The following chart, from the National Association of Independent Schools, is a helpful guide in understanding the differences between traditional and constructivist/ progressive education.
Traditional Schools
|
Progressive Education Schools
|
| School is a preparation for life |
School is a part of life |
| Learners are passive absorber of information and authority |
Learners are active participants, problem solvers, and planners |
| Teachers are sources of information and authority |
Teachers are facilitators, guides who foster thinking |
| Parents are outsiders and uninvolved |
Parents are the primary teachers, goal setters, and planners, and serve as resources |
| Community is seperate from school, except for funding |
Community is an extension of the classroom |
| Decision-making is centrally based and administratively delivered |
Decision-making is shared by all constituent groups |
| Program is determined by external criteria, particularly test results |
Program is determined by mission, philosophy, and goals for graduates |
| Learning is linear, with factual accumulation and skill mastery |
Learning is spiral, with depth and breadth as goals |
| Knowledge is absorbed through lectures, worksheets, and texts |
Knowledge is constructed through play, direct experience, and social interaction |
| Instruction is linear and largely based on correct answers |
Instruction is related to central questions and inquiry, often generated by the children |
| Disciplines, particularly language and math, are separated |
Disciplines are integrated as children make connections |
| Skills are taught discretely and are viewed as goals |
Skills are related to content and are viewed as tools |
| Assessment is norm referenced, external, and graded |
Assessment is benchmarked, has many forms, and is progress oriented |