My Foundations of Education

1. Schools as Organizations

1.1. US Senators: Richard Shelby, Jeff Sessions

1.1.1. US Representative: Mo Brooks

1.1.1.1. Governor: Robert Bently

1.1.1.1.1. State Senator: Bill Holtzclaw

1.2. France

1.2.1. More centralized than the US.

1.2.2. The central government in France controls the educational system.

1.2.3. One school system for ordinary people and one for the elites.

1.2.4. The system stratifies students by their social class background.

2. Politics of Education

2.1. Political Perspective: Conservative

2.1.1. 1. From the perspective of the conservatives, individuals/groups must compete against each other in order to survive and that human progress is dependent on the individual person's initiative and drive. This is much like Darwinism.

2.1.2. 2. If you view education from the conservative perspective, you most likely view school as essential to economic productivity as well as social ability. Personally, that is how I view schooling. In today's society, it is very difficult to "succeed" without some sort of education. Each individual view success differently, but if you look at it from a financial/career standpoint, without an education, you can only go so far without higher education (in certain jobs).

2.1.3. 3. Conservatives believe that achievement is based on hard work and sacrifice. I believe you will not go very far in life if you do not work hard. Sacrifice, to me, means giving something up in order to better yourself or help others better themselves. That could be time, money, or resources.

2.2. Vision of Education: Traditional AND Progressive

2.2.1. 1. If your vision of education is traditional, you most likely view the schools as necessary to the transmission of the traditional values of U.S. society, Personally, I really value traditional values such as hard work and family unity. However, I also feel that school should be a place where students can be problem-solvers and motivators to themselves and others.

2.2.2. 2. Traditionalists tend to want to keep the best of what was and what is and pass that along. I do not necessarily thinks that mean that you cannot stay up-to-date with methods of teaching, it just means do not throw something that works great, just because it is an older method. If it works, it works. I also agree with the textbook when it says schools should be part of the steady progress of making things better.

2.2.3. 3. Most people who have a conservative perspective also share a more traditional vision of education. Personally, I do not think it has to be either/or. There are negatives and positives to both visions. A teacher can have methods from both traditional and progressive visions of education. While the majority of my vision meets the criteria of traditional, I also agree with several of the progressive vision methods. There are several pros and cons to both visions. Here is a link to a blog I found that I really like and it has a list of characteristics for both: http://brianaspinall.com/an-educational-debate-10-progressive-vs-traditional-teaching-ideas-by-mraspinall/. There are several things on each list that I really agree with.

2.2.4. Here is a chart I found on google that has characteristics for both visions. I think each situation/lesson/classroom is different and there are times where you may be more traditional and then in a few minutes you might do something more progressive.

3. Philosophy of Education

3.1. Exstitentialism

3.1.1. 1. Generic Notions. According to existentialist, individuals must make sense out of chaos. People create themselves so that they can create their own meaning. People create themselves and their meaning by the choices that they make. Existentialists believe that people constantly create chaos and order and good and evil. Existentialists believe people have a huge amount of freedom and responsibility.

3.1.2. 2. Key researches. The founder of existentialism is a European named Soren Kierkerguard. More modern existentialists are Martin Buber, Karl Jaspers, Jean Paul Sartre, and Maxine Greene.

3.1.3. 3. Goals of Education. Existentialists believe that education should focus more on the cognitive and affective needs of the individual. They stress individuality. Existentialists believe in emphasizing possibility and liberating individuals from the chaotic world. They think that students should know the tensions of the world as well,

3.1.4. 4. Role of a Teacher. Existentialists believe that teachers should take risks. Teachers should try and "break through" to resistant students. The role of the teacher has a huge responsibility.

3.1.5. 5. Methods of iInstruction. Existential teachers are very personable. A lot of teachers today are existentialists. These teachers believe that each student has a different learning style and it is up to the teacher to find out what that is. They help students understand the world through asking questions, creating activities, and working together.

3.1.6. 6. Curriculum. Most existentialists heavily focus on humanities.. They focus quite a bit on literature, as it brings new levels of awareness. They stress art, drama, and music because it focuses on personal interaction. They believe in exposing students early to problems and possibilities.

4. Equality of Opportunity

4.1. Achievement and Attainment- African Americans

4.1.1. The gaps in reading and math between African Americans and whites grew smaller from 1973-1986, but then got larger as time went on from '86-'99. These gaps have remained pretty relevant from then on.

4.1.2. All of the scales in the text show African Americans significantly lower than whites.

4.1.3. The data shows that African Americans still lag behind white students in educational achievement and attainment.

4.2. Coleman Study

4.2.1. McDill concluded that where an individual goes to school has little effect on his/her cognitive growth or educational mobility.

4.2.2. Studies showed that magnet schools were more innovative, learner centered, and mission driven.

4.2.3. The writer says that studies show equality does not go through the school house door.

5. Educational Reform

5.1. Teacher Education

5.1.1. Major Points of Debate: 1.Lack of rigor & demands 2. Need to attract and retain competent teachers 3. Need to reorganize the academic and professional components.

5.1.2. Some General Concerns: 1.All problems cannot be solved with teacher education 2. Teacher education programs need to be upgraded 3.Necessary changes need to be made to teacher's professional lives. (just to name a few.)

5.1.3. Some Recommendations: 1. Get serious about the standards 2.Reinvent teacher preparation and professional development. 3.Encourage and reward teacher knowledge and skill.

5.2. School Finance Reforms

5.2.1. 1973- Rodriguez v. San Antonio- no rights for equal education

5.2.2. 1990- Court ruled that more funding was needed for poorer schools

5.2.3. 1998- implemented supplemental programs

5.2.4. 2009-issues SFRA

6. History of U.S. Education

6.1. Reform Movement That I Thought Had the Most Influence: Equality of Opportunity- Race

6.1.1. 1. It took a long time to get schools to be equal for women, as well as for it to be equal among different races...especially African Americans. The focal point of the civil rights movements during the 30s, 40s, and 50s was separate, and very unequal, education of African Americans. "Separate but equal" was a complete flop. Education was definitely separate, but far from equal.

6.1.2. 2. Thankfully, in 1954 following the Brown vs. The Topeka Board of Education case, the Supreme Court reversed "separate but equal" and stated that is was unconstitutional. There were separate cases inside of this case that ranged over four different states. However, this movement did not automatically fix all of the segregation.

6.1.3. 3. Ten long years after that case, the Civil Rights Movement was passed by congress in 1964 and ended Jim Crow. Race, sadly, is still an issue today. As recently as the 1970s and 80s there were still issues in Boston regarding desegregation. Today there are arguments that schools are still practically segregated in some areas. They also argue that there is an achievement gap between black and white students. Personally, at my elementary and high school, I did not see any segregation. My school was pretty equal in the amount of whites vs. African Americans. There were plenty of people, white and black, who graduated with excellent GPAs and were college bound.

6.2. Historical Interpretation: Colonial Times

6.2.1. 1. During the colonial times, mainly only the sons of the rich were required to be educated. Settlers, planters, and townsmen hired tutors for their sons, and then if they could afford it, send them to Europe to go to universities. Some of the wealthiest sons attended universities in the states. Some of those institutions included Harvard, Yale, and Princeton.

6.2.2. 2. This is the era of Puritans in New England. They believed in the "Old Deluder Laws." These laws chastised parents for not tending to their children's ability to read and understand religion and capital laws. Parents were fined for their children's wanton and immodest behavior. These laws were set up to keep the old deluder, Satan, away. Often times, however, towns did not obey these laws because they were very unpopular. They studied from the "Little Bible of New England", also known as The New England Primer. More than 3 million copies were sold. Students mastered content through memorization. They thought hard work was very important.

6.2.2.1. Here is a picture of a page from The New England Primer. (click the arrow to take you there.)

6.2.3. 3. Benjamin Franklin believed that the students should pursue a course of study that they could master, rather than just rote learning. Benjamin Franklin's views were based on utilitarianism. He thought that students should learn secular and utilitarian courses rather than religious and classic ones. He was a big believer in bettering yourself. He thought you could achieve self improvement through education. Franklin thought that the best safeguard for our democracy was for the people to be literate.

6.2.4. 4. The middle colonies were controlled by Quakers and were more diverse. The South, however, viewed education differently. The upper-class' education took place at home most of the time. They were taught things like plantation management (for both gender roles). Sometimes, boys were sent away to schools in England. Schools for African Americans did not exist. They were kept illiterate so their "superior owners" always kept control. Native American's formal schooling was confined mainly to missionary activities.

7. Curriculum and Pedagogy

7.1. Developmental Curriculum

7.1.1. This is related to the needs and interests of the student, not the society.

7.1.2. Student-centered curriculum, progressive approach.. This approach is flexible in what you teach and how you teach.

7.1.3. The teacher is not a "transmitter of knowledge" but is instead a facilitator.

7.2. Functionalist

7.2.1. Believe that the role of the curriculum is to give students the knowledge, language, and values the ensure social stability.

7.2.2. Teaches students the values that are essential to modern society.

7.2.3. Moves away from teaching students through memorization and instead teaches students how to learn.

8. Educational Inequality

8.1. Functionalist

8.1.1. Think that the schooling process will have unequal results.

8.1.1.1. They think that they should be based on the individual's differences, not the groups.

8.1.2. Realize that there is a relationship between family background and education backgrounds.

8.2. School-Centered Explanation- School Financing

8.2.1. There are differences between affluent and poor school's financing. There should be equality in this. .

8.2.2. Affluent schools are able to spend more on per-pupil every year rather than the poorer schools.

8.2.3. Affluent schools have higher taxes thus, they get more fundraising.

9. Sociology of Education

9.1. Theoretical Perspective Concerning the Relationship Between School and Society: Functionalist Theory

9.1.1. 1. Functionalists have an outlook on society that involves interdependence. My analogy of interdependence in society is like we depend of a grocery store to provide us food, grocery stores depend on farmers to sell them goods, and farmers depend on the grocery stores to sell their crops. The book describes it as a machine where one part articulates with another to make society work.

9.1.2. 2. Durkheim was pretty much the the inventor of the sociology of education. According to our textbook, he believed that "education was of critical importance in creating the moral unity necessary for social cohesion and harmony." Emile Durkheim felt that moral values were the foundation of society.

9.1.3. 3. A functionalist thinks that an educational reform is to create structures, programs, and curriculum that are advanced technically, rational, and encourage social unity.

9.2. 3 Effects of Schooling on Individuals that I Think Have the Greatest Impact on Students

9.2.1. 1. Peer Groups and Alienation. I think that this plays a HUGE role in education. Everyone has seen movies Mean Girls. Thankfully, in my grade we were all pretty close and there was not really any cliques. But, That is not true for all schools. I cannot imagine how miserable school must be for kids who are mistreated and made fun of daily. The textbook mentions subcultures for college: careerists, intellectuals, strivers, and unconnected. I feel like there are elementary and high school versions of that as well. School works much like a society. People form groups, traditions, cultures, and restraints.

9.2.2. 2. Knowledge and Attitudes. Personally, I believe that you get out of life what you put in it. If you go to school and do not let yourself have fun, learn, and make friends then you will have a terrible 13+ years of school. The text tells us that the higher the social class background, generally the higher of the student's achievement level. I find that to be true in a lot of situations. People from higher social classes often take up more time with their children, or pay someone else to do so. There are many stay-at-home moms who constantly read to their children and help them with school work. Other parents who are single and have to work two jobs may not be able to take up time like that with their kids and that, in turn, may hurt that child's schooling, especially in elementary school. If kids lack goals in elementary schools my guess is that they will not have any will to try hard in the upper grades and may not even attempt to go to college or get a trade. The text also says that more educated people read more news, take up more time in politics and public affairs, and are often more liberal. I, personally, have went to school K-12 and am in my 3rd year of college and am not very interested in politics of the news and am not liberal. I think that is partly because there seems to be no "good" news now-a-days. But, I can see how that statement is true. "Education is also related to the individuals' sense of well-being and self-esteem." I would agree with that statement. School is like a society and how that society affects you impacts your life and your outlook.

9.2.3. 3. Teacher Behavior. As the book states, teachers wear many different hats. Teachers are sometimes the only ones to hug you or care. A student would not want to go to a classroom where they feel like they are not free to make mistakes and learn from them, I could not stand one of my teachers because of her behavior. She HIGHLY favored that boys that played sports. They got excellent grades and did hardly no work to earn it. I hated going to her class and can honestly say I did not learn one thing from her that year. That behavior had an impact on me, negatively. But I also had teachers who had a huge positive impact on me too. Teachers are models for students and they should act like it. They influence their student's self-esteem and sense of efficiency. Teachers should not be held accountable for all of society's failings, but teachers should always think about how their actions may affect a student's education or life.