EDG4376 Reflection #20

As always, I knew I would enjoy any class taught by Professor McNair. Yes, his reflections, quizzes, and assignments are definitely a challenging workload, but in the end, more than worth it. It’s a great feeling to get my money’s worth and feel well-prepared for my future academic endeavors. After taking “Integrating Language Arts and Social Studies,” I have become much more knowledgeable in the areas of curriculum integration, the history of the educational system in America, creating unit plans, and creating constructivist and behaviorist lesson plans. But I have to say, most importantly, Joe McNair’s lectures were by far the most influential aspect of the class. I love listening to what Professor McNair has to offer; it’s effortless to get lost in his almost spiritual discussions. Furthermore, it’s almost impossible to walk out of class and not reflect on the thoughts and concepts that were proposed.
As far as my field experience hours at Hibiscus Elementary School went, I had a blast! I worked with Mr. Rodriguez’s third grade TEAM class, and even had the opportunity to conduct a cooperative learning activity with the students for my EEX 3071 class. The children were absolutely wonderful, and I was thrilled to have enough time to get to know each child individually. Mr. Rodriguez’s class was composed of twenty students, and I had never worked with a class that large before. At first, I was completely overwhelmed, especially because I wanted to learn all the students’ names as soon as possible. Furthermore, I had absolutely no idea just how much attention eight years need! The kids were all over me, telling me stories, asking me questions, and seeking out hugs. I spent as much time as I could with each of them, and thirty hours wasn’t nearly enough. I will definitely continue my volunteer work at Hibiscus with “I Have A Dream,” and plan to visit the students from Mr. Rodriguez’s class as often as possible. From my experience in the School of Education at Miami Dade College, I’ve learned quickly that as an educator I must also be a role model. And the more I show the children that I care, the easier it will be for them to care about themselves. This, to me, is the essence of education.

EDG4376 Reflection #19

A little less than a year ago, I thought learning how to use the Miami Dade College School of Education lesson plan format was particularly difficult. Today, I fly through lesson plans with ease. However, the constructivist lesson plan format was brand new to me this semester, and at first, it seemed completely out of my league. I had absolutely no idea what a bridging activity was, what the details section was supposed to consist of, and even how to go about grouping the students! As a so-called advocate of Constructivism, this was an absolutely terrible realization for me! However, I learned a lot from creating the three Constructivism lesson plans, and now, thankfully, feel pretty comfortable with the format. The content area web matrix portion of the unit plan still confuses me, but I know that, in time and practice, I can master that as well. All in all, I think I enjoy creating Constructivist lesson plans even more than the regular ones. I like the idea that the students are grouped together to research and construct knowledge on their own. To me, this is an imperative aspect of education. Cooperative learning activities build social and communication skills, which are vital skills to have in today’s diverse world. Furthermore, group activities reflect what goes on in the world in real life situations. Not many people go through life without some sort of job, career, or schooling where they don’t have to interact with other people on a regular basis. Additionally, I believe that any lesson is more meaningful to students if they are given the opportunity to construct their own knowledge and opinion of the subject matter. Now, although I do not consider myself an advocate of Behaviorism, I absolutely loved creating the Behaviorist lesson plans! Believe it or not, they made sense to me, and I easily understood the concepts of each portion of the template. I thought it was organized and structured in such a way that it made sense for any and every grade level and/or classroom. I truly enjoyed creating a step-by-step procedure and modeling examples. For some reason, I thought the Behaviorist lesson plan format was, by far, the easiest and most pleasurable of all the lesson plans to formulate and construct. However, all in all, I’m thrilled I was given the chance to practice all three formats this semester.

