Aug 14, 2010

Traditional or Progressive School?

Deciding between progressive or traditional schooling for your child? What exactly is the difference? There's an Explorations Preschool parenting forum that can help answer those questions.

The Inside Scoop on Traditional and Progressive Settings 
21 August 2010, Saturday, 9 to 11 am in Explorations Preschool. 
Attendance is free to all enrolled Explorations families.  
Guests are welcome for a fee of P350.00 per person.  
To reserve a slot, call the school at 724-3320 or 724-4271.

Keys Math Fair logo inspired by the Borromean Rings

What in the world are Borromean Rings?

If you know me or you've been here before, you probably know my take.  There was this internet-tirade, then this post that was all love and rainbows.  Once, I even connected progressive schools to The Blue Man Group. I can't help my pop-references! Of course... if you have kids to put through school, you have to listen to Ken Robinson. Ken is the man, I swear. He did it on TED again this year

Above link-a-palooza is pro-progressive, yes. That's where I stand. My kids go to Keys and Explorations which are both progressive. But the Explorations event is not a progressive school hard-sell. Trust me. You'll hear all points of view. Explorations is quite known for sending a lot of kids successfully into big, traditional schools.


problem solving process for Keys third-graders

I was among the parents tapped as a speaker in the same forum last year. Together with parents from progressive schools Keys and Beacon, as well as parents with children in traditional schools like Ateneo, La Salle and Xavier, we talked about why we opted to send our kids to their schools and how the experience matched our goals and expectations. Progressive and traditional, both.


What's great about this year's forum is that moms, dads and kids--yes kids--are joining the discussion. Last year, it was just a number of us moms who were speakers. This August 21, you will hear actual school experiences from Keys, La Salle, Ateneo, ICA and they may add representatives from another school or two.

problem solved

Teacher Didi Manahan will start off with the basics--what exactly is the progressive approach and how it differs from the traditional method. From there it should be an interesting and enlightening free-for-all discussion. 

If you have questions I didn't cover, drop it in the comments box and I'll oblige if I can answer. Oh and, here's the Explorations Preschool phone number again, 724-3320 or 724-4271. Call them. They're great with kids... and parents too.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

I don't need to go. I'm fully decided! I went last year just to be open minded.

I was going to post about this too this morning! Great mamas think alike.

Nona said...

Yes, we saw each other in last year's forum : ) You should still post about this year's! Good to spread open-mindedness as wide as possible.

Nana said...

Rone, I read your post. Agree!

Nona, Is this the one I attended with you or was that the Keys open house? Am confused. Kids speaking in the forum. Best idea ever! They're the ones that spend a bulk of their lifetime in these schools anyway.

This is me still looking for something "left of center" (oh wow. that sounded like a political stand) wondering if I will ever see one in my kids' lifetime.

Barni said...

People ask me where I'll send Jack for Grade School. I say "Keys" without missing a beat or batting an eyelash. Hopefully, I'm not being presumptuous. Eeek!

Nona said...

Nana, that was the Keys Open House we attended. This one is an Explorations Parenting Seminar.

Maybe I'm misreading what you mean by "left off center" but are you looking for "something" that combines both traditional and progressive approaches in one school? If that's the case, I think that school would be... confused.

From what I've read, researched and experienced (me in our old traditional grade and high school, my kids in progressive schools today), the traditional approach just really runs counter to the progressive approach and vice versa.

So to me, in terms of philosophy, a school can only be either one or the other. Though a traditional school can adapt some elements like small class size, etc. The philosophy part though is too divergent. My two cents : )

Barn, Haaay... he'll get in! Being in Explorations means he already has a foot in the door. Plus, how can they say no to Rock Star Jack? I can see him now in curriculum nights and culminating activities : )