Reading Guide
EDU 555 - Education and Society
For next week, come to class prepared to discuss the following from Chapter 1 (pp. 4-16) of Tozer, Violas and Senese School and Society
Q. Why is it important to study theory as we attempt to understand the material presented in this text?
Q. Distinguish schooling from training and then differentiate both of these terms from education.
Q. When we use the term ‘political economy’ of what are we speaking and how is the concept related to education?
Q. Offer a definition for ‘ideology’. Are ideologies important in the study education?
Q. “Teachers need to have a full understanding of the relationship between their schools and the larger society in which they are embedded.” Would you agree with this statement? Give your reasons.
Reading Guide
EDU 555 - Education and Society
For next week, come to class prepared to discuss the following from Chapter 2 (pp. 20 - 42) of Tozer, Violas and Senese School and Society
Q. 1 How did geography, transportation and communication impact the spread and quality of education in colonial America?
Q. 2 Jefferson and his allies were classical Liberals with a commitment to the rights of the individual. How did these views impact their thinking on religion, education and the governance of the new republic?
Q. 3 Liberals placed their faith in human reason and the operation of the Natural Law. Explain.
Q. 4 Briefly summarize the Classic Liberal view of virtue and the work ethic.
Q. 5 The Classic Liberals believed implicitly in the inevitability of Progress; the perfectibility of man and the resultant determination of man’s future. Explain.
Q. 6 Rousseau had proclaimed “Men are born free . . . .” Above all ideological beliefs for the liberals stood the fundamental belief in freedom. Freedom came in four fundamental forms. Be prepared to explain the importance of each of these freedoms.
Q. 7 Jefferson and his contemporary liberals took a new view of truth, a view that was far more tentative than those held prior to the Enlightenment. Briefly describe these views.
Q. 8 In a 1787 letter to James Madison Jefferson wrote, “above all things I hope the education of the common people will be attended to: convinced that on their good senses we may rely with the security for the preservation of a due degree of liberty” (p. 30). Why did Jefferson put such stress on education? Why was education central to his plans for the new republic?
Q. 9 Jefferson made a clear distinction between what he termed the ‘natural’ and the ‘artificial’ aristocracy. Explain the distinction and the implications for the form of government to be implemented in the new republic.
Q. 10 In line with his belief in the natural law Jefferson believed that education had a “sorting” function; “. . . the best geniuses will be raked annually from the rubbish” (p. 35). Explain his views. Would you concur or disagree with these views?
For next week, come to class prepared to discuss the following from Chapter 3 (pp. 50 – 80) of Tozer, Violas and Senese School and Society
Q.1 “A major concern of the post revolutionary intellectual leaders such as Benjamin Rush and Noah Webster had been to forge a unique and widespread sense of American identity or nationalism” (p.50). How did they propose to accomplish this end?
Q.2 Irish immigrants in the period 1820-1860 posed a series of problems for New Englanders. Explain
Q.3 Compounding the problems of this age was the further problem of urbanization which was an affront to the Classic Liberals and their theory of the inevitability of Progress. Explain.
Q.4 “The most complex and revolutionary economic change was the advent of industrialization” (p.52). Suggest ways in which industrialization changed the nature of life and the pattern of schooling in the US in the first half of the nineteenth century.
Q.5 The defining characteristic of colonial New England had been Puritanism. Its gradual displacement during the nineteenth century changed the nature of the entire region. Could you suggest reasons for the gradual erosion of Puritan orthodoxy.
Q.6 Be prepared to give a brief summary of the factors that helped form the belief system and intellectual insights of Horace Mann.
Q.7 “Mann’s most far-reaching contributions to education were made during the time he spent as secretary of the Massachusetts State Board of Education, 1837 to 1848” (p. 59). What was his contribution to state sponsored education in Massachusetts, New England and, indeed, the nation?
Q.8 “At the core of Mann’s efforts to reform common schooling was his belief that the school must inculcate an appropriate set of moral values” (p.61). Could it be said that Mann failed in his resolve?