EDG4376 Reflection #18

I thought creating the Constructivist style unit plan was extremely interesting, to say the least. Up until this point, I have only used the Miami Dade College School of Education lesson plan format in LiveText, so not only was a unit plan foreign to me, but a Constructivist unit plan seemed completely alien! Furthermore, I had absolutely no concept of what or who the Yoruba people of Southwestern Nigeria were. I only knew I would have to conduct a lot of in-depth research in order to create a unit plan that actually made sense. I thoroughly enjoyed reading O Se Sango by Professor Joe McNair, and I learned a lot about the Yoruba culture and traditions. I found it extremely interesting that many of the Yoruba rituals are highly secretive, although I have to admit, initially, I was beyond frustrated that my Google search attempts were pointless. However, once I realized that most of the information I needed to research came directly from O Se Sango, I had no problem creating my unit plan. I enjoyed my reading and research about the Yoruba naming ceremony, their bridal bath tradition, and their bridal poetry. Consequently, my lesson plans were about those topics. I just wish I had more time throughout the semester to take my time reading O Se Sango from front to back, but I’m sure I’ll be able to do that at some point. And now I have a pretty good idea of how to create a unit plan in the future when I am in charge of my classroom. I’m just happy Professor McNair went over each aspect of the unit plan in detail, because at first I don’t think anyone in the class had a clue as to what we were supposed to do. He was definitely helpful in assisting the class in this unfamiliar and somewhat frightening task. Moreover, I think it will be fun to construct my units with subsequent topics for my students. As long as I follow the Florida Sunshine State Standards, I am given more than enough flexibility to teach according to my educational philosophy. Additionally, I can have fun in the process and teach what I am passionate about, which will hopefully inspire and motivate my students to learn. In the end, I was thrilled to have been given the opportunity to create a unit plan. I learned a lot from this project, and as a future professional educator, I will definitely have the chance to use what I’ve learned at some point.

EDG4376 Reflection #17

In problem-based learning, students usually work in collaborative groups, and some typical activities include question generating, story creation, case reasoning, reason analysis, and concept mapping. Since problem-based learning is based on the Constructivist ideologies of John Dewey and Lev Vygotsky, the teacher usually acts as a facilitator throughout the lesson after he or she presents the students with a problem. Therefore, in creating my own lesson and unit plans that focus on problem-based learning, I would most likely utilize a Constructivist lesson/unit plan format.
Inquiry-based learning strategies require students to learn based on their effective questioning skills and techniques. Again, students work in cooperative groups in order to solve problems, and the teacher’s main purpose is to guide them along. Inquiry-based learning pushes students to develop experimental and analytical skills, and they become scientists in the classroom by conducting extensive research. In creating my own lesson and unit plans for inquiry-based learning, again, I would probably use a Constructivist format. Most likely, I would attempt to present my students with a real life situation or problem that they will be motivated to solve because of its validity.
A WebQuest format is similar to problem-based learning and inquiry-based learning in that students are required to construct their own individual knowledge on whatever subject matter they are currently focusing on. The only difference is that just about all the information used by students comes from the World Wide Web. Personally, I think the WebQuest format is particularly useful in today’s classrooms. It is imperative that young people become proficient in using computers and the internet, and the integration of technology in lesson/unit planning can only make learning and research more effective and efficient. In my classroom, I hope to have a plethora of computers with internet access available to my students, and I will definitely make use of them on a regular basis. Most likely, I will incorporate the WebQuest format and internet–based lesson and unit plans at least two to three times a week.

EDG4376 Reflection #16

In the 1940’s, Jerome Bruner did significant research on the development of human cognition and how mental sets (needs, motivations, and expectations) influence people’s perceptions. In the late 1950’s, Bruner became interested in the education system, and in the 1960’s he developed a cognitive theory that intellect progresses in stages “through step-by-step changes in how the mind is used.” Bruner believed that children will be actively engaged in learning if they are interested in the material that is presented, and furthermore, they are active problem-solvers who are completely capable of exploring difficult learning material. He saw education as a process that attempts to mold children into creative thinkers. Social Studies is a topic, to me, that completely feeds off of the creative thinking process. People cannot make informed, educated decisions about history, current events, psychology, etc. if they aren’t utilizing their cognition. Furthermore, Bruner’s theory of cognitive growth that was developed in the 1960s focused on environmental and experimental factors, which both also directly correlate to Social Studies. He also wrote a variety of texts that concentrated on the fact that students construct their own paradigms of the world on the basis of their will to learn, how they are instructed, and how they are taught to make judgments and formulate opinions. He believed that culture, and appreciation of culture, is key in the education process. Therefore, if educators can inspire young people to acquire a curiosity for Social Studies, then ultimately, they will become cultured, worldly, productive citizens. It’s pretty apparent that Jerome Bruner’s ideologies make a lot of sense. Young people need to know about the history of their country, how a bill becomes a law, how to vote, what is going on over in Iraq, why the economy is doing so poorly, how geography influences businesses where they live, what hate crimes are and how to fight them, etc. All of these topics are, essentially, the Social Studies, and they all are imperative to our lives. Additionally, knowledge of them requires intrinsic motivation and a thirst for knowledge, which was the basis of Bruner’s life work. Therefore, if Jerome Bruner didn’t have an impact on the new Social Studies, I don’t know who else could have.

