Innovative Educational Approaches: Dewey, Montessori, and Neill

New School and Pedagogical Renewal: John Dewey (1859-1952)
Father of progressive psychology, John Dewey critiqued traditional education and emphasized the importance of experience in learning. He proposed a dynamic conception of education that rejects the notion of education as merely the training of intelligence. Dewey's problem-based methodology consists of five phases:

• Identifying a problem or difficulty.
• Starting the experience.
• Inspection of available data and research of viable solutions.
• Formulation of hypotheses for solutions.
• Checking the hypotheses.

Maria Montessori (1870-1952) worked extensively in scientific teaching and inaugurated the first Casa dei Bambini in San Lorenzo, Rome. She focused on children aged 4 to 5 years, allowing them to learn to read and write, which shook the pedagogical world. Her educational philosophy includes:

• No instruction in groups of 3 years, corresponding to sensitive periods (e.g., 3-5, 6-9, and 9-12 years and adolescence).
• Belief in the competence of young individuals to make decisions.
• Creating an environment that is child-sized (micro) and allows them to engage with their world (macrocosm).
• Encouraging participation of parents in the child's education.
• Delineating sensitive periods for learning.
• Emphasizing the importance of the "absorbing mind" where children are motivated to acquire and improve their experiences within each sensitive period, such as language practice.

Critiques and Alternative Educational Models: Libertarian Tendencies
Alexander Sutherland Neill (1883-1973) was a progressive educator and advocate for freedom in education. He founded the non-directive Summerhill School in 1921. Summerhill promotes the idea that children learn best without coercion and repression. Neill believed that children should live their lives freely, making decisions that reflect their interests and needs. Key principles of Summerhill include:

• Absence of exams and qualifications.
• Attendance at classes is not compulsory.
• The assembly once a week serves as an organ of management and conflict resolution.
• Absence of punishment and sermons.
• Equal treatment among children and adults.

Summerhill represents a significant shift in educational philosophy, emphasizing freedom and respect as the foundation of coexistence.