PROGRESSIVE EDUCATION
The progressive education tradition at Hanahau‘oli School is deeply rooted in the John Dewey philosophy of education, the University of Chicago Laboratory School (1896-1904), and the ideas of Gudrun Thorne Thompson from the Francis Parker School (1901 - Present). Grounded in these origins, the school’s progressive education philosophy and mores include:
the idea that school should model an ideal democracy and function as a cooperative society on a small scale, in which students have the opportunity to be an active and productive member of the group, the community, and democratic life at-large
educators who design flexible school programing and curriculum to both meet the needs of society and create a better future society
teachers as co-inquirers and facilitators of learning who model the the skills, attitudes, and dispositions of the life-long learners they are aiming to cultivate in their students
students who are supported along paths of inquiry, generated in part by their own interests and curiosities
learning environments in which students use a wide variation of activities to learn in large part through discovery or “learning by doing”
a problem-posing curriculum that is situated in real-life learning opportunities for students to engage in authentic problem-solving, critical and creative thought, and reflection about themselves and the world around them
a strong connection between school, home, and community life
a balance between developing individuality, initiative, and a commitment to the common good
commitment to both tradition and innovation
joyous work that is characterized by play, deep thinking, and human connection
and unending inquiry to discover the conditions under which educative growth actually occurs.
