1. Philosophy of Education
1.1. Philosophy of education is firmly rooted in practice and acts as a building block for the reflective practitioner.
1.2. All teachers, regardless of their action orientations, have a personal philosophy of life that colors the way in which they select knowledge; order their classroom;, interact with students, peers, parents, and administrators; and select values to emphasize within their classrooms.
1.3. The activity of doing philosophy aids future teachers in understanding two things:
1.3.1. 1. who they are or intend to be
1.3.2. 2. why they do or propose to do what they do.
1.4. Idealism
1.4.1. Thought to be the creation of the Greek philosopher, Plato
1.4.2. The first systematic philosophy in Western thought.
1.4.3. Plato believed ideas are what matter above all.
1.4.4. Idealist educators are interested in the search for truth through ideas rather than through the examination of the false shadowy world of matter.
1.4.5. Perennialism
1.4.5.1. Rooted in Idealism
1.4.5.2. Theorists:
1.4.5.2.1. Robert Hutchins
1.4.5.2.2. Mortimer Adler
1.4.5.3. Focuses on the teaching of classic works of literature such as The Iliad, The Odyssey, the works of Shakespeare, etc.
1.4.5.4. Teacher led with teacher being central focus of classroom
1.4.5.5. Socratic method of teaching
1.4.5.6. Do not believe in textbooks
1.4.5.7. Expounds the past and teachers universally agreed upon knowledge and cherished societal values
1.5. Realism
1.5.1. Aristotle is the leading proponent of realism.
1.5.2. Aristotle believed that only through studying the material world was it possible for an individual to clarify or develop ideas.
1.5.3. Essentialism
1.5.3.1. Rooted in Realism
1.5.3.2. Back to basics
1.5.3.2.1. Focus on the 3 R's (Reading, Writing, & Mathematics) and the elementary level
1.5.3.2.2. Focus on 5 core subjects in high school
1.5.3.3. Theorists:
1.5.3.3.1. William Bagley
1.5.3.3.2. E.D. Hirsch
1.5.3.3.3. William Bennett
1.5.3.4. Teacher led with direct instruction
1.5.3.5. Curriculum is geared towards the fundamentals.
1.5.3.6. Teaches traditional American values.
1.5.3.7. "Less, but more focused."
1.5.3.8. Traditional approach to education.
1.5.4. Syllogism - a form of logical argument that applies deductive reasoning
1.5.4.1. Consists of three parts:
1.5.4.1.1. (1) a major premise
1.5.4.1.2. (2) a minor premise
1.5.4.1.3. (3) a conclusion
1.5.4.2. Tabula rasa - theory that all children were born as "blank slates", beginning their lives morally neutral.
1.5.4.3. Empirical point of view - based on observation or experience.
1.6. Pragmatism
1.6.1. Pragmatism comes from the Greek word pragma, meaning work.
1.6.2. Encourages people to find processes that work in order to achieve their desired ends.
1.6.3. Progressivism
1.6.3.1. Rooted in Pragmatism
1.6.3.2. Focuses on working in groups, teaches problem solving, scientific inquiry, and critical thinking skills.
1.6.3.3. Theorists:
1.6.3.3.1. John Dewey
1.6.3.3.2. Nell Noddings
1.6.3.3.3. William James
1.6.3.3.4. Francis W. Parker
1.6.3.4. Progressivists want students to learn how to think, not what to think.
1.6.3.5. Student led
1.6.3.6. Flexible curriculum based arounf the needs and interests of students with integrated study of academic subjects
1.6.3.7. Learning by doing.
1.6.4. Progressivisms goal is to create students that are intelligent problem solvers and socially aware citizens.
1.6.5. Philosophical tradition that began in the United States around 1870.
1.6.6. Believe thought is an instrument or tool used for prediction, problem solving and action, not merely for rote memorization or description of topics.
