1. Politics of Education
1.1. Progressive View
1.1.1. The schools are a way to help solve social issues.
1.1.1.1. Upward mobility, and equality of opportunity can help to bring further generations of minorities and disadvantaged people groups to more prominent positions in society.
1.1.2. Meets the economic needs of society and individualism is maintained.
1.1.2.1. The teaching process can be shaped around the way students learn. Again, individualism this time in learning. Differing needs of students can be met instead of trying to force everyone into the same mold.
1.1.2.2. It is important to let the individualism of students emerge. Academic standards seem great, but they hold students accountable unfairly. The way one student expresses his grasp of a subject may be valued less than another's even if they know the same things. Progressivism can create accountability while valuing individualism.
1.1.3. Schools can change with society.
1.1.3.1. The adaptability of a progressive system will allow it to meet the needs of soceity and cultures as they change.
1.2. Liberal
1.2.1. Equal opportunity
1.2.1.1. The nature of a wholly unregulated capitalist system of education will leave the impoverished and disadvantaged out of reach of most of the benefits available to others.
1.2.1.2. Funding
1.2.1.3. Equal performance and expectation
1.2.1.3.1. Achievement Gap
1.2.1.3.2. Urban education
1.2.2. Reform
1.2.2.1. The New Deal
1.2.3. Socialization
1.2.3.1. Using schools as tools for developing young people properly functioning members of society.
1.2.3.1.1. Job Training
1.2.3.1.2. Socialization
1.2.3.1.3. Role discovery
2. History of US Education
2.1. Democratic-Liberal
2.1.1. Equality
2.1.1.1. Expansion of opportunity
2.1.1.2. Purpose
2.1.1.3. Cremin sees the tensions between equality and excellences as resulting in necessary compromise.(p.83)
2.1.2. The common school development is a victory for the equality of education. (p. 83) Cubberly and Curti.
2.2. Common School
2.2.1. Horacman Mann
2.2.1.1. First Secartary of Education
2.2.1.2. Promoted and forwarded the concept of public education.
2.2.2. Free Public education
2.2.2.1. Makes education available to everyone, at least in theory.
2.2.2.2. Government funded
3. Sociological Perspectives
3.1. Effects of schooling on individuals
3.1.1. Knowledge
3.1.1.1. Heyns' data suggests students benefit from yearround learning. (p.121)
3.1.1.1.1. Is this support for the year round school model?
3.1.1.2. policies effect learning outcomes
3.1.1.3. academic subjects and discipline increase achievement levels
3.1.1.3.1. can this work to reduce the achievement gap, or does it only increase it?
3.1.2. Employment
3.1.2.1. schools are the creators of the workforce
3.1.2.2. Education does not necessarily make one better at a job, but increases the job opportunities available.
3.1.3. Upward mobility
3.1.3.1. Socioeconomic upward mobility begins in the school.
3.1.3.1.1. though some question it's effectiveness, it doesn't start anywhere else.
3.1.3.2. whether or not upward mobility works or not, and whether it works fairly or not depends on if it is truly equal.
3.2. Interactional theory
3.2.1. Questions the reasons behind educational operations.
3.2.1.1. How are students labeled gifted or slow?
3.2.1.1.1. Is this process the same across all social classes and racial groups?
3.2.2. Distinctive qualities of class
3.2.2.1. Basil Bernstien has studied how speech patterns reflect social class.
4. Philosophy of Education
4.1. Instruction
4.1.1. Progressive
4.1.1.1. Problem-solving
4.1.1.2. Inquiry Method
4.1.2. A balance between teaching each student uniquely and teaching for the group. Ultimately, every class is one group of unique individuals who may benefit from variety if nothing else.
4.1.2.1. Individualized approach
4.1.2.2. Group approach
4.1.2.3. Multiple Intelligence
4.2. Goal of Education
4.2.1. Students should be prepared for emplyment
4.2.1.1. Economic
4.2.1.2. This is not job training per se, but the basic skills, grammar, math, science, and so on, serve as necessary tools in any and all forms of employment.
