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Progressive Education at Missoula Community SchoolThe Missoula Community School (MCS) incorporates a progressive education philosophy into the design of excellent early childhood programs for children ages 3 through 6. Progressive education is a pedagogical movement that has persisted in various forms from its beginnings in the late nineteenth century, and is often seen as an alternative to legislated test-oriented instruction. Active classroom engagement, cooperative learning and play, and an emphasis on social relationships and emotional development are practices at MCS that stem from our progressive philosophy. Best practices in early childhood education are combined with this approach and our knowledge of child development to create a nurturing and stimulating learning environment. Our overall philosophy reflects core tenets of our mission: to inspire children to explore their worlds, to create as they develop joy in learning, and to care about themselves and others. Active engagement: At MCS, learning is viewed as a process of constructing ideas rather than passively absorbing information. As a result, learning in all domains is interrelated and demands active engagement; physical development, social, emotional and cognitive development are not separated in the process of gaining skills and understanding. Instruction in literacy, math, science and social studies form interwoven strands of a whole curricular experience. Teachers at MCS select topics based upon children’s interests and design developmentally appropriate learning opportunities. For example, in the process of learning about bears, children cooperatively construct a bear cave, which then becomes a backdrop for dramatic play and story telling. Comparing bear hides, learning about different bear species and habits, representing ideas through art, story telling, movement and journaling focus learning and playing over the course of several weeks. Cooperative learning and play: Collaborative and cooperative learning projects encourage children to play together, work together, and problem-solve together as they develop greater understanding of the world. Nurturing each child as a whole person, teachers and parents promote the active social process of children participating in a cooperative learning community, and encourage active participation in conflict resolution. The school day presents a planned balance of time for children to explore and make choices, work alone and in small groups, play outside, sing songs, and share stories and games with their teachers. Social relationships and emotional development: Fundamental to our philosophy is the belief that successful interpersonal relationships are the foundation of all other types of learning and growing. MCS teachers work explicitly to integrate teaching of interpersonal, problem-solving, self-knowledge and communication skills into all activities. As children gain confidence as learners, and become valued members of their classroom communities, they are encouraged by exceptional teachers and supported by an extended community of MCS staff, families and friends. Individualized attention from caring, respectful and inspired teachers is at the heart of Missoula Community School; we nurture children as they develop the trust and confidence to become avid life-long learners. For more information about progressive education, see: Progressive Education - Why It’s Hard to Beat, But Also Hard to Find By Alfie Kohn. |