1. Influences on curriculum policy making in the U.S. consist of mainly the state and local matter.
2. Sociological Perspectives
2.1. Sociologists believed they could improve education through the application of social scientific theory and research.
2.1.1. They are more apt to ask what is rather than what ought to be.
2.1.1.1. The hallmark of the sociological approach is to collect and analyze social facts.
2.1.1.2. The methods of sociology are useful tools for understanding how schools actually interact with society.
2.2. Conflict theory- students struggle against teachers, teachers against administrators.
2.3. The society is made up of economic, political, cultural, and military power.
2.3.1. Randall Collins argues that credentials such as college diplomas, are primarily status symbols rather than indicators of actual achievement.
2.4. Effects of Schooling: Teacher behavior has a significant impact on students and how they develop cognitively.
2.4.1. Rosenthal and Jacobson found that teachers expectations of students proved to influence student achievement and performance.
2.5. The curricula or content that is taught in schools has a huge impact on students and their future outcome.
2.5.1. Where students go to school such as private, public, or even vocational/technical schools effects what students are taught and if they will have a better chance of getting a college degree or better education.
2.5.2. Determinism- individual's actions are determined by external forces.
3. Schools as Organizations
3.1. Teachers must be skilled in all areas of technical expertise and human relations.
3.2. According to Heck and Williams, the roles of the teacher are: colleague, friend, nurturer of the learner, facilitator, researcher, program developer, administrator, decision maker, professional leader, and community activist.
3.2.1. The most important roles of the teacher are: caring, empathetic, well-rounded person that acts as a role model.
3.2.1.1. Rhythm is a characteristic of teaching on a daily basis.
3.2.1.1.1. Lieberman and Miller- reveal the "social realities of teaching". According to them, "teachers are best viewed as craftspeople and most of the craft is learned on the job".
3.3. Teachers have only one client, "their students".
3.3.1. Teacher socialization is very limited compared to other professions and little evidence suggest that the socialization processes associated with becoming a teacher are highly professional.
3.3.1.1. According to Linda McNeil- teachers are expected to be autonomous, thoughtful experts in education, but the conditions of their employment leave little room for autonomy, thoughtfulness, or expertise.
3.3.1.1.1. John Goodlad suggest that a complete redesign of teacher education programs is needed.
4. Curriculum and Pedagogy
4.1. Developmentalist curriculum- stresses the importance of relating schooling to the life experiences of each child in a way that would make education come alive in a meaningful manner.
4.1.1. The Teacher is the facilitator of student growth.
4.2. Transformative teaching method- change the student in a meaningful way, use multidimensional theory of teaching, and argue that teaching and learning are inextricably linked.
4.2.1. Transformative educators believe that the transmission of knowledge is the only component of education.
4.2.1.1. Derived from the teaching methods of Socrates, dialogue of Plato, and works of John Dewey all believe that the active participation of the student results in some form of growth.
5. Equality of Opportunity
5.1. Students with special needs
5.1.1. Education of Handicapped 1975- purpose was to guarantee that children with special needs were properly identified and placed into appropriate classes.
5.1.1.1. IDEA 1966
5.1.1.1.1. REI- called for mainstreaming children with disabilities into regular classes.
5.2. Critics of REA countered the inclusion of all students was unfair to both the regular and special students due to neither would be served effectively.
5.3. Public vs. Private Schools
5.3.1. Coleman's 1966 study argued that private schools were more effective learning environments due to more discipline and emphasis on academic activities.
5.3.1.1. Coleman 1982 - private school students outperform public school students.
5.4. Differences do make a difference and the difference is in how much more demanding private schools are of their students.
6. Educational Inequality
6.1. Cultural deprivation theories
6.1.1. According to Deutsch- the disadvantaged students perform poorly due to they have not been raised to acquire the skills necessary to succeed satisfactorily.
6.2. Cultural differences
6.2.1. social forces, poverty, racism, discrimination, and unequal life chances play a major role in inequality.
6.2.1.1. Richard Rothstein argues poverty health related problems can have a significant effect on academic achievement.
6.3. studies by Annette Lareau on social class differences in the relationship between family and school documents the importance between the both.
7. Legal issues in Education
7.1. Teacher negligence of dutiies
7.1.1. Contributory negligence is neglecting your and others' safety.
7.1.1.1. Assumption of risk is having known that an activity could cause injury.
7.2. Reporting Child Abuse
7.2.1. Report the suspected abuse to the guidance counselor, principal or DHR.
7.2.1.1. Document the action you have taken.
7.2.1.1.1. Follow up on the situation.
7.3. Harassment (sexual or other forms of harassment
7.4. Students cheating on Tests (5th and 14th amendment)
7.4.1. Due Process
7.4.1.1. Procedural due process is notice, hearing, and explanation.
7.4.1.1.1. Substantive due process is " what is fair "not capricious or arbitrary.
7.5. Search and Seizure (4th Amendment)
7.5.1. Do not search a student or locker without a witness.
7.5.1.1. have reliable information before searching.
7.5.1.1.1. do not search the entire class indiscriminately.
7.6. IDEA (special Education and Section 504)
8. Philosophy of Education
8.1. By studying different philosophies of education, we as teachers will be able to determine what methods we want to teach and decide what type of practitioners we want to be.
