...McGee August 08, 2012 Movers and Shakers in Education The purpose of this paper is to review and acknowledge the efforts and contributions of four significant people in history who helped to shape the American educational system. Though the four people discussed in this paper are certainly not the only ones who left a permanent mark upon the history of our American educational system we have today, their efforts and philosophies laid the foundation upon which our educational system today was built. Horace Mann Horace Mann is credited with creating the first state board of education in 1837, whereby schools were managed by a state system. He was a leader in the Common School Movement and believed that teaching standards were in great need of improvement and that teachers should be paid better. He brought a great deal of focus onto current school conditions and prompted discussions on ways to improve them. Because of him, school conditions were improved and better equipped. Mr. Mann was fundamental in helping to instigate teacher training institutions (known as normal schools) and considerably successful in raising the standards of not just schools, but colleges as well. He has been referred to as “The Father of American Education”, (gcumedia.com, 2012). His philosophy was that it was contingent upon the state to make sure all children were provided the opportunity to receive an education. (www.ait.net) ...
Words: 903 - Pages: 4
...istockphoto Evaluating Teacher Effectiveness How Teacher Performance Assessments Can Measure and Improve Teaching Linda Darling-Hammond October 2010 w w w.americanprogress.org Evaluating Teacher Effectiveness How Teacher Performance Assessments Can Measure and Improve Teaching Linda Darling-Hammond October 2010 Contents 1 Introduction and Summary 5 Why performance assessments are needed 7 National Board Certification 9 Assessment of beginning teachers 11 Prospects for a national system of Teacher Performance Assessments 12 How performance assessments can help teachers improve their practice 17 Improving preparation through the use of performance assessments 22 Policy recommendations and conclusion Introduction and Summary Parents, practitioners, and policymakers agree that the key to improving public education in America is placing highly skilled and effective teachers in all classrooms. Yet the nation still lacks a practical set of standards and assessments that can guarantee that teachers, particularly new teachers, are well prepared and ready to teach. This report discusses a promising approach to the question of how to measure teacher effectiveness. Specifically, it describes the ways in which assessments of teacher performance for licensing and certification can both reflect and predict teachers’ success with children so that they can not only inform personnel decisions, but also...
Words: 10049 - Pages: 41
...personal experiences of oppression in his native country. The Brazilian educator devoted his life of adult literacy. Loewen essay “Lies My Teacher Told Me,” argues the American history textbooks have the wrong facts. The sociologist feels the American students are lied to and misled in their history classes. Freire and Loewen essays both are informative account of a failed education system. Although scholars capitalized education, they failed to apply the importance in one education system. Freire argues there are two types of conceptual tools; Banking concept of education and problem posting method. In the tradition type of education, however, the teacher stores the information the student listens. The goal of banking education was to immobilize the student within the existing structure conditioning them into memorize the materials (Freire.web). I felt the ability to overcome the fear of memorize the lesson. In a sense, we all are a result of banking the education. In my early days, in high school, I had some experience of understanding the lesson. Robinson 2 I can remember my history teacher given me an assignment to complete in class; of just what she went over. I struggled a bit, because Mrs. Hall was a fun teacher; she made lessons fun in class. In the reading, How Freire concept of education, he conveys the student does not think for themselves...
Words: 843 - Pages: 4
...American educational system vs Asia’s Because of years of declining test scores and behavioral problems of the U.S students, some people suggest that American schools should use the Asian model of education. However, I think it is not a wise idea. Even though, a country has the best educational system in the world, it still has something to be done or judged. Nothing is perfect. American students are rated as mediocre in math and science while American engineers and scientists are highly demanded around the world. The U.S.A is a multi racial country, so it has a unique educational system which is irreplaceable by any systems. There are many advantages in American educational system, but some aspects need to be changed. We need to look in to our school’s educational system. According to “the Trend in international math and science study,” American classes cover too many subjects, so the teachers just have time to lecture each subject superficially. There are no national standards in the U.S schools. Students may choose to go to easy schools to graduate. Therefore, high school students who graduate from different schools are in diverse levels of education. A successful student can not succeed without good teachers but American schools don’t have enough proficient and qualified teachers. In “new math-science study rates U.S students mediocre at best,” William S. Robinson states, “the international average for math teachers with a degree in math is 71 percent, but in the U.S....
Words: 1219 - Pages: 5
...Why some say the American Education System is failing, Why some say it’s not Liz Sanders As Jeff Daniels’ character in The Newsroom put it, we’re 7th in Literacy, 27th in Math, and 22nd in Science (The Newsroom, 2012). America used to be an educated country; now we just base our opinions on what we get from social media, and the people around us. In this piece, I’m going to look at why some people think the American Education System is failing, and why some people think it’s not. What does it mean to fail? A bad grade in one of your classes? Falling behind, and not being able to catch up? Here, we’re going to look at the problem surrounding the failing American Education System. In an article from Foreign Affairs magazine, it’s stated...
