During the most of the twentieth century, the term "progressive education" has been used to describe ideas and practices that aim to make schools more effective agencies of a democratic society. The education of engaged citizens, according to this perspective, involves two essential elements:

1. Respect for diversity, meaning that each individual should be recognized for his or her own abilities, interests, ideas, needs, and cultural identity
2. The development of critical, socially engaged intelligence, which enables individuals to understand and participate effectively in the affairs of their community in a collaborative effort to achieve a common good.

The term "progressive" arose from a period (roughly 1890-1920) during which many Americans took a more careful look at the political and social effects of a rapidly changing world. Dewey and others, including Carlton Washburne, believed that with the decline of local community life and small-scale enterprise, young people were losing valuable opportunities to learn the arts of democratic participation. They concluded that education would need to make up for this loss. They championed for educational reform that focused on cultivating life-long learners. They recognized that specific content knowledge was far too limiting for learners who would need to redefine their skill sets throughout their lifetimes. They predicted that the Industrial Revolution was merely one of many intellectual and technological periods to come. They sought to develop individuals with a passion for inventing and a commitment to serve the greater good. This belief has stood the test of time as we prepare students to live and work in a world that we cannot fathom.

Progressive education is a mindset, a collection of beliefs, that guide our educational practice. It is the "north star" that guides us toward our goals for children and families in a democratic society. It is the stem of the umbrella that holds together our vision of education. Below is a list of progressive values described by Alfie Kohn, a leading voice in progressive education. We judge ourselves by how closely we emulate these values everyday in our classrooms.

Attending to the whole child: We strive to help children become good learners and active members of a democratic process.

Community: Children learn with and from one another in a caring community, and that's true of moral as well as academic learning. Interdependence counts at least as much as independence. Practices that pit students against one another in some kind of competition, thereby undermining a feeling of community, are deliberately avoided.

Collaboration: In place of rewards for complying with the adults' expectations, or punitive consequences for failing to do so, we place an emphasis on collaborative problem-solving.

Social justice: A sense of community and responsibility for others isn't confined to the classroom. Students are helped to locate themselves in widening circles of care that extend beyond self, beyond friends, beyond their own ethnic group, and beyond their own country. Opportunities are offered not only to learn about, but also to put into action, as commitment to diversity and to improving the lives of others.

Intrinsic motivation: When considering (or reconsidering) educational policies and practices, the first question that progressive educators are likely to ask is, "What's the effect on students' interest in learning, their desire to continue reading, thinking, and questioning?"

Deep understanding: Facts and skills do matter, but only in a context and for a purpose. That's why we organize around problems, projects, and questions - rather than around lists of facts, skills, and separate disciplines. Teaching is typically interdisciplinary, the assessment rarely focuses on rote memorization, and excellence isn't confused with "rigor." The point is not merely to challenge students - after all, harder is not necessarily better - but to invite them to think deeply about issues that matter and help them understand ideas from the inside out.

Active learning: Students play a vital role in helping design the curriculum, formulate the questions, seek out (and create) answers, think through possibilities, and evaluate growth. Their active participation in every stage of the process is consistent with the overwhelming consensus of experts that learning is a matter of constructing ideas rather than passively absorbing information or practicing skills.

Taking kids seriously: We take our cue from the children. We are attentive to differences among them. (Each student is unique so a single set of policies, expectations, or assignments would be as counterproductive as it would be disrespectful.) The curriculum isn't just based on interest, but on these childrens' interests. Naturally, teachers will have broadly conceived themes and objectives developed at each grade level. We don't just design a course of study for students, we design it with them, and we welcome unexpected detours as opportunities to enhance learning.

Extracurricular Classes

In addition to the regular curriculum, there are a few before-school or after-school opportunities for students, including:
After School Sports
Chorus
Drama Club
The Skokie Tribune
You can learn more about these opportunities in the Extracurricular section.

Related Studies

The Related Studies Department at The Skokie School offers a strong program focusing on exploration, discovery of talents and interests, problem solving, independence, and creativity. The related studies curriculum addresses different learning styles of middle school students by offering new experiences emphasizing teamwork, developing aesthetic values, encouraging quality craftsmanship, enhancing creative resources, and promoting physical well-being of the student.