wrong—asking for help when she needed it—and eventually built up the mental muscle she needed to resist the urge to give up when she got an answer wrong. After months of setting daily math goals to create a habit, having the discipline to tell friends she was working, using her watch, and rewarding herself with reading after she finished her math goal, she created a structure that worked for her and found flexibility in her practice.

She had full autonomy (no one was going to make her do her work) but was also accountable to her goals and to the people she pulled in for support. She felt pressure, but it was rooted in her self-paced striving toward mastery. Most importantly, she owned the whole process, all the ups and downs, and so in the end, she realized her potential all on her own.

Samantha Jansky and Janita Lavani | Ascent: An Acton Academy