1.7. Existentialism
1.7.1. Open learning with focus on the individual student growth.
1.7.2. Theorists:
1.7.2.1. Maxine Greene
1.7.2.2. A.S. Neill
1.7.3. Emphasizes individualism and personal self-fulfillment
1.7.4. Subject matter is secondary to self-understanding.
1.7.5. Learning is self-paced and self directed.
1.7.6. Students choose their own medium and assess their own learning.
1.7.7. Existentialism focuses on helping the student learn to understand oneself and one's own unique individuality.
1.8. Neo-Marxism
1.8.1. Neo-Marxist perspective is more an overall theory of society than a particular philosophy of education.
1.8.2. Social Reconstructionism
1.8.2.1. Focuses on social reform and emphasizes society-centered education and global issues.
1.8.2.2. Integrated study of academic subjects around socially meaningful actions.
1.8.2.3. Emphasizes cultural pluralism and equality.
1.8.2.4. Learning by reconstruction society.
1.8.2.5. Student centered
1.8.2.6. The goal of social reconstructivism is to create intelligent problem solvers who will help reshape the world.
1.8.2.7. Theorists:
1.8.2.7.1. George S. Counts
1.8.2.7.2. Paolo Friere
1.8.2.7.3. Bell Hooks
1.8.2.7.4. Theodore Brameld
2. Schools as Organizations
2.1. Schools are powerful organizations that profoundly affect the lives of those children and adults who come in contact with them.
2.1.1. To understand education, one must look beyond the classroom itself and the interaction between teachers and students to a larger world where different interest groups compete with each other in terms of ideology, finances, and power.
2.2. Willard Waller, an educational sociologist, asserted that schools are separate social organizations due to:
2.2.1. Schools have a definite population.
2.2.2. Schools have a clearly defined political structure.
2.2.3. Schools represent a central network of social relationships.
2.2.4. Schools are permeated with "we" ideal rather than "me" ideal.
2.2.5. Schools each have a definite culture that is specific to the individual school.
2.3. The Structure of U.S. Education
2.3.1. The organization of U.S. schools is complex on several level.
2.3.2. In the U.S. there are public and private educational systems that sometimes work in tandem and sometimes in opposition.
2.3.3. U.S. school system is decentralized and dedicated to the concept of equal educational opportunity.
2.3.4. The U.S. has 50 separate state school systems, with a private school system within each state.
2.3.5. Most U.S. public schools are funded by revenue raised from local property taxes and because of this taxpayers within school districts have a substantial stake in the schools within their districts. Taxpayers are able to make their voices heard through community school boards.
2.3.5.1. This means that the U.S. public school system is decentralized right down to the school district level.
2.3.5.2. The state mandates curriculum, qualifications for teaching, and safety codes, but these mandates must be carried out by citizens of a particular school district.
2.3.6. The role of the federal government in creating educational policy has increased since the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s and they help to provide blueprints for the resolution of the crisis in U.S. education. In reality, however, the Secretary of Education has very little authority when it comes to the governance of public schools.
2.4. Size and Degree of Centralization
2.4.1. There are more than 55 million enrolled in K-12 in the U.S. and the cost of educating these children is over $650 billion annually.
2.4.2. The U.S. public school system is growing while also becoming more centralized, presumably for reasons of efficiency.
2.4.2.1. In 2009-2010, the average number of students per school:
2.4.2.1.1. Elementary = 450
2.4.2.1.2. Secondary = 856
2.4.3. The average number of students per teacher is decreasing at the same time as schools are expanding.
2.4.4. Statistics reveal that there has been a considerable amount of consolidation and centralization within the last 80 years in the United States public education.
2.5. Student composition is becoming more diverse at the same time that there has been a trend toward increasing residential segregation.
2.5.1. Dejure segregation has replaced de facto segregation.
2.6. The school system is designed to give students many opportunities for advancement.
2.7. U.S. school system is open and all children are entitled to enroll in public schools and to remain in school until they graduate.
