1. Chapter 6: Schools as Organizations
1.1. School Process and School Culture
1.1.1. schools have authority structures that are quite vulnerable have a great deal of political energy that keep the school in a state of equilibrium
1.1.2. teachers, student, administration, and communities all have conflicting interest
1.1.3. Bureaucracies
1.1.3.1. attempt to rationalize and organize human behavior in order to achieve certain goals
1.1.3.2. They are so complex and have so many rules that they suppress individuality and creativity that is required for learning
1.1.4. Changing the cultures of the school requires patience, skill and good will
1.2. Major Stakeholder in District
1.2.1. State Senator
1.2.1.1. Richard Shelby
1.2.2. House of Representatives
1.2.2.1. is comprised of 105 members! The hartselle representative is Ed Henry
1.2.3. State Superintendent
1.2.3.1. Michael Sentance
1.2.4. Local Superintendent
1.2.4.1. Dr. Vic Wilson
1.2.5. Local School Board
1.2.5.1. Dr. James Joy, Daxton Maze, Ms. Amy Pace, Mr. Randy Sparkman and Dr. Vic Wilson
2. Chapter 7: Curriculum and Pedagogy
2.1. The social Meliorist Curriculm
2.1.1. Schools should change society and help solve its fundamental problems
2.1.2. The curriculum
2.1.2.1. should help teach students to think about the greater good
2.1.2.2. should help students solve social problems
2.1.2.3. move students to become aware of society problems and active in changing the world
2.1.3. this theory is minimally used in modern public school systems.
2.2. Traditions in Teaching
2.2.1. Mimic Tradition
2.2.1.1. start with the familiar and move to the unfamiliar
2.2.1.2. Transfer of information from one person to another
2.2.1.3. Knowledge is presented to a learner instead of discovered
2.2.1.4. seen as detachable information
2.2.1.4.1. It can be presented in books and films so the information "outlives" the author
2.2.1.4.2. It can be forgotten by those who once knew it
2.2.2. Transformative Tradition
2.2.2.1. this tradition is integrated within the psychological makeup of the student
2.2.2.2. information is "added on" instead of modifying the learner in some way
2.2.2.3. this tradition focuses on improving traits and and qualities
2.2.2.3.1. morals, attitude, character and personal interest
3. Chapter 8: Equality of Opportunity
3.1. Impact on Educational Outcomes
3.1.1. Class
3.1.1.1. Upper Class
3.1.1.1.1. Families from upper class are more likely to expect their children to go to school
3.1.1.1.2. Teachers tend to think higher if these students
3.1.1.2. Lower Class
3.1.1.2.1. Have low levels of expectation on children education
3.1.1.2.2. These students do no speak middle class english and are often though less of
3.1.1.2.3. there is a direct correlation between family income and and student achievement
3.1.1.2.4. have a high rate of underachievement, drop out, and resist the curriculum of the school
3.1.1.3. Peer groups has a significant influence on students attitude about learning
3.1.1.3.1. Schools that enroll many middle class students have high academic achievement
3.1.2. Race
3.1.2.1. an individual's race has a direct impact on how much education they are likely to achieve
3.1.2.2. Student drop out rate
3.1.2.2.1. White: 5.2%
3.1.2.2.2. African-American: 9.3%
3.1.2.2.3. Hispanic-American: 17.6%
3.1.2.3. Minorities have lower SAT scores
3.1.2.3.1. SAT scores determine college acceptance and scholarship opportunities
3.1.2.4. minorities do not receive the same educational opportunities and their awards for educational attainment are significantly less
3.1.3. Gender
3.1.3.1. Women are often rated as better students and are less likely to drop out
3.1.3.2. Women have higher level of reading proficiency
3.1.3.3. males are more likely to score higher on SAT
3.1.3.4. More women seek secondary education than men
3.1.3.4.1. Men attend more academically and socially prestigious colleges
3.2. Response to the Coleman Study 1982
3.2.1. Round two
3.2.1.1. there are significant differences between catholic schools and public schools
3.2.1.1.1. In terms of learning the results are negligible
3.2.1.2. private schools seem to "do it better" for low-income students
3.2.1.3. private schools have organizational characteristics that produce positive students outcomes but how important are these results?
