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Let There Be Primers!
The first New England Primer is printed in Boston by Benjamin Harris. The primer, which set forth a blend of Puritan religious culture and Calvinist educational ideals, was used for more than a century (Smith, U. D.) -
The Academy Opens
Benjamin Franklin helped establish "The Academy" in Philadelphia, an institution that would later become the University of Pennsylvania. Franklin wanted a diverse curriculum -- one of the classics blended with the contemporary as it would benefit the people of Philadelphia. This school integrated different schools of thought and levels of academics all in one facility. Illus. (Jasper Yeats, 1761). (McConaghy, Silberman, & Kalashnikova, 2004) -
The Introduction of A Secular Reader (1)
The McGuffey Reader, published by William Holmes McGuffey, would become the first set of influential readers to be published into the 19th Century as well as separate the educational field from the secular realm. By utilizing the same premise as the New England Primer, McGuffey would introduce letters using everyday elements of life. For this 'separation in church and state' so to speak, McGuffey should be considered a pioneer of educational curriculum. (Shriver, 1986) -
The Introduction of A Secular Reader (2)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NVuC4K8Y30 The video demonstrates lesson 0-2; The Cat and the Rat. The rationale of this video would be to demonstrate how the readers were used for instructional purposes in the classroom. (McGuffey's 2014) -
Standardizing Curriculum While Differentiating For Students (1)
When the Committee of Ten was formed by the NEA, the intent was to devise a secondary curriculum. The committee did this by standardizing what was currently in place, but they also made a change --- students would no longer be limited to a high school curriculum. This was to help prepare the college bound students while also teaching those who were not going to continue their post-secondary education. (U. S. Bureau, 1892). -
Standardizing Curriculum While Differentiating For Students (2)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_QJQz-8Y2Y This short video will demonstrate how the Committee of Ten and the forward thinking of that group of educators, which convened over 135 years ago, still impacts curriculum today. With the advent of technology, the students of today no longer are tied to the traditional classroom. Moreover, the needs of these pupils have changed and the students need to be innovative in their quest for educational success. (MLTS, 2017) -
Bloom's Taxonomy and The Cognitive Domain
Benjamin Bloom forever changed the educational world with his publication of the Taxonomy of Educational Objectives: The Classification of Educational Goals, better known as Bloom's Taxonomy. This was significant because it changed the way educators taught the students by instilling different questioning techniques to achieve a higher level of achievement. Please watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOy3m02uEaE (Cornwell, 2011). (Forehand, 2005). (Teachings, 2017). -
Looking For a New Way To Integrate
In a decision to end segregation and promote integration, the first magnet school in the nation opened in 1968 at McCarver Elementary School. This new type of school offered a special interest area to the students focusing on one or more aspects of the curriculum. This was important because educational system was able to integrate schools, get financial help and pour the funds into these 'magnet schools,' and also thereby change the future of education. (Russell, 2005). -
Wait. Johnny Can't do What?
When Newsweek published "Johnny Can't Read" in December 1975, the editors had no idea what the fallout of the article would be. The article called into question the efficacy of the educational system in the United States and educators, parents, the government were not pleased. This is important because it led to a back to the basics movement that would bring the basics of education back into the classroom to try to mend the issue at hand. (Newsweek Cover, 1975). (Roach, 2005) -
Teaching to Mastery
Education changed again with the arrival of Madeline Hunter and her 'Mastery Teaching'. Soon, teachers around the nation were "Hunterized" and were using this method. It appealed to masses in that it did not matter the socio-economic status or the grade / learning level of the class as it was easily adaptable. It is still used today in educational pedagogy classes. (Madeline Hunter Model, u.d.). (Lee, 2015). (photo, u.d.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9N3kIcARCCg -
They Thought They Would Call It No Child Left Behind
The No Child Left Behind Act was passed into legislation by President G. W. Bush. The intent was to ensure all students, regardless of ethnicity or ability, would be successful. Achieved through of testing and school report-cards, NCLB was a game-changer in the field of education. While districts brought in specialists to make the grade, some still did not pass which led to parent choice of schools. Please watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8EOrlOKkZq4 (Bush, 2001).
(Photo, 2001). -
The President Decides Enough is Enough
President Barack Obama announced that as a country, our educational system was testing our kids too much and without added benefit. He went on to say that assessment is ok, it just should not exceed 2% of the educational time in the classroom. Since NCLB, many schools were testing excessively and without benefit to the American children.
Please watch:
http://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2015/10/24/president-obama-school-testing-limits-students-arne-duncan-bpr-nr.cnn (Photo Obama, 2008). (Obama, 2015) -
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