Progressive Education And Progressivism

From the time of man, school has been around. The way people teach is not always the same and there are different types of teachers. Over times schools have changed in many way but ultimately has the same purpose. Being an effective teacher requires many skills and characteristics. Education has become an important part of our society. In the late 19th century, due to the problems created by the dramatic increase of urbanization and industrialization, progressivism appeared in politics, culture, journalism, social services, and education in the United States. One major concern for progressivist was the quality of the life of a child. Efforts were made to make education freely available to every child, and alter fundamentally the nature of

Following secondary school some student head straight into the work force, while others attend college. Therefore, while in grade school, not only is content important, but preparation for the real world .Progressive teachers goals are to educate the student intellectually while working to make them good people in our society. Being a mentor rather than a boss and allowing student some control over how they learn is an important part of progressivism. Progressive learning is also about critical thinking, social skills, personal experience and lifelong learning. Relating your real life experiences to learning is a way of progressivism. Learning is rooted in the questions of learners that arise through experiencing the world.(Cohen & Gelbrich, 1999). As a student real life has always been a learning tool, and is something I will use as an educator. There is always something you like over something else; relating what you don’t like to what you like can make learning more interesting. As a second grader, I did not like grammar but I loved learning all the word to my favorite songs. We used a learning tool called Shirley Method, where grammar and sentenced parts were put into songs. This helped me engage more and retain the knowledge.

The teacher is the head of the classroom, which mean that he/she is the example and should lead as such. Qualities like hard work, dedication and patience are all things that student can learn from their teacher. As a knowledgeable practicing professional, it is essential that he/she knows his/her content. If you do not fully understand something yourself, it could be difficult to relay it to someone else. Knowing your content also allows you to teach it in different ways to assist the needs of students learning styles. Classroom management is also a very important characteristic of an effective teacher. If you do not have good classroom management skills, knowing your content will mean nothing. This skill allows you to provide structure for your students and ensure that your time to display your content knowledge is used wisely. Having high expectation for your students is a must in the classroom. While educating, I want to help my students with personal growth. Having high expectations is the most important characteristic to me. I feel that it is most important because even if you know your content and manage your class well, if your students don’t feel like you believe in them, they will have no reason to want to work hard. Knowing that someone is cheering you on and