EDU 103

EDU 103

Fall 2009

December

EDU 103

Chapter 5

Education in the United States – Its Historical Roots

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• Education in the United States is unique– Different organization,

content, and teaching methods from any other country in the world

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• This chapter answers the following questions:

• 1. How have European roots influenced American education?

• 2. Why is religion a controversial issue in American education?

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• 3. What are the historical roots of a free, public education for all students?

• 4. How have schools historically responded to different minority groups?

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• 5. What role should the federal government play in education?

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• 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?

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• Private and parochial (church-supported) schools

• Why do these types of schools exist?

• Should these school receive tax monies?

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• Religion and schools are closely linked in many states

• Is this legal?

• Many court cases

– Engle v. Vitale in 1962

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• Schooling in the colonies

• Who received a formal education?

• Who didn’t receive very much, if any education?

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• 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

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• 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

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• 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

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• Old Deluder Satan Act of 1647

• Towns of 50 or more households

• Legal foundation for public schools

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• 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?

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• Prayer in school?– Depends on the

situation and MANY court cases that have been decided since the 1960s

– Religious assemblies?

– Graduation?– Football games?

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• Federal monies and religious schools– Courts have provided

mixed ruling in this area

– Supplemental instruction

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• 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

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• 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

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• Tenth Amendment • Areas not explicitly

assigned to the federal government would be the responsibility of each individual state

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• Common School Movement

• Horace Mann – The idea that public

education tax-supported elementary schools should be the right of all citizens

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• Normal schools– Two-year

institutions

– Trained teachers

– Targeted women as potential teachers

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Period Significant Accomplishments

Issues that Remain Today

Colonial Period

1607-1775

Education for White wealthy males

Seeds for public education

Should prayer be allowed in schools?

Should tax monies be used for religious schools?

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Period Significant Accomplishments

Issues that Remain Today

Early National Period

1775-1820

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

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Period Significant Accomplishments

Issues that Remain Today

The Common School Movement

1820-1865

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

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• American High School

• Historical roots • Redefining the high

school• Cardinal principles of

secondary education • Junior highs and

middle schools

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Progressive era of education

•John Dewey

•Activity-based curriculum

•Child-centered approach

–Encourages problem solving

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• Education of cultural minorities

• 1. Assimilation

• 2. “Separate but equal”

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• Native Americans

• African Americans

• Hispanic Americans

• Asian Americans

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• Modern era • Schools used for

national purposes and for social changes

• The cold war with USSR– National Defense

Education Act

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• 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

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• 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

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• 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