progressive education

noun

1. any of various reformist educational philosophies and methodologies since the late 1800s, applied especially to elementary schools, that reject the rote recitation and strict discipline of traditional, single-classroom teaching, favoring instead more stimulation of the individual pupil as well as group discussion, more informality in the classroom, a broader curriculum, and use of laboratories, gymnasiums, kitchens, etc., in the school.

progressive education

1. A broad movement for educational reform in the twentieth century. Progressive education is principally associated with John Dewey , but it contains many different and often conflicting ideas. In general, progressive educators view existing schools as too rigid, formal, and detached from real life. They prefer informal classroom arrangements and informal relations between pupils and teachers. They also prefer that schools teach useful subjects (including occupations) and emphasize “learning by doing” rather than instruction purely from textbooks. Some place the developing personality of the child at the center of educational thinking and insist, “teach the child, not the subject.”

Example Sentences

Musk blamed this on her becoming “a full communist” as a result of her progressive education at a Los Angeles private school, Crossroads.

From Los Angeles Times

Republicans contend that DeSantis’ staunch opposition to progressive education policies around race and gender also resonated with many culturally conservative Latino voters.

From Reuters

Voters in D.C.’s predominantly White and wealthy Ward 3 did something remarkable: They elected an unabashed progressive education advocate over a moderate budget analyst to represent them on the D.C.

From Washington Post

He punched back against the progressive education establishment by signing a law banning critical race theory in Florida schools.

From Washington Post

Depending where one stood, the investigation was either an effort to get to the bottom of safety failures that had enabled the Feb. 14, 2018, massacre, or a ploy to scapegoat progressive education reforms and deflect from the total lack of action against U.S. gun violence.

From Salon