Progressive education emerged in the early 20th century based on principles of social reform, children's interests and needs, and opposed autocratic teaching methods. Two main influences were John Dewey who founded a laboratory school emphasizing student choice, and Maria Montessori who believed education activities could influence development. During this era, schools became more diverse but many immigrant and minority students faced punishment for their native languages and disrespect of their cultures. The progressive education movement declined after WWII as its approach was seen as too soft.

1. THE PROGRESSIVE ERA
OF EDUCATION
Keifer, Whitney, Chandler

2. Progressive Education Movement
• Progressivism- philosophic orientation based on the belief that
life is evolving in a positive direction, that people may be trusted
to act in their own best interest, and education should focus on
children’s interests and needs.
• Characteristics of Progressive Education:
– Focused on social reform and improving quality of life
– Not united by a single philosophy
– Opposed to autocratic teaching methods
• Based exclusively on textbooks, recitations, and memory
• Isolation of classroom from the real world
• Classroom discipline based on fear and physical punishment
-- Teachers were guides rather than “task makers”
• Provided students with activities related to natural interests for engagement
• THEN moved students to higher levels of understanding.
• Teachers needed perceptive understanding of children and a knowledge of
discipline and knowing when a child is ready to learn.

3. TWO MAIN INFLUENCES
John Dewey Maria Montessori

4. JOHN DEWEY
 1859-1952
 Founded a Laboratory School at University of
Chicago where he was a professor.
 Believed students should have a say in what they
studied
 Teachers would lead them on right path based on
choices

5. MARIA MONTESSORI
 1870-1952
 Believed children’s development could be influenced by education
activities
 Interesting materials make students interested in learning
 Provide more self[discipline and self-confidence
 Methods used in early education today

6. Education (or lack thereof) of
Immigrants and Minorities
 During the late 19th and early 20th
centuries American schools became
more and more diverse.
 They now held Germans, Latin
Americans, Chinese, Native
Americans, Cubans, and Puerto Ricans.

7. Education?
 Children were punished for speaking
 Parental respect
 Military institutions
 Emotional scars

8. Help!
 Landmarkreport- The Problem of
Indian Administration
 Build day schools
 Revised school curricula
 Reflecttribal cultures and need of
local communities.

9. Mary McLeod Bethune
 Educational rights of African Americans
 Founded Daytona Normal and Industrial
School for Training Negro Girls.
 Merged with a boy’s school to become
Bethune-Cookman College.
 Appointed to Advisory Board of National
Youth Administration
 President Franklin Roosevelt- minority

10. The Decline of Progressive Education
• The decline of progressive education began with the start of
WWII. The citizens of the US thought that the curriculum of
progressivism was out of line with what the students
needed to learn.
*Teaching approaches were seen as soft and lacking
structure and discipline children needed.
*Many school deficiencies were blamed on progressive
education
• The Progressive Education Association ceased operation in
1955. When it began, it meant everything that was good in
the educational system. By 1954, it was the root of all
educational evil.

11. Federal Involvement in Education
• G.I. Bill of Rights
– Aka: Servicemen’s Readjustment Act
– Signed by FDR in 1944
– Provided millions of veterans with payments for
tuition and room and board at
colleges, universities, and special schools all over the
country
– It not only stimulated growth of American colleges
and universities; it also changed the character of the
higher education student population
• Returning veterans were older, spiking the average age.
• Returning veterans were more serious about school, spiking
the average GPA.

12. Federal Involvement in Education
(continued)
• LANHAM ACT (1941) provided funding for
– the training of workers in war plants by personnel
from the U.S Office of Education during WWII
– construction of schools in areas where military
personnel and federal workers lived
– provision of child care for children of working
parents