My Foundations of Education

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My Foundations of Education by Mind Map: My Foundations of Education

1. Schools as Organizations

1.1. Major Stakeholders in District 6(Morgan County)

1.1.1. 1. State Senators: Richard Shelby & Jeff Sessions

1.1.2. 2. Representatives: Mo Brooks & Robery Aderholt

1.1.3. 3. State Superintendent: Thomas R. Bice

1.1.4. 4. Representative on State School board: Dr. Charles E. Elliot

1.1.5. 5. Local Superintendent: Morgan County: Billy W. Hopkins

1.1.6. 6. Local School Board: Mr. Billy J. Rhodes (Chairman), Mr. Paul Holmes (Vice Chairman) Boardmembers: Mr. Tom Earwood, Mr. Jimmy Dobbs, Mr. Adam Rex Glenn, Mr. Jeff McLemore, & Mr. Mike Tarpley

1.2. U.S. School System compared to Germany's School System

1.2.1. 1. Germany selects and sorts it's children at a relatively young age and tracks them into a tripartite system of secondary education.

1.2.2. 2. The Hauptschule is designed for those destined for blue-collar and lower-level service positions.

1.2.3. 3. The Realschule is for lower-level white-collar and technical positions.

1.2.4. 4. The Gymnasium is for academic preparation for university and the intellectual and management professions.

1.2.5. 5. About 25% qualify for university attendance which is state supported and tuition free.

1.2.6. 6. The German system is almost the opposite of the U.S. system. Primary schools in the U.S. are relatively untracked, and secondary schools, although slightly tracked, provide a relatively high degree of access to higher education.

2. Curriculum and Pedagogy

2.1. Social Meliorist Curriculum

2.1.1. 1. I like that this curriculum is a progressive form of Dewey's ideas on curriculum. It not only focuses on the children's interests but the society's problems as well as it can relate to curriculum.

2.1.2. 2. I like that this form of curriculum greatly involves the students in the curriculum but it also teaches the curriculum in a way in which children can use in today's society.

2.1.3. 3. This curriculum focuses on the role of the school as it may play into our society. I like that this will help our students relate the curriculum they are taught to their everyday life in society outside of school as well as in the classroom.

2.2. Modern Functionalist Theory

2.2.1. 1.I like the this theory stresses the importance of the role of the school in preparing students for the increasingly complex roles required in a modern society. Like it or not our society and moving forward at a rapid place and we need to keep our students moving along with the changing society.

2.2.2. 2.This theory focuses a lot also on not just teaching students information but teaching the students how to learn in general. Teaching students how to learn helps them to grow with the ever changing modern ways of our society.

2.2.3. 3.This theory is a positive view of the roles of the school in society. It stresses that what is taught in schools is what will be carried out in our society, therefore providing our students with the general norms, values, and knowledge required for the maintenance and development of modern society.

3. Equality of Opportunity

3.1. Educational Achievement and Attainment of Women/ Females

3.1.1. 1. Females achieve at higher levels in reading at ages 9,13, and 17.

3.1.2. 2. Females achieve at slightly higher levels in mathematics at age 9, and at lower levels at ages 13, and 17.

3.1.3. 3. Females achieve at lower levels in science at ages 9, 13, and 17.

3.1.4. 4. In the last 20 years, differences between men and women, in terms of educational attainment, have been reduced. Recent data indicates that girls have caught up to boys in academic achievement and attainment.

3.1.5. 5. It should also be noted that women are attending more post-secondary institutions than men.

3.2. The Coleman Study

3.2.1. After reading the Coleman Study, I must say I found the finding of Coleman and his team interesting as well. I do believe that each child has equal abilities to learn despite the schooling, but I also feel that in this generation of constantly changing and upgrading of technology and resources, if one school has access to the most current and socially utilized resources and another does not, this could definitely have an effect on the outcomes of the students in comparison.

