Our Approach
For more than a century, Bank Street has been a leader in progressive education, helping educators and children develop to their fullest potential.
At Bank Street, we don’t just teach about education—we help you live it, reflect on it, and use it to make a difference. When you graduate, you’ll be ready to become a changemaker who can bring curiosity, creativity, and a deep sense of justice to your work with children, families, and communities.
What Our Training Is About
Whether you’re studying online or in person, your learning will be hands-on, collaborative, and guided by a few simple but powerful ideas. We believe the best learning happens when:
- It’s rooted in strong, caring relationships and a sense of community
- It builds from what each individual brings to the table
- It integrates theory with real-world, applied practice to ensure students graduate ready to lead, influence, and innovate within education
- It’s guided by progressive, reflective practice—mirroring how children learn and emphasizing hands-on, inquiry-driven, and reflective experiences
- It advances equity, access, and social justice, preparing educators to model and advocate for a multiracial democracy
- It is supported by personalized, deeply engaged advising and mentorship, fostering growth through collaborative and democratic learning spaces
- It opens doors to meet the needs of a changing educational landscape—emphasizing adaptability, creative problem-solving, and joy in learning, as well as expanding access beyond traditional teaching roles
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Supervised Fieldwork/Advisement
Fieldwork is at the core of your Bank Street education. You’ll spend sustained time in a school or setting that matches your interests, where you will learn directly from your on-site mentor and other experienced educators. You’ll receive close, personalized mentorship from your faculty advisor who will visit your site, observe your practice, and help you grow toward your goals.
In tandem with your supervised fieldwork, you and five to seven other students will meet regularly in a small conference group where you’ll reflect together, share ideas, and support one another. This model creates a supportive professional community of friends that is built on trust and collaboration—a network that you’ll carry with you throughout your career.
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Coursework
Your courses will challenge you to reflect on your own experiences while exploring new perspectives. You’ll dive into a deep exploration of core theory and research—always with an eye toward how it applies to your work in the field and daily practices. At Bank Street, learning is collaborative, active, and designed to model the types of experiences you’ll create for your own students.
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Integrative Master's Project or Professional Seminar
In your final year, you’ll choose either the Integrative Master’s Project or the Professional Seminar. Both options give you the chance to bring everything together—your coursework, fieldwork, and professional interests—into one culminating experience.
This project enables you to focus deeply on an area that excites you, bringing together all you’ve learned, making it easy to reflect on your growth and prepare for your next professional steps
