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Education in the Colonial Period
At "Dame" schools in New England, students learned their letters, discipline, and they learned to read with the Bible and "The Primer." The average time a person would spend in school during their life was less than 82 days. -
Northwest Land Ordinance
In the settlement of the American Northwest, towns that were big enough had to provide schooling for children. -
Horace Mann's Influence
MOST IMPORTANT- As the Secretary of the Board of Education in the Massachusetts, Horace Mann rode on horseback around the state to examine the terrible state of schools. His writing influenced the beginning of what he called, "Common Schools" which gave an equal chance to all for success. Today, schools have "Common Core" standards that students must learn that is the same in most states, but there are differences outside of the Core Standards.
http://www.newfoundations.com/GALLERY/Mann.html -
Common Schools
Common schools were free and had a standard curriculum so that there was an equal chance to all who chose to educate themselves. -
Population Growth and Immigration in the 19th Century
New Catholic immigrants clashed with the biased and unwelcoming nature of the Protestant controlled public school curriculum. After a lawsuit, schools forced the separation of church from education in the public school system. -
The Impact of John Dewey
MOST IMPORTANT- John Dewey thought that school should have learn by doing rather, a "child centered learning" than simple lecture-based learning. This method included field trips, separate classes for different subjects, and art, nature, and animal husbandry. Today, schools don't have quite the same opportunities, but schools have field trips and different classes and extracurricular activities.
visit: http://www.thepositiveencourager.global/john-deweys-approach-to-doing-positive-work/ -
The Impact of WW2
MOST IMPORTANT- After WW2, education exploded as returning soldiers had children, the "Baby Boomers." Many changes to education ensued including the requirement of vaccines, nuclear bomb drills, and technology preparation. Nowadays we don't have nuclear bomb drills, but we still require vaccines in schools and have an even bigger emphasis on technology education. http://www.livinghistoryfarm.org/farminginthe50s/life_04.html -
Brown vs. Board of Education
This court case ended segregation; "separate but equal" is not equal. -
Sputnik and NDEA
When Russian beat America in putting the first satellite, Sputnik, into space, the United States president started the NDEA to encourage post-secondary education in science and mathematics. -
The Civil Rights Movement & The War on Poverty
MOST IMPORTANT- Civil Rights Movement lead to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which banned discrimination in all federally funded programs; failure to comply would result in a withdrawal of funding. The Elementary and Secondary Education Act provided 4 billion dollars to help disadvantaged students. The enforcement of these regulations a high percentage of integrated schools. -
Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act
MOST IMPORTANT- This gave students with disabilities the chance at education, better lives, and allowed them to reach for their huge capacities. This not only improved their quality of life, it allowed them to even get jobs (eventually). The world today, is full of successful people who have not let their "disability" stop them, Stephen Hawking for example.
http://idea.ed.gov/ -
The Standards Movement
Started as a result of the "A Nation At Risk" Report, the standards movement pushed for an improvement in test scores and grades. Educators had to crack down on students placing restrictions on extra curriculars and prohibiting failing grades. -
School Choice Movement: Charter Schools, Vouchers
It forced schools to step up their game and teach students if schools failed students, they could choose to go to another school. Schools that failed, would be restructured. -
A Nation at Risk Report
MOST IMPORTANT- This report highlighted the "mediocrity" of school student and urged a reform of the education system. This is turn caused the push for Standardized tests and a push from equity to excellence. Now, schools still have a high emphasis on testing scores and there is an overwhelming amount of studying to the test.
https://web.sonoma.edu/users/p/phelan/423/standards.html -
No Child Left Behind Act
This act caused many teachers to teach directly to the "below average" students rather than the "average" or "above average" students leaving the latter two to fend for themselves.