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EDG4376 Reflection #15

Knowledge of the social sciences is essential to everyday life, and personally, I feel that they should play a much larger role in school curriculums then they do. Currently, reading and mathematics are taking over, and not because they are important subject areas children must become proficient in, but because the FCAT has taken over. Of course, studying anthropology will educate students about the classification and physical traits of Homo sapiens. However, children need to know the basics of economics too. Businesses and money make the world go ‘round and students need to be taught the value of a dollar if they are expected to succeed in life. Geography is important as well; sadly, many elementary students in Florida are unable to point out the state they live in while looking at a blank map of America. The same goes for political science. This subject is something I was never taught in school, and believe me it was tough to teach myself the ways of politics. The arts and humanities can teach elementary school children the beauty and enrichment of diverse cultures, which is imperative if children are to practice tolerance and acceptance. And of course, American History should play a vital role in any school’s social studies curriculum. Children in America need to know about the significant facts and figures that have shaped our country, such as Christopher Columbus, the Declaration of Independence, slavery, and the Civil War.

However, when it comes to elementary schools, I believe sociology should be at the core of the social studies curriculum. Young children need to be taught the basics of society in order to learn about themselves and what type of roles they want to partake in life. Basic social skills need to be thoroughly explained and proper behavior should be demonstrated. If sociology and psychology can be integrated into the social studies curriculum, children can be given a beautiful opportunity to create a strong foundation of who they want to become for the rest of their lives. And to me, this concept should not stop at the elementary school level. Behavior modification, communication skills, and social interaction skills need to be reinforced throughout middle and high school as well. Sociology is a broad concept that covers it all, including topics such as culture, education, family, religion, gender and sexuality, race and ethnicity, criminology, social networks, and technology. Children today will have a much easier time growing up in today’s society if they are exposed to reality.

EDG4376 Reflection #14

Jay Bennish was a Social Studies and American History teacher at Overland High School in Aurora, Colorado. In 2006, one of his students, Sean Allen, recorded Bennish’s lecture, which ultimately became national news. Bennish had held a class discussion about Bush’s State of the Union Address, in which he compared Bush to Hitler and suggested that capitalism should be criticized. He talked about how many nations see the United States as the “single most violent nation on planet Earth.” It seems pretty obvious why many students, teachers, and administrators saw this lecture as a problem. Yes, the subject matter Jay Bennish lectured about was controversial, but the fact of the matter is, he neglected to present varying viewpoints to his students. Although Bennish saw his freedom of speech as being jeopardized, as an educator, he had a responsibility to his students to present a neutral standpoint, stating facts alone.
The Task Force for Standards and Board of Directors of the National Council for Social Studies (NCSS) wrote a position statement in 1992, which emphasized how to build social understanding and civic efficacy in schools across America. The statement directly affirmed the fact that the entire purpose of Social Studies in schools is to assist young people in making informed decisions as citizens of the United States. I could see how people may have thought Bennish was, if anything, endangering social understanding and civic efficacy. Most young people regard their teachers as role models and mentors and believe whatever they say with ease. That is why it is imperative for educators to encourage critical thinking and questioning in children and teens. Although Bennish followed NCSS’s statement that teachers should discuss current events and relate them to curriculum content, he may have been a little too lax with his words. Granted, his students loved his class discussions and lectures, and Bennish was able to return to his work as a teacher. But in the future, he needs to make sure that he presents subject matter with an entirely neutral standpoint. You never know how strongly your words may impact others, especially when it comes to your students.

EDG4376 Reflection #13

A balanced approach to literacy instruction integrates phonics and whole language approaches. Basically, educators attempt to make literacy development as natural as possible while teaching the essential components of phonemic awareness. These two philosophies are very different from one another, but combining them may be the best way to teach young children how to read and write. For instance, it is imperative to inspire children to want to read and create curiosity and motivation, and the whole language approach is considered to be more authentic and capable of achieving this. To advocates of the whole language approach, reading should come as a natural process in which children will come to appreciate and even foster a love for literature. On the other hand, it is also important to teach children proper grammar, vocabulary, and spelling-sound relationships. Phonics instruction focuses on the “rules” of literacy development so children can become skilled in sounding out unfamiliar words while reading or writing. However, because the English language is extremely complex and full of exceptions to the rules, phonemic awareness in itself cannot be the only method used in teaching literacy. There has been a great deal of controversy as to which approach is more effective, and as a result of the reading wars, most educators today describe their literacy curriculums as balanced. However, what does a “balanced approach to literacy instruction” really mean? Realistically, there are still many problems in effectively teaching reading and writing to children in classrooms across America. Educators are still unsure as to how to balance phonics and whole language instruction, and they also disagree among themselves concerning how to approach accomplishing this task. Personally, I think the most effective elements from both of these philosophies should be the main factors used in teaching literacy. For example, since the decodable text method used in phonics instruction has proved to be successful, then it should definitely be used on a regular basis. But more importantly, I think educators should focus on coming to a general consensus as to figuring out the best way to teach children how to read and write. If we can all agree on what the most effective methods are and put them into practice, then maybe children will have a better chance in becoming proficient in literacy at an early age.