3.2.1.4. Catholic school seem to advantage love income minority students
3.2.1.4.1. However, they are becoming more elite and like urban public schools
3.2.2. Round Three:
3.2.2.1. Agreed with Colman
3.2.2.1.1. the school a child attends often depends on race and socioeconomic background
3.2.2.1.2. race and class are predictors of student success
3.2.2.2. Disagreed with Coleman
3.2.2.2.1. schools don't matter
3.2.2.2.2. education reforms must focus on eliminating high level of segregation
4. Chapter 9: Educational Inequality
4.1. School-Centered explanation for Inequality
4.1.1. School Financing
4.1.1.1. adequate school funding provides the school with more opportunities that school with insignificant funding do not receive
4.1.1.2. Schools are funded by local taxes such a property taxes
4.1.1.2.1. the value of the property fluctuates between each location
4.1.1.2.2. so some school get more funding than others
4.2. Cultural Deprivation Theory
4.2.1. John Ogbu
4.2.1.1. African-American children do less well in schooled because they adapt to the oppressed position in the class and caste structure
4.2.1.2. African -American families and school socialize their children to deal with their inferior life chances rather than encourage them to internalize value and skills
4.2.1.3. school success requires that African-American students deny their own cultural identities and accept the dominate culture
4.2.1.3.1. Have the burden of acting white in order to succeed
4.2.2. Bernstein
4.2.2.1. working-class students have a different language and communication code which disadvantages them in the schools
4.2.2.2. cultural and class differences are a product of an unequal economic system and that the schools reward middle-class communication codes
5. Chapter 2: Politics of Education
5.1. Purposes of schooling
5.1.1. Intellectual
5.1.1.1. Teach basic cognitive skills such as reading, writing, and mathematics; to transmit specific knowledge.
5.1.2. Political
5.1.2.1. To insulate allegiance to the existing political order ; to teach children the basic laws of society
5.1.3. Social
5.1.3.1. To help solve social problems; to work as one of many institutions
5.1.4. Economic
5.1.4.1. To prepare students for their later occupational roles and to select, train, and allocate individuals into the division of labor.
5.2. Conservative Perspective:
5.2.1. Role of School:
5.2.1.1. Provides the necessary educational training to ensure that the most talented and hard-working students receive the tools they need to maximize economic and social productivity.
5.2.2. Explanations of Unequal Performance
5.2.2.1. Individuals or groups of students rise and fall at their own intelligence, hard work, and initiative, and achievement is based on hard work and sacrifice. If a student does not succeed it may be because as individuals, deficient in some manner or because they are members from a group that are deficient.
5.2.3. Definition of Educational Problems.
5.2.3.1. 1. Decline of Standards
5.2.3.1.1. School systematically lowered academic standards and reduced educational quality
5.2.3.2. 2. Decline of Cultural Literacy
5.2.3.2.1. Schools watered down traditional curriculum and weakened the school's ability to pass on heritage of American and Western civilizations
5.2.3.3. 3. Decline of values or of civilization
5.2.3.3.1. In pursue of culture relativism, schools lost their traditional role of teaching moral standards and values.
5.2.3.4. 4. Decline of Authority
5.2.3.4.1. Schools lost their traditional disciplinary functions and often became chaotic
5.2.3.5. 5. They are state controlled and are stifled by bureaucracy and inefficiency.
6. Chapter 3: History of Education
6.1. Educational Reform Movement
6.1.1. For Women:
6.1.1.1. In the beginning of the eighteenth century, the roll of a woman was to be a homemaker, the caretaker of the house and family. Education was thought to be too stressful or biologically harmful, women only received an education in rudimentary literacy and numeracy. In 1821 the first school for women was opened by Emma Hart Willard. The curriculum of her school,Troy Female Seminary, was based off single-sex male schools. This school opened the doors for the education of women, and schools for women stated opening up all over the country. In 1856 the University of Iowa opened its intuition to women, becoming the first university to accept women!
6.1.2. For African Americans:
6.1.2.1. Education for African American after the Civil War was extremely limited. Southerners forbid the teaching of reading and writing to the salve population, believing it would cause insubordination and revolution. In northern populations African American education was significantly inferior, segregated, and often not offered by the public. after the court ruling of "Roberts v. City of Boston" in 1846 ,African Americans were encouraged to establish their own school systems. In 1686 the fourteenth amendment was passed and the Freedman's Bureau helped create all black colleges.
