Ethos & Philosophy

Ethos & Philosophy

Prioritizing Individual Needs & Curiosity

We strongly believe that for learning the three prerequisites are
  • Individual needs- Children are not projects. They learn at different pace and have unique abilities. To identify and encourage these, a classroom size should be small so that a mentor can understand each child with his/her strengths and weaknesses to help him/her work on them.
  • Cultivating Curiosity- to learn and explore is an innate quality of human minds. Unfortunately, traditional educational methods often stifle curiosity through rigid instructions and restrictions.
  • Creating a Supportive Environment - We believe that effective learning occurs when there is a strong bond between students and teachers. To create a supportive and nurturing environment, we ensure that our classrooms are free from fear and intimidation. The equation of learning and teaching has to shift. The teachers have to understand that they are here to help children to learn and not to teach. Our teachers are dedicated to helping students learn, rather than simply teaching a curriculum.

The Conduct of Education

Break down of learning

For convenience as well as to match the general trend given in the National Education Policy 2020 Progressive School has also formulated the purpose of education firstly in the pre primary stage followed by the primary stage from Class I to IV, the middle stage from Class V to Class VIII followed by the requirement of the board examination from Class IX onwards.  Upto class VIII the dictum of “How to learn” is focused upon and from Class IX above the education system based on for the student what to learn and be examined in.  

Pre Primary / primary stage

The essence of how to learn is to have an effective means of communication between student and teacher through the medium of a language. If one of the two parties is inadequate in the language of communication there can be little understanding on how to learn. The English language remains the primary means of communication in the world and therefore student of our country should also know it adequately to understand and grasp knowledge skills. The first step is to achieve high standard of oral communication and prepare for development of fine motor skills in preparation to write. The primary stage is to grasp writing skills while enhancing oral skills. Simple reading is an add on. The middle stages is for applying all these three skills to express efficiently and accurately the thoughts the children may have concluded or may wish to express. In the secondary and senior secondary stages the books are prescribed by the system and therefore it has little scope for flexibility. Currently and in the future there is a limitless and variety of knowledge and guidance to understand given on the digital media. The child must learn to exploit this source of information and knowledge appropriate to its age All they need here is the guidance in the method to be able to do so.

Examination

We have not found much need for the examination system in the school yearsCurrently examinations are method to segregate and categories children into adult designed classifications of academic knowledgeIt is our view that the examinations system is to reveal to the school management how effectively and efficiently are the students being guided to learn and also simultaneously allow the child to understand in what aspects of learning it has abilities and therefore select its career accordingly. We do not encourage parents to classify and analyse their children based on school examination results as it can cause many misguided conclusions on all sides. 

Environment

Any form of learning is strongly influenced and restricted when the students have a sense of fear while learning. We believe that to build confidence, and creativity, fear in any form is to be eliminated.  Naturally there can be no physical punishment and whatever corrections which may be necessary as a last resort should be confined to restrictions on pleasurable activities.   

EXTRACT FROM 'GEETANJALI'

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments
By narrow domestic walls
Where words come out from the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where the mind is led forward by thee
Into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.
By Rabindranath Tagore

Growth of knowledge and subjects

We have designed concept of the expanding universe of the child as he grows upInitially at a small age he understands himself and his/ her position in the world as they are experiencingIn the present and near future the child now has access to a vast field of experiences through social media and the role of the school is to guide the child a path through itAs the physical and the awareness environment of the child expands with age and exposure, he is guided to understand the expanding universe   and what it containsWe believe logically that the child today must understand not only how the earth operates but also the planetary system which has been explored by man and the universe to be explored thereafter. 

With the advent and use of AI and the predominance of social media children and adolescents can be misguided through a false narrative on mediaEducation therefore must give the skill and ability to a child to question all narratives it is exposed to and conclude a possible credibility of each narrativeThis requires skill and method which needs to question and can be defined as “Critical thinking”/ Logical thinking. 

The Teacher

As stated earlier, the quality of educators in the system leaves much to desire. Teaching/educating at school level was and still comparatively remains a poorly paid employmentThe importance of school education in the development of the mind has largely been ignored or not understood and therefore it is considered a routine standardized task like herding sheepIn those countries where it is considered critical for society, the human resources of that country are much above in every aspect to build a stable and peaceful society. Ancient India was an example of allowing children to freely learn from the best minds of society.