EDG4376 Reflection #12

John Dewey and other Progressive Educators believed in whole language instruction, in which the student should be encouraged to follow his or her ways of thinking, which should always be regarded as valid by the teacher. Furthermore, this philosophy supports children in drawing conclusions about the world without necessarily needing to know the facts. In whole-language instruction, language is a natural phenomenon, where language development is an authentic, natural process. Researchers have found that children who develop literacy from a whole language program ultimately enjoy popular literature, hands-on learning, and peer interactions. On the other side of the spectrum, advocates of phonics instruction believe that acquisition of knowledge is an objective process, through which people perceive reality and learn from it. Therefore, students are taught the “basic facts” of reading; to sound each and every syllable out in order to make sense of a word. They focus on phonemic awareness, morphemes, phonemes, proper grammar, and unfamiliar vocabulary. There is a humongous controversy between advocates of whole language instruction and advocates of phonics instruction. Many people deem phonics and phonemic awareness as necessary, but boring. And others believe that whole language instruction doesn’t truly teach children the facts they need to know. This disagreement has been called “a broad, philosophic disagreement, with crucial educational implications.” Today, many educational administrators believe that a balanced approach to literacy development will serve as the cure all for this conflict. The balanced approach integrates whole language and phonics instruction, and is now commonplace in most schools.
This topic parallels the subject of emergent literacy vs. reading readiness. Up until the 1970s, most parents and educators believed in the reading readiness model. This philosophy holds differing viewpoints in itself; one in which children developed literacy skills due to biological maturation, and the other held that certain experiences could accelerate literacy. The nature vs. nuture debate was prevalent. But in the 1970s, educational researchers started focusing on the fact that children began showing signs of pretending to know how to read and write before they actually knew how, and the term emergent literacy came into play. School administrators challenged the traditional reading readiness model, and once again, questions concerning the best way to teach children literacy arose.

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EDG4376 Reflection #10

In the 1960’s and 1970’s the schools in Great Britain began focusing on heavily integrating Language Arts into their curriculums. Students in Social Studies, Science, and even Mathematics classes were encouraged to write about the subject matter they were currently learning. This approach eventually made its way over to the United States when educational researchers found that cognition and language were closely interrelated. In fact, it is now common knowledge that language, thinking, and learning are just about inseparable. However, it has been difficult in US schools to fully integrate Language Arts into curriculum design and practice for a variety of reasons. First off, there is only so much time in any given school day, with an incredible amount of learning material to cover. It must be quite a challenge for a Chemistry teacher to conduct a lesson on the Periodic Table and then incorporate an essay or reflection about the various elements in one class period. Additionally, teachers in the US must adhere to rigid and specific state and national standards on what they must cover throughout the school year. In Florida, for instance, the FCAT has become a priority, to the extent that other important subject matter areas are being pushed to the side. “Back to the basics” instruction is being promoted, and teachers, in general, are uncomfortable with techniques that incorporate Language Arts into their curriculum. They feel that such a dramatic curriculum change would be revolutionary and even though they agree with the idea, integration has been a difficult concept to practice. However, reading, speaking, writing, and listening are vital skills all children must become proficient in, and the earlier the better. This concept seems to work best in schools where communication is stressed and books are abundant. Students are given choices on what they would like to research and how to go about doing so. It makes sense that children will show motivation in getting an assignment complete if they possess intrinsic motivation. And the more educators emphasize books, reading, and communication in their curriculums, the more interest children will show in learning about any given subject matter. Literacy and communication are essential components of education, and we must figure out a successful way to incorporate Language Arts into the everyday curriculum.

