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Do All the GOOD You Can: An Insight to Progressivism in Education

Laura J. Fris

Alma College

Dr. Mark A. Seals

Exploring Education PST 011

1 September 2009
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Do All the GOOD You Can: An Insight to Progressivism in Education

In today’s educational world, students find success through the teaching styles and guiding

support of their teachers. What many students don’t understand, however, is the idea that teachers

may need the same support and confidence boost that they supply everyday in the classroom. When the

situation comes down to this, the principal is looked upon as the sole provider. The principal of a school

has an enormous responsibility. Not only must they mentor and discipline the students, they must also

set certain rules and regulations as to what material the teachers should present to their students.

Principals must also organize the proper needs assessments that will provide the most beneficial

curriculum for the school. This preparation allows the school to shape into a more organized and

provoking learning place.

An impressive example of “principal leadership” is displayed in the article entitled “Do All the

GOOD You Can: A Conversation with Mark Wilson.” In this article Mark Wilson, who won the 2009

MetLife/NASSP National High School Principal of the Year Award, shares his experiences in taking his

school to the next level. He explains that when he first started teaching at Morgan County High School in

Madison, Georgia he wanted to make sure the audience he was introducing himself to truly understood

his philosophy on education, whether that audience consisted of future students, teachers, parents, or

community members. By establishing this philosophy Mr. Wilson was able to easily connect with his co-

workers on his ideas of making the school a better place.

Mr. Wilson bases many of his ideas off of Progressivism, an education that focuses on the child

rather than the subject matter. By allowing his students to focus on what they enjoy doing to create a

more relaxed educational experience, Wilson has noted a significant change in test scores,

student/teacher interaction, and after-school studies. The success of these new decisions has opened up

many new opportunities for the teachers and students, including the creation of an academic assistance
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course, leadership clubs for teacher and student participation, and the chance for students to organize

and create their own clubs (such as a “Breakfast Club”, where students make food for fellow classmates

in the morning and teach them about nutrition and healthy eating). By allowing students and teachers

the freedom of choosing their own tactics of teaching and study, Mr. Wilson has opened many new

chances for kids to experience things that any normal student would not be able to grasp during their

high school career. As Mr. Wilson states in the conclusion of the article, “Being a high school principal is

hard. You’re going to have challenges; it’s hard to make everybody happy. I have a saying that I try to

live by: “Do all the good you can by all the means you can, and all the ways you can, and all the places

you can, as long as ever you can.”

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References

Riddile, Mel (2009). Do all the good you can: A conversation with Mark Wilson. Principal
Leadership (High School Ed.), 9, 28-33.