For the first time, Walter Benjamin's critical comments on educator and philosopher Rudolf Steiner are examined in depth. In particular, Benjamin detected protofascist themes within Steiner's seemingly progressive notion of child-centered, arts-based, developmentally appropriate early childhood education. But this does not mean that Benjamin…

Patricia Carini (1932-2021) was a progressive educator and thinker who was among the key figures of open education. This article reflects on her work, illuminating its quality as an art of listening. The idea of listening has been of primary importance within the tradition of progressive education in the United States and internationally.…

How should Deweyan educators teach their students about engaging in efforts to bring about social change in a political context marked by polarization, power differentials, and oppression? In this article, Joshua Forstenzer argues that Deweyan educators must encourage their students to engage in pluralistic and creative experiments rather than…

Daniel J. Boorstin was a distinguished historian at the University of Chicago from 1944 to 1969; later he served as librarian of Congress. A prolific author throughout his 89 years, Boorstin saved several unpublished manuscripts. His cogent observations on college lectures are resurrected here. For Boorstin, the widespread definition of great…

The guidelines followed by many educational boards recommend behavioristic practices for dealing with student discipline; however, Lawrence Kohlberg's idea of organizing schools as "just communities" suggests a more promising approach. It translates to the school context the core principle of Habermas's discourse ethics: "those…

This qualitative descriptive study explored how progressive teachers navigate the tensions between their beliefs and teaching practices while teaching in high-stakes accountability in the U.S. The target population was progressive education teachers currently working in progressive programs in America. The theoretical foundation was Fransson and…

In this edited transcript of the second round-table discussion convened by "FORUM", four participants explore the nature of 'progressive education' as term, idea and tradition. Robin Alexander, Paula Ayliffe, Madeleine Holt and John Yandell consider whether, in the shadow of currently resurgent traditionalist approaches to pedagogy,…

Reflections on the ways in which decisions about the foundation and organization of a small progressive public school exemplify the challenges and trade-offs of living in and with democracy. For the Mission Hill School, democracy was not only an aspiration, it was a way of conducting school life so that every community member felt a sense of…

John Dewey's lifelong quest for a worthy education was characterized by a fervor for collapsing false dualisms. One such dualism -- that between traditional and progressive education -- led him to embrace a vision of the teacher as interpreter and guide of the student. Notwithstanding Dewey's emphasis on the salient role of interpretation, there…

In this article, the author examines classroom observation reports from the careers of 5 teachers who taught in 14 different schools in a range of grade levels, subject areas, and neighborhoods throughout New York City. These observation reports provide an important primary source for understanding the teaching principles that guided the practices…

The COVID-19 pandemic caused significant disruptions in the educational system, placing a substantial burden on teachers. Since the onset of the pandemic, ample quantitative research has been conducted, documenting increased rates of anxiety, stress, and burnout among teachers. However, these rates do not provide an explanation for why teachers…

Spain's greatest modern philosopher, José Ortega y Gasset (1883-1955), wrote about many aspects of education including its aims; the education of children, nations, and elites; types of pedagogy; the reform of the university; and the challenges facing educators in an era of "triumphant plebeianism." The article examines all aspects of…

This paper contributes to the theorization of radical visible pedagogy by building upon Basil Bernstein's initial conceptualization and previous efforts to develop it. Alongside Bernstein's "classification" and "framing" we suggest that incorporating the concepts of "semantic gravity" and "semantic density"…

Similar to ongoing discussions about the existence of Filipino philosophy, questions remain whether there is indeed a Filipino philosophy of education or not. Several scholars have sought an authentic Filipino philosophy of education that is untouched by colonization, while others have acknowledged that foreign influence cannot be taken away from…

The purpose of this action research study was to expand preservice teacher perspectives on the possibilities of schooling through engagement with nontraditional and progressive learning environments. Nine preservice teachers were given the opportunity to experience schools on the learning edge and develop perspectives on what is possible in…