EDG4376 Reflection #11

I completely agree with J. Doug McGlothlin in that it is almost impossible for adults to learn new languages. In my past, I have taken numerous Spanish and Italian classes and still have trouble holding a simple conversation in any language besides English. Even with an Italian background, I cannot seem to grasp comprehension. And ironically, I understand more Russian than anything, simply because I was surrounded by the Russian culture when I lived in Brooklyn, NY. I am a true believer that learning a new language as an adult takes time, energy, and effort. Furthermore, to me, one must immerse himself or herself in the culture for quite awhile in order to achieve true understanding.
For young children, language development is a completely different story. And again, I agree with the author of “A Child’s First Steps in Language Learning” in that language environment and the strategies utilized to obtain verbal communication are key concepts in how a child obtains this essential skill. To break it down, children have all the time in the world to learn how to communicate, but because communication is vital, they have an innate motivation to learn to mimic what they hear. They do not have to deal with the pressure of tests, as an adult might, but they are given the unique opportunity to learn vocabulary and grammar as they discover more and more about the world. A child’s language environment directly coincides with the world he or she is learning about, and curiosity is the powerful underlying factor in his or her ability to learn how to communicate. Furthermore, the adults raising the child simplify the language, provide reinforcement, and make corrections when necessary, which further aids in language development. In terms of the strategies children use to obtain communication skills, I found the author’s thoughts interesting. McGlothlin feels that language development is of secondary importance to the child, since his or her immediate environment takes precedence. Toys, family, and friends are much more interesting, and communication only aids in learning more about these things. It is natural for the child to want to call objects and people by name, but apparently, children are undisturbed if they don’t understand certain words immediately. Repetition and curiosity aid in their eventual comprehension of foreign, challenging vocabulary words. As a young child actively participates in the world around him or her, the small communication development steps that are taken build confidence, which drives the child to continue to learn.

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EDG4376 Reflection #8

Any curriculum designed for any school needs to focus on combining student needs, state frameworks, and national standards. However, to me, covering state and national standards can be quite a tedious task within any given school year. It can be done, but it is imperative that school administrators make the curriculum engaging and interesting for the students. Students might be able to store facts in their short-term memories for test purposes, but I assure you, if the information is not relevant or appealing to their lives, that information will be gone by the very next day. Therefore, learner relevancy is imperative to the curriculum designer. For instance, as schools become more and more diverse throughout America, administrators need to combat prejudice and discrimination by integrating tolerance, compassion, and acceptance into students’ everyday lives. Students’ thinking processes, emotions, cultural backgrounds, and developmental stages need to be addressed in curriculum design as well. At the end of the day, it is a collaborative effort on the teachers and administrators to ensure that students are being taught what they need to know in an effective manner. If learner relevancy is made to be a significant concept in curriculum design, everyone will benefit. Students will be engaged in the discovery process and excited to learn, which will make the teaching process easier and more rewarding for educators and administration. Furthermore, if students are learning, as opposed to just memorizing facts, state and national standards will be met with ease. There are many different views on exactly how a school’s curriculum should be organized and integrated, but the majority of educational researchers agree that course content should be connected in such a way that the student benefits and feels that they are learning to deal with real world situations. Therefore, to the curriculum designer, learner relevancy is everything. I think the demographics of the student body in any given school should play a large part of how the curriculum should be designed. It is up to administration to determine whether the curriculum is fragmented, connected, nested, sequenced, shared, webbed, threaded, integrated, immersed, or networked. However, administration definitely needs to put learner relevancy first.

EDG4376 Reflection #9

The interdisciplinary model, the problem-based model, and the theme-based model are three different forms of curriculum integration that have developed in recent years. Many educational researchers believe that integrated curriculums in schools can help boost intellectual interest and curiosity in students, as well as critical-thinking and problem-solving skills. According to them, if the subject matter is relevant to students’ everyday lives, then students will become motivated to seek out understanding for themselves.
In the interdisciplinary model of curriculum integration, a variety of different teams of teachers are responsible for specific groups of students. There are four periods each day, consisting of about 175 minutes each. Teachers are encouraged to use their blocks of time any way they choose, as long as the four core subjects, English, Math, Science, and Social Studies are covered. In this approach, students and teachers have the opportunity to get to know each other on a personal level. However, teachers need to work closely as a team in order to ensure state standards are being met. This is also an issue in the problem-based model of curriculum integration because it is based on the utilization of hands-on technology. The problem-based model focuses mainly on integrating science, mathematics, and technology with the ultimate goal of applying problems to real world situations. Students learn to work in collaborative group situations and make use of authentic assessment, learning Language Arts and Social Studies as they proceed through the curriculum. In the final approach, the theme-based model, it is easier for teachers to address state and national education standards. However, researchers suggest that many key concepts that are addressed in the theme-based model have little to do with a specific discipline, which ultimately results in irrelevant learning for the students. In general, the theme-based model covers three to five key concepts, including mathematics, science, language arts, technology, and/or social studies. All three of these integrated curriculum concepts are based on a Constructivist approach. The students will eventually build their own knowledge base, assuming that the educators are working as a team with the students’ best interests at heart.

