Chapter 3 An Overview of Schooling in America So You Want to be a Teacher? Teaching and Learning in the 21st Century Janice Koch Teaching by Sharleen L. Kato

A Brief History of American Public Education

The Colonies Early colonial education began in the home in the 1600s when Puritans established colonies in what is not the northeastern USA. Education was designed to further Puritan values and ensure that children were well versed in the Bible. Hornbooks a flat wooden board with a handle. A sheet of paper—usually containing the alphabet, a prayer or two, and Roman numerals was pasted on the board. A thin, flat piece of clear animal horn was Attached to cover and protect the paper. Used during the Colonial Period.

New England families could opt to send there children to dame schools. The primary responsibility of educating children was placed on the family. New England families could opt to send there children to dame schools. Dame Schools: in early America, schools run by women in their own homes, and parents paid a fee for their children to attend.

The woman would do her chores while teaching children their letters, numbers and prayers. This was the only form of education for girls since it was not important for their life work. After young boys finished dame schools they would become an apprentice. Apprentice is someone who learns a skilled trade by watching and helping someone in that trade.

Servings as an apprentice allowed boy to learn a skill to take into adulthood. Girls were taught domestic skills at home and learned to stitch letters.

Latin Grammar School Latin Grammar Schools, the first opened in 1635, sons of upper social classes studied Latin and Greek language and literature as well as the Bible. To further boy’s education Harvard College was founded by the Puritans in 1636. The entry requirements were: entrance exam that required reading and speaking Latin and Greek.

1647, Massachusetts passed a law requiring formal education 1647, Massachusetts passed a law requiring formal education. It is known as the “Old Deluder Satan” Act, mandate that every town of 50 households must appoint and pay a teacher of reading and writing, while every town of 100 households must provide a grammar school to prepare youths for university. The Latin grammar school is considered one of the forerunners of the American high schools.

Geographical Differences in Colonial Education Where you lived had a great impact on the type of education that was available. In 1647, Northern Colonies, principally taught the Bible. Mid-Atlantic colonies, established various trades and apprenticeship programs. Southern Colonies (more rural). Wealthy plantation owners hired private tutors for their children. Young gentlemen were sent abroad to Europe for the education.

Late Colonial Period Schools managed by private association, often devoted to the skills needed for a specific type of job. Religious schools, sponsored by churches for their members. Some churches also established charity schools for the urban poor. Few private academies offering secondary education with a broader curriculum than the early Latin grammar school.

Several options required tuitions, others were paid for by public funds, and some were funded by a combination of both. Girls still had little education. Native Americans and African Americans practically had NO EDUCATION. Poor families had to sign a “Pauper’s Oath.” Many families choose to leave their children illiterate rather than suffer the shame of this type of public admission.

The New Nation 1700s, efforts were made to consolidate schools and make education mandatory throughout the new nation. 1785, Congress enacted the Land Ordinance Act and the Northwest Ordinance of 1787. These measures set aside land for public schools. Schools were: one room with benches and a stove. Desk and blackboards came years later. No grades were given and one teacher worked with several age levels at the same time. One Room Schoolhouse

The Academy Thomas Jefferson Benjamin Franklin If common people were well educated, they could take part in democratic government, and it would thrive. He introduced legislation to divide counties into smaller districts that were responsible for a public system of education. He wanted to make sure that elementary schools were available without cost. He also established the University of Virginia. He began the first public library. He worked to expand educational opportunities to anyone who could pay the tuition and attend, regardless of their religious beliefs. He influenced schools to teach good citizenship and a wide variety of subjects.

In 1751, Ben Franklin established the academy In 1751, Ben Franklin established the academy. The Academy is a type of private secondary school that allow students to choose subjects (science, math, athletics, navigation, and bookkeeping) appropriate to their later careers. The Franklin Academy in Philadelphia was open to both girls and boys—if the parent could afford the tuition. Academies changed the model for secondary schools by offering electives as well as required courses.