6.2. theoretical perspectives
6.2.1. Functionalism:
6.2.1.1. Stresses the independence of the social system.
6.2.1.2. Emile Durkheim:
6.2.1.2.1. Believed that education was important in creating the moral unity for social harmony.
6.2.1.2.2. Morals and values are the foundation of society.
6.2.1.3. Schools should socialize and sort students according to their abilities.
6.2.1.3.1. Create programs and curriculum the encourage social unity.
6.2.1.4. Interactional Theory:
6.2.1.4.1. relations of schools and societies are primarily critique and extensions of functional and conflict perspectives.
6.2.1.4.2. What do teachers and student actually do?
6.2.1.4.3. The most probmalitic instances are the ones that are not questioned
6.2.2. Conflict theory:
6.2.2.1. Social order is not based on collective agreement, but dominant groups to impose their views on subordinate groups by force and manipulation.
6.2.2.1.1. Schools are a battle between teacher with students, and teachers against administration.
6.2.2.2. Students are sorted based on their ability, not social standing.
6.2.2.3. Karl Marx: founder of Conflict schools
6.2.2.3.1. believed the only way to create a productive society was to abolish or modify capitalism and the introduction of socialism
6.2.2.3.2. Until society is changed there is little hope of real school reform
6.2.2.4. Willard Waller
6.2.2.4.1. schools will erupt into anarchy because students are forced to attend school against their will
6.2.2.5. Basil Bernstien
6.2.2.5.1. analyzed how communication between the family and school contribute to social and educational inequalities.
6.3. The Democratic-Liberal School Interpretation:
6.3.1. This interpretation involves a progressive, flawed viewpoint, of a system dedicated to providing equality of all students.
6.3.2. The historians of this viewpoint suggest that liberal reformers attempted to expand educational opportunities to lager portions of the population, while rejecting conservative views of schools.
6.3.3. Historians: Ellwood Cubberly, Merle Curti, and Lawerence A. Cremin
6.3.4. Lawerence A. Cremin Viewpoint:
6.3.4.1. Portrays education in two processes: popularization and multitudinousness
6.3.4.2. As the background of students become more diverse, social goals become as or more important than academic goals.
6.3.5. There must be a balance between equality and excellence.
6.3.5.1. To achieve this, compromises must be made without sacrificing one or the other too much.
7. Chapter 4: Sociology of Education
7.1. 5 effects of schooling
7.1.1. 1.Teacher Behavior:
7.1.1.1. Teachers have many roles such as:instructor, disciplinarian, friend, and educator
7.1.1.1.1. sometimes teachers feel uncomfortable towards certain roles. This is called role strain
7.1.1.2. Teachers act as role models and build self-esteem
7.1.1.3. A teachers expectations can play a major role in encouraging students, and can influence overall performance
7.1.2. 2. Student Peer Group Alienation:
7.1.2.1. Student culture idealizes abilities, looks and a detached style to indicate "coolness"
7.1.2.2. Violence in the school system has significantly increased.
7.1.2.2.1. Students are attacking teachers, as well as each other.
7.1.3. 3. Tracking:
7.1.3.1. tracking is the placement of students in curricular programs based on the students abilities
7.1.3.1.1. sometimes based on class or race
7.1.3.2. Working- class students are more likely to be on vocational tracks
7.1.3.3. High-Ability tracks spend more time on teaching and learning activities
7.1.3.3.1. often cover more interesting materials
7.1.3.4. Students in lower tracks experience alienation and authoritarian teachers
7.1.4. 4. Gender:
7.1.4.1. Men and women do not have equality in the U.S
7.1.4.1.1. Men are often paid more and women have fewer occupational opportunities
7.1.4.2. Girls begin school socially and cognitively more mature than boys, at the end of high school girls have lower self-esteems and aspirations than boys do.
