About Paideia
Paideia is a holistic approach to life-long learning with roots in ancient Greece. In contemporary schools across the United States and a few other countries, Paideia is a set of beliefs about education including active and rigorous teaching methods.
Mortimer Adler and the Paideia Group outlined the Program in the early 1980s with a short, but important book entitled The Paideia Proposal.
The Paideia Program is based on the belief that the human species is defined by its capacity and desire for learning. The program itself argues for a public education that is at once more rigorous and more accessible.
For a concise summary of Paideia beliefs, see the 12 Paideia Principles. For an introduction to Paideia practices for teaching and learning, see the Three Columns of Instruction.
See an overview of Paideia in the video below.
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The program, I hope, will make a difference in the lives of students.
Thanks for your good wishes, Sung-Dong. From where are you writing?
The definition of Paideia is not define completely at least to me. What was wrong with the other program and what is the difference? this is a great concern to me because my son is a junior this year and I want to know how this will effet the last two years at this school?
Jacqueline, You should expect for your son to participate in regular seminars and projects during his last two years.
In comparison, a Paideia education will foster critical and creative thinking.
Is this site (and the February seminar) only for North Carolina schools or is it for any school anywhere that uses Paideia?
Our February Institutes are open to educators from anywhere–in the US and beyond!
as a parent my kids did so well in their school that used these principles. This year they returned to public school and both of them are ahead of everyone else. Hopefully we can find a new school where we are moving.
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[...] the school’s educational philosophy. This philosophy drove the reform proposal presented by the Paideia Group. Mortimer J. Adler led this group and presented the plan for reform in three books beginning with [...]