Progressive Education
School as it Should Be
“Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” - John Dewey
Progressive education is an educational philosophy stemming from a movement that began in the late 19th century to reform the traditional approach to education. Centered on the child, progressive education encourages curiosity, hands-on learning, collaboration, an integrated curriculum, and a joyful learning environment, rather than rote memorization, authoritative instruction, and siloed learning.
Far Brook's Four Pillars of Progressive Education
Centered on Experience: A hands-on environment makes learning stick.
At Far Brook, teachers craft experiences that allow students to uncover knowledge on their own. Rather than rote learning and regurgitation of facts, a Far Brook education is a creative process of discovery, making mistakes, and curiosity. This type of hands-on learning tends to be prevalent in many early childhood settings, and then is often replaced with memorization as students enter older elementary grades. At Far Brook, we know that hands-on learning benefits students of all ages, helping with retention of information, processing, critical thinking skills, creativity, and more, which is why all Far Brook students – from our youngest three year olds through our oldest Eighth Graders - experience a hands-on approach to learning.
Grounded in Nature: Instead of hallways, Far Brook has outdoor pathways.
Far Brook School is not housed in one building; our classrooms are more like a series of one room schoolhouses connected by outdoor walkways. Ample time is spent outdoors (as we like to say, there is no such thing as bad weather at Far Brook, just bad clothing choices!) whether on the playground, in our sandbox, or simply walking from one class to another. Far Brook’s 9.5 acre wooded campus is utilized as both an extension of classroom spaces and as part of the curriculum. Whether collecting soil samples for science class, building signs in the woodshop to identify and label the trees on campus, or observing vegetables growing in our garden, Far Brook’s campus is a living part of the curriculum.
Focused on Social Justice: Inspiring changemakers.
The community at Far Brook is intentionally diverse in every way. We strive to ensure that students experience both “windows” and “mirrors” throughout their time here: windows offering a glimpse into the perspectives and experiences of others, and mirrors reflecting their own identities, backgrounds, and stories. This is woven into everything we do, from the books we read and the songs we sing to the teachers, students, and staff who make up our community. A strong sense of identity and empathy developed in our youngest learners grows into deeper conversations about justice and equity as students get older. We hope to inspire children to feel like change makers who can truly make a difference in the world and within their own communities.
Immersed in the Arts: The arts are just as important as the academics.
The Arts have always been core to a Far Brook education, and at Far Brook, all students are required to participate in everything from art class to music theory to choir to drama to woodshop and more. Our founding director, Winifred Moore wrote:
“Learning through the arts allows children to express what they may not yet be able to express verbally and teaches them that there is more than one solution to a problem. Through the arts, children learn cultural diversity and heritage, they learn to make qualitative judgments, to work independently as well as in a group, to notice and appreciate subtleties, to be flexible, and to celebrate the many ways the world around them is experienced and interpreted.”
