1. Philosophy of Education
1.1. Pragmatism
1.1.1. Pragmatism is an education philosophy focused on achieving a desired goal. Pragmatism encourages individuals to create processes that solve issues related to the goal desired. These goal oriented philosophies are generally concerned with solutions to present –day problems.
1.1.1.1. Curriculum: curriculum continues to evolve and change as the social order, interest, and needs of the community change. Pragmatic curriculum begins with know and moves toward the unknown
1.1.1.2. Goal of Education: is asserted in preparing students for life in a democratic society
1.1.1.3. Instruction: focused on the powers and interests of the student. Information presented to the student must transform into new forms, ideas, and thoughts they fit their development and interests
1.1.1.4. Teacher role: facilitators who guide students through the experimental practices
2. Schools as Organizations
2.1. Size and Degree of centralization
2.1.1. school districts have become larger, superintendents have become more powerful, and as a consequence teachers have fewer opportunities to make decisions regarding curriculum, conditions of employment, and school policy.
2.2. international comparisons
2.2.1. individual in other systems undergo a very rigorous academic rite of passage that is designed to separate the talented from the less gifted. In the U.S. the educational system is the expression of the larger society.
2.3. School Culture
2.3.1. schools have authority structures that are quite vulnerable and that a great deal of political energy is expended every day, keeping the school in a state of equilibrium.
2.3.2. As a student,you experience the political compromises from particular point of view.
3. Curriculum and Pedagogy
3.1. Politics of curriculum
3.1.1. Pluralist model, argues that the political system is not controlled by any one group. decisions are may by many groups attempting to to exercise influence and control.
3.1.2. political elite model, argues that a small number of powerful groups(those with wealth and powerful political influence) dominate the decision making.
3.2. Multicultural education
3.2.1. five dimensional
3.2.1.1. content integration
3.2.1.2. knowledge construction
3.2.1.3. prejudice reduction
3.2.1.4. equity pedagogy
3.2.1.5. empowering school culture
4. Equality of Opportunity
4.1. Class
4.1.1. School represents the values of the upper and middle class
4.1.1.1. the upper and middle class have higher expectations concerning school, while the working class promotes getting job
4.1.2. school can become expensive, this advantages the wealthy while upward mobility harder for the working class
4.1.3. Children are labeled according to their abilities, which is directly determined by their class status.
4.1.3.1. there is a direct correlation between parental income and student performance on standardized test.
5. Sociology of Eductio
5.1. Conflict Theory
5.1.1. Social order is based of the ability of dominant groups to impose their will on subordinate groups.
5.1.2. Society is held together by economic, political, cultural, and military power.
5.1.3. based on struggle, rather than cohesion.
5.1.4. the achievement ideology hides the power of the dominant group by selecting students according to their ability rather then their social status.
5.2. Knowledge and Attitudes
5.2.1. research has proven that academically oriented schools produce higher rates of leaning.
5.3. inadequate schools
5.3.1. "urban education has failed to educate minority and poor children.
6. Politics of Education
6.1. Radical
6.1.1. Reduce inequalites of eductional RESULTS
6.1.2. education reform alone will not have much effect on the urban crisis and achievement gaps
6.1.3. Social problem are structural in nature
6.1.4. Democratization: Teachers, Parents,Students voice in decision making.
6.2. Progressive
6.2.1. education should: Solve social problems, promote upward mobility, embrace democratic society.
6.2.2. past on the best of "what was and what is: steady process to make things better.
7. History of U.S. Education
7.1. Common School Movement
7.1.1. Before 1820, a vast majority of the American population were illiterate.
7.1.2. The Common School movement pushed for free publicly founded elementary schools.
7.1.3. Horace Mann, the advocator of the Common School movement, believe education could change the social order and foster social mobility.
7.2. Cardinal Principles of secondary Education
7.2.1. moved from more academically based curriculum to a far more utilitarian curriculum.
7.2.2. helped resolve the problem of teachers trying to educate both college bound students and non college bound students.
8. Educational Inequality
8.1. Cultural differences
8.1.1. African American children do less will in school because adapted to their oppressed class structure.
8.1.2. African American have "job-ceilings"
8.1.3. African American are asked to deny their culture and have the burden of "acting white"
8.1.4. cultural and class differences are a product of an unequal economic system and that the schools reward middle class communication codes, not working class codes.
8.1.5. working class families encourage children to be independent and play on their own, while middle class children have planned activities that enhance their class advantages.
9. Educational Reform
9.1. first wave
9.1.1. excellence though increased educationa standards.
9.2. second wave
9.2.1. teaching, leadership and management, parental involvement, school facilities, etc
9.3. Federal involvement
9.3.1. 6 national goals for u.s. education
9.3.2. No child left behind
9.3.3. race to the top
9.3.3.1. aid states in meeting the various components of NCLB
9.4. School based refrom
9.4.1. school choice, charter schools, tuition vouchers