The work of Colonel Francis W. Parker, the man whom Dewey called "the father of progressive education," provides a starting point for reconstructing the loose ambiguities of progressive education into a coherent social and educational philosophy. Although progressives have claimed their approach is more humane and sensitive to children, we need…

Scoring SAT-style exam essays, John S. O'Connor is struck by the disconnection between the subject matter and students' personal lives. Further, O'Connor notes that such tests draw an alarming distinction between writing and "content"--as if the two are unrelated. O'Connor calls for a broader understanding of literacy, and he warns of dire…

For the past two years, the author had the privilege of sharing a course with intelligent, inventive, and diligent students. "Schools Across Borders, Schools Across Time"--very soon abbreviated and known for two years now as SABSAT--was initially a one-time experiment, a course designed to produce a student documentary on progressive and soka…

In this essay, the author describes his understanding and experience with descriptive review processes, as developed by Patricia Carini (Himley 2000) and members of the Prospect Center in North Bennington, VT. The author critically reviews the benefits and limitations of using descriptive review as a form of assessment of students, teaching…

This essay is a descriptive review of the child. It was written in preparation for a collaborative, inquiry-based protocol that was developed at the Prospect School in North Bennington, VT. Focusing on Aisha, a twelfth-grade student, this descriptive review discusses the following: physical presence and gesture, disposition and temperament,…

Reading several documents from the early history of Francis W. Parker School and an essay by John Dewey entitled "The Need for a Philosophy of Education" helps the author's students gain some precision in defining what otherwise remain rather loosely held opinions about the core values of the school. For most of the students, these documents…

In this article, the author reflects on Bert Cohler's essay "Desire, Teaching and Learning" and relates it to his teacher, Miss Anna Freud's story. The author asks whether it is possible that what one sees and hears, and encounters as teacher is only partially what is really out there in one's classroom and in the heads of one's students and…