Holding Space for Progressive Practice

Authors

Abbe Futterman, The Earth SchoolFollow
Dyanthe Spielberg, The Neighborhood SchoolFollow
Cecelia Traugh, Bank Street College of EducationFollow

Abstract

Elementary principals Futterman and Spielberg and Bank Street dean Traugh use a descriptive review process to share their methods for maintaining educational spaces that are grounded in progressive values, in the face of conflicting mandates from the district or the state.

Author Biography

Abbe Futterman is a founding teacher at The Earth School, New York, where she currently serves as principal. She taught science for many years during which time she helped found The Fifth Street Farm, a 2400 square foot organic garden on the school's roof. She is an alumna of Bank Street College Teacher Education and Educational Leadership programs.

Dyanthe Spielberg is principal of The Neighborhood School. In addition to her on-going work to build staff capacity around descriptive processes such as reviews of practices, children, and children’s work, this year she has focused on exploring issues of race, racism, and racial justice with staff. Dyanthe is a graduate of Bank Street’s Leadership for Educational Change program.

Cecelia Traugh is dean of the Graduate School of Education at Bank Street College. Her current work includes school-wide inquiry groups in small schools across Manhattan and Brooklyn. These inquiry groups use the descriptive processes developed at the Prospect Center in North Bennington, Vermont to investigate issues important to the inclusive education of all children and the ongoing development of the schools themselves.

Recommended Citation

Futterman, A., Spielberg, D., & Traugh, C. (2016). Holding Space for Progressive Practice. Occasional Paper Series, (35). DOI: https://doi.org/10.58295/2375-3668.1114