2.8. Private Schools
2.8.1. Have a tremendous amount of diversity.
2.8.1.1. Tend to attract students from relatively affluent families.
2.8.2. Most are affiliated with religious organizations.
2.8.3. There is very little regulation of private education by state authorities.
2.9. Education in the U.S. is fundamentally inclusive in its purpose while other systems are not as inclusive.
2.9.1. Other school systems, in other countries, undergo rigorous academic rite of passage that is designed to separate the "academically talented" from the less gifted.
2.10. Every educational system attempts to select and sort students by their academic talent.
3. Politics of Education
3.1. The Purpose of Education
3.1.1. The basic purpose of education is to transmit the knowledge and skill of a society.
3.1.2. The specific purposes of education are intellectual, social, economic, and political.
3.1.2.1. The political purpose of education is to instill patriotism, prepare citizens who will assimilate diverse cultural groups into a common political order and to teach children the basic laws of society.
3.1.2.2. The social purpose of education is to help solve recognized problems in society.
3.1.2.3. The economic purpose of education is to prepare students for the workforce and to select, train and allocate individuals into the division of labor.
3.1.2.4. The intellectual purpose of education is to teach basic cognitive skills such as reading, writing, and mathematics.
3.2. Perspectives of Education
3.2.1. Conservative
3.2.1.1. Believes that success lies within the individual and that through hard work and individual initiative human progress is made.
3.2.1.2. Origins are in the 1800's and are based on the ideas of Social Darwinism, individuals must compete in the social environment to survive.
3.2.1.3. Believe in back to the basics, return to traditional curriculum, and accountability.
3.2.1.4. Maintains a positive view of U.S. society and social problems.
3.2.2. Liberal
3.2.2.1. Origins in the 1900's and is based on the works of John Dewey and Progressivism.
3.2.2.2. Believe in equality and balancing economic productivity of capitalism with the social and economic needs of the people.
3.2.2.3. Maintains a positive view on U.S. society, but with reservations.
3.2.2.4. Believes government involvement in economic, political and social arenas is necessary for fair treatment of all citizens.
3.2.2.5. Support quality with equality, effective research, enhanced opportunities for disadvantaged groups, a more culturally diverse curriculum, and a balance between performance standards and ensuring students can meet them.
3.2.3. Radical
3.2.3.1. Based on the writings of German economist and philosopher Karl Marx
3.2.3.2. Suggests that the capitalist system produces fundamental contradictions that will lead to a transformation into socialism.
3.2.3.3. Believes that the capitalist system is the root of the U.S. social problems.
3.2.3.4. Has a very negative view on U.S. society due to the perceived inequalities created by a capitalist system
3.2.4. Neo-Liberal
3.2.4.1. Combination of both conservative and liberal perspectives
3.2.4.2. Critique failing traditional schools and attribute failures to teacher unions, teacher tenure, layoffs based on seniority, and the absence of school, teacher, student accountability.
3.2.4.3. 5 Areas for Educational Policy Reforms
3.2.4.3.1. Austerity
3.2.4.3.2. The Market Model
3.2.4.3.3. Individualism
3.2.4.3.4. State Intervention
3.2.4.3.5. Economic Prosperity, Race and Class
4. History of Education
4.1. 1636 Harvard College established
4.2. 1783 Noah Webster's American Spelling book was published
4.3. School Funding
4.3.1. 1785 and 1787 Land Ordinance Act and the Northwest Ordinance established the use of taxes for elementary schools.
4.4. 1821 First public high school opens in Boston
4.5. 1855 First Kindergarten in the U.S.
4.6. 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson
4.6.1. Landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision to uphold the constitutionality of laws requiring racial segregation in public facilities under the principle of "separate but equal."
4.7. 1909 First Junior High School was created
4.8. 1919 Progressive Education Programs
4.8.1. Promoted hands on, inquiry based learning
4.9. 1932 Roosevelt's New Deal Education Programs
4.9.1. Relief, Reform & Recovery
4.10. 1954 Brown v. Board of Education
4.10.1. Overturned Plessy v. Ferguson and determined that separate was not equal and that segregation in schools and all other forums was unconstitutional.
