1. Why educate? What is the proper balance? 1. Political
Three Main Purposes of Schools Spring Chapter Political, Social, and Economic To transmit and/or to reconstruct (highly contested) Problem in classrooms: Creating curriculum, policies, and practices to achieve these goals.
1. Political
Prepare citizens (Passive or Active)
Americanize-Patriotism (both Natives & Immigrants)
2. Social
Teach mainstream
behaviors and values (socialize, character)
Address social problems
Build a sense of community
3. Economic (examine in Federal policies Week 5)
Invest in training the workforce
Human capital theory—investment in
education will improve the quality of workers and
the wealth of the community
Concern about global competition
If labor market concerns dominate, business needs
would shape the curriculum, business ideas influence.
Why
educate?
What is the
proper
balance?

2. Spring Chapter 1
“Since there is a wide variation in what people believe, educational goals often generate debate.” (Spring, 3)
50 States, all have their own state learning standards
“Educational goals are determined by federal, state, and local politicians, special interest groups, community organizations, and professional education organizations.” (Spring, 3)
Contested by various groups

3. Spring Chapter 1 highlights:
Take 1 minute and make a short list of the ways your school prepared you for a political role (directly and indirectly). How effective were these efforts? Was your citizen training for passive or active involvement?
1. Political
Prepare citizens (Passive-vote or Active)
Americanize-Love of country, belief in the political system (for both Natives & Immigrants)
Spring Chapter 1 highlights:
Jefferson’s concern for democratic leadership (selected on merit) and literate citizens
Mann’s concern for common values formed by a common experience
School’s role in encouraging patriotism and loyalty to country (songs, pledge, history)
School’s role in encouraging responsibility to community (service learning)

4. Students enjoyed history Class visited the homeless
In your view, is this teacher following the intended political purposes of teaching history? Yes or No?
Students enjoyed history
Class visited the homeless
Discussed the environment
Innovative teacher
Speaker on Vietnam War
Raise awareness of injustices
Some parents complain that he is brainwashing students to his views
Took students to antiwar rally

5. Liberal Democratic States avoid:
Manipulation
Indoctrination
Propaganda
Deception
Threats
Force
What should
it do?

6. 4: the common people constituting the source of political authority
Tozer, Chapter POLITICAL GOAL “The major goal of teaching is to prepare citizens for life in a democratic society.” Merriam Webster definition of Democracy
1 a: government by the people ; especially : rule of the majority b: a government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections
4: the common people constituting the source of political authority
5: the absence of hereditary or arbitrary class distinctions or privileges

7. Strong or Deliberative Democracy “Voice rather than vote is the vehicle of citizen empowerment.”
Free and open debate.
Who is at the table?

8. Report on MSNBS on Texas School Board
The study of History, Social Studies and more recently Economics is regarded as part of the school curriculum to promote citizenship.
What questions can be raised about the process and curriculum changes made in 2010 by the Texas School Board Committee (elected board)?
Report on MSNBS on Texas School Board
“Educational goals are determined by federal, state, and local politicians, special interest groups, community organizations, and professional education organizations.” (Spring, 3)

9. TOZER CHAPTER 1 CONTEXTUAL YOUR ANALYSIS ANALYTIC FRAMEWORK (Tozer, 9-11) PE and Ideology explains why, what, how
What forces explain the rewriting of learning standards in Texas?
IDEOLOGY
Explain and
Justify
Shared beliefs
Shared values
Groups differ
POLITICAL ECONOMY
Institutions and
practices
Social (like family, religion)
Economic
Political
Schools
*Demographics
SCHOOLS
How would people in Illinois react if the Texas standards
were passed in Illinois? Why?

10. If you were a teacher in Texas, would you generally agree or disagree with the changes?
See NY Times Article on how the State Board of Education in Texas influences curriculum content in 2010.
What questions are raised by the process to create history standards in Virginia?
Frontline PBS –State of Virginia debates history standards, committee contains teachers, curriculum specialists, state board of education representatives.

11. SCHOOLS AND POLITICS Controlled by legislation
SCHOOLS AND POLITICS Controlled by legislation. Embedded in party politics.