8.1.1. The discipline of Philosophy asks the questions "What" and "why"
8.2. The philosophy of education will allow you to examine what ought to be and thus enable you to envision the type of teachers you want to be and the types of schools that ought to exist.
8.3. Idealism: The goal of education- teachers encourage individual transformation meaning ideas can change lives.
8.3.1. Methods of Instruction- idealist teachers take an active part in their students learning. Teachers lecture some but mostly use the dialectic method. students are encouraged to discuss, analyze, synthesize, and apply what they have read to contemporary society.
8.3.1.1. Curriculum- All contemporary problems have their roots in the past and it can be best understood by examining how previous individuals dealt with them. Back to basics approach.
8.3.1.1.1. The only way to not make the same mistakes as our ancestors is to learn what they did and examine how we as individuals should handle it now.
8.4. John Dewey's goal of education- it should function as preparation for life in a democratic society.
8.4.1. Since we live in a democratic society, I believe it would be in the students best interest to learn how to become a member of that society.
8.5. Generic Notions : Existentialists- pose questions as to how their concerns impact on the lives of individuals. creating good and evil, the choice is up to the individual.
8.5.1. The Role of the Teacher- teachers must take risks; expose themselves to resistant students; and work constantly to enable their students to become "wide awake".
8.6. Curriculum: Neo-Marxist view- suggests that the curriculum is organized and codified representation of what those with power want the children to know.
8.6.1. I believe our government shapes the overall curriculum of what they want children to believe and learn.
9. Politics of Education
9.1. The Liberal Perspective- insists that government involvement is necessary to ensure fair treatment of all its citizens and a healthy economy.
9.1.1. John Maynard Keynes believes that the capitalist market economy is prone to cycles of recession that must be addressed through government intervention.
9.1.2. The school's role is providing the necessary education to ensure that all students have an equal opportunity to succeed in society.
9.1.2.1. I believe this should be a major goal for the school to see that every student is provided with an equal opportunity.
9.2. The Radical Perspective- argues that society creates indefensible inequalities between its members and that social problems cannot be solved by our existing economic system.
9.2.1. Karl Marx suggests that the capitalist system produces fundamental contradictions that will lead to its transformation into socialism.
9.2.1.1. I agree with the radical perspective that society cannot provide equality for everyone and the social problems cannot be solved with the existing economic system.
9.2.1.1.1. Jean Anyon argues that liberal educational reforms must be tied to a larger political, social and economic reforms to be successful.
9.3. Progressive & Traditional: I believe schools would benefit more by adopting the progressive nature and trying to make a better school environment for the future. I also believe schools should incorporate traditional methods as well to determine what has been done in the past and what they should continue to do in the future.
10. History
10.1. The insights of the history of education are crucial to a foundations perspective.
10.2. Christopher Lasch stated, "the historical perspective is essential not only because it gives one a grasp of one's heritage but also because it empowers one to envision the possibilities of the future".
10.2.1. such an understanding of our history helps individuals to see both the limits and the possibilities for the future.
10.3. Democratic Liberal- believes that the history of U.S. education involves the progressive evolution of a school system committed to providing equality of opportunity for all.
10.3.1. I agree that their intentions have been to expand education and provide opportunities for all, however, I believe that this perspective is more ideal than anything.
10.3.1.1. "Cremin summary of a liberal perspective is that education provides a place for everyone who wishes one, and in the end yields one of the most educated populations in the world".
10.4. I also agree with the conservative perspective that our academic curriculum is suffering due to trying to provide equal or multiculturalism for everyone. We are forgetting our western culture and I believe that since we live in the western culture that should be our main focus while incorporating and acknowledging that there are many diverse cultures.
10.4.1. According to Ravitch, the progressive reforms of the 20th century denigrated the traditional role of schools in passing on a common culture and produced a generation of students who know little, if anything, about their western heritage.
10.4.1.1. she also believes the curriculum ought to be fair and nonracist, but that the efforts of multiculturalism are often historically incorrect and neglect that our heritage Is Western.
10.5. A huge impact on education was when Horace Mann lobbied for a state board of education. and his annual reports served as models for public school reforms throughout the nation.
10.5.1. The Progressive movement I think has made one of the biggest impacts on education, since it has led to an expansion of growth and gave us a different view of education all together.
11. Educational Reform
11.1. Many argue that incompetent teachers are to blame.
11.2. Many ignore the factors outside of school.
11.2.1. such as poverty and the achievement agp.
11.3. What is needed is a perspective that relates theory and practice so that teachers can combine their experimental knowledge with a broader, more multidimensional analysis of the context in which their experiences occur.
11.4. Teacher Quality
11.4.1. NCLB- requirement is to have all highly qualified teachers in every classroom, however, many teachers are out- of- field teaching, which leads to unqualified teachers teaching a subject they did not major in.
11.4.1.1. Ingersoll- asserts that problems in staffing urban schools have less to do with teacher shortages and more to do with organizational issues inside schools.
11.4.1.1.1. Critics of the Holmes group argued that
11.5. School-to- Work Programs
11.5.1. a system to prepare youth for the high-wage, high-skill careers of today's and tomorrow's global economy.