I will post here a series of articles that I really enjoyed reading and agree with. They come from THIS website. They are in regards to the modern public education system in the USA, its beginnings, problems, and solutions. Hope you enjoy reading it. (Parts II, III, and IV)
(Update: This website has updated/changed this page so that it now (Oct. 2016) only contains Part I & II, and left out Part III & IV. I am keeping the original Part III & IV posts I made.)
Old Mother Goose has been eulogized by generations of children and parents in many lands. Those familiar rhymes and riddles have been sung and repeated by nearly every child and adult in America . One of the most popular rhymes is the story of Humpty Dumpty, the egg who sat on a wall.
According to the story, Humpty was quite a popular egg. He sat balancing on top of the wall where everybody could see him. Nursery rhyme books show pictures of how even Humpty was pretty proud of himself for being so daring!
But then, of course, we remember the fate of Humpty Dumpty. He had a great fall! Apparently, the whole countryside came running to him. The alarmed people even summoned Aall the king’s horses and all the king’s men to put Humpty together again. But alas, the task could not be doneBnot even by the king’s most trusted stewards, mounted on his finest steeds.
This popular nursery rhyme has been used by many writers to illustrate various aspects of life. Few illustrations, however, show such a parallel to real life than when we use this simple yet understandable fantasy story to outline the plight of America ‘s public education system.
This country’s educational system was once regarded as one of the finest schooling programs in the world. In fact, not too long ago, it was balancing on the wall for the world to see. So many people chose to come to America for their education, that newspapers and magazines around the world relayed the fear of some leaders that many of these other countries would suffer brain drain.
That fear has vanished! Americans are now finding themselves grappling with the fact that our public education has not only bumbled from its high and lofty perch, but is presently considered to be a system of crumbling aspirations. People everywhere are seeking answers to what happened. What caused the fall and what can be done to put it together again..
A closer look at the history of our Educational Humpty Dumpty reveals an interesting parallel to the rhyme of Mother Goose and the three major cycles of education in America.
HOW IT ALL BEGAN (The First Cycle of Education in America )
It is important to remember that it took the American Founders 180 years (1607 to 1787) to come up with their successful formula of government for freedom, prosperity, and peace. But once this formula was solidified it proved so successful that for the next 200 years it was the hope of the world.
Experience had taught the Founders that the very underpinning of a free, happy, and prosperous America depended upon the development of an educated citizenry. Their goal was to have Auniversal education. As Thomas Jefferson stated, AIf a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be. (See The Real Thomas Jefferson, by Andrew M. Allison, NCCS, p. 409.)
THE FIRST SCHOOLS
America’s first Aschools existed mainly within family units. The home was the classroom, and the subjects taught, as well as the methods used, reinforced the family’s perception of the world. Their Acore curriculum included religious values, basic reading and writing, ciphering (math) skills, a little history, and farm skills which were pertinent to an agrarian society.
As the country grew, communities combined their resources and hired Ateachers to educate their children in Alittle red school houses. Their focus was on making sure the students had the ability to function effectively in the society where they would live. In those days, a child’s future was fairly predictable.
By 1836, William Holmes McGuffey (1800-1873)Bconsidered by many today as being the greatest educator America has every producedBbegan publication of his famous McGuffey Readers. His books were indicative of the first cycle of American Education with a strong emphasis on Abasics. These included:
1. Basics in reading, which embraced phonics and memorizing.
2. Basics in writing, with extensive practice in penmanship. Script was taught in the first grade.
3. Basics in arithmetic, as applied to bookkeeping and business.
4. Basics in oral and written communication, with emphasis on vocabulary and spelling.
5. Basics in literature, music, art forms and nature study.
6. Basics in history, particularly American history, including geography.
7. Basics in civics and the American system of Constitutional government.
8. Basics in hygiene, physical and mental.
9. Basics in community ethic with emphasis on respect for one’s elders.
During this first cycle, there was also strong significance placed on spiritual values, together with the mandates of morality and the qualities needed to develop sound character. There were frequent references to the Ten Commandments, the Golden Rule, and popular Bible stories.
Parents and community leaders alike expected both the teachers and the texts to drill into the students the necessity of being trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent. These principles not only became incorporated in the laws of the Boy Scouts of America, but likewise were included in the routine disciplines of every classroom.
This formula for education propelled America into world leadership, not only in education, but in industry, science, medicine, and agriculture, which produced an enviable standard of living. It also generated the most charitable nation the world has ever known.
By 1905, though a tiny nation with less than six per cent of the world’s population, America was producing more than 50% of the world’s developed wealth. Country after country strived to emulate America ‘s educational and governmental system.
The world looked to America for all the best and greatest opportunities. Students from countries everywhere came to America to learn the leading edge information that America had to offer. Immigration was indeed the sign of the times.