4. Educational Inequality

4.1. Sociological Explanation of Unequal Achievement

4.1.1. I believe in the Cultural DifferenceTheories more than any other as an explanation of Unequal Achievement. I think that different social classes and cultural deprivations effect the child and perhaps the achievement level the child may begin attending school in comparison to different social classes and cultural deprivations child acheivement levels. Those in a higher social class or that are white-collar Americans may have more time with their parents because one is able to stay home and teach and socialize with them where as those in a different culture or class may have parents whom work 2nd and 3rd shift jobs and are not able to do as much preparing before the child starts school.

4.1.2. 2. I do not believe much in the relevance of genetics being an explanation of unequal achievement as there are many that have disproved this theory as I hope to teach students who continue to disprove this theory.

4.1.3. 3. The only way I can see Cultural Deprivation Theories being of relevance is in the field of technology and the deprivation of the socially accepted technology in any culture could create an obstacle for those students this may affect.

4.2. School-Centered Explaination

4.2.1. I think that socioeconomic composition is the main school Centered Explanation of unequal achievement. I believe that the financials available to schools has a huge impact on the potential of the teachers and student. I also think that socioeconomic composition can create the level of positiveness and productiveness in the school, the less the teachers have to spend on working through social problems of a lower class and income area, the more time that teacher has to teach and engage the students.

4.2.2. Curriculum and pedagogic practice could be studied in so many different perspectives that to say one works better than all others I would need very good evidence to call is the school centered explanation in the U.S.

5. Educational Reform & School Improvement

5.1. School-based Reform

5.1.1. 1. School choice is of big contraversy and I believe that there are many areas that can be discussed in this reform on whether Private/ Magnet schools are of higher achievement than public schools. The only evidence that supports this is that in the magnet schools and private schools students and parents can choose different or higher levels of curriculum.

5.1.2. 2. School-to-work programs are a significant factor in educational reform and school improvement outcomes in our society. The students in our schools should be educated in the options available to them outside of college education because a significant percentage of students in our nation do not go on to secondary schooling after high school and still need to be active functioning citizens in our society and our society still needs these people in the work force.

5.2. Abbott v. Burke Finance Reform

5.2.1. This reform was filed on behalf of the inequality of education in urban areas. This changed the funding for the urban and suburban school districts and provided extra funding to eliminate disadvantages within poorer school districts.

6. Politics of Education

6.1. Liberal

6.1.1. 1.Unequal Educational Performance- In schools individuals may begin school with different advantages and disadvantages than others, therefore, government policies and educational programs must be set into place.

6.1.2. 2.Educational Problems- The difference between schools in districts of high economic stability and the schools in districts of low or no economic stability are many, and create a large gap defined by the results of inequality in these different school areas along with direct relation to the student's economic background.

6.1.3. 3.The American Dream- I believe in "The American Dream" and that it should apply to those of any culture, economic background or, social status. I do not believe that we have not yet met our full potential of this idea being possible for all American citizens.

6.2. Progressive

6.2.1. 1. I do believe that in our society today that the school is the central and best place to do our problem solving and if we find a better way to educate that is different from the norm, then we should give it a shot for the chance that it could better the world for our future generations.

6.2.2. 2. I am not afraid of change or trying new methods in the classroom as long as one has substantial belief and evidence to which the method may be a "gain" in education and our future society.

6.2.3. 3. Schools should be part of the process of change in our society from generation to generation. Although, the history of education's past and methods are important, it is also just as important to be able to progress with the ever-changing variables of our economy for the greater good of the society.

7. History of U.S. Education

7.1. John Dewey

7.1.1. 1. John Dewey was progressive in the way that he believed all curriculum should instill the progress and history of mankind but also allow for student or child to grow in their interests and differences along with the changes of society.

7.1.2. 2. John Dewey's reforms were largely in favor and based on the child's impulses, feelings, and interests which lead to a way for "life adjustment" and acceptance of different interests and methods of learning in education for children.

7.1.3. 3. John Dewey argued that a child's active learning gains depended largely on weather the child's interests were sparked and engaged upon when educating and in teacher's teaching methods and many of Dewey's work led to a form of progressive education..

