Our Wildwood, Volume 50

FEATURE A Reflection on Progressive Education

Sizer wrote, “Very few high schools ever give their students a clear long-term academic goal and an equally clear signal that it’s the student’s responsibility to get there.” Sizer consulted on the idea that eventually became Wildwood School, and his influence is embedded in all that we do.

Fast forward a quarter of a century and I see daily evidence that the principles—based on the work of Dennis Littky, Deborah Meier, Ted Sizer, and brought to life by founding director of Wildwood’s middle and upper school, George Wood—are still central to our work with students. Other language and systems have been introduced along the way, but the K-12 Wildwood School envisioned in the late 1990s continues to focus on student-as-worker/ teacher-as-coach, all with an eye toward the ultimate goal of the reform that Sizer called for decades ago: teaching children to use their minds well. Increasingly, I see independent schools around the country referring to their “progressive” chops. Desks

Upper School Humanities Teacher Annie Barnes leads current 8th grade students through a sample Advisory lesson during the annual Step Into Upper program.

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