4.2.2. It should work to in some ways overcome social issues.
4.2.2.1. This is not the primary goal, but an equality important secondary objective.
4.3. The Teacher
4.3.1. Severs to direct the development of the student.
4.3.2. Content Expert
4.4. Curriculum
4.4.1. Should present a core curriculum of basic skills
4.4.1.1. Beneficial for personal development
4.4.2. Should provide opportunities for individual expression through the arts and humanities.
4.5. Progressive
4.5.1. John Dewey
5. Schools as Organizations
5.1. Politicians
5.1.1. Arthur Orr
5.1.1.1. State Senator
5.1.2. Tommy Bice
5.1.2.1. State Superintendent
5.1.3. Morgan county Board of Education
5.1.3.1. Bill Hopkins
5.1.3.1.1. Superintendent
5.1.3.2. Members
5.1.3.2.1. Jimmy Dobbs
5.1.3.2.2. Adam Glenn
5.1.3.2.3. Jeff McLemore
5.1.3.2.4. Mike Tarpley
5.1.3.2.5. Tom Earwood
5.1.3.2.6. Paul Holmes
5.1.3.2.7. Billy Rhodes
5.1.3.3. Lee Willis
5.1.3.3.1. Deputy Superintendent
5.2. British Schooling Comparison
5.2.1. Historically, very stratified by class.
5.2.1.1. The US has done similar things in more of a roundabout way.
5.2.1.1.1. Tracking
5.2.1.1.2. Workforce training centered education
5.2.1.2. The common school was never meant to be used in this way in the U.S. It has not always been perfect, however.
5.2.2. Some of the Thacher era reforms mention parental choice.
5.2.2.1. Charter School like?
5.2.3. Large focus on national assessments
5.2.3.1. Though it does not appear to be exactly like it is NCLB standards, it still places high value on the assessments
6. Curriculum and Pedagogy
6.1. Developmentalist Curriculum
6.1.1. Teacher as Facilitator
6.1.2. The relationship this curriculum tries to create between life experiences and the material is a valuable endeavor.
6.1.3. The Student and the Curriculum
6.2. Functionalists
6.2.1. Functioning in Society
6.2.1.1. Knowledge
6.2.1.2. Language
6.2.2. Cultural Transmission
6.2.2.1. Maintaining a certain degree of cultural awareness and unity
6.2.3. Social Order
7. Equality of Opportunity
7.1. African-American
7.1.1. Achievement
7.1.1.1. Reading
7.1.1.1.1. African Americans consistantly score some 30 to 40 points lower in reading scores at all ages.
7.1.1.1.2. Shows to be trending upward
7.1.1.2. Math
7.1.2. Attainment
7.1.2.1. HS Graduation rates
7.1.2.1.1. 84% graduation compared to 92% for whites.
7.1.2.2. College Degrees
7.1.2.2.1. 19% bachelor's degree attainment compared to 33% for whites.
7.2. Coleman Study
7.2.1. Round One
7.2.1.1. Student centered learning
7.2.1.2. School differences have little impact on learning outcomes.
7.2.1.2.1. More importance on the individual.
8. Educational Inequality
8.1. Cultural Differences
8.1.1. cultural conditioning
8.1.1.1. Tests, books, and schooling in general are designed with certain pre-school knowledge in mind.
8.1.1.1.1. Partly a cultural deprivation theory
8.2. School Financing
8.2.1. Non-public funding per-student
8.2.1.1. Even if all government funding per-student expenditures were equal across the board, the additional costs laid on families unable to pay them creates a per-student funding issue regardless of equal spending.
8.2.2. Per-student funding remains close to within a margin of error.
8.2.3. Increased spending in failing schools is needed
8.2.3.1. Though I don't think unequal funding is the cause of failing school per se, it may prove to be a worthy investment.
9. Educational Reform
9.1. School based reform
9.1.1. Charter Schools
9.1.1.1. Provides an alternative to failing schools.
9.1.1.2. Creates experimental models
9.1.1.2.1. I don't think charter schools serve as a replacement for real public school overhaul, they do create models and data which can be used to determine paths to real public reform.
9.2. Community Based Reform
9.2.1. Community Education
9.2.1.1. Harlem Children's Zone
9.2.2. Community services
9.2.2.1. Health
9.2.2.2. Job training
9.2.2.3. Tutoring
9.2.2.4. Drug and Alcohol programs
9.2.3. Improved Home Life
9.2.3.1. The home environment is a significant factor education.
9.2.3.1.1. Better home life and community environment reduces negative influences, and provides positive focus towards education.