Q.9 In 1843 Mann traveled to Europe to examine its educational systems first hand. What were the lessons learned on this trip?
Q.10 Mann is quoted in your text (p. 64) “Punishment when taken by itself, is always to be considered as an evil” and “ fear is a most debasing, dementalizing passion.” What was to be his approach to discipline in the Common Schools?
Q.11 Noting the almost complete absence of teacher training, Mann set out to remedy this situation. What remedies did he apply?
Q.12 On p.69 of your text mention is made of ‘human capital theory’ What is meant by this term and what is implied in its use?
Q.13 Mann’s attempts to reform the Common Schools of Massachusetts met with strong opposition. What were the sources of this opposition?
For next week, come to class prepared to discuss the following from Chapter 4 (pp. 84 - 117) of Tozer et al. School and Society
Q.1 Your text (p. 84) states, “the 50-year period from the 1870’s to the 1920’s represents nothing short of a revolution in American schooling.” What were the dramatic changes that lead the authors to refer to this period as revolutionary?
Q.2 Not only were there dramatic increases in the number of immigrants but “new” immigrants were rapidly replacing “old” immigrants. Explain.
Q.3 Bigots, (known as Nativists) misusing Darwin’s theories, created “scientific” arguments that certain races ought to be excluded from the US. What was the basis of these arguments?
Q.4 How did industrialization in this era change the face of the nation?
Q.5 What was Frederick Taylor’s contribution to the industrial processes that took hold during the Progressive Era?
Q.6 The response of the workers to the new forms of industrial management was not always positive. Describe this response.
Q.7 The Progressive Era is synonymous with reform: reform of city (urban) government , reform of schools, even reform of Classic Liberal ideologies.
a) what reforms were taking place in urban government?
b) describe the rise of scientific rationality and new definitions of “Progress”
Q.8 What were the major features of the new Progressive education. How did Progressive education differ from the traditional classic curriculum that it replaced?
Q.9 Progressive educators soon adopted two differing conceptions of Progress; the “developmental-democratic” and the “social efficiency” views. Distinguish the views of each group.
Q.10 Who were the spokesmen for the “developmental-democratic” and the “social efficiency” groups, respectively?
Q.11 Give a brief overview of Dewey’s beliefs on the nature of the child
Q.12 The social efficiency progressives put great emphasis on “social stability” and “employable skills” (p. 111-12). Explain.
Q.13 The opposing groups of Progressive educators had differing views on the meaning of “equal educational opportunity” (p.114). What were these views?
Reading Guide
EDU 555
For next class, come to class prepared to discuss the following from Chapter 8 (pp. 220 - 239) of Tozer et al. School and Society
Q.1 “By the 1920’s the American economy had become the envy of the world” (p.220). This could be interpreted as a ringing endorsement of the Liberal conception of Progress but there was a dark underside to this picture. Explain.
Q.2 The fear of Soviet Communism in the post W.W.II era was to have far reaching implications for the US political economy. Explain.
Q.3 “In addition to the Soviet threat, the issue of race discrimination confronted Americans in the post W.W.II era” (p. 222). What moves were made to confront this problem both in schools and in the nation as a whole?
Q.4 As we had seen in the our studies of the Progressive era, faith in human reason had been replaced by faith in scientific methods. Your text gives a rationale: “The so-called common man was characterized as too selfish, uninformed and conformist to be capable of the rigors of governing in a complex age” (p. 223). Do you agree with this assessment? Give your reasons.
Q.5 Give a brief account of the achievements of J.B. Conant. What were the essentials of his philosophy of education?
Q. 6 It is stated (p. 226) that Conant “referred to himself as an “educational Calvinist.” What did this mean in terms of Conant’s stance on education?
Q.7 Conant wrote in 1940, “ In short, a horde of heterogeneous students has descended on our high schools and on our ability to handle all types intelligently depends in large measure the future of this country” (p. 227). I would be interested in your comments on this quote.