Then two famous scholars arose in the educational arena whose ideologies changed everything. In next month’s article, we’ll find out who was responsible for the change in America ’s successful education, and the principles that led to its downward spiral. The Educational Humpty Dumpty was about to teeter on the wall.
Part II will follow. Stay tuned. :)
(Update: This website has updated/changed this page so that it now (Oct. 2016) only contains Part I & II, and left out Part III & IV. I am keeping the original Part III & IV posts I made.)
-----------------------------
-------------------
---------
PART I
According to the story, Humpty was quite a popular egg. He sat balancing on top of the wall where everybody could see him. Nursery rhyme books show pictures of how even Humpty was pretty proud of himself for being so daring!
But then, of course, we remember the fate of Humpty Dumpty. He had a great fall! Apparently, the whole countryside came running to him. The alarmed people even summoned Aall the king’s horses and all the king’s men to put Humpty together again. But alas, the task could not be doneBnot even by the king’s most trusted stewards, mounted on his finest steeds.
This popular nursery rhyme has been used by many writers to illustrate various aspects of life. Few illustrations, however, show such a parallel to real life than when we use this simple yet understandable fantasy story to outline the plight of America ‘s public education system.
This country’s educational system was once regarded as one of the finest schooling programs in the world. In fact, not too long ago, it was balancing on the wall for the world to see. So many people chose to come to America for their education, that newspapers and magazines around the world relayed the fear of some leaders that many of these other countries would suffer brain drain.
That fear has vanished! Americans are now finding themselves grappling with the fact that our public education has not only bumbled from its high and lofty perch, but is presently considered to be a system of crumbling aspirations. People everywhere are seeking answers to what happened. What caused the fall and what can be done to put it together again..
A closer look at the history of our Educational Humpty Dumpty reveals an interesting parallel to the rhyme of Mother Goose and the three major cycles of education in America.
HOW IT ALL BEGAN (The First Cycle of Education in America )
It is important to remember that it took the American Founders 180 years (1607 to 1787) to come up with their successful formula of government for freedom, prosperity, and peace. But once this formula was solidified it proved so successful that for the next 200 years it was the hope of the world.
Experience had taught the Founders that the very underpinning of a free, happy, and prosperous America depended upon the development of an educated citizenry. Their goal was to have Auniversal education. As Thomas Jefferson stated, AIf a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be. (See The Real Thomas Jefferson, by Andrew M. Allison, NCCS, p. 409.)
THE FIRST SCHOOLS
America’s first Aschools existed mainly within family units. The home was the classroom, and the subjects taught, as well as the methods used, reinforced the family’s perception of the world. Their Acore curriculum included religious values, basic reading and writing, ciphering (math) skills, a little history, and farm skills which were pertinent to an agrarian society.
As the country grew, communities combined their resources and hired Ateachers to educate their children in Alittle red school houses. Their focus was on making sure the students had the ability to function effectively in the society where they would live. In those days, a child’s future was fairly predictable.
By 1836, William Holmes McGuffey (1800-1873)Bconsidered by many today as being the greatest educator America has every producedBbegan publication of his famous McGuffey Readers. His books were indicative of the first cycle of American Education with a strong emphasis on Abasics. These included:
1. Basics in reading, which embraced phonics and memorizing.
2. Basics in writing, with extensive practice in penmanship. Script was taught in the first grade.
3. Basics in arithmetic, as applied to bookkeeping and business.
4. Basics in oral and written communication, with emphasis on vocabulary and spelling.
5. Basics in literature, music, art forms and nature study.
6. Basics in history, particularly American history, including geography.
7. Basics in civics and the American system of Constitutional government.
8. Basics in hygiene, physical and mental.
9. Basics in community ethic with emphasis on respect for one’s elders.
During this first cycle, there was also strong significance placed on spiritual values, together with the mandates of morality and the qualities needed to develop sound character. There were frequent references to the Ten Commandments, the Golden Rule, and popular Bible stories.
Parents and community leaders alike expected both the teachers and the texts to drill into the students the necessity of being trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent. These principles not only became incorporated in the laws of the Boy Scouts of America, but likewise were included in the routine disciplines of every classroom.
This formula for education propelled America into world leadership, not only in education, but in industry, science, medicine, and agriculture, which produced an enviable standard of living. It also generated the most charitable nation the world has ever known.
By 1905, though a tiny nation with less than six per cent of the world’s population, America was producing more than 50% of the world’s developed wealth. Country after country strived to emulate America ‘s educational and governmental system.
The world looked to America for all the best and greatest opportunities. Students from countries everywhere came to America to learn the leading edge information that America had to offer. Immigration was indeed the sign of the times.
Then two famous scholars arose in the educational arena whose ideologies changed everything. In next month’s article, we’ll find out who was responsible for the change in America ’s successful education, and the principles that led to its downward spiral. The Educational Humpty Dumpty was about to teeter on the wall.
Part II will follow. Stay tuned. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment