1. Politics of Education
1.1. Conservative Perspective: evolutionary theories of Charles Darwin.
1.2. Developed by the sociologist William Graham Sumner.
1.3. enables the strongest individuals and/or groups to survive.
1.4. looks at human and social evolution as adaptation to changes in the environment.
1.5. Argues that free market capitalism allows for the maximization of economic growth.
1.6. Reagan philosophy is the individual is only capable of solving their own problems.
2. History of U.S. Education
2.1. Plessy v. Ferguson
2.1.1. Separate but equal
2.1.2. Colorblind treatment of all races
2.1.3. Precedent through the first half of the twentieth century
2.2. Radical interpretation of U.S. education
2.3. Conservative Perspectives
2.3.1. Diane Ravitch provided a passionate critique of the radical-revisionist perspective
3. Sociological Perceptions
3.1. Effects of Schooling on Individuals
3.1.1. Employment
3.1.1.1. higher income
3.1.1.2. determines who will be employed but not performance
3.1.1.3. greater opportunities is high school graduate
3.1.2. Education and Mobility
3.1.2.1. education may have little to do with mobility with the rich and poor
3.1.2.2. education leads to economic and social mobility
3.1.2.3. difference in amount of education
3.1.3. Knowledge and Attitudes
3.1.3.1. more years of schooling lead to grater knowledge and social participation
3.1.3.2. the higher the social class background, the higher his or her achievement level
3.1.3.3. the more education, the more likely they are to read newspapers, books and magazines
4. Philosophy of Education
4.1. Generic Notions
4.1.1. Evil comes from ignorance
4.1.2. School determines the life of the student
4.1.3. Realists reject the Platonic notion that only ideas are real
4.2. Key Researchers
4.2.1. Plato
4.2.1.1. Education moves individuals toward "good"
4.2.1.2. Ideas were what mattered above all
4.2.1.3. Believed the world of matter was in a constant state of flux
4.2.1.3.1. Matter is an inaccurate measure of truth since it is always changing
4.2.1.4. Believed the only constant was mathematics
4.2.1.5. Method of doing philosophy was to engage another individual in a dialogue and question their point of view
4.3. Goal of Education
4.3.1. Discovery of truth requires resposibility
4.3.2. Idealists subscribe to the notion that education is transformation
4.3.2.1. Ideas can change lives
4.3.3. The goal of education is to help individuals understand then apply the principles of science to help solve the problems plaguing the world
4.3.4. Teachers encourage students to search for truth as individuals
4.4. Role of the Teacher
4.4.1. Should aim to connect analysis
4.4.2. Linking ideas to action
4.4.3. Bring out what the students are already thinking
4.4.4. It is the teachers responsibility to discuss ideas with the students
4.4.5. Progressive setting: the teacher is no longer the authoritarian figure
4.4.5.1. The teacher assumes the peripheral position of facilitator
4.5. Method of Instruction
4.5.1. Idealist teachers take an active part in their students' learning
4.5.2. Students are encouraged to discuss, analyze, synthesize and apply
4.5.3. Realists would support lecture and question and answer
4.5.4. Realists believe in objective criteria for judging the value of artistic and literary works
4.5.5. Realists believe that the material world holds the key to the ideal world
4.5.6. Traditional blocks of time for specific discipline instruction were eliminated
4.6. Curriculum
4.6.1. Back-to-basics approach to education
4.6.2. All contemporary problems have their roots in the past
4.6.3. Existentialists and phenomenologists would choose curriculum heavily biased toward the humanities
4.6.4. Art, drama, and music encourage personal interaction
4.6.5. Curriculum is not objective or value free
4.6.5.1. Curriculum is socially constructed
5. Schools as Organizations
5.1. Walker County District 4
5.1.1. Steven Aderholt
5.2. State Senators
5.2.1. Richard Shelby
5.2.2. Jefferson Sessions
5.3. Representatives
5.3.1. Bradley Byrne
5.3.2. Martha Roby
5.3.3. Terri Sewell
5.3.4. Mo Brooks
5.3.5. Gary Palmer
5.3.6. Mike Rogers
5.3.7. Robert Aderholt
5.4. State Superintendent
5.4.1. Thomas Bice
5.5. Board of Education
5.5.1. President
5.5.1.1. Willie Moore
5.5.2. Vice President
5.5.2.1. Teresa Sherer
5.5.3. Members
5.5.3.1. Walker Wilson
5.5.3.2. Steven Gillot
5.5.3.3. Mary Beth Barber
6. Curriculum and Pedagogy
6.1. Sociological Curriculum
6.1.1. Functionalist
6.1.1.1. Teach Values
6.1.1.2. Schools need to prepare the students for complex roles in modern society
6.1.1.3. Function in democratic society
6.1.1.4. The role of curriculum is to give students the knowledge, language, and values to ensure social stability.
6.2. Historical Curriculum
6.2.1. Social Efficiency
6.2.1.1. School is based on ablility
6.2.1.2. Individual to society
6.2.1.3. Pragmatic approach
6.2.1.4. Variable and flexable
6.2.1.5. Different groups with different needs in schooling
7. Equality of Opportunity
7.1. The Coleman Study
7.1.1. Private schools demand more from students than public schools.
7.1.2. private schools outperform public schools in all subjects
7.1.3. enforcing discipline
7.1.4. controversial
7.1.5. Coleman's findings have withstood all criticisms
7.2. Women
7.2.1. More women are attending post secondary institutions than men
7.2.2. Less likely to drop out of school than males
7.2.3. more likely to have reading proficiency levels than men
8. Educational Inequality
8.1. School financing
8.1.1. controversial
8.1.2. discriminatory under the 14th amendment
8.1.3. Independent School District v. Rodgriguez
8.1.3.1. local property tax as basis for school funding
8.1.4. Serrano v. Priest
8.1.4.1. Unequal school financing between wealthy and poor districts unconstitutional
8.2. Genetic differences
8.2.1. controversial
8.2.2. The Bell Curve
8.2.3. Arthur Jensen
8.2.4. biological problem
9. Educational Reform
9.1. 1980s to 2012
9.1.1. twin goals of excellence and equity
9.1.2. clarify educational goals
9.1.3. recruit, train and retain more academically able teachers
9.1.4. education to teach about technology
9.2. Federal Involvement
9.2.1. all children will start school ready to learn
9.2.2. high school graduation rate increase 90%
9.2.3. American adults will be literate
9.2.4. schools will be free of drugs and violence