Until a few years ago, most people received education as per the traditional school system. In traditional learning, teachers expect students to view them as keepers of knowledge and experts who impart information using a textbook. Students were expected to understand subjects being taught by taking down notes and through rote learning.
Periodic exams, tests and quizzes were organised by teachers to gauge how well their students grasped the information. Grades were considered the only true reflection of learning. Within the traditional system, students were essentially viewed as empty vessels who needed to be filled with information and confirm to their educator’s expectations of what “learning” was.
There are numerous reasons why parents and students opt for progressive schools these days instead of traditional schools. One should be well-versed in both models to better understand the benefits of progressive learning.
What is progressive learning?
Progressive learning, on the contrary, was a way more open-ended process focused on genuine learning and knowledge retention in ways that best suit students. The main benefit of progressive education is personalised learning which is a fundamental belief of this type of education.
Here are a few benefits of progressive learning.
Personalised learning
The key benefit of progressive education is that they believe in personalised learning. Some of the leading schools following the international baccalaureate diploma programme in Singapore boast of progressive educators who recognise that one size does not fit all, especially regarding learning. This acknowledgment acts as the kick-starting point for a host of improvements to the traditional model. Progressive learning is tailored to address the interests and needs of each student.
Smaller class sizes and intrinsic motivation
One may find international school fees in Singapore to be higher than the public alternatives, one of the main reasons for this is that these schools emphasise smaller class sizes. In a classroom with over 30 kids, it is almost impossible to give the attention needed to the students and be responsive to their individual needs. In progressive classrooms, there are limited children; the instruction is distinguished for each child, and their learning style is deeply acknowledged. Teachers nurture innate curiosity by drawing parallels between the subject and student and encourage peer-to-peer collaborations. They focus on ongoing assessments and standards-based assessments rather than traditional grades.
Interest-based learning
Progressive learning is very interest-centric. Educators here believe that learning should be connected to aspects that interest their students. They recognise that invoking inherent interest in learning is a way more powerful factor than tests and grades.
Collaborative and Active learning culture
Within this personalised framework, students are authorised to take control of their learning to a much greater extent. Teachers are not viewed as experts; instead, they serve as guides and inculcate a collaborative and active learning culture over lectures. Students actively participate in deciding topics to study and work with their teachers to set individual learning goals.
Students are encouraged to follow their curiosity and learn by doing
Through a carefully thought-out instruction process, teachers guide students to find a connection between the various topics and their interests. With art, hands-on inquiries, and design challenges, they are encouraged to create, build, and explain their thought process in multiple ways. This allows students to go through the material at a comfortable pace to master it. They learn by doing, e.g. working on projects, thinking by themselves, and finding solutions rather than simply memorising facts. Students who follow a progressive form of education build a lifelong love for learning.
Dynamic classrooms
Personalised learning as a whole is more self-motivated and dynamic than traditional learning. Progressive classrooms are more participatory, interactive, and collaborative. Dynamic classroom set-ups encourage increased student participation. A progressive classroom is typically one where all the students are seated around a table facing each other instead of rows, isolated at their desks, one behind the other, looking at an authority figure. By removing the back row, teachers send out a message that each student is valued equally and ensures better engagement in learning.
Focuses on the child as a whole
Children don’t attend school to acquire only academic skills. They also have emotional and social challenges along with academics. With a focus on preparing students for leadership roles and tolerance in school and beyond, progressive learning helps nurture relationships, compassion, tolerance, independence and critical thinking. This is because learning is carried out in a safe, caring, and empowering setting. This results in a confident student who has found a sense of belonging and is confident about their abilities.
Bottom line
Progressive learning is not just beneficial for the years a child spends at school, but this sort of learning empowers them with skills for the future. It builds a strong foundation and arms them with attributes that lead to a responsible, democratic, tolerant, and intelligent leader of tomorrow.
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