Progressive education
Our Roots
Our roots are in the progressive education movement, which began over a century ago during a time of dramatic social and technological change. Baker is grounded in the belief that education should nurture the whole child: their curiosity, creativity, sense of belonging, and capacity to make meaning in the world.
We cultivate intellectual curiosity through challenging academics, active engagement, and reflection. Rather than simply asking students to absorb information, we invite them to ask questions, explore ideas, take intellectual risks, and learn through doing. Our classrooms are places where curiosity is welcomed, mistakes are part of learning, and students have meaningful opportunities to make choices and take ownership of their learning.
Progressive Education at Baker
We believe students learn best through a hands-on, experiential approach. At Baker, we emphasize student-centered teaching, critical thinking, and real-world problem solving over rote memorization.
See how we implement this approach into our curriculum:
What Does this Look Like at Baker?
We believe education should nurture the intellectual, social, emotional, and physical development of each child, recognizing and nurturing every student as an individual.
At Baker:
- Faculty and staff know students deeply and respond to their individual strengths and needs.
- Students gain awareness of their own strengths and growth opportunities.
- Social-emotional learning is embedded in daily classroom life.
- Every student gets physical activity every day, including swimming, outdoor play, and movement.
- Students express their creativity through visual arts, dance, drama, music, and digital arts.
- School is a place where students feel safe taking risks and making mistakes, which are both essential building blocks to learning.
We believe children learn best when they are actively engaged in class, asking questions, and exploring ideas.
At Baker we emphasize:
- Project-based learning rooted in student curiosity
- Teachers guiding exploration rather than delivering answers
- Hands-on investigations like studying a trout life cycle, designing experiments, or building a small business
- Play as an intentional vehicle for learning, particularly for early childhood
We believe learning should be integrated, experiential, and connected — to nature, the arts, and the broader community — so students develop critical thinking and creative problem-solving skills.
At Baker we implement:
- Cross-disciplinary projects that connect science, humanities, math, and the arts in ways that are comprehensive and engaging
- Learning that extends beyond the classroom into nature and the broader community
- Thematic studies that help students synthesize and apply knowledge
- Arts integration that supports both creative expression and academic rigor
We believe schools should intentionally teach students how to build and participate in a healthy, vibrant community, how to collaborate, include others, resolve conflict, and contribute meaningfully.
At Baker we encourage:
- Direct instruction in collaboration, empathy, inclusion, and belonging
- A diverse community drawing families from across Chicagoland, with intentional support for affordability through tuition assistance
- Classrooms that emphasize shared responsibility and service to others, within school and the broader community
- Students learning to listen, lead, and participate with respect, gaining confidence and a sense of purpose
Rooted in more than a century of progressive, experiential learning practices, Baker prepares students not just for the next step, but to participate actively in their education.
Students leave Baker confident in their abilities, comfortable asking questions, and prepared to thrive in a wide range of high school and university environments.
Rooted in more than a century of progressive, experiential learning practices, Baker prepares students not just for the next step, but to participate actively in their education.
Students leave Baker confident in their abilities, comfortable asking questions, and prepared to thrive in a wide range of high school and university environments.
Interested in Progressive Education for Your Child?
Contact our Admissions Team:
Phone: (847) 425-5800
Email: admissions@bakerdemschool.org
