Non-Traditional or Progressive Elementary Schools? (Houston, Sugar Land: real estate, middle school, garden)

[AOLiga]

Originally Posted by crone

There is a network of alternative schoolers in Houston. I used to hear the moms on KPFT. Can't remember the name of the school. My grandsons go to one run by a bunch of old hippies in Tallahassee. Waiting to see if the oldest made National merit Scholar.

Don't give up. They are out there.

I think you are probably refering to "The Real School of Dragon Valley"?

[crone]

Originally Posted by AOLiga

I think you are probably refering to "The Real School of Dragon Valley"?

Bingo. That's it. Thanks.

Their site sounds exactly like the school where my grandkids go in Tallahassee. Hope it is 1/2 as good. If so, it is excellent.

[d2mini]

Can someone explain this school?
Their website doesn't seem to give much info.
Do kids go every day? What age? Does this replace a normal school or is it in addition to? Is there a waiting list? Can anybody get in? What about state testing? Does it create a bunch of pansies? I already don't like that schools now give trophies to everyone and nobody loses. From what I read on their website I was getting the same vibe. I do like the idea of non-traditional teaching methods, but I also want my kids prepared for the real world, not some ideal utopia where nobody gets their feelings hurt.

[AOLiga]

I don't have too much info on the school (just what I remember from the education discussion panel at last year's B.I.R.T.H fair). From what I remember, it is set up so that the students are technically home-schooled, so that they can attend once a week or five days a week depending on what the parents want.
I think I remember the speaker saying that any student that wants to participate is accepted, regardless of the family's ability to pay. But, I didn't get the "ideal utopia" vibe; it definately didn't seem like a place where everyone gets a trophy. But I did get the impression that community activism and social justice are greatly emphasized.

[d2mini]

Ahhhhh... home school.... ok that would seem to make more sense with what I saw on the website. That's actually a good idea for home schoolers since it will give the kids some interaction.

But I guess if home school is not an option, Awty is the only other option.

[Sunderpig2]

Originally Posted by Hawk11ns

"Progressive?" You mean liberal?

No, that's dumb to try to make them equivalent. But you're not the first to do this, so it's excusable.

Progressive / progressivism is focused on a solutions-based focus, free of expected paths to follow. It's not concerned with following any crowd or status quo. It's about forging forward with whatever path is the most productive, while staying away from emotion and rhetoric and finger-pointing (all the stupid things that get in the way most of the time). It's all about thinking and analysis and progress and results. Progress/progressive. Notice the pattern? Duh.

You could easily say that liberal thought and attitudes follow expected and repeatable paths; which makes it similar (but opposite) conservative. It's fairly easy to come up with typical attributes for each of those. But there is no typical attribute with progressive thought, other than the moving forward focus with rational thought.

It needs to be said - based on the title of this thread - that "non-traditional" and "progressive" don't really go together. Many times, "non-traditional" tends to equate to "liberal". So... what exactly is the OP asking for? Who knows?!?

[lanterngirl]

Yeah, I see what you mean... maybe non-traditional and progressive don't necessarily go together... but I'm looking for all the options right now. If the school is more traditional then I would hope it to be progressive.

I've been to the Real School and checked it out. It is definitely a really cool option for people who are doing Unschooling... Unschooling is not for my family though. At least not completely. I love a lot of the aspects of unschooling but I don't think it will work for us. I am however looking into homeschooling. Perhaps a slightly more traditional approach to homeschooling.

While in my searching I did come across one other school that considers themselves progressive (and liberal - lol).

Western Academy

Western Academy | A liberal arts school for boys, grades 3-8

"We also incorporate elements that are considered "progressive", such as educating the imagination, incorporating nature — from trees and grass to outdoor lessons and field trips — employing tactile learning, and the use of narrative techniques throughout the curriculum."

[fnh]

Originally Posted by d2mini

But I guess if home school is not an option, Awty is the only other option.

I should clarify, Awty is not at all a progressive school. I like that the IPC units are integrated into all the subjects but otherwise it is very traditional. It used to be smaller and more progressive than it is now but (to my dismay) it has become more like a typical American private school as it has become trendy among a certain Houston social set.

[fnh]

The mission statement for Western Academy does sound attractive until I come across the words Opus Dei...

[Vicman]

I am not familiar with private schools in Houston that use "progressive" teaching methods. I know many politically liberal-leaning and thinking Houstonians in the center send their kids to HISD schools. I wonder if "liberal" private schools are more plentiful in California