Words: 1018 - Pages: 5
...The “Nuts and Dolts” of Teacher Images in Children’s Picture Storybooks: A Content Analysis, by Sarah Jo Sandefur and Leeann Moore, is an ethnographic content analysis that carefully examines how teachers are portrayed in children storybooks within the United States. One of the main purposes of the study was evidently to probe the impact of stereotypes and clichés of teacher representations, in children storybooks, on the actual institution of teaching. According to the study, children storybooks are plagued with contradictory depictions of teachers and schools. The authors highlighted the fact that teachers are portrayed in these storybooks as insensitive, foolish or inefficient. This portrayal of teachers is a phenomenon that has been examined by several other researchers and has yielded similar results over the years. As such, Sandefur and Leeann conducted their research based on the hypothesis that; a propensity of images painting teachers in an unflattering light may in fact have broader consequences on cultural perceptions of teachers and educational institutions. Accordingly, the representations of teachers in these storybooks are absorbed in to the collective consciousness of society and shape expectations and behaviors of both teachers and students. The second objective of the study is to make teachers aware of the varying portrayal of teachers being represented. This is evident by the authors’ statement that teachers cannot effectuate positive change in their profession...
Words: 988 - Pages: 4
...beginning with the development of the free public school, or common school. Whereas for most of Western history teachers were chosen for their content knowledge, teachers today must demonstrate competency in not just their subject matter but also in child psychology, pedagogical techniques, and a number of other skills. “Throughout history all societies have engaged in some form of education of their youth. In” the absence of any written language this was informal, oral, and directed at the transmission of cultural values, practices and language and preparation for survival and adulthood in that particular culture and environment. With the development of written language and numeracy came the need for more formal instruction in their use” (Webb.pg, 96). This paper will compared and contrast the recorded views of principals across the 1960s, 1980s, and the 2000s, as well as the philosophy of education that best aligns to each principal, the primary issues and concerns expressed by the principal and what would be the observations of each of the principals if they were sitting in the back of a classroom today. Americans in the 1960s became aware that the nation was suffering from a shortage of citizens whose education and training were sufficient to meet the technological challenges of modern society. The gap between the learning needs of the country and the capacity of the American educational system to meet those needs was at a crisis point at the beginning of the decade, and the resulting...
Words: 1766 - Pages: 8
...environment along with the teachers in the classrooms are where children spend a lot of time growing up and developing their self image and view of the world. This environment contributes in shaping what they think of themselves and others. According to Aina & Cameron (2011) in their article concerning how gender biases affects children's development, states that " while unintentional, a teacher's inherent biases can perpetuate unfair stereotyping and may be manifested in discriminatory classroom practices." African American boys are one of the groups of minorities at the disadvantage of being mis-labeled in the educational system and this is resulting in over-representation in special education....
Words: 642 - Pages: 3
...How can we close the Achievement Gap? When we are thinking about our school system it isn’t difficult to think about different gaps, which we should reach. Gaps that we should break down to get a stronger education system, with better qualified teachers, which can lead our students to a grounded education. In the education system you can find negative stereotypes, which make the way for success for students even more difficult. Stereotypes can effect students in their personal goals but also make them feel less valued. Also, bad teachers in the school system aren’t making things better, which get protected from unions, but on the other hand teachers have no freedom. To find a way out of this dilemma between negative effected students and unsatisfied teachers who lose all kind of motivation, we should encourage students and teachers in their work away from unions, so that we can to attend our achievement gaps as soon as possible. Stereotypes are everywhere in our society, also in our schools. Although stereotypes can help students to do better in certain materials, stereotypes affect students and perpetuate and exacerbate gaps. Students who are in a negatively stereotyped group often underperform because of the pressure and worry they get in qualifying exams and aptitude tests in math, and these intensifies worries. According to Rodolfo Mendoza-Denton, the author of “ Framed!” “Notions about innate ability don’t just hinder the performance of negative stereotyped...
Words: 1399 - Pages: 6
...as long as our students feel good about themselves.” Schools have stopped teaching important facts. Some teachers do not feel their students need to know what was taught back in the day. According to Charles J. Sykes, “In a 1990 survey of college seniors, 42 percent couldn’t name the dates of the War Between the States within half a century” ( Sykes, 4). Why don’t our teachers care anymore about teaching about important events or even science? Many of them have said it is because they just are not useful facts. I would have to disagree. I believe that you should know the background of this country you live in. I think students need to be taught about our founding fathers. I fear for our future generations. The school systems are dumbing our students down and they are too worried about how the students are feeling than what they are learning. So the question we are all asking teachers along with the school system is, “Why are we allowing students to be dumbed down?” How are we going to elect a president in the future who never had a background in math, science, or most importantly, history? Our future generation does not know what we were taught when we were in school. Some public schools have even removed certain subjects because they are not necessary or the school cannot afford them. Can we put a price tag on education? I would hope not. I think principals and teachers need to step up a notch and really focus on the learning aspect of school and not just the social and psychological...