Rise of the Common School Jefferson, Franklin, and others believed that the new democracy required and educated citizenry for its survival. They felt the citizens should be informed and the education system should allow people to succeed on the basis of skill and dedication rather than inherited privilege.

Common schools public, tax supported elementary school available to children from all levels of Society. Horace Mann is considered the “father of the public school.” Curriculum included: reading, writing, and arithmetic, history, science and Some Bible reading of the King James version of the Bible.

Catholic immigrants objected to common schools and begun the Parochial schools. A school operated by a religious group. In 1963, the US Supreme Court ruled that prayers and Bible readings could no longer be allowed in public schools. To ensure kids went to school and not to work, attendance laws came into existence. These laws were adopted by each state beginning with Massachusetts in 1852 and ending with Alaska in 1929.

Expansion of Public Schools By took hold and became the 1890 Tax-supported public high schools dominate form of secondary education. Early 1900s, the junior high school was established to bridge the gap, concentrating on the emotional and intellectual needs of students (7th-9th grade). In the 1950s, middle schools was established for 5th – 8th grade. By the end of the 20th century the middle school was replacing the junior high school.

In the early 1800s school lasted 75-80 days In the early 1800s school lasted 75-80 days. In today's time that would mean school would last until December 3rd. The remainder of the time the family used to work the farm. By 1890 over 70% of children were attending school. We can celebrate that our nation grew with more people attending school. More diverse students are graduating from high school and going on the postsecondary education than ever before.

The Role Horace Mann Played The first public state-supported schools were established, giving the same education to people from different levels of Society. He established teacher training schools. He advocated the establishment of free libraries. He increased state funding for public schools by using state taxes to pay for education. He believed schools should be nonsectarian and not teach any specific belief system. 20 20

Teacher Education and the Development of Normal Schools Horace Mann promoted normal schools. Normal schools prepared men and women with the necessary skills to become teachers. They begun in the 1830s. They were two-year institutions taught courses in history and philosophy of education and methods of teaching. They were to develop more qualified teachers. By the end of the 1800s, these schools became four-year colleges dedicated to teacher education.

Normal Schools and Female Teachers Normal schools played a major role in brining women into the teaching profession. In the early days of American education, schoolmasters were almost always male. School teachers of the late 1800’s looked sharp in their work attire as witnessed in this photo of grandaunt Julia Drew and her friend Mertie Gracie.  http://www.famhist.us/2011/09/19/school-teachers-of-the-1800s/

It was assumed that they were incapable of maintaining the discipline necessary to teach effectively. Normal schools, welcomed female students and make elementary school teaching a career path form many women. By 1900, 71% of rural teachers were women.

Gender Roles in Teaching In the 1900s, teaching became more attractive for women. There were considerable constraints on women who became teachers, chief among them there were not allowed to marry. It was believed that a married woman would have divided loyalties if they were allowed to marry while being teachers. After WWII it changed.

By the 1950s, the teaching profession had become a female-dominated, “feminized” profession in many people’s eyes. The overall percentage of men in teaching has declined significantly since the 1960s.

The Tuskegee Normal School and the Education of African Americans It took a long time for African Americans to achieve equal opportunity and access to a quality education. Booker T. Washington, in 1881 became the first head of what was then the Tuskegee Normal School for Colored Teachers. Later renamed the Tuskegee Institute. Under his leadership they prepared African American teachers to be self-reliant, and to acquire practical vocational skills.

Competing Visions: Efforts to Rethink and Reform Education

The High School Curriculum 1892, the National Education Association (NEA) appointed the Committee of Ten to determine the proper curriculum for high schools. They recommended: 8 yrs of elementary school 4 yrs of high school

1918, NEA recommended four tracks for H.S.: The high school curriculum had courses for college bound and terminal students. The courses included foreign language, history, math, science and English. 1918, NEA recommended four tracks for H.S.: College preparatory Commercial (bookkeeping, shorthand, typing) Industrial (prep for agriculture, trade, and domestic) General academic

Federal & State Efforts at Educational Reform: Funding, Priorities, & Standards

Separate but Equal?

