1. Politics of Education
1.1. 4 Purposes of Education
1.1.1. Political- This is a way to prepare students for political order. The students are taught patriotism, and learn about political order
1.1.2. Social- This is a way to encourage the values of society. This is the purpose that gives the students a better understanding of the values, behavior, and roles of society.
1.1.3. Economic- This purpose is to better prepare students for the roles they will play in society later in life.
1.1.4. Intellectual- is to teach basic cognitive skills such as reading, writing, and math. To promote a higher-order of thinking such as: evaluation, analysis, and synthesis
1.2. Perspective: Conservative
1.2.1. The Role of the School- is a major factor to ensure both social stability and productivity in the work field. The role of the school is to provide the proper education to prepare hand-working individuals with the tools necessary for maximum economic growth.
1.2.2. Explanations of Unequal Performance- the performance of an individual or group is based on their hard work and sacrifice. The school system gives students an opportunity to succeed and achieve great things, but it is up to the individual or group to do so.
1.2.3. Definition of Educational Problems- In response to demands for great equality, lowered the standards of academics to reduce the educational equality. In doing this, there is a more watered down curriculum which looses some of the heritage that was being passed down.
2. Sociology of Education
2.1. Theoretical Perspectives
2.1.1. Functional theory- sociologist begin with a picture of society that stresses the interdependence of the social system
2.1.2. Conflict theory- sociologists argue that the social order is not based on some collective agreement, but on the ability to dominant groups to impose their will on subordinate groups through force, cooptation and manipulation
2.1.3. International theory- primarily critiques and extensions of the functional and conflict perspectives
2.2. Effects of Schooling
2.2.1. Employment- Students will graduate from college with a greater opportunity for employment
2.2.2. Teacher Behavior- The attitude of the teacher plays a role in the classroom. The teacher sets the attitude of the classroom and are models for the students.
2.2.3. Gender- Men and women do not share equally in U.S. Society. By the end of schooling, women have a lower self-esteem and lower aspirations that boys do. Most women are teachers and more administration is men, could this have an effect on the gender gap?
2.2.4. De Facto Segregation- Inequalities, particularly racial and ethnic inequalities is through de facto segregation. Evidence indicates that racially mixed schools benefit minorities and do NOT suppress white achievement.
2.2.5. Tracking- Refers to the placement of students in curricular programs based on students' abilities and inclinations.
3. Schools as Organizations
3.1. Major Stakeholders: Morgan County
3.1.1. State Senators: Richard Shelby & Jefferson Sessions
3.1.2. House of Representatives: Micky Hammon, Ken Johnson, Terri Collins, Ed Henry, & Randall Shedd
3.1.3. State Superintendent: Michael Sentence
3.1.4. Local Superintendent and Local School Board: Dr. Vic Wilson, Venita Jones, Daxton Maze, Amy Pace, Randy Sparkman, & James Joy
3.2. Elements of Change within school processes and School Cultures
3.2.1. Team Building is a change that needs to be throughout the school system
3.2.2. Conflict should be managed and resolved quickly for everyone in the situation
3.2.3. Learning new behaviors take time, but during the time there should be an ongoing learning process of communication and trust being built.
4. Educational Inequality
4.1. Two types of cultural deprivation theories
4.1.1. Suggest that working class and nonwhite families often lack the cultural resources such as books and other educational stimuli so in return arrive at school with a significant disadvantage.
4.2. 4 School-centered explanations of Educational Inequality
4.2.1. Accountability processes for students and teachers
4.2.2. A climate of high expectations for students by teachers and administrators
4.2.3. Flexibility for teachers and administrators to experiment and adapt to new situations and problems
4.2.4. Strong and effective leadership by a principal or school head
5. History of U.S. Education
5.1. Reform Movement
5.1.1. Terrel Bell's A Nation at Risk, this report gave 5 solutions. All students graduating high school had to complete the "new basics", a raise in admissions requirements from universities and 4-year schools, more time be devoted to teaching the new basics, teaching be made more respected and more rewarding of a profession, and that citizens require elected representation to support and fund these reforms.
5.2. Historical Interpretation of U.S. Education
5.2.1. One case that I find important is Parents Involved in Community Schools v. Seattle School District No. 1, where districts cannot assign students to public schools for the sole purpose of racial integration. I think this is a case that still relevant today in the school system
6. Philosophy of Education
6.1. Pragmatism
6.1.1. Generic Notaions- was founded on the new psychology, behaviorism, and the philosophy of pragmatism. Ideas were influenced by the theory of evolution and by the eighteenth-century optimistic belief in progress.
6.1.2. Key Researchers- George Sanders Peirce, William James, and John Dewey, Frances Bacon, John Locke, and Jean-Jacques Rousseau
6.1.3. Goal of Education- The school should provide "conjoint, communicated experiences"
6.1.4. Method of Instruction-problem-solving or inquiry method. Students should learn both individually and in groups
6.1.5. Curriculum- support starting with contemporary problems and working from the known to the unknown
6.1.6. Role of the Teacher- The teacher encourages, offers suggestions, questions, and helps plan and implement courses of study
7. Curriculum and Pedagogy
7.1. Curriculum theory
7.1.1. Curriculum that is related to the needs of the students rather than the needs of society is known as the developmentalist theory. It is a flexible curriculum when it comes to what is being taught and how it is taught.
7.2. Two dominant traditions of teaching
7.2.1. Transformative tradition believes the purpose of education is to change the student in some meaningful way, including intellectually, creatively, spiritually, and emotionally.
7.2.2. Mimetic tradition is the tradition based on the viewpoint that the purpose of education is to transmit specific areas of knowledge to students
8. Equality of Opportunity
8.1. How race, class, and gender each impact educational outcomes:
8.1.1. Race: Race has a direct impact on how much education is received, some races have a higher drop out rate than others
8.1.2. Gender: In the past fewer women were given the same oppertunities as men when it came to getting a good education, but now this is more equalized
8.1.3. Class: Social classes have different experiences, school is expensive and the longer students are in school, the more expensive it can be. Lower classes may not have the same oppertunities as higher classes, resulting in not being able to reach the highest level of education
8.2. The 2 responses to the Coleman study of 1982
8.2.1. It questioned the interpretation of data: the differences that do exist between public and private school are significant, but the learning differences are negligible
8.2.2. Borman and Dowling evaluate educational data in similar manner as Coleman's findings partially confirm both original data of 1966 and the later data of 1982
9. Educational Reform
9.1. Two societal, economic, community, or political reforms
9.1.1. Full Service and Community Schools: they focus on meeting the students' and their families educational, physical, psychological, and social needs
9.1.2. Harlem Children's Zone: This is a way to get the students off of the streets and give them the information they need to be successful students.
9.2. Two school-based reforms
9.2.1. Charter Schools: self-governing institution with wide control over its own curriculum, instruction, staffing, budget, calendar, ect.; must be open to all students in the district and they are funded by tax dollars.
9.2.2. Private Schools: Starting around the 1990's, profit schools that students must pay or be scholarship in to attend.