Words: 3076 - Pages: 13
...Core themes Teacher perception The people who are in the profession of educating students need to have social personal characters. Professional teachers should be empathetic and tatt can be important in mitigation of their negative attitudes towards the black male students. Therefore, the teachers should adopt the students cultural and social perspective in order to provide effective decision making. Motivation People are not usually motivated in order to be biased on the basis race. According to Maslow’s theory, needs which are not yet satisfied cannot influence the behaviors of the various humans (Greene & Burke, 2007, p. 116). Understanding the ways in which bias arises can be important in decision making because it will develop effective...
Words: 1255 - Pages: 6
...Lies My Teacher Told Me is a courageous piece of nonfiction written by James W. Loewen, sociologist and author. Loewen grew up in Decatur, Illinois to a librarian and teacher for a mother, and a medical director for a father. Starting off as a National Merit Scholar from MacArthur igh School, he went on to obtain a doctorate degree in sociology at Harvard University. Loewen has taught at a historically black college in Mississippi and also at the University of Vermont where he taught about race relations for 20 years. Before writing, Lies My Teacher Told Me, Loewen co-wrote Mississippi: Conflict and Change, a United States history textbook. He fought for its right for use in public schools, and won with a radical victory. James Loewen, only then went on to write Lies My Teacher Told Me, with the intention of letting...
Words: 574 - Pages: 3
...of the American Government. Social mobility is a big factor in the way that education is divided in the country. They include a working class, middle class, and executive elite school. While the executive elite schools are the ideal schooling techniques, the working class and middle are treated and portrayed differently. That ultimately effects the way the students look at life, depicting the way they feel about their own individual empowerment. If a student feels as the school system is set up for them to fail, the odds are they have had a negative experience in the way the teachers teach and handle them. This tends to happen at a young age. According...
Words: 1289 - Pages: 6
...2011-2012 academic years. Magnet schools are public schools that offer a specialized curriculum or educational philosophy, often with a specific focus or theme. Magnet schools promote student diversity because they are open to students outside the normal school district boundaries and often attract high caliber students through competitive programs. It is a suburban city school that has a mix diversity of Haitian, Hispanic and American population. The school serves about 2074 students in grades 6 through 8, 100 teachers and has an overall staff of 64 which include clerical maintenance and substitute teachers. DEMOGRAPHIC FOR THE SCHOOL Total 6th grade students | 617 | Total 7th grade students | 788 | Total 8th grade students | 669 | Total number of students | 2074 | Total number of American Indian/Alaska Native students | 5 | Total number of American Indian/Alaska Native students | 92 | Total number of American Indian/Alaska Native students | 370 | Total number of Hispanic students | 643 | Although school begins at 9:30A.M, teachers required to arrive 8:30A.M. each day and they’re permitted to leave 4:00P.M. My clinical educator, Mrs. Jahnanan arrives at her schedule time, 8:30 A.M and leave at 4:10P.M. The school appearance was in good condition. The bathrooms are neatly kept, and are mainly located along the corridors of each buildings and floors. The stalls are in good condition as far as the doors are attached...
Words: 1244 - Pages: 5
...Framework and Ethical Dispositions Comparison Matrix Comparison of overlapping statements regarding teacher ethics Priority of specific ethical disposition/protocol and rationale In the Association of American Educators four principal it states that an educator should deal considerately and justly with each all her students. (AAE,2001) Efficient educators should promote fairness and equality within their classroom…(COE-GCU Framework, 2010) P R 4 I ranked this issue at four because educators should make it a priority to promote equality in their classrooms. Students should understand that they should be treated fairly and they should treat others fairly. In the Association of American Educators four principal it states that educator activities should uphold the decorum of the profession by being respectful and obeying the laws of the community. (AAE, 2001) Professional educators should represent decent conduct and display honesty. (COE-GCU Framework, 2010) P R 3 I ranked this issue at three because teachers should carry themselves in a professional manner, whether they are in school or they are outside their community. Teachers should understand that their students as well as parents and the community expect them to conduct themselves as professionals at all times. Teachers should be a reflection of what they teach. The proficient teacher creates a constructive and active role in their school and surrounding community. (AAE, 2001) They are dedicated to influencing their...
Words: 565 - Pages: 3
