EDU 103 Fall 2009 December

EDU 103 Chapter 5 Education in the United States – Its Historical Roots

EDU 103 Education in the United States is unique –Different organization, content, and teaching methods from any other country in the world

EDU 103 This chapter answers the following questions: 1. How have European roots influenced American education? 2. Why is religion a controversial issue in American education?

EDU What are the historical roots of a free, public education for all students? 4. How have schools historically responded to different minority groups?

EDU What role should the federal government play in education?

EDU 103 Character education Most educators agree that moral education should be taught in school Should it be linked to religious values? Is it legal to teach religion in public schools?

EDU 103 Private and parochial (church-supported) schools Why do these types of schools exist? Should these school receive tax monies?

EDU 103 Religion and schools are closely linked in many states Is this legal? Many court cases –Engle v. Vitale in 1962

EDU 103 Schooling in the colonies Who received a formal education? Who didn’t receive very much, if any education?

EDU 103 Differences in the Colonies Southern Colonies –Private tutors –Private schools for the wealthy –Small amount, if any education for poor white settlers –No education for slaves

EDU 103 Differences in the Colonies Middle Colonies –More diverse that the Southern colonies –Several different religious groups Religious freedom was a major factor –Parochial schools were created Students learned in their native languages Local religious beliefs were a major part of the curriculum

EDU 103 Differences in the Colonies New England Colonies –Different from the other colonies Industry and commerce caused people to live in towns Strong emphasis on religion –Old Deluder Satan Act of 1647 Created scripture-literate citizens to resist Satan’s tricks

EDU 103 Old Deluder Satan Act of 1647 Towns of 50 or more households Legal foundation for public schools

EDU 103 Religion in schools Three questions –1. Should prayer be allowed in schools? –2. Should federal monies be used to support instruction in religious school? –3. What role should religion play in character education?

EDU 103 Prayer in school? –Depends on the situation and MANY court cases that have been decided since the 1960s –Religious assemblies? –Graduation? –Football games?

EDU 103 Federal monies and religious schools –Courts have provided mixed ruling in this area –Supplemental instruction

EDU 103 Religion and character education –In colonial times? –In the year 2006? –Recent survey indicated that 87% of Americans say that they are Christian –We have a lot of religious diversity in our country

EDU 103 First Amendment Did not want a national religion –Prohibits Congress from making any law respecting the establishing the establishment of religion or any law prohibiting religious practice

EDU 103 Tenth Amendment Areas not explicitly assigned to the federal government would be the responsibility of each individual state

EDU 103 Common School Movement Horace Mann –The idea that public education tax- supported elementary schools should be the right of all citizens

EDU 103 Normal schools –Two-year institutions –Trained teachers –Targeted women as potential teachers

EDU 103 PeriodSignificant Accomplishments Issues that Remain Today Colonial Period Education for White wealthy males Seeds for public education Should prayer be allowed in schools? Should tax monies be used for religious schools?

EDU 103 PeriodSignificant Accomplishments Issues that Remain Today Early National Period Principle of separation of church and state State control of education Education viewed as national interest The role of the federal government in education National student testing National curriculum

EDU 103 PeriodSignificant Accomplishments Issues that Remain Today The Common School Movement Tax-supported education Grade levels introduced Normal schools created to train teachers Inequities in funding among states and school districts Teacher quality and alternative types of certification for teachers

EDU 103 American High School Historical roots Redefining the high school Cardinal principles of secondary education Junior highs and middle schools

EDU 103 Progressive era of education John Dewey Activity-based curriculum Child-centered approach –Encourages problem solving

EDU 103 Education of cultural minorities 1. Assimilation 2. “Separate but equal”

EDU 103 Native Americans African Americans Hispanic Americans Asian Americans

EDU 103 Modern era Schools used for national purposes and for social changes The cold war with USSR –National Defense Education Act

EDU 103 Poverty and the Great Society President Lyndon Johnson –“War on poverty” –Increased federal funding –Created several national programs in an attempt to create more equal educational opportunities for disadvantaged youth

EDU 103 Compensatory education –Head Start and Title I programs are designed to help children overcome the negative effects of poverty on their academic achievement and future school success

EDU 103 Head Start –Helps three to five year-old disadvantaged children enter school ready to learn –Focuses on basic skills – counting, naming colors, pre-reading skills –Social skills are also taught Title 1 (Has been labeled Chapter 1) –Supplemental services for low-income students in elementary and secondary schools