12. Spring Chapter 2 Key Ideas about equality of opportunity in a meritocratic society.
Equality of opportunity means that all members of a society are given equal chances to pursue wealth and enter any occupation or social class. (Spring, 30) OPEN SOCIETY
Equality does not mean that everyone will have equal incomes and equal status. COMPETITION within a HIERARCHY
For Schools Equality of educational opportunity COULD mean students are given equal chances to achieve or it could mean equal chances to compete for advanced classes or entrance to best colleges and scholarships. Compare Neuqua Valley and Harper High School. Spring concludes that in our present school system, advantage is given to children and future workers by family income and cultural background. STRUCTUAL INEQUALITY

13. Evolution of Models of Schooling 3 Models (Spring, Ch. 2)
Common School Model (19th Century, Mann)
The whole community benefits, includes a common curriculum for all, tax supported, free to all students.
Sorting Machine Model (20th Century)
Students do not have same needs or capacities, based on merit, basic education and job training for some, advanced education for others s researches challenge the sorting model, charging that the tracking structure produces low achievement in students.
Sorting Machine Model with Tests--High Stakes Testing Model (21st century), focus on test scores, positive and negative consequences.
Each model reflects a distinct set of values and purposes, and a different kind of school experience for students and teachers.

14. Common School (Spring, Chapter 2) Common Curriculum, Learn Common Ideology, “Equal” Treatment in School
The Illinois public schools will enable
all students to succeed in post-secondary
education and career opportunities, to be
effective life-long learners, and to
participate actively in our democracy. 
Meet in School
Receive a
Common
Education
Positive Climate
Students
High Income
Middle Income
Low Income
Class-based and
cultural differences
prior to entering school.
Graduate
Equal
Opportunity to
Compete for Jobs
High Income
Middle Income
Low Income
Social Starting Line

15. What are the key words of this promise? Article X Illinois Constitution
SECTION 1. GOAL - FREE SCHOOLS A fundamental goal of the People of the State is the educational development of all persons to the limits of their capacities.
The State shall provide for an efficient system of high quality public educational institutions and services. Education in public schools through the secondary level shall be free. There may be such other free education as the General Assembly provides by law. The State has the primary responsibility for financing the system of public education. (Source: Illinois Constitution.)

16. Students sorted by teachers, counselors, standardized
Sorting Model (by 1910) Vocational, general, and college preparation tracks. Establishes a hierarchy-high status and low status knowledge.
Students sorted by teachers,
counselors, standardized
tests into tracks and
ability groups.
Upon graduation
Students have
been prepared for
college or
work
All students
High-income
Middle-income
Low-income
Social
Starting Line
Achievement in schools is highly correlated along
class lines—Social Reproduction not Social Mobility

17. MODEL
Knowledge is
reduced to
test scores

18. High Stake Testing Model (1990s) is the Sorting Model with Tests
Schools, at all levels,
use TESTS to make decisions
about students, teachers,
and schools.
For promotion,
to exit high school,
ability grouping,
regular, honors,
AP programs
Upon graduation
Tests are used
for entrance to
higher education
ACT,SAT
All students
1980s
Accountability
thru testing
*2001 NCLB
Tests determine
school success or failure.
Some Jobs
Require
Certification
Tests
Social
Starting Line

19. “Teachers Grapple with Attaining Education Law’s Goal”
3:07 time, 6 minutes

20. Federal Policy since 1983 has moved toward higher standards and greater accountability with high stakes testing (See notes on Federal policies on the first day handout)
Rise in importance of:
Economic Purposes
Global competition
Productivity

21. Reauthorization of ESEA “Race to the Top” Economic Purposes President Obama’s Opening Letter See policies on your first day handout.
…And the countries that out-educate us today will out-compete us tomorrow.
By 2020, the United States will once again lead the world in college completion. We must ensure that every student graduates from high school well prepared for college and a career.

22. Are schools generally more competitive or cooperative?
What do students compete for?

23. The most talented students
If you were a principal, to what classes would you assign your best teachers?
The most talented students
Honors, AP, gifted
The most disenfranchised students
Low achieving or dropout prevention programs
Why?

24. IDEOLOGY OF MERIT *Those who are the most talented and work hard deserve rewards.
Meritocracy is a system of a government or another organization wherein appointments are made and responsibilities are given based on demonstrated talent and ability (merit), AND NOT BY rather than by wealth (plutocracy), family connections (nepotism), class privilege (oligarchy), friends (cronyism), seniority (gerontocracy), popularity (as in democracy) or other historical determinants of social position and political power.
In a meritocracy, society rewards (by wealth, position, and social status) those who demonstrated talent and competence, demonstrated through past actions or by competition.

25. http://www. pbs. org/newshour/bb/education/jan-june05/dropouts_4-26
Breaking the Pattern
We do know how to make schools more successful with lower achieving students.

26. Tozer, Chapter 1
Social theory—interpretation or explanation, make sense of social phenomena, answer the questions of how and why.
Schooling—in school--curricular, extra-curricular, “hidden curriculum” (socializing through architecture, organization, time management, authority structures)
Education—life and school--some training, reason, intellect, intuition, creativity, caring, wisdom, judgment
Training—predictable behavior and skills, memorization.