EDG4376 Reflection #7

Educational pioneers such as Piaget, John Dewey, and Bruner held a holistic perspective when it comes to learning in schools. Constructivism is a theory of knowledge founded on the philosophy that humans generate understanding from the experiences they encounter, as well as in-depth studies of subject matter. These ideas have been advocated as far back to the Progressive Movement in the 1930s. Constructivists believe that children will have an easier time learning the required material if they can acquire an understanding of how different concepts are related. According to Shoemaker, “the human brain actively seeks patterns and searches for meaning through these patterns.” Research has shown that the brain resists learning facts in isolation; as human beings, we need to make connections. In Kathy Lake’s article, entitled “Integrated Curriculum,” Benjamin discusses the fact that intertwining subject matter and connecting complex systems will encourage global interdependence. Additionally, today’s society is fast-paced, diverse, and multifaceted, so integrated curriculums in schools will assist the assimilation of children into the realities of the world. Furthermore, every year more demands are placed on educators by the administrators in schools. State standards are rising constantly, and it seems almost impossible for teachers to cover everything in their curriculum. With this expanding body of knowledge, it makes sense for educators to come together and cross educate their students. Presenting information with meaningful connections ultimately meets the needs of the students, the teachers, and the requirements of the state. Furthermore, if students are taught how to make connections, solve problems critically, and examine subject area matter by looking at multiple perspectives, they will undoubtedly be better off in the future. Benjamin discusses the need for workers to be capable of drawing from many fields and solving issues that involve interrelated factors. Doesn’t it make sense to teach children these imperative skills at a young age, while still in school? Not only will they pass standardized tests with ease, but they will become employable, model citizens as they enter adulthood. After reading Kathy Lakes’ article, an integrated curriculum seems like the best option we have.

EDG4376 Reflection #6

According to Shoemaker, an integrated curriculum is “education that is organized in such a way that it cuts across subject-matter lines, bringing together various aspects of the curriculum into meaningful association to focus upon broad areas of study. It views learning and teaching in a holistic way and reflects the real world, which is interactive.” This definition, to me, is what education should be all about. Schooling is not just science, or math, or reading, or the FCAT. It is about bringing all these concepts together with the ultimate goal of raising children; teaching them social skills, the psychology of life, and how to succeed effectively in this increasingly complex and demanding society. The real world today is not always an easy place to be, and it is imperative to know how to interact with others successfully. Furthermore, educators need to focus on molding children into wise, worldly, and productive citizens. An interactive curriculum, if employed correctly, can achieve just that. Linking together various academic subjects can assist learners in developing thematic relationships and meaningful associations, ultimately creating their own individualized paradigm of the world.

Everett defines interdisciplinary curriculum as “one that combines several school subjects into one active project since that is how children encounter subjects in the real world-combined in one activity.” An integrated curriculum teaches children lifelong lessons and prepares them for learning that lasts. Additionally, people are mentally stimulated when challenged and/or presented with a network of unfamiliar information or concepts. And personally, I believe Everett is right on target. Children eventually graduate high school and make a choice to attend college or go to work. Either way, the real world combines everything they have learned in school up until that point. College students must multi-task, learn how to manage time and stress, and act responsibly on a daily basis. Employable citizens do the same, often encountering mathematics, science, social studies, and psychology at work as well. The earlier students are introduced to a multitude of subjects and skills simultaneously, the better off they will be once introduced into the world.

