[LUM#8] The Vast Landscape of Alternative Teaching Methods
Which school should I choose? Which teaching method would be best for my child? How will they adjust to the school schedule? To the teacher? When it comes time to choose an educational path for their children, some parents turn to alternative teaching methods. What is the nature of these new forms of education? Sylvain Wagnon, a professor at the Faculty of Education at the University of Montpellier and director of the Center for Studies, Documentation, and Research in the History of Education in Montpellier (Cedrhe), explores the “vague landscape” of alternative educational approaches.
For the past decade or so, the media—and more recently social media—have been promoting so-called alternative educational approaches. This is a new phenomenon that is difficult to define, as Sylvain Wagnon, author of the book From Montessori to Positive Education: An Overview of Alternative Pedagogies, who describes it asa “vague concept.” “We are not dealing with a structured group. The term ‘alternative education’ encompasses many very different schools and teaching methods. ” Nevertheless, most of them share a core message centered on the child’s personal and holistic development.“The values presented are mostly very altruistic, centered on the concepts of well-being, happiness, and kindness.”
The proponents of these schools consistently emphasize the importance of respecting children’s learning paces, physical needs, the development of independence, self-confidence, and cooperation among children. These schools prioritize so-called active activities and small class sizes. “For example, there are so-called democratic schools that are rapidly expanding in Montpellier and elsewhere. These are very small institutions, most with fewer than fifteen children. In fact, the word ‘school’ isn’t really appropriate; they are more like different learning environments , ” explains the researcher.
Inspired by modern teaching methods
This line of thinking is by no means new, as it draws inspiration from the progressive educational approaches developed between the late 19th and early 20th centuries by well-known figures such as Maria Montessori and Ovide Decroly, as well as other educators like Rudolf Steiner and Célestin Freinet.“Back then, these educators were already talking about the need to reform education and to approach pedagogy from the child’s perspective. In fact, they spoke of ‘children,’ not ‘students,’” explains Sylvain Wagnon.
But for this specialist in the history of education ( Educating Differently: A History), while new pedagogies have been built around these great practitioners and theorists, alternative pedagogies, for their part, refuse to define themselves exclusively in relation to these figures considered historical.“They draw inspiration from Steiner, Freinet, Decroly, and especially Montessori—whose spirit they claim to embody—but they don’t want to confine themselves to a single pedagogy, and that is truly what’s new. “There is a very wide variety, including certain movements that even reject the very idea of pedagogy, such as some homeschooling advocates.” A highly publicized form of education, but one that, according to the researcher, represents only a few thousand children out of the millions enrolled in school.
Anti-establishment
Like their predecessors (The Legacy of Progressive Education), alternative educational approaches developed as a reaction against traditional education, which was accused of failing to give children the means to flourish. Sylvain Wagnon also explains this criticism by referring to the history of the state education system envisioned by Jules Ferry as“a common melting pot, a place for shaping the French citizen. Even back then, it was criticized for having a barracks-like atmosphere where the group takes precedence over the individual.” A system that has the advantage of welcoming all children, but which remains“very cumbersome and highly hierarchical, struggling to adapt to the changes taking place in society.”
While the discourse surrounding these alternative educational approaches conveys very positive ideas (The Ideal of Positive Education), the researcher nevertheless cautions against a lack of perspective and asserts the need“to analyze this emerging phenomenon without jumping to conclusions, so as not to be satisfied with the prevailing discourse.” For while these educational approaches have the merit of offering new avenues of exploration, they cannot do without certain critical reflections.
And to begin with, a reflection on their definition; for while the discoursemayseem, at first glance, to be consistently positive,“the term ‘alternative educational approaches’ can encompass just about anything, from libertarian schools to fundamentalist religious instruction.” Put simply, this lack of a clear framework raises questions about teacher training, recognition, and their role. “Anyone could, if they wished, start a Montessori school tomorrow. It would have the name but not necessarily the substance.”
A school outside of society?
There is also the question of access to these alternative educational settings. With tuition costs that can reach up to 5,000 euros a year—or even much more—the claim that these educational approaches promote social diversity is severely limited, given “the risk of social withdrawal or creating an exclusive clique.” “We cannot use the words ‘alternative’ and ‘democratic’—which are very strong terms—without also addressing the issue of access for all.”
Finally, we must undoubtedly question the ultimate goal of these alternative educational approaches. For while personal fulfillment remains at the heart of their philosophy, can we truly envision a fulfilled yet lonely individual?“There is one important goal in education that we must not forget : living together,” concludes Sylvain Wagnon. “How we put that into practice is the whole charm of education.”
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