African Americans were denied the right to an education when this country was new and evolving. Schools that did develop after the Civil War was separate, only for black children.

1896 Supreme Court ruling in Plessy v 1896 Supreme Court ruling in Plessy v. Ferguson, “separate but equal” public facilities for different races were legal. They did not share equally in the resource available for public schooling; in most locations, they had fewer tax dollars and inferior conditions.

1954 with the case of Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas. In this case the Supreme Court of the USA ruled unanimously that separate schools for whites and blacks were inherently unequal because the effects of such separate schooling are likely to be different. Schools could not remain segregated.

The efforts toward integration had a significant impact, but there was much turmoil and resistance. Numerous educators argue that de facto segregation still exists today in may cities and especially in suburban America. The Civil Rights Act (1964), reinforced the importance of creating educational opportunities for all Americans regardless of race, gender, or ethnicity. The Bilingual Education Act of 1968/1974 gave funding to school districts that established programs for children with limited English-language ability.

The Elementary and Secondary Act EASA was passed in 1965. Provided federal financing of schools in America. Every 5 years since it was enacted it has been reauthorized. Federal government distribute funds to the each state then the state, the state identify the schools/districts to receive the funds.

Tutoring and other supplemental academic instruction Title 1 is the section of federal education law that provides funds for compensatory education. Compensatory education are services designed specifically to create better opportunities for students with disadvantages. For instance: Tutoring and other supplemental academic instruction Head start After School centers Computer labs for economically disadvantage schools Dropout prevention Job training Parental education Professional development for teachers

The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) OF 2001 revised the ESEA and called for states to develop content-area standards and annual testing of math and reading in grades 3-8. Schools with poor test scores risk the possibility of being closed. This also gives parents a choice about where their children go to school.

Title IX Title IX, part of the Education Amendments of 1972, is a federal law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any federal funded education program or activity. It protects the rights of males and females from Pre-K through graduate school in sports, financial aid, employment, counseling, an school regulations and policies.

A great impact of Title IX is on girls’ sports activities and facilities; it requires that schools provide equal opportunities, funding, and facilities for boys’ and girls’ teams.

A Nation at Risk In 1983, the National Commission on Excellence in Education issued a report called, A Nation At Risk: The Imperative for Education Reform. The report called for tougher standards for graduation, increases in required number of math and science courses, higher college entrance requirements, and a return to “academic basics.”

Increase in the amount of homework given, longer school day, more rigorous requirements for teachers, and updated textbooks. The “at risk” wording implied that the USA would lose it global competitive edge if the reforms were not carried out.

The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) is the federal law that guarantees that all children with disabilities receive free, appropriate public education. Before 1975 there were no such laws. Often they were taught in separate classrooms, and provided with watered down curricula.

Strong efforts have been made to include students with disabilities in regular classrooms. This is known as inclusion. There are some classes where students with learning disabilities are integrated with general education students as much as possible.

Types of Learning Disabilities Dyslexia Dysgraphia Dyscalculia Dyspraxia (Sensory Integration Disorder) Nonverbal Learning Disability CAPD (Central Auditory Processing Disorder) Visual Processing Disorder ADD or ADHD (Attention Deficit Disorder) Autism Resource Information http://drlindasblog.com/list-of-learning-disabilities/

Partial inclusion is when special education students are in class with general/regular ed. students some of the time. Self-contained class where students stay in one room all day and have instruction.

Standards-Based Education Reform In 1990s, States were asked to prepare content standards based on the national guidelines and to create assessments to match the standards. Current era, is dominated by standards-based school reform and assessments. It is driven by No Child Left Behind, 2002.

It is a model of considerable rigor, accountability, and strict benchmarks for student learning. Today, teachers and administrators often find they have relatively little freedom to vary the curriculum of even the order in which topics are taught.