7.2. Democratic-Liberal School

7.2.1. 1. I believe in progressive evolution and school systems that provide equality of opportunity for all social classes, economic classes, and ethnic backgrounds of American citizens.

7.2.2. 2. I like the idea of expanding educational opportunity across all of our nation, making it available for all children including the disadvantaged.

7.2.3. 3. The reality of the Democratic-Liberal view is that necessary compromises must be made in order to make this dream and goal of educational opportunity expansion to all reachable in our evolving society today and in the future. The Compromises must be made carefully and are to sacrifice as little as possible when dealing with the ideals of equality and excellence.

8. Sociological Perspectives

8.1. Functional Perspectives

8.1.1. 1. I believe, like Durkheim, in the emphasis on values and cohesion in the school system is necessary to the successful functioning of the school for most individuals. This perspective allows for students to be placed where they need to be in order to cater to their most important educational needs.

8.1.2. 2. I like the idea that education in all societies is very important in creating moral unity not only in the school system but in society as a whole to work progressively together. In other words, this idea functions well with a changing society and creates minimal problems.

8.1.3. 3. This ideal of moral cohesion in the educational system does put a lot of responsibility and credibility on the teachers in our education system. Despite the weight that this idea of functional schooling may put on those in the education system, it has been proven to overcome deep social and economical problems without changing other aspects of U.S. society.

8.2. Effects of Schooling on Individuals

8.2.1. 1. The effects of economic background have been proven time and time again that there is a direct relation in it and their education gains. Thus, it has also been proven that if given the educational opportunities that are also available to those of higher social or economic backgrounds, those of the lesser can achieve great gains and results equal to those of the higher.

8.2.2. 2. Employment is also a huge effect of an individuals schooling results. Studies have shown that those who achieve higher income jobs are those with a more formal and higher degree of education. This education starts from childhood and it added upon through high school, college, or further education. I believe all children should have the educational opportunities to reach the goal in which they work educationally to achieve.

8.2.3. 3. Another example that hits home for me, is the results of schooling between private and public schools. I attended a public school but now sub in a private school, there difference in the number of children in each classroom alone are big and there is no way that the teachers in a public school get to spend near as much one on one time or accountability to each student as those in private schools. I believe this could have a big effect on individuals and create a gap in educational equality.

9. Philosophy of Education: Pragmatism Progressivism

9.1. John Dewey's ideas about education stresses that the child in the classroom needs to participate in the planning and project method of learning, meaning that the way a child learns in the classroom is strongly based on the needs and interests of the child to begin with. The purpose of this education idea is to form the components of education in direct relation to the child's interest in need for the better gain and good of society through education.

9.2. John Dewey, viewed as the heir of Charles Darwin, is the key researcher that I focus my philosophy of education on because he believed that a child's progress in education is largely based on the interaction between the child and their previous and present environment.

9.3. In this view of philosophy of education, growth is the main goal of education, not just growth, but growth leading to more growth. I believe in Dewey's belief that growth meant to make human beings who will live life to the fullest, add quality and meaning of their experience as well as direct their experience, participate actively with those in their communities, therefore, building a good, growing society.

9.4. The role of the teacher in a progressive setting is more one of an encouraging, supportive teacher who asks questions for the purpose of best planning his/her method of study for the students. This creates more work for the teacher, I think, because the point of this method is to be able to best plan all curriculum according to the student's different needs and interest requiring more research and possibly more time.

9.5. I believe in the method of instruction being based greatly on problem-solving or inquiry methods in both groups and individually because the method of study would also be formed around the student's interest and the ways a teacher sees that creates the most growth or progress in the student's education. I like the idea of problem solving because it relies greatly on the project method (Lockstep) using nontraditional yet natural ways of learning.

9.6. I am also in favor of a Child-centered integrated curriculum based on the child's interest, want to learn, imagination, and disregard for traditional subject matter for the greater gain in education and society.