4.11. 1975 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is passed
4.12. 1983 A Nation at Risk
4.12.1. Report by Ronald Reagan's National Commission on Excellence in Education
4.13. 2002 No Child Left Behind Act
4.13.1. Law passed by George W. Bush which called for increased school accountability.
5. Sociology of Education
5.1. The purpose of sociological inquiry is to focus on the influence of schooling on equity and opportunity for students.
5.1.1. Schools serve as "gate keepers" of knowledge and skills, and hence provide students with both economic and social worth in the world of employment..
5.2. Functional Theories
5.2.1. Functionalists view society as a kind of machine, where one part articulates with another to produce the dynamic energy required to make society work.
5.2.2. Functionalist Theory interprets each part of society in terms of how it contributes to the stability of the whole society.
5.2.2.1. Society is more than the sum of its parts; rather, each part of society is functional for the stability of the whole society.
5.2.2.2. When one part of the system is not working, it affects all other parts and creates social problems, which leads to social change.
5.3. Conflict Theories
5.3.1. Conflict sociologists assert that society is not held together by shared values alone, but on the ability of the dominant groups to impose their will on subordinate groups (i.e. the glue of society is economic, cultural, and political).
5.3.2. Social conflict is a Marxist-based social theory which argues that social classes within the society have differing amounts of material and non-material resources (such as the wealthy vs. the poor).
5.3.3. From a conflict point of view, schools are similar to social battlefields, where students struggle against teachers, teachers against administrators, and so on.
5.3.4. According to conflict theory, inequality exists because those in control of a disproportionate share of society's resources actively defend their advantages.
5.3.4.1. Conflict sociologists emphasize struggle.
5.4. Interactional Theories
5.4.1. Interactional sociologists take an up close view of the interactions between students, students and teachers, and teachers.
5.4.2. Interactional theory is an approach to questions about social cognition, or how on understands other people, that focus on behaviors and environmental contexts rather than on mental processes or academic achievement.
5.4.2.1. It is exactly what one does not question that is most problematic at a deep level.
5.4.3. Interactional theories about the relation of school and society are primarily critiques and extensions of the functional and conflict perspectives.
5.4.3.1. The critique arises from the observation that functional and conflict theories are very abstract, and emphasize structure and process at a very general level of analysis.
5.5. 4 Effects of Schooling
5.5.1. Most Americans believe that schools have a significant impact on learning and on social and economic mobility. The relative effects of schooling is in terms of what people learn, employment, job performance, income, and mobility.
5.5.2. Knowledge and Attitudes - Problem solving skills and understanding how one fits into society
5.5.2.1. It has been found that the actual amount of time students spend in school is directly related to how much they learn. So, even taking into account the importance of individual social class background when evaluating the impact of education, more years of schooling leads to greater knowledge and social participation.
5.5.2.2. Education is also related to individuals' sense of well-being and self-esteem.
5.5.3. Employment - Students are prepared for jobs to be productive members of society
5.5.3.1. Most students believe that graduating from college will lead to greater employment opportunities, and they are right.
5.5.3.2. Academic credentials help individuals to obtain high-status jobs early in their careers and possession of a college degree is significantly related to higher income.
5.5.3.3. Getting a college and professional degree is important for earning more money, but education does not fully explain the differences in levels of income.
5.5.4. Education - Becoming a well educated individual with the ability to add intellectual value to society
5.5.4.1. There is an abiding faith among most Americans that education is the great equalizer in the "great status race."
5.5.4.2. There is a difference in between educational amount and educational route.
5.5.4.2.1. The number of years of education is one measure of educational attainment, but where people go to school also affects their mobility.
5.5.4.3. It is a popular belief, firmly embedded into American society, that education opens the doors of opportunity.
5.5.5. Social Mobility - Increased knowledge and job skills provide students with the opportunity for upward social mobility (i.e. move from lower socioeconomic statue to higher economic statue)
5.5.5.1. Middle class citizens believe increased education may be directly linked to upward occupational mobility; for rich and poor, education may have little to do with mobility.
