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A Clarion Education: A Progressive Outlook

Just a three-year-old school, Clarion has been recognized as one of the top three American schools in the UAE where progressive education is child-centered, collaborative – and where learning is project based and gets children to focus on their own learning needs. Learning is purposeful, social, emotional and empowering.

At Clarion, words and actions are aligned. They have master teachers who are trained in progressive pedagogy and understanding of what is developmentally appropriate for children. There is a focus on children learning to think and taking responsibility for their learning. Traditional education learners are passive - progressive education at Clarion learners co-create knowledge, problem solve and plan. In traditional education, teachers are the source of information; at Clarion, teachers guide learning and coach students by teaching them to ask the right questions. In a traditional model, parents are uninvolved; at Clarion, parents are resources and active participants in their child’s education. In traditional education, learning is linear with factual and skill mastery; at Clarion, learning is spiral with depth and breadth of goals. In a traditional model, knowledge is based on right answers; at Clarion, knowledge is constructed through play, direct experiences, social interactions and research. There is a true relationship and on-going dialogue between child and teacher, a learning partnership. The Clarion Way Clarion ignites curiosity with commitment, collaboration, creativity, critical thinking skills and communication. At Clarion, they teach students to analyze information and ideas and form reasonable judgements, articulate thoughts and feelings clearly in a wide range of media – oral, written and digital; collaborate and work constructively with others. Differences Between Traditional Education and The Clarion Way

Traditional	Progressive
Children are passive absorbers of information and authority.	Children are active participants, problem solvers and planners. They have ownership of their learning.
Teachers are sources of information and authority.	Teachers are facilitators, guides who foster thinking.
Parents are outsiders and uninvolved.	Parents are an extension of the classroom and serve as resources.
Subjects are taught separately.	Subjects are integrated as children make connections to real world applications.
Skills are taught separately and are viewed as goals.	Skills are related to content and are viewed as tools.
Learning is driven by a motivation of rewards or recognition.	Learning is driven by an intrinsic motivation of a joy for learning.
Failure is penalized.	Failure is seen as an important part of the learning process. Intellectual risk taking is encouraged.
Products are the end point.	Process is valued in the creation of product.
Teacher daily planning is carefully followed to meet pre-determined teacher objectives.	Teacher planning is intentional and includes emergent learning to support children’s unplanned explorations and extensions of their interest and learning.
Learning happens within the classroom	Lifelong Learning happens within the child

Families who join Clarion are often forward-looking, aware of the world they live in and the changing future. They realize that there is a better way to learn than what they had when they were children. They recognize that a progressive education will better prepare their children for adulthood and the challenges they will find in society. If you are curious about Clarion School and its way of learning and would like to find out more, visit www.clarionschooldubai.com or book a tour here.