1. Philosophy of Education
1.1. School of Philosophy
1.1.1. Pragmatism
1.1.1.1. American philosophy developed in the latter part of the nineteenth century
1.1.1.2. "pragma" means work
1.1.1.3. encourages people to find processes that work in order to achieve their desired ends.
1.1.1.4. action oriented and experientially grounded
1.1.1.5. pragmatic schema
1.1.1.5.1. problem -> speculative thought -> action -> results
1.1.1.6. John Locke
1.1.1.6.1. the mind as "tabula rasa" (blank tablet)
1.1.1.6.2. one acquires knowledge through the senses
1.2. Educational Philosophy
1.2.1. Progressivism
1.2.1.1. founded by John Dewey
1.2.1.2. "progressive education"
1.2.1.3. child-centered: Dewey emphasized the needs and interests of the child.
1.2.1.3.1. Developmentally appropriate instruction
1.2.1.4. purpose of education
1.2.1.4.1. "lever of social reform"
1.2.1.4.2. prepare students for life in a democratic society
1.2.1.4.3. provide students with knowledge to improve social order
1.2.1.4.4. "dialectic freedom"
1.2.1.4.5. education's ultimate goal is growth; growth leading to more growth
1.2.1.5. role of the teacher
1.2.1.5.1. teacher is no longer authoritarian figure
1.2.1.5.2. teacher as facilitator
1.2.1.5.3. teacher encourages, offers suggestions, questions, and helps plan and implement course of study
1.2.1.5.4. teachers must be disciplined in several areas in order to create and implement curriculum
1.2.1.6. method of instruction
1.2.1.6.1. children learn both individually and in groups
1.2.1.6.2. problem-solving or inquiry method
1.2.1.6.3. nontraditional instruction that promotes natural ways of learning
1.2.1.6.4. individualized study, problem solving, and the project method
1.2.1.7. curriculum and assessment
1.2.1.7.1. core curriculum or integrated curriculum
1.2.1.7.2. working from known to unknown; "expanding environments"
1.2.1.7.3. curriculum changes as the social order changes and as children's interests and needs change
2. Schools as Organizations
3. Equality of Opportunity
4. Educational Inequality
5. Education Reform
6. Purpose of Education
6.1. Social: to help solve social problems by sparking change in the way children are socialized into the roles, behaviors, and values of society. (PG 22)
7. Vision of Education
7.1. Progressive view of education: Schools are central to solving social problems, as a vehicle for upward mobility, as essential to the development of individual potential, and as an integral part of democratic society. (PG 26)
8. Politics of Education
8.1. Based on the writings of nineteenth-century German philosopher and political economist Karl Marx. (PG 25)
8.2. Radical Perspective suggests that the capitalist system produces fundamental contradictions that ultimately will lead to its transformation into socialism. (PG 25)
8.3. The role of the school should be to reduce inequality of educational results and provide upward social mobility. Unfortunately, schools have not been able to fulfill this role and in fact schools reproduce unequal economic conditions. (PG 28)
8.4. Radicals explain that students from lower socio-economic backgrounds begin with unequal opportunities. (PG 29)
8.5. Radicals blame the economic system, not the educational system, for unequal educational performance. (PG 29)
8.6. Radicals argue the following are the main educational problems:
8.6.1. the educational system has failed the poor, minorities, and women through classist, racist,sexist, and homophobic policies. (PG 29)
8.6.2. schools have stifled critical understanding of the problems of American society through a curriculum and teaching practices that promote conformity. (PG 30)
8.6.3. traditional curriculum is classist, racist, homophobic, and leaves out the cultures, histories, and voices of the oppressed. (PG 30)
8.6.4. the educational system promotes inequality of opportunity and results. (PG 30)
8.7. Radicals support the following programs and reforms:
8.7.1. most liberal reforms as long as they lead to greater equality of educational results. (PG 31)
8.7.2. Programs should result in greater democratization of schools (PG 31)
8.7.3. Curriculum should involve "critical pedagogy" (PG 31)
8.7.3.1. Critical pedagogy enables teachers and students to understand educational and social problems and to see potential solutions. (PG 31)
8.7.4. Curriculum and teaching should be multicultural, antiracist, antisexist, anticlassist, and antihomophobic. Aimed at sensitizing students to classism, racism, sexism, and homophobia. (PG 31)
8.7.5. Samuel Bowles argues that educational equality cannot be achieved through changes to the school system alone. (PG 31)
8.8. Radicals believe that the educational system has failed at upholding the democratic promise of the "American Dream" because historical records suggest that students from different class backgrounds were offered different types of education. (PG 32)
9. History of US Education
9.1. Progressive Movement
9.2. Historical interpretation: Radical-revisionist
9.2.1. pessimistic interpretation of US educational history
9.2.2. do not deny that the educational system has expanded, BUT believes that it expanded to meet the needs of the elite for economic efficiency and for control of the working class and immigrants.
9.2.3. each educational reform led to increased stratification within the educational system - working class, poor, and minority students getting the short end of the stick
10. Sociological Perspectives
10.1. Interactional Theories
10.1.1. Critiques and extensions of the functional and conflict theories.
10.1.2. Conflict and functional theories are too abstract; macrosociological level of analysis.
10.1.3. Interactional theories emphasize microsociological level of analysis.
10.1.3.1. What do students and teachers actually do in the classrooms?
10.1.3.2. How students are labeled "gifted" or "learning disabled" is important to analyze.
10.1.4. Basil Bernstein argues that the structural aspects of the educational system and the interactional aspects reflect each other and must be viewed wholistically.