5.5.5.2. Most Americans believe that more education leads to economic and social mobility; individuals rise and fall based on their merit.
5.6. Social & Economic Inequalities in Education
5.6.1. Inadequate Schools
5.6.1.1. Numerous critics of contemporary schooling have pointed out that the way in which children are educated today will not prepare them for productive and fulfilling lives in the future.
5.6.1.2. Inadequate schools usually share three items in common:
5.6.1.2.1. Overcrowding
5.6.1.2.2. Poor physical condition of the buildings
5.6.1.2.3. Lack of supplies/materials for the teachers and students
5.6.2. Tracking
5.6.2.1. In a tracking system, the entire school population is assigned to classes according to whether the students' overall achievement is above average, normal, or below average.
5.6.2.1.1. It has been found through many thorough studies that tracking decisions are more often based on other criteria, such as students' class or race.
5.6.2.1.2. Working-class students usually end up in vocational tracks and middle-class students in academic tracks.
5.6.2.2. Evidence shows that within-school tracking has a critical impact on student mobility.
5.6.2.3. Track placement directly affects cognitive development.
5.6.2.4. Students in lower tracks experience more alienation and authoritarian teachers than high-track students.
5.6.3. De Facto Segregation
5.6.3.1. Racial segregation, especially in public schools, that happens "by fact" rather than by legal requirements.
5.6.3.2. Racial integration at the school level seems to be beneficial to minority students, and there is no conclusive evidence that majority students are harmed by integration.
5.6.4. Gender
5.6.4.1. Schools reinforce larger cultural messages about gender, including the idea that gender is an essential characteristic for organizing social life.
5.6.4.2. Men and women do not share equally in the U.S. society.
5.6.4.2.1. Men are frequently paid more than women for the same work, and women, in general, have fewer occupational opportunities than men.
6. Equality of Opportunity & Educational Outcomes
6.1. Social stratification is a hierarchical configuration of families who have differential access to whatever is of value in the society at a given point and over time, primarily because of social, not biopsychological, variables.
6.2. 3 Basic Forms of Social Stratification
6.2.1. Caste stratification - occurs in agrarian societies where social level is defined in terms of some strict criteria such as race and/or religious worth.
6.2.2. Estate stratification - occurs in agrarian societies where social level is defined in terms of the hierarchy of family worth.
6.2.3. Class stratification - occurs in industrial societies that define social level in terms of a hierarchy of differential achievement by individuals, especially in economic pursuits.
6.3. Social Stratification in the United States
6.3.1. Upper Class: 1-3% of the population
6.3.2. Upper Middle Class: 15% of the population
6.3.3. Lower Middle Class: 25% of the population
6.3.4. Working Class: 40% of the population
6.3.5. Underclass/Lower Class: 20% of the population
6.4. Achievement Gap refers to the observed, persistent disparity of educational measures between the performance of groups of students (especially groups defined by socioeconomic status, race/ethnicity or gender).
6.5. Females achieve at higher levels in reading at ages 9, 13, and 17 but achieve at lower levels in science at the same ages. This is an example of sociological research that illustrates the impact of achievement gaps in schools on equal educational opportunities.
6.6. The Coleman Report
6.6.1. An influential and controversial study based on an extensive survey of educational opportunity (the national sample included almost 650,000 students and teachers in more than 3,000 schools), was mandated in the Civil Right Act of 1964, and directed by the sociologist James Coleman.
6.6.2. Coleman's work was oft misinterpreted as an argument 'that school don't matter, only family matter.'
6.6.3. Coleman's subsequent work was designed to help identify the characteristics of schools which did matter, so that the impact of school relative to that of family could be increased.
6.6.4. The results of Coleman's study were shocking and revealed that where an individual goes to school has little effect on his or her cognitive growth or educational mobility.
6.6.4.1. Student background and socioeconomic status were more important in determining educational outcomes than the school itself.
