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Evans 1
Shannon Evans
Corey Werner
English 101
5 October 2009
Public Education vs. Progressive Education
The different approaches for educating children and young adults can lead to some
overwhelming decisions for parents. Throughout history there has been a trial and error approach
to what works and what doesn’t in teaching future generations. Different countries and cultures
have many variations in their teaching styles. Most settle on educating their students with the
basic subjects that will increase their odds of becoming successful adults. In America, the
evolution of progressive schools has caused some controversy on what children should be
focusing on in the classroom. Public schools tend to focus on elemental skills such as reading,
math, science, and writing, whereas progressive schools take a more creative path. Although
these schools allow creative outlets for adolescents to express themselves, they do not learn the
basic skills that are needed for education to be built off of. In order for students to advance their
knowledge they must be able to relate to other students in their primary skill levels. Competition
is natural and ongoing. In order to accomplish goals, one must almost always face some sort of
rivalry. Progressive education does not prepare its students for the real world. The prospect of
having to fight for something they want will be a vague concept to them. They may have
creativity, and confidence, but they will not hold the skills that they need to excel with these
qualities.
Evans 2
To explain the flaws of a progressive education, one must first have to have an
understanding of what it is. In a progressive school, students learn with a more hands on
approach. The curriculum isn’t as strict, and there are no written grades. Students are judged by
personality traits, and how hard they are trying. Examples of subjects would be, dancing, arts and
crafts, cooking, and sewing. These may seem like practical and more interesting things to learn,
in lieu of multiplication, and the revolutionary war, but there are pitfalls. This would be the
perfect education for a stay at home mother, but if these students actually plan on running for the
same jobs as other people in the 21st century, they are going to need to know the basics that only
a traditional education can give.
In Francesca Delbanco’s memoir “The Progressive Basics”, she talks about a situation
where her mom comes into her room and asks her for help with long division, her reaction
showed her insecurity with math. She thinks “I, of course, had never heard of division, much less
long division, and what followed was an ugly scene exposing my arithmetical
inadequacies”(Delbanco 3). Delbanco was eight when this happened, if she would have gone a
little longer before entering public schools she may have had a really difficult time adjusting. She
would with no doubt have to go back, and learn a lot of the stuff students her age already knew.
This could cause not only learning problems, but emotional ones as well. Feelings of inadequacy
can often cause people to become less confident, and develop more social problems. This is
proven by Francesca Delbanco’s own accounts of misbehavior, at a progressive school she
visited. Freedom of speech is one thing, but blatantly criticizing someone before one knows the
whole story is another. The children in this particular school were rude, condescending, and
Evans 3
Judgmental. If these students are looking to transition into the world outside of progressive
education with ease, these characteristics certainly won’t work in their favor.
Public education systems establish rules and guidelines first, and foremost. Any form of
rebellion is not tolerated, and usually punished. This helps students realize they are there to learn,
before everything else. Socializing and creativity are always second to learning. In Malcolm X’s
“Learning to Read” he emphasizes the importance that reading has in gaining knowledge. One
could always read about the activities in progressive schools, and do them in their leisure time,
but chances are if a progressive student read about the teachings of a public school they would
have a more difficult time learning the practices on their own time. They wouldn’t have the
discipline, or skills to learn it themselves.
There is an impressive point made in Michael Moore’s “Idiot Nation.” In the passage,
Julia Walker, Executive director of the American Association of School Librarians, reasons that
“The ability to conduct research is probably the most essential skill students can have. The
knowledge student’s acquire in school is not going to serve them throughout their lifetimes. It
will be their ability to navigate information that will matter” (Moore 10). Thus further proving
the theory that the ability to learn something individually is a very important process. This
process is thoroughly reiterated throughout the years in public education. In progressive
education it is barely touched upon, or completely nonexistent. They may learn activities, and
coordination exercises easier, but when it comes to retaining and clarifying information they will
have a tougher challenge. Public school students gain practice with their many research
assignments. Progressive students will have to teach themselves this skill. Learning this skill is a
Evans 4
Very important component of the transition from our adolescent education into adulthood.
Michael Moore is contradictory in what he believes would be the best form of education. He
doesn’t support America’s public education system yet, he does defend the importance of
knowing basic information. He defends progressivism when he talks about how personal
expression, and questioning authority is needed, but his main point of the passage is learning
needs to be developed through reading, writing and traditional elements (history, math, science).
Although Delbanco did have an edge over other students when she transferred to
public school, if she would have stayed in a public school through high school she would have
struggled on things like standardized tests, and other skills needed for admission to college.
Assuming that some progressive school students would like to attend very good colleges, there
may be statistics almost impossible for them to attain with their educational background.
Delbanco went to Harvard, to be admitted into Harvard it is extremely difficult. Harvard is seen
as the nation’s most prestigious Ivy League school. An average student who attends Harvard has
a 1494 out 0f 1600 on the SAT. That is only 106 points away from a perfect score. Students in
American public high schools prepare for these tests consecutively for about 6 years. Material is
scattered and can be taught anywhere from 3rd-11th grade. Students that attend progressive high
schools will not learn the critical reading, and math they would need to attain this score.
Delbanco had a smooth transition into public school because she had learned hands-on practice
developing with many different subjects. Therefore making it particularly easier for her to adapt,
pick up new skills, and learn different material. At her age this was a balanced education, but
when the time comes for standardized testing, and book reports instead of posters Progressive
high school students could be at a loss.
Evans 5
The thoughts of Francesca Delbanco, Malcolm X, Julia Walker, and Michael Moore have
proved to be helpful in establishing that public education is more practical and successful in the
21st century than progressive education. Grades, guidelines, books, and research are imperative
parts of traditional learning. Progressive education encourages children to pursue their dreams,
no matter what, but how can they if they do not have the skills they need to get them there?
Some people are just not suited to sew, cook, or make things out of wood. If a child was not
suited for any of these things, and spent all of its early education at a progressive school, it may
never grasp the concepts it missed in those formative years. Students will have boundless
opportunities to be more creative later on in their lives, but structure has to be established first. A
conventional, and universal system of education, would help everyone have a fair shot in
accomplishing their goals.