ABSTRACT
In re-examining principles of progressivist ideology, there is no expectation that these will, somehow, be judged outdated. It is the abiding power of these principles which makes a review worthwhile, since we intuitively recognize their potential. They are the cornerstones on which educationists can erect structures of beliefs, which members of a modern teaching profession can unashamedly profess, without their feeling that the rest of the educational world has absconded long ago to firmer ground. It is the way principles are translated into practice which are expected to need rethinking, alongside-often enough-a clarification of what a progressivist principle might actually mean. It is not difficult to superimpose onto a sophisticated concept its caricature or an over-simple outline based on surface features. Where this happens, it is essential to retrieve the principle itself, and remind ourselves of the issues which are at stake.