The concept of education through the expanding universe theory of knowledge encompasses all the subject which will affect the child on his / her becoming an adult. However, to comprehend this concept and to apply needs skill level and awareness of the world and curiosity, which the teaching community is in short supply ofThe quality of teachers is related to their financial remuneration and therefore improvement in education through improvement in quality of teachers remains a major drawback which governments have not addressed since independenceHowever, we select the best possible teachers with potential to comprehend our methods and train them by the experienced existing staff.   

CHILDREN LEARN WHAT THEY LIVE

If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn.

If children live with hostility, they learn to fight.

If children live with fear, they learn to be apprehensive.

If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves.

If children live with ridicule, they learn to be shy.

If children live with jealousy, they learn what envy is.

If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty.

If children live with tolerance, they learn to be patient.

If children live with encouragement, they learn to be confident.

If children live with praise, they learn to appreciate.

If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves.

If children live with acceptance, they learn to find love in the world.

If children live with recognition, they learn to have a goal.

If children live with sharing, they learn to be generous.

If children live with honesty & fairness, they learn what truth & justice are.

If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves & in those around them.

If children live with friendliness, they learn that the world is a nice place in which to live.

If children live with serenity, they learn to have peace of mind. With what are your children living?

By Dorothy L. Nolte

From these definitions one thing is evidence that since ancient times, education has never been limited to just books and examinations. So, how can we now advocate for a holistic education that relies solely on textbooks, rote learning, and standardized tests? It's truly concerning, isn't it?

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MISSION

At Progressive Education, a child is a total personality to be developed through education and not just a machine designed only to score high marks in examinations. This School does NOT have the typical, conservative and inflexible educational environment still prevalent in the country today. Our mission is to equip the child to succeed in tomorrow’s world – the world of the child’s future.
Performing Arts

WHAT IS THE WORLD OF THE CHILD’S FUTURE?

OBJECTIVES

To fulfil our mission, for the last two decades we had set out and continued the following objectives. The child should

  • Possess the skills to acquire, comprehend, process and successfully apply throughout life, the knowledge appropriate to his / her chosen field or career.
  • Develop logical reasoning and conceptual ability for comprehending and imbibing science and technology.
  •  Be self-assured, confident, and expressive, both verbally and in writing, and be capable of independent and creative thought and action.
  •  Have acquired the values and character to make the appropriate decisions in his/her personal and professional life, and become socially responsible person.
Don’t just teach your kids to read, teach them to question what they read. Teach them to question everything.
George Carlin

RABINDRANATH TAGORE

EXTRACT FROM A LETTER WRITTEN BY ABRAHAM LINCOLN TO THE HEADMASTER OF THE SCHOOL WHERE HIS SON WAS STUDYING:

"He will have to learn, I know; that all men are not just, all men are not true. But teach him also that for every scoundrel there is a hero: that for every selfish politician, there is a dedicated leader... Teach him that for every enemy there is a friend. It will take time, I know, but teach him if. you can, that a dollar earned is of far more value than five found.."
"Teach him to learn to lose... and also to enjoy winning. Steer him away from envy, if you can; teach him the secret of quiet laughter. Let him learn that the bullied are the easiest to lick... Teach him, if you can, the wonder of books...but also give him quiet time to ponder...the eternal mystery of birds in the sky, bees in the sun, and flowers on green hillside. In school teach him it is far more honorable to fail than to cheat."
"Teach him to have faith in his own ideas, even if everyone tells him they are wrong.. Teach him to be gentle with gentle people, and tough with the tough. Try to give my son the strength not to follow the crowd when everyone is getting on the band-wagon. Teach him to listen to all men but teach him also to filter all he hears on a screen of truth, and take on the good that comes through."
"Teach him, if you can, how to laugh when he is sad....Teach him there is no shame in tears. Teach him to scoff at cynics and to beware of too much sweetness... Teach him to sell his brawn and brain to the highest bidders but not to put a price on his heart and soul. Teach him to close his ears to a howling mob....and to stand and fight if he thinks right."
"Treat him gently, but do not cuddle him, because only the test of fire makes fine steel. Let him have the courage to be impatient...let him have the patience to be brave. Teach him always to have sublime faith in himself, because then he will always have sublime faith in mankind."

Progressive Education (East Indore)

Progressive Education (West Indore)

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