7. Educational Inequality
7.1. The Functionalist vision of a "just society" is one where individual talent and hard work are based on universal principles of evaluation.
7.1.1. Functionalist expect that the process of schooling will produce unequal results, but that the results should be due to individual differences between students, not a group of differences.
7.2. Conflict theorists believe that the role of schooling is to reproduce instead of eliminate inequality.
7.2.1. This assertion is consistent with data that shows educational outcomes that are strongly linked to family background.
7.3. Interactionist theory suggests that we must understand how people within institutions such as families or schools interact on a daily basis in order to comprehend the factors explaining academic success or failure.
7.3.1. Student Centered or Extra-School explanations of inequalities focus on factors outside of school such as family, the community, culture, peer groups and the individual student.
7.3.2. School Centered or Within-School explanations of inequalities focus on factors within the school such as teachers, teaching methods, curriculum, ability grouping, school climate, and teacher expectations.
7.4. 3 Controversial Perspectives on Student Centered Explanations of Educational Inequality:
7.4.1. 1. Genetic or Biological Differences Theory
7.4.2. 2. Cultural Deprivation Theories
7.4.3. 3. Cultural Difference Theories
7.4.3.1. First theory asserts that African American children do less well in school because they adopt to their oppressed position in the class structure.
7.4.3.2. Second theory views working class and non-white students as resisting the dominant culture of schools.
7.4.3.3. Third theory asserts that Asian Americans possess family values that place great emphasis on educational achievement along with high expectations for children.
7.5. School Centered Explanations of Educational Inequality:
7.5.1. School Financing
7.5.2. Effective versus Ineffective Schools
7.5.3. School Climate
7.5.4. Pedagogic Practices
7.6. Characteristics of Effective Schools
7.6.1. High expectations for students by teachers and administrators.
7.6.2. Strong, effective leadership by school administration.
7.6.3. Accountability processes for both students and teachers.
7.6.4. Close monitoring of student learning.
7.6.5. A high degree of instructional time on task.
7.6.6. Flexibility for teachers to adapt to new situations and solve problems.
8. Educational Reform & School Improvement
8.1. A Nation at Risk: The First Wave of Educational Reform
8.1.1. The first wave of educational reform in the United States stressed the need for increased educational excellence through increased educational standards.
8.1.1.1. The reform focused on:
8.1.1.1.1. The need for excellence and equity in schools.
8.1.1.1.2. The need to clarify educational goals.
8.1.1.1.3. The need to develop a common core curriculum.
8.1.1.1.4. The need to eliminate tracking programs.
8.1.1.1.5. The need for major changes in vocational education.
8.1.1.1.6. The need for education to teach about technology.
8.1.1.1.7. The need to increase duration and intensity of academic learning.
8.1.1.1.8. The need to recruit, train, and retain more academically able teachers.
8.1.2. The second wave of reform was based on the recommendations made at the State Governor's Conference. The reform focused on:
8.1.2.1. Teaching, leadership, and management.
8.1.2.2. Parental involvement and choice in schools.
8.1.2.3. Student readiness for school (for preschoolers).
8.1.2.4. School facilities being fully utilized.
8.1.2.5. Quality colleges and accountability for learning.
8.1.2.6. The Carnegie report entitled A Nation Prepared: Teachers for a 21st Century focused on the educational quality of teacher education programs. It asserted:
8.1.2.6.1. Teacher education programs lacked rigor and intellectual demands which would negatively impact success and student achievement in schools.
8.1.2.6.2. The necessity to reorganize the academic and professional components of teacher education programs.
8.1.2.6.3. The need to attract and retain competent teacher candidates.
8.2. Goals 2000 -
8.2.1. Goal 1: All children will start school ready to learn.
8.2.2. Goal 2: High school graduation rates will increase to at least 90%.
8.2.3. Goal 3: American students will leave grades 4, 8, and 12, having demonstrated competency in challenging subject matter so that they would be prepared for responsible citizenship, further learning, and productive employment in our modern economy.