Q.8 On what grounds did Conant oppose the GI Bill that was passed towards the end of WWII to provide college education for all veterans.
Q.9 Much of the legacy of J.B. Conant – The Great Talent Hunt, p. 232-33 - is still alive today and can be found operating in US public high schools. Comment.
Q.10 Mortimer Smith, Arthur Bestor and admiral Hyman Rickover (pp. 230-31) preached the same message in regard to US education in the 1950’s. What was this message? Do you agree with their assessment?
Q.11 The launch of the Soviet missile “Sputnik” in 1957 convinced the educational conservatives that their worst fears about American education had been realized. Explain.
Q.12 What was the major thesis of Conant book “Slums and Suburbs” (1961)?
Q.13 In the Concluding Remarks in Ch.8 we find the following: “Conant used his Harvard pulpit to preach the gospel of meritocracy, striving to make the university and the public school adhere to the principles of selectivity and excellence” (p.238). Comment.
Q.14 “[I]t became a settled assumption (of the Post War Era) that schooling should take as its first priority not the all-round growth of every individual, as Dewey had put it, but instead that national interest where that interest was defined by those in leadership positions” (p. 239). Is this a fair summary of educational thinking in post war America? Would this be your thinking as a practicing educator? Discuss.
For next week, come to class prepared to discuss the following from Chapter 10 (pp. 286 - 318) of Tozer, Violas and Senese School and Society
Q.1 ". . . teaching is so conditioned by its history as a gendered, publicly funded occupation that it is unsuited to to certain kinds of professionalization." (Tozer, p. 286). Explain this statement. Do you agree with Tozer et al.?
Q.2 In the estimation of Tozer what are the four "most important issues to consider in the contemporary debate on professionalism" (p. 286). Be prepared to explain each issue.
Q.3 The Progressive Era (pp. 287-289) saw some advancement in the drive for teacher professionalization. There were some positive moves but, overall, progress was limited. Expand on this statement.
Q.4 List other professions that have relatively low incomes and yet have a rightful claim to the title of a profession (p. 291). What do these professions have in common with education, how do they differ.
Q.5 What are career ladders? Do you believe that they will bring a greater sense of fulfillment to teachers and greater social respect from the general public?
Q.6 Under the heading State Government and Local Control (p. 302) comes this statement. "A Michigan court decision provides a good description of this relationship . . ." Complete the quote.
Q.7 How does the Federal Government exercise pervasive influence over school policy. Name three acts passed by the Congress that have had "enormous influence over the direction and conduct of education." (p. 303).
Q.8 Federal influence over education is further extended by US Supreme Court decisions. Be prepared to talk about three (3) Federal court decisions that have extended the range of this influence.
Q.9 "Since education is primarily the responsibility of the state, should the financial support of a student's education be a function of the wealth of the local school district, or should it be a function of the wealth of the state as a whole? (p. 306). Be prepared to discuss this question and to quote appropriate court decisions.
Q. 10 Your text provides details of a number of education court cases dealing with "Free Expression" and "Due Process." Be prepared to expound on the following cases:
Pickering v Lockport (1968)
Tinker v De Moines (1969)
Parducci v Rutland (1970)
Cleveland v La Fleur (1974)
For next week, come to class prepared to discuss the following from Chapter 12 (pp. 366 - 397) of Tozer et al. School and Society
Q.1 Democracy promises equality of opportunity not equality of outcomes. Why do educators need to keep this truism in mind?
Q.2 The free market system is structured to bring out the productive best in people through a system of rewards. If we apply this model to our education system the results will be highly inequitable. Explain.
Q.3 “Does inequality stem from deficiencies within certain individuals or groups or from external social and economic conditions?” (p. 366). The doctrine of Meritocracy grew out of the answer to this question. Explain.
Q.4 “Perhaps the first major challenge to the meritocracy conclusions . . . resulted from the GI Bill.” (p. 366-67). Why was this bill a challenge to meritocratic conclusions?