7.1.4.3. Textbooks tend to by biased against women by ignoring their accomplishments and contributions
7.1.4.3.1. Sexism and gender basis is starting to appear in textbooks
7.1.4.4. Gender basis is not stemmed from school systems, but is a reflection of society and social values
7.1.5. 5. Inadequate Schools:
7.1.5.1. The current quality of education that students are receiving will not prepare for a productive and successful futures
7.1.5.1.1. Schools, especially urban areas, has failed to educate minority and less fortunate children
7.1.5.2. Children who attend private and suburban schools receive a better quality of education
7.1.5.2.1. These students are also more accepted in a social capacity
8. Chapter 5: Philosophy of Education
8.1. Pragmatism:
8.1.1. generic notions
8.1.1.1. Was influenced by the Theory of Evolution and belief in progress
8.1.1.2. Children can learn skills experimentally and traditionally.
8.1.1.2.1. Which would enable them to work cooperatively in a society
8.1.1.3. Start with the needs and interest of the children
8.1.2. key researcher
8.1.2.1. John Dewey
8.1.3. goal of education
8.1.3.1. The school should be a place where ideas can be challenged, and restructured with the goal of providing students the knowledge to improve society
8.1.3.2. Attempted to balance social role with its effects on the social, intellectual, and personal development of individuals
8.1.3.3. The school has to play a key role in creating a modern form of society by socializing groups into a democratic community
8.1.4. role of teacher
8.1.4.1. acts as facilitator of knowledge
8.1.4.2. Teacher ask questions to promote student responses and encourage deeper thinking
8.1.4.3. Encourages students to seek out new knowledges
8.1.5. method of instruction
8.1.5.1. Children should learn individually and in a group
8.1.5.2. Problem-solving or inquiry method
8.1.5.2.1. Students should begin an assignment by asking questions about what they would like to know.
8.1.5.3. Field trips and projects were used to gain further knowledge on a subject and promote positive learning experiences.
8.1.5.4. There was an informal environment and schedule
8.1.5.4.1. Children could quietly converse with one another, stand or stretch when needed
8.1.5.4.2. Were encouraged to pursue independent study or projects
8.1.5.5. Traditional methods were replaced with individualized study, problem solving and project methods
8.1.5.6. Constructivism:
8.1.5.6.1. inquiry based method of learning
8.1.5.7. Pragmatism:
8.1.5.7.1. student-center perspectives are acquired by real life experiences
8.1.6. curriculum
8.1.6.1. Work from the know to the unknown
8.1.6.1.1. curriculum of Expanding environments
8.1.6.2. Child-Centered Curriculum based on imagination
8.1.6.2.1. Curriculum should be related to the need and interest of the child
8.1.6.2.2. An integrated curriculum is the most effective balance between traditional disciplines and interest of the children.
8.1.6.3. Answers are discovered through real-world experiences
8.1.6.3.1. An idea has merit if it can be tested, and works in the real world (article)
8.1.6.3.2. Students should master the scientific method
9. Chapter 10: Educational Reform
9.1. School-Based reforms
9.1.1. Charter Schools
9.1.1.1. public schools that are free from many of the regulations applied to traditional public schools
9.1.1.2. have control over their own curriculum and produce results in a way they think is best
9.1.1.3. can be started by anyone
9.1.1.4. is paid for with tax dollars and must be open to all students in the schtick district
9.1.1.5. if they do not meet provision of its charter it can loose funding and be forced to close its doors
9.1.1.6. students in charter school had higher achievements than those who remained in the neighboring districts even after controlling for student backgrounds
9.1.2. Voucher
9.1.2.1. if families rather than schools were funded it would allow for greater parental choice and participation
9.1.2.2. parents would reward good schools and punish bad schools
9.1.2.3. increase student achievement, empower low-income families, and increase parental satisfaction
9.1.2.3.1. improve public education through competition
9.1.2.3.2. students will not be confined to low-performing schools but rather will be free to select more effective schools
9.1.2.4. parents will increase their satisfaction rate and be more involved in their child's schooling
9.1.2.5. Provides programs for parents in Harlem before their children are born to help parents know what they should do for their unborn children
9.2. Reforms
9.2.1. Harlem Children's Zone
9.2.1.1. Teaches parents how to have academic conversations with their children
9.2.1.2. shows them how to provide them with a healthy home environment and acceptable forms of discipline
9.2.1.3. will help African-America children be more prepared to enter school
9.2.2. Full Service and Community Schools
9.2.2.1. full service schools focus on meeting students and their families needs
9.2.2.2. schools act as community centers within the neighborhoods that are open to extended hours to provide a magnitude of services
9.2.2.2.1. adult education, health clinics, recreation facilities, after school programs, and many more
9.2.2.3. designed to improve at-risk neighborhoods and prevent problems as well as support families