Progressive education, open education, and whole language can be seen as part of a larger "progressive tradition" in American education. All three of these educational movements are "child centered," challenge the rigidity of traditional school organizations, view the nature of knowledge and the purpose of schools differently from the view upon which most schools are based, carry a liberal political ideology, and are not monolithic. Neither the early progressives nor the proponents of open education were sufficiently aware of earlier reform efforts to have learned from them. Progressive education became solely the domain of professional educators. The literature of both the progressives and the open educators often focused only on technique, thereby diluting and losing the larger agenda. The movements became "bandwagons." Both Progressive Education and Open Education movements took on a political tone that the larger community did not support. Individual whole language teachers can take steps to avoid these pitfalls: (1) become self-consciously political in their interactions with parents, the larger community, with politicians, with those who would attack whole language on political grounds, and among themselves; (2) avoid adopting a new technique or activity until they are certain it is consistent with their beliefs; (3) protect those having whole language practices forced on them with the same fervor with which they support whole language; and (4) become more aware of the child centered movements which preceded whole language, and more aware of what is happening in schools. (Contains 14 references.) (RS)