Archive of Letters
Summer 2009 - Creating A Caring School
Winter 2008 - Learning the Discipline of Observation
September 2008 - Welcome Letter to the Community
Letters from the Director
Winter 2009
Progressive Education Network National Conference
by Jane Friedman, Director of Berkwood Hedge School
In October 2009 teachers Seema Patel and Erica Ryan, and I had the opportunity to visit the Washington DC area to present a workshop at the Progressive Education Network (PEN) National Conference: "A New Century of Progressive Education: Democratic Principles, Practices, and Possibilities." The conference brought together pre-school through secondary school educators from every region of the United States, from independent as well as public schools, to learn more about the inspiring legacy of progressive education and to share an educational vision rooted in the democratic ideals of justice, equality, and fairness.
A Brief History of Progressive Education
The term "progressive" has its roots in a period in American history (from about 1890-1920) when many Americans were considering the political and social effects of vast concentrations of corporate power and private wealth. John Dewey, a professor of philosophy at the University of Chicago, was particularly concerned about the connection between education and social action in a democracy. Dewey believed that school should teach students how to be problem-solvers by helping them learn to think rather than simply memorizing rote lessons. He envisioned a school in which the learning needs and interests of the child were the center of the program. Dewey's ideas about progressive education are alive and well in many, many schools across the country. Berkwood Hedge is a proud participant in this legacy.
Jane Friedman, Director
Our Contribution To the Conference
At the conference, we were inspired by creative and visionary teachers and educational leaders, teachers who understand the latest advances in understanding how effective learning takes place. We shared teaching practices that promote active learning and deep understanding. Our workshop, "Teaching and Learning through a School Wide Teach-In," presented the format and content of the Berkwood Hedge Teach-In. We were also inspired by teachers from Manhattan Country School in New York, who shared their community action approach to helping students grapple with notions of fairness, community, injustice, difference, and respect.
Conference Highlights
And we were challenged to consider the realities our colleagues in public education are facing on a daily basis. Increasingly limited financial resources, and policies such as the No Child Left Behind Act are having a drastic impact on the future of American educational philosophy and practice. Linda Darling-Hammond, professor of Education at Stanford University spoke about school restructuring, teacher quality and educational equity.
"Bureaucratic solutions to problems of practice will always fail because effective teaching is not routine, students are not passive, and questions of practice are not simple, predictable, or standardized. Consequently, instructional decisions cannot be formulated on high then packaged and handed down to teachers."
Linda Darling-Hammond, from The Right to Learn
The conference closed with an organized "Open Space": participants/leaders created working sessions around a variety of self-chosen topics, inspired by either the conference or a specific educational interest. Participants selected a session on a self-chosen topic and participated in several sessions during the allotted time.
During the session, the participant/leaders introduce the topic, followed by open discussion among all participants. At the close of "Open Space" stories, questions for further study, and passionate plans for action were shared.
Next Steps
The passionate plan of action was a call to the PEN Conference leadership and participants to work jointly with our public school colleagues to address issues of educational policy for the next PEN conference in 2011.
We left the conference with a deep respect for the teachers and educational leaders who came before us, and for those who currently work everyday to create schools and classrooms where all children are cared for and respected. We also felt deeply proud of the learning environment we are creating at Berkwood Hedge.