1. Chapter 2: The Politics of Education
1.1. The four purposes of education
1.1.1. 1. Intellectual
1.1.1.1. Teaching basic cognitive skills like reading, writing, and math so that the students can learn higher level material and eventually help students develop higher-order thinking skills.
1.1.2. 2. Political
1.1.2.1. To teach students about patriotism, political order, and the basic laws of society.
1.1.3. 3. Social
1.1.3.1. To form trust and socialize children. To teach them the roles, behaviors, and values of the society. Socialization: key to having a stable society.
1.1.4. 4. Economic
1.1.4.1. The way in which a school decides to prepare students for their role in the real world in jobs and society.
1.2. Perspective
1.2.1. 1. The role of school
1.2.1.1. Conservatives' perspective of school is that it prepares hard working individuals for their place in the maintenance of social order.
1.2.1.2. Liberal perspective views the school as the opportunity to help all students succeed in society.
1.2.2. 2. Explanations of unequal performance
1.2.2.1. The liberal perspective is that some students might begin school with different life chances making some have significantly more advantages than others. The think society must attempt to equalize the playing field so that all students have the same opportunites.
1.2.3. 3. Definitions of educational Problems
1.2.3.1. Decline of Standards
1.2.3.1.1. Schools systematically lowered academic standards and reduced educational quality in response to liberals demands for equality in the 60s and 70s.
1.2.3.2. Decline of Cultural literacy
1.2.3.2.1. Schools watered down the traditional curriculum and weakened the school's ability to pass on the heritage of American and Western civilizations.
1.2.3.3. Decline of values or of civilization
1.2.3.3.1. Schools no longer teach moral standards and values.
1.2.3.4. Decline of authority
1.2.3.4.1. Schools lost their disciplinary function.
2. Chapter 3: The History of Education
2.1. Reform Movement
2.1.1. Progressive Era
2.1.1.1. High school education to majority of adolescents.
2.2. Historical Interpretation
2.2.1. Democratic-Liberal School
2.2.1.1. Believe that the educational system must continue to move closer to both equality and excellence, without sacrificing one or the other too much.
3. Chapter 4: The Sociology of Education
3.1. Relation between School and Society
3.1.1. Theoretical Perspectives
3.1.1.1. Functionalism
3.1.1.1.1. Emile Durkheim set the tone for how present day functionalists approach the study of education. He believed that moral values were the foundation of society. Emphasize Cohesion in explaining social order.
3.1.1.2. Conflict Theory
3.1.1.2.1. Emphasize struggle. Schools are similar to social battlefields. Students struggle against teachers, and teachers against administrators.
3.1.1.3. Interactionalism
3.1.1.3.1. The focus on everyday interaction between students and other students, and students and teachers.
3.1.2. 5 Effects of Schooling on Individuals
3.1.2.1. Knowledge
3.1.2.1.1. Academically oriented schools produce higher rates of learning.
3.1.2.2. Employment
3.1.2.2.1. Graduating from college will lead to greater employment opportunities.
3.1.2.3. Teacher Behavior
3.1.2.3.1. The effect that teachers can have on students' learning and behavior.
3.1.2.4. Student Peer Groups and Alienation
3.1.2.4.1. Adult culture of teachers and administrators is conflicted with student culture, which can lead to alienation and violence.
3.1.2.5. Inadequate Schools
3.1.2.5.1. Inadequate schools can fail to educate minority and poor children.
4. Chapter 5: The Philosophy of Education
4.1. Pragmatism
4.1.1. A pragmatist focuses on discovering solutions to problems and to achieve their desired end result.
4.1.2. Generic Notions
4.1.2.1. Dewey's progressive methodology rested on the notion that children were active, organic beings, growing and changing, and thus required a course of study that would reflect their particular stages of development.
4.1.3. Key Researchers
4.1.3.1. John Dewey
4.1.3.2. John Locke
4.1.3.3. Jean-Jacques Rousseau
4.1.4. Goal of Education
4.1.4.1. Dewey believed that the schools should balance the needs of society and community on one hand and the needs of the individual in the other.
4.1.5. Role of Teacher
4.1.5.1. Teacher has the position of facilitator. Encourages, offers suggestions, questions, and helps plan course of study.
4.1.6. Method of Instruction
4.1.6.1. Problem-solving. Formal instruction was abandoned. Field trips and projects were integrated into instruction.
4.1.7. Curriculum
4.1.7.1. Expanding environments - working from the known to unknown. Curriculum changes as children's interests and needs change.