1. Chapter 10 -Educational Reform
1.1. School-Based Reforms
1.1.1. School-to-Work Programs: The intent was to extend vocational programs for non-college-bound students. The School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994 provided seed money to state and local partnerships in business to create School-to-Work programs that best fit that community.
1.1.2. Teacher Education: "large scale overhaul of the system that prepares teachers"
1.1.2.1. 1. Upgrade intellectual rigor 2. More selective entry 3. universities need to be more connected to schools 4. better method of recruiting and keeping the best teachers 5. get serious about standards 6. reinvent professional development 7. reward teachers for knowledge and skill
1.1.2.2. Alternatives to traditional university-based teacher education include Teach for America (TFA) and New Teacher Project (NTP).
1.2. Societal, Economic, Community, or Political Reforms
1.2.1. Full Service and Community Schools: "plan to educate not only the whole child, but also the whole community" - These schools serve as community centers that are open extended hours to provide adult education, health clinics, recreational facilities, drug and alcohol programs, and more. Examples: Dryfoos' model of full service schools, Canada's Harlem Children's Zone, and Newark's Broader Bolder Approach
1.2.2. School Finance Reforms: These court rulings and reforms attempt to improve schools for low-income and minorities by providing more funding for these poorer school districts
2. Chapter 2 -Politics of Education
2.1. Purposes of Education
2.1.1. 1. Intellectual
2.1.1.1. basic cognitive skills; specific knowledge; higher-order thinking skills
2.1.2. 2. Political
2.1.2.1. basic laws of society; patriotism; democratic duties and processes
2.1.3. 3. Social
2.1.3.1. help solve social problems; socialization
2.1.4. 4. Economic
2.1.4.1. preparation for the workforce
2.2. The Conservative Perspective
2.2.1. The role of the school is to provide the necessary educational training to maximize economic and social productivity. The school also socializes children into adults.
2.2.2. Unequal performance is based off of individuals' hard work and initiative. Situations outside of school may not be equal, but the school is there to provide equal opportunity. In the end, the individual is responsible.
2.2.3. Educational problems
2.2.3.1. Decline of standards
2.2.3.2. Decline of cultural literacy
2.2.3.3. Decline of values or of civilization
2.2.3.4. Decline of authority
3. Chapter 7 -Curriculum and Pedagogy
3.1. Dominant Traditions of Teaching
3.1.1. 1. The Mimetic Tradition
3.1.1.1. loosely coincides with traditional/conservative model
3.1.1.2. purpose of education: "transmit specific knowledge"
3.1.1.3. "didactic method": lectures and presentations
3.1.1.4. authoritarian teacher transfers knowledge to students
3.1.2. 2. The Transformation Tradition
3.1.2.1. loosely coincides with progressive model
3.1.2.2. purpose of education: "change the student in some meaningful way" (intellectually, creatively, spiritually, and emotionally)
3.1.2.3. no authoritarian relationship between teacher and students --- "teaching and learning are inextricably linked"
3.2. Developmentalist Curriculum
3.2.1. Dewey & Piaget
3.2.2. Student-centered based on needs and interests of each student AND each student's developmental stage
3.2.3. related schooling to life experiences
3.2.4. teacher = facilitator
4. Chapter 8 -Equality of Opportunity
4.1. The Effects of Demographics on Edcational Outcomes
4.1.1. Class: Schools support the middle and upper classes- education is expensive, school culturally reflect these classes, and the things resulting from a middle and upper class family background (like attitude towards learning and standard English) are highly valued in school.
4.1.2. Race: The percent of African-American students who drop out of school more than triples the number of white students. Minorities are more likely to have lower SAT scores; lower SAT scores are less likely to receive scholarships or be admitted into college.
4.1.3. Gender: Males do better on SATs and are more likely to attended more prestigious post-secondary institutions than females. Females are less likely to drop out of school and more females attend post-secondary institutions than males.
4.2. Coleman Study (1982) Responses
4.2.1. What Coleman found significant, others found insignificant; Jencks (1985) "the results are negligble in terms of significant differences in learning"
4.2.2. Borman and Dowling (2010) took the Coleman Study and expanded it.
4.2.2.1. They believe that the issue can be helped by eliminating the high level of segregation
4.2.2.2. The racial and socioeconomic composition of a school has a greater effect on student achievement than an individual's race and class.
5. Chapter 9 -Educational Inequality
5.1. School-Centered Explanations
5.1.1. 1. School Financing: Local property taxes are a significant source. Property values are higher in more affluent communities; Therefore, they are more capable of raising money for schools through this form of taxation.
5.1.2. 2. Effective School Research: This "effective school literature" provides characteristics of effective schools regardless of the demographic composition of the school. It supports Coleman (1982) in that it promotes higher expectations and a more rigorous curriculum.
5.1.3. 3. Between-School Differences: Curriculum and Pedagogic Practices: "schools in working-class neighborhoods are far more likely to have authoritarian and teacher-directed pedagogic practices and to have a vocationally or social-efficiency curriculum at the secondary level"
5.1.4. 4. Within-School Differences: Curriculum and Ability Grouping: Working class and minority students are far more likely to fall into the low track. The low track students receive more didactic, teacher-focused instruction and less is expected of these students.