8.2.4. Goal 4: U.S. students will be first in the world in math and science achievement.
8.2.5. Goal 5: Every adult American will be literate and will possess the skills necessary to compete in a global economy.
8.2.6. Goal 6: Every school in America will be free of drugs and violence and will offer a disciplined environment conducive to learning.
8.3. No Child Left Behind:
8.3.1. Annual testing required of students in grades 3 through 8 in reading and math, plus at least one test in grades 10 through 12 with science testing. Graduation rates are used as a secondary indicator for high schools.
8.3.2. States and districts are required to report school data on student test performance, broken out by whether the student is African American, Hispanic American, Native American, Asian American, white non-Hispanic, special education, limited English proficiency, and/or low income.
8.3.3. States must set adequate yearly progress (AYP) goals for each school.
8.3.4. Schools that don't meet AYP for two years are labeled "In Need of Improvement". This means that schools must offer the students the option to go to another public school and/or receive federally funded tutoring. Funds would also be made available for teacher professional development. If the school does not meet subsequent year's AYP, it would be subject to restructuring.
8.3.5. Schools must have "highly qualified teachers" for teachers in the core academic subjects.
8.4. Race to the Top:
8.4.1. Suggestions for educational reform:
8.4.1.1. Adopting standards and assessments that prepare students to succeed in college and the workplace and to compete in the global economy.
8.4.1.2. Building data systems that measure student growth and success and inform teachers and principals about how they can improve instruction.
8.4.1.3. Recruiting, developing, rewarding, and retaining effective teachers and principals.
8.4.1.4. Turning around the lowest-achieving schools.
9. Curriculum and Pedagogy
9.1. Schools teach a specific curriculum that is mandated by the state educational department and implemented in an organized manner within the schools.
9.1.1. The traditional view of curriculum is an objective and organized body of knowledge to be transmitted to students.
9.1.1.1. This simplified view of curriculum ignores the social and political dimensions of what is taught in schools.
9.1.2. Current view on curriculum focuses on goals and objectives and assesses it in terms of student learning.
9.2. Teacher candidates are taught to design curriculum using goals and objectives, and to evaluate it in terms of the effectiveness of student learning.
9.3. 4 Types of Curriculum
9.3.1. Humanist Curriculum
9.3.1.1. Based from the idealist philosophy that knowledge of the traditional liberal arts is the cornerstone of an educational citizenry.
9.3.1.2. Believe the purpose of education is to present students the best of what has been thought and written.
9.3.2. Social Efficiency Curriculum
9.3.2.1. Pragmatic/progressive in nature
9.3.2.2. Believes that different groups of students have different needs, and should receive different types of education to meet those specific needs.
9.3.3. Developmentalist Curriculum
9.3.3.1. Based on progressive educational practices.
9.3.3.1.1. Dewey and Piaget emphasized the importance of the process of teaching along with the curricula content.
9.3.3.2. Focuses on the needs and interests of each individual child at each of the particular developmental stages.
9.3.4. Social Meliorist Curriculum
9.3.4.1. Based on social reconstructionist theory that schools should work to change society and help solve fundamental social problems.
9.4. Sociology of Curriculum
9.4.1. Functionalist Theories:
9.4.1.1. The role of curriculum is to give students the knowledge, language, and values to ensure social stability, to further the common social order.
9.4.2. Conflict Theories:
9.4.2.1. Conflict theorists believe curriculum is a reflection of ideology; they do not that believe schools teach liberal values such as tolerance and respect.
9.5. Hidden Curriculum:
9.5.1. Includes norms which are taught to students through implicit rules and messages, but is not written in the official curriculum.
9.5.1.1. Examples: learning how to walk in line, how to address teachers, respecting those in authority, etc.
9.6. Null Curriculum:
9.6.1. Curriculum that is specifically omitted from being taught in schools.
9.6.1.1. Example: leaving out the oppression and abuse Native Americans endured while teaching 1st graders about Thanksgiving.