The longtime head of Park Day School, Tom Little embarked on a tour of
43 progressive schools across the country. In this book, his life's
work, he interweaves his teaching experience, the knowledge he gleaned
from his trip, and the history of Progressive Education. As Little and
Katherine Ellison reveal, these educators and schools invigorate
learning and promote inquisitiveness by allowing the curriculum to grow
organically out of children's questions--whether they lead to studying
the senses, working on a farm, or re-creating a desert ecosystem in the
classroom.
We see curious students draw on information across disciplines to think
in imaginative yet practical ways, like in a Mini-Maker Faire or
designing and building a chair from scratch. Becoming good citizens was
another of Little's goals. He believed in the need for students to learn
how to become advocates for themselves, from setting rules on the
playground to engaging in issues of social justice in the wider
community.
Using the philosophy of Progressive Education, schools can prepare
students to shape a vibrant future in the arts and sciences for
themselves and the nation.