5.2. Cultural Deprivation Theory
5.2.1. suggests that working-class and minority families lack "cultural resources" such as books and other "educational stimuli." This puts these kids at a significant disadvantage before even starting school. In other words, they start out already behind
5.3. Cultural Difference Theories
5.3.1. The first view, supported by anthropologist John Ogbu, claims that African-American students do less well in school because they adapt to their oppressed position in the "class and caste structure."
5.3.2. The second view sees working-class and minority families as resisting the dominant cultures of schools. They believe these students reject the middle-class, generally white culture of academic success and embrace a different culture.
5.4. I came across a neat article that I believe applies to these theories. It came from the ASU Library. Here is the information and link. You will have to sign into the library to read it though.
5.4.1. "Straddling Boundaries: Identity, Culture, and School. Prudence L. Carter. Sociology of Education, Vol. 79, No. 4 (Oct., 2006), pp. 304-328. http://0-search.proquest.com.athens.iii.com/docview/216485752/D3865B0805EB48C0PQ/1?accountid=8411
6. Chapter 3 -History of U.S. Education
6.1. Common School Era
6.1.1. This reform movement moved schooling from an elite practice sponsored by churches and at-home tutors to a public standard. The first state board of education was established as well as both Normal and Common schools.
6.2. Conservative Interpretation of U.S. Education
6.2.1. The evolution of U.S. education to solve social problems has resulted in the "dilution of academic excellence." Because schools are forced to solve cultural conflicts, western heritage has lost its place in schools and is no longer taught.
7. Chapter 4 -Sociological Perspectives
7.1. Theoretical Perspective: School and Society Relationship
7.1.1. Functionalism
7.1.1.1. the school is to socialize appropriate values and a sense of moral unity into students to encourage social unity; believes in the importance of the interdependence of the social system
7.1.2. Conflict theory
7.1.2.1. emphasizes struggle; schools are similar to social battlefields; inequality; the reputation of a school gives students power and social status
7.1.3. Interactionalism
7.1.3.1. focuses on what happens everyday in schools; microsociological aspects; examples being language patterns, labels such as gifted or disabled, and working versus middle class
7.2. Five Effects of Schooling on Individuals
7.2.1. Knowledge and Attitudes
7.2.1.1. higher social class leads to higher achievement level; more academic programs leads to higher rates of learning; more time in school leads to more success
7.2.2. Curriculum
7.2.2.1. it is not the same across the board; it reflects a certain culture; the minorities who are not represented suffer; Caucasians and Asian Americans are far more likely to continue their education in college
7.2.3. Teacher Behavior
7.2.4. Student Peer Groups and Alienation
7.2.4.1. students' culture and beliefs affect their learning; no one wants to be a "nerd;" kids want to be "cool;" they have to act a certain way which usually includes not trying in school; there is increasing violence in school
7.2.5. Tracking
7.2.5.1. 'high-ability'/ academic track receives better teachers, labs, extracurricular activities than 'low-ability'/vocational track who have more alienation and authoritarian teachers and less opportunities
7.2.5.2. teachers' expectations and labels of students influence their level of success (self-fulfilling prophecy); most teachers expect less from minorities and working class; minorities have higher dropout rates
8. Chapter 5 -Philosophy of Education
8.1. Pragmatism
8.1.1. Generic Notions: encourages people to find processes that work in order to achieve their desired ends, interested in contemporary issues and discovering solutions to problems in present-day terms; action oriented; experimentally grounded; founded on behaviorism; "embryonic community"
8.1.2. Key Researchers: Frances Bacon, John Locke, Jean-Jaques Rousseau, George Sanders Peirce, William James, and JOHN DEWEY
8.1.3. Goal of Education: GROWTH; schools should balance the needs of society and community on who hand and the needs of the individual on the other; education has no other goals than growth-growth leading to more growth
8.1.4. Role of the Teacher: FACILITATOR; the teacher encourages, questions, and helps plan and implement courses of study; writes curriculum and therefore must know several disciplines
8.1.5. Method of Instruction: children learn both individually and in groups; problem-solving and inquiry methods; students can converse quietly with one another, can stand up and stretch if warranted, and can pursue independent study or group work
8.1.6. Curriculum: integrated curriculum (all academic and vocational disciplines are integrated and interconnected); start with contemporary issues and work from the known to the unknown
9. Chapter 6 -Schools as Organizations
9.1. Major Stakeholders in my District
9.1.1. State Senators: Richard Shelby(R) and Luther Strange(R)
9.1.2. House of Representatives: Bradley Byrne(R), Martha Roby(R), Mike Rogers(R), Robert Aderholt(R), Mo Brooks(R), Gary Palmer(R), and Terri Sewell(D)
9.1.3. State Superintendent: Michael Sentance
9.1.4. Representative on State School Board: Cynthia Sanders McCarty, Ph.D. (District 06)
9.1.5. Local Superintendent: Dr. Vic Wilson (Hartselle)
9.1.6. Local School Board: Mrs. Venita Jones, Dr. James Joy, Mr. Daxton Maze, Ms. Amy Pace, Mr. Randy Sparkman (Hartselle)
9.2. Elements of Change within School Processes and Cultures
9.2.1. Conflict: Previous problems and disagreements must surface. Staff members must be prepared to elicit, manage, and resolve conflicts.
9.2.2. New Behaviors: build communication and trust, new relationships, allowing new leadership to emerge
9.2.3. Team Building: must extend to the entire school, shared decision making
9.2.4. Process and Content Interrelated: the process of change is as important as the reasons for change, the viability of the project will influence future commitments and relationships