What was the nature and purpose of colonial education? Much of colonial education took place in the home through dame schools, in the church, and through apprentice programs, with instruction dominated by religious teachings. In 1647, Massachusetts passed the "Old Deluder Satan Law," requiring every town to provide for education; although throughout the colonies, whites, males, and wealthier individuals were most likely to be schooled. Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin viewed the new nation's schools as a continuation of democratic principles and as a break from classist European traditions. By omitting any mention of education as a federal responsibility, the Constitution left schooling to the states, and so each state developed its own educational culture—although textbooks, from the rudimentary hornbook to the McGuffey Reader—created a minimal national curriculum. From colonial times to the present, continuing educational disputes include: the role of religion in schools, local control and state standards, and inequities in educational opportunities for women, people of color, and the poor.
How did the Common School Movement promote universal education? Nineteenth-century leader Horace Mann fought for the establishment of the common school, today's elementary school, and also for quality teacher education through normal schools. He believed that education should develop the talents of the poor as well as the wealthy.
What developments mark the educational history of Native Americans? In the early years, Native Americans (or Indians) have been attacked by disease and warfare, and almost annihilated. During the nineteenth century, schools were used to "civilize" them into Western ways, degrading their culture, beliefs, and languages. While most Native Americans are currently in public schools, some are educated in private schools or through schools run by the Bureau if Indian Affairs (BIA).
How did teaching become a "gendered" career? Although teaching was initially "gendered" male, the advent of the common school created a demand for a large number of inexpensive teachers, and women were recruited. Since the late nineteenth century, teaching positions have been dominated by women, and teaching "re-gendered" female. Both female and male teachers continue to confront issues of sexuality and sexism. Gendered enclaves persist in today's schools, as women dominate elementary teaching, and men dominate certain academic specialties and leadership positions.
How did secondary schools evolve? The first publicly supported secondary school was the English Classical School in Boston. As America became more industrial and urban, public support for high schools grew, and the Kalamazoo case (1874) created the legal basis for high school funding. By the twentieth century, junior high schools and middle schools were established.
How have twentieth century reform efforts influenced schools? From the Committee of Ten in 1892 to the 1989 National Education Summit, waves of educational reform have become part of the American landscape. While the purpose of reform movements vary, one idea remains key: Schools should have a central role in maintaining a vibrant democracy.
What were the main tenets of the Progressive Education movement? Progressivism, led by John Dewey, emphasized learning by doing and shaping curricula around children's interests, but has frequently been attacked. Extremists of the 1950s saw progressivism as communistic, and after the 1957 Soviet Sputnik launching, progressivism was blamed for America's poor science and math performance.
What role has the federal government played in American education? While the Constitution leaves the responsibility for schooling to the states, the federal government has played an increasing role in education over the past century, promoting teacher training, science and math instruction, and desegregation. More recently, the emphasis has been on school standards and testing.
How did history shape the educational experiences of African Americans, Hispanics, Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders, and Arab Americans? Despite a national commitment to educate all citizens, bias and discrimination characterize the histories of many of ethnic and racial groups. The doctrine of "separate but equal" (Plessey v. Ferguson) was the law of the land until the 1954 Brown decision. Today, more than half a century after Brown, de facto resegregation has once again separated black and white. Hispanics (or Latinos) are now the largest minority group in the United States and face the challenges in a culture that has often seen people speaking another language as threatening. Asian is a broad label assigned to several billion people from a score of nations, and Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are a rapidly growing population. Students from China, Japan and India are stereotyped as model minorities, a label that often masks the impact of prejudice on these children. Many Americans confuse Arabs and Moslems, mistaking Islam, a religion, with Arabs, a cultural group.
What educational barriers and breakthroughs have girls and women experienced? For much of this nation's history, females were denied access to or segregated within schools. Although options have improved dramatically for girls and women, much of that progress due to Title IX, subtle bias continues to send boys and girls down different career paths.
Who are some of the influential individuals who have helped fashion today's schools? Each of the chapters in this text highlights a significant educator through the Profile in Education feature. In this chapter, 17 noted educators from sixteenth-century Comenius to twentieth-century Paulo Freire are profiled.