EDG4376 Reflection #5

In Humanistic Education, reasoning power is embraced and the entire intellect is engaged in the growth and development of the student. Humanism is based on the work of psychologists such as Abraham Maslow, Carl Rogers, and Rudolph Steiner. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is an important concept used in Humanistic Education, which includes physiological, safety, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization.
There are a number of well-known Developmentalist pedagogical theorists, including Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi, Friedrich Froebel, Herbert Spencer, William James, G. Stanley Hall, and of course Rousseau, Dewey, and Piaget. Developmentalists believe that a child’s behaviors and characteristics are simply a progression of nature. Rosseau even believed that nuture, or outside environmental influences, had little to no part to play in influencing child development; “nature was God’s work untainted by human influence.” John Dewey and Piaget advocated Darwin’s idea of natural selection and evolution. Therefore, according to these Developmentalists, humans have the ability to learn through problem-solving and creative thinking, which occurred strictly because of the inevitable progression of evolution.
Social efficiency educators prepare students for work after school. They see society as having a responsibility to increase productivity in the workplace. Schools, therefore, should center on educating their students in specific skills they will use once they graduate. Educators and administrators have a duty to adapt to existing socioeconomic and social structures, creating model citizens that will succeed and excel in the workplace and society. Tracking, vocationalism, and ability testing are all major tools used in social efficiency education, with the intent of separating students into different groups to fill the various roles in society. Many people who oppose this interest group believe social efficiency educators impede social mobility and political equality.
Social Meliorists attempt to reform society and create positive change. They believe that the human mind is a powerful entity, and education can only improve intellect and brainpower. Social Meliorists do not believe that a person’s future is predetermined; in fact, they think quite the opposite. If a curriculum focused on addressing the problems of society, such as corruption, racial inequality, and poverty, society would eventually improve.

EDG4376 Reflection #4

Important Personalities In The History Of American Curriculum


Key Components of Theory: Relationship between education and economic growth, advocate of Progressivism and racial equality, helped expand the range of courses available at Harvard University

Contributions to Education: helped broaden the curriculum and reform professional schools, proposed the development of research facilities, made Harvard a worldwide university,

The Implications for Learning: opposed sports such as football, basketball, baseball, and hockey because he thought they were unethical and too much like war

The Implications for Teaching: did not understand the urgency of the need for educational reform
Charles William Eliot
1834-1926

Key Components of Theory: Progressivism, sought to reform American schools

Contributions to Education: known as the “father of Progressive Education”, opened his own school in Chicago that was a model of Progressive education and teacher training

The Implications for Learning: believed the child needed to be at the center of the education process

The Implications for Teaching: schools needed to be democratic communities, teachers needed to be taught how to teach
Col. Francis W. Parker
1837-1902
Key Components of Theory: logic and reasoning, pragmatism, foundational mathematics

Contributions to Education: founded pragmatism and semiotics, instructor at John Hopkins University, published Photometric Research, published math textbooks, achievements in philosophy of language

The Implications for Learning: learning must be common sense, scientific and pragmatic

The Implications for Teaching: logic is rooted in the social principle, all thought is in signs and sign processes such as the inquiry process
Charles Sanders Peirce
1839-1914
Key Components of Theory: proponent of the school of functionalism in psychology and pragmatism in philosophy, studied associationism and spiritualism closely

Contributions to Education: wrote influential books on educational psychology, taught medicine, physiology, and biology at Harvard, helped found the American Society for Psychical Research

The Implications for Learning: believed a narrow mindset inhibited learning, defined true beliefs as those prove useful to the believer, believed in free will that separates chance from choice, emotion is in the mind’s perception

The Implications for Teaching: advocate of pragmatism (declared that the value of any truth was completely dependent upon its use to the person who held it)
William James
1842-1910
Key Components of Theory: Pedagogy and Childhood Development, Educational Psychology

Contributions to Education: Childhood Development & Evolutionary Theory, 1st President of the American Psychological Association

The Implications for Learning: Believed high school should focus more on the education of adolescents than on preparing students for college, believed that humans are by nature non-reasoning and instinct driven, students should be taught service, patriotism, military discipline, and love of authority

The Implications for Teaching: Objected to the emphasis on teaching traditional subjects, believed students need a good dose of authoritarian discipline, including corporeal punishment
G. Stanley Hall
(1844-1924)
Key Components of Theory: strongly identified with women’s suffrage movement, analyzed the relationships between schools and industrial society

Contributions to Education: Professor of education at the University of Chicago, first woman in America to head a large city school system (teacher, principal, and superintendent)

The Implications for Learning: During her career in Chicago, industrialization rapidly dominated the economy and diverse new populations arrived.

