How Teaching Changed After the Civil War
The Progressive Movement and Education Reforms
Public
Education should:
•
Assist students in applying human and
materials to improve the quality of life
•
Pay particular attention to the needs and
interests of students
•
Engage students in:
–
Debates
–
Demonstrations
–
Discussions
–
Individualized instruction
–
Experiments
–
Field trips
Those
Against…
•
No “set”
curriculum
•
No
memorization or rote learning
•
Gave in to
“individual interests and happiness” at the expense of academic rigor
•
Placed
Americans at a disadvantage globally
•
Revived in
1990
The Progressive Movement
Those
Against…
•
No “set”
curriculum
•
No
memorization or rote learning
•
Gave in to
“individual interests and happiness” at the expense of academic rigor
•
Placed
Americans at a disadvantage globally
•
Revived in
1990
|
•
Lab School – University of Chicago
–
Tested child-centered curriculum
–
Tested child-centered instructional
practices
•
Connection of subjects
•
Student interests
•
Experimenting, field trips,
demonstrations, debates
•
“Learn by Doing”
• John Dewey – “Father of the Progressive Movement”
Why has “teacher-centered” instruction endured?
•
Schools are a form of social control and
sorting.
•
The organizational structure of the
school and classroom drives teachers to adopt practices that change little over
time.
•
The culture of teaching tilts toward
stability and a reluctance to change.
Education
and the National Interest
•
Teacher shortage and WWII
–
109,000 individuals hired on “emergency
certification”
•
1950’s
–
Public dissatisfied with public schools
–
Sputnik
–
National Defense Education Act – 1958
•
Science, Math, Foreign Languages, &
Guidance
Changes
– Modern Era
•
Consolidation
–
Combining smaller school districts into
one large district
•
Rise of Preschools
–
Head Start
–
Even Start
•
Middle Schools
–
Patterns of grades
–
4-4-4, 6-3-3
•
Comprehensive H.S.
•
Homeschooling
•
Adult Education
Curriculum Reforms
Standardization
of the Curriculum and The Committee of Ten
•
1892 – NEA established “Committee of Ten”
•
1893 - Committee attempts to standardize
curriculum at H.S. level
–
4 years of English
–
3 years each of History, Science, Math,
and Foreign Language
•
1895 – Committee of Fifteen – Examined
curriculum at elementary level
• National Standards Movement
• Core Curriculum
Core
Curriculum
•
Result of research and observations of
–
Content
–
Structure
–
High Performing Schools
•
What is it?
–
Sequenced instructional units
–
“What everyone should know”
Websites:
Core Knowledge Curriculum
Tennessee Department of
Education – Curriculum Frameworks
http://www.state.tn.us/education/ci/cicurframwkmain.htm