2.28.20

Children aren’t the only people learning and mastering their skills at FCS. This year, FCS faculty has been engaged in conversations about progressive education. Working in Learning Communities, which are small groups of Lower School and Middle School teachers, our faculty have been reflecting on the writings of John Dewey, the preeminent progressive education philosopher, and Alfie Kohn, a proponent of progressive education. In our Wednesday faculty meetings, we have explored queries on how our school’s physical environment, our curriculum, and our instructional practices uphold the tenets of progressive education. This work has required us to dig deep, ask ourselves questions, and enhance our understanding of the pedagogy that FCS values and celebrates.

Next Wednesday, we will have an early dismissal for the Capital Area Progressive Schools (CAPS) Symposium. CAPS was organized to advance progressive education and provide collegiality among progressive educators to share and learn about best teaching practices. Nearly 300 educators from FCS, Lowell School, Capitol Hill Day School, Sheridan School, Green Acres School, and Burgundy Farms School will descend upon our campus to engage in learning and reflecting on our collective progressive educational practices.

My father loved to say that “we grow by doing.” Progressive education advocates that individuals learn best in real-life activities with other people. Professional development enables our teachers to do just that.

In Partnership,

Angela

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Located in College Park, MD, Friends Community School is a progressive Quaker K-8 day school, founded on the belief that every child is a valued member of our community. We offer a challenging curriculum imbued with strong values of equality, integrity, community, environmental stewardship, simplicity and peaceful conflict resolution, rooted in our Quaker heritage.

Friends Community School
5901 Westchester Park Drive
College Park, Maryland 20740
301-441-2100