Q.5 Briefly define ‘genetic inferiority theory’ (jump to p. 409) and ‘cultural deficit theory’ (p.410).
Q.6 In 1954 Brown v Board overturned the doctrine of ‘separate but equal.’ What were the essential elements of this doctrine?
Q.7 Your text, p. 368, details the findings of the Coleman Report of 1966. Comment on these findings particularly No.’s 4 and 5.
Q.8 Christopher Jencks in his study “Inequality” (1973) argued that “unequal achievement was caused by deficiencies in the child, not the schools” (p.369). His conclusions drew heavy criticism. Give a summary of the criticism that his book engendered.
Q.9 Sheldon Danziger is quoted in your text, p. 373, “educational differences do not explain very much of the disparity between income earnings among . . .” Could you offer an explanation for these disparities?
Q.10 From your text p. 378: “The myth that virtually all Americans are middle class obscures what the numbers say.” What do the numbers say?
Q.11 “As the data are subdivided, differences in the success rates of racial and ethnic groups become evident” (p. 380). Be prepared to provide a summary of this data.
Q.12 Ronald Tanaki writes (p. 382) “Asian Americans are celebrated as America’s ‘model minority’” but objects to this characterization as inaccurate. Be prepared to discuss.
Q.13 “Social class may prove to be a more effective predictor of future opportunities than either race or gender” (p. 385). Would you agree with this prediction? Why or why not?
Q.14 “Sex roles continue to play a significant part in early education . . . This pattern continues in primary grades” (p. 392). What are the roles referred to in this quote?
Q.15 “Liberal ideology locates the source of school success and failure in individuals . . . . Yet research indicates that . . . “ (p. 396). What does research indicate?
For next week, come to class prepared to discuss the following from Chapter 14 (pp. 444 - 473) of Tozer, Violas and Senese School and Society
Chapter 14
Q.1 In 1983 A Nation at Risk proclaimed “Our nation is at risk, the educational foundations of our society are presently being eroded by a rising tide of mediocrity that threatens our very future as a nation and a people.” What was this risk to which the Reagan administration was alerting us? (see p. 445).
Q.2 The “rising tide of mediocrity” is illustrated in graphs and the text on pages 448-49. Be prepared to give a critical assessment of this data.
Q.3 “A Nation at Risk sought to define excellence primarily in terms of measurable results in standardized achievement tests targeted at traditional academic curricula” (p.450). Explain this statement. Would you agree with this vision of excellence?
Q.4 “The call for higher standards was accompanied by a call for greater ‘accountability’” (p. 450). Explain.
Q.5 In writing of ‘School Choice’ and ‘Vouchers’ your text (p. 452) says that parents and students should be able to “vote with their feet”. Explain.
Q.6 An example of school restructuring (p. 453) is to be found in the Holmes Group and Carnegie Forum efforts to reshape the teaching profession and entry into it. Be prepared to give a brief summary of these efforts.
Q. 7 Educator, Frank Margonis examines the claim made in A Nation at Risk “that the failure of our education system was the principal cause of our depressed economy” (p. 457). What conclusion did he reach?
Q.8 The 1980’s and 90’s “top down” style of management of school reform described on pp. 458-59 has run into a series of ideological problems. Discuss.
Q.9 The contemporary statement “The ideology of management and control is clearly superseding an ideology of democratic problem solving and participation” (p. 461) reminds us of the Progressive Era and the age of “the experts.” Comment.
Q.10. Researcher [Linda] Darling-Hammond believes that “major change does not easily and it does not come cheap” (p. 462). Comment.
Q.11 “Certainly, the call for standards - standards for student achievement, standards for curriculum, standards for teacher quality - has been central to the current reform movement from the 1980’s until now. But . . . .” (p. 468-69). Complete this statement.
Q.12 “Citizens of the U.S., perhaps more than any other people seem to have a deep-seated, even exaggerated faith in the ability of their schools to solve major social problems” (p. 472). Your thoughts on this final statement.