The Implications for Teaching: collaborated with Jane Addams in social work, believed all teachers and administrators should work together in creating the curriculum
Ella Flagg Young
1845-1918
Key Components of Theory: African American political leader, educator, orator, and author, advocated vocational schools for African Americans, pragmatics

Contributions to Education: Civil Rights and desegregation, raised funds to establish and operate thousands of small community schools and institutions of higher education for the betterment of blacks throughout the South

The Implications for Learning: believed African Americans had the right to a higher education (vocational)

The Implications for Teaching: teachers need to understand and respect desegregation and the adoption of important federal civil rights laws
Booker T. Washington
1856-
Key Components of Theory: Sociologist and economist of the institutional economics movement, developed a 20th century evolutionary economics based upon Darwinian principles

Contributions to Education: author of the Theory of the Leisure Class, professor at the University of Chicago,

The Implications for Learning: believed that technological developments would eventually lead to a socialistic organization of economic affairs, believed evolution was driven by the human instincts of emulation, predation, workmanship, parental bent, and idle curiosity

The Implications for Teaching: viewed socialism as an immediate phase in an ongoing process of society that would be brought about by the natural decay of the business enterprise system and by the inventiveness of engineers
Thorsten Veblen
1857-1929
Key Components of Theory: American philosopher, psychologist, and educational reformer, father of Progressivism

Contributions to Education: founder of pragmatism and functional psychology, major representative of the progressive movement

The Implications for Learning: schools need attention and reconstruction to encourage experimental intelligence and plurality, student experiences and active learning are vital in the education process

The Implications for Teaching: schools need to be a democracy, focusing on communication, the traditional teaching’s concern with delivering knowledge needed to be balanced with a much greater concern with the students’ actual experiences and active learning
John Dewey
1859-1952
Key Components of Theory: wanted to teach adults who could not otherwise enter formal academic institutions because of poverty and/or lack of credentials, international peace efforts

Contributions to Education: founder of the US Settlement House movement, second woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, charter member of the American Sociological Society, co-founded the Hull House in Chicago

The Implications for Learning: every human being has the right to an education, advocate of continuing education classes and social services

The Implications for Teaching: concerned about the limits on speech and political activism associated with university settings of the times
Jane Addams
1860-1935
Key Components of Theory: American philosopher, sociologist, and psychologist, advocate of pragmatics and psychological behaviorism

Contributions to Education: one of the founders of social psychology, advocate of symbolic interactionism

The Implications for Learning: social consciousness is important in education, focused on the interaction between the actor and the world, and viewed the actor and the world as a dynamic process

The Implications for Teaching: people remember and base their knowledge of the world on what has been useful to them and are likely to alter what no longer ‘works,” which is extremely important for educators to remember
George Herbert Mead
1863-1931
Key Components of Theory: Progressive educational reformer, organic education

Contributions to Education: founded progressive school called “The School of Organic Education” in Fairhope

The Implications for Learning: felt that children should live natural lives, study the outdoors, and not be forced to read at too young an age

The Implications for Teaching: didn’t believe teachers should administer tests or homework until high school, required hand crafts and folk dancing in her curriculum
Marietta Johnson
1864-1938
Key Components of Theory: radical attacker of injustice and defender of freedom, discoverer of social truths

Contributions to Education: acknowledged as the Father of Social Science, studies Negro morality, urbanization, Negroes in business and college-bred Negroes for 13 years, representative of the NAACP

The Implications for Learning: felt African Americans should temporarily forego political power, insistence on civil rights, and higher education of Negro youth, instead, he felt they should concentrate all their energy on industrial education

The Implications for Teaching: ignorance of the race problem is an obstacle to education and teaching
WEB Dubois
1868-1963
Key Components of Theory: anarchist known for her political activism, writing and speeches, anarchist philosophy, women’s rights, and social issues

Contributions to Education: advocated birth control and women’s rights, opposed US involvement in WW1 and saw it as an exercise in militarist aggression driven by Capitalism, important contributor to several fields of modern political philosophy

The Implications for Learning: felt that she should only reach out to the “few who really wanted to learn, rather than the many who come to be amused,”

The Implications for Teaching: encouraged unemployed workers to take immediate action during the Panic of 1893, inciting riots, rejected orthodoxy and fundamentalist thinking
Emma Goldman
1869-1940
Key Components of Theory: leading advocate of Progressive education, colleague and successor of John Dewey, Developmentalist

Contributions to Education: extremely active in educational and civic organizations, President of the John Dewey Society, leading spokesman for Progressive Education

The Implications for Learning: school curriculum should reflect student interests and problem-solving should be at the core of the education process

The Implications for Teaching: advocated methodological views
William Heard Kilpatrick
1871-1965
Key Components of Theory: Pragmatic approach to education, notable for his work on philosophy of education, agreed with many of Dewey’s theories

Contributions to Education: professor of philosophy at the University of Wisconsin and the University of Illinois, professor of education at Ohio State University

The Implications for Learning: school is supposed to be the establishment where social equality can become a way of life

The Implications for Teaching: believed logic was vital in teaching, thought questioning and challenging his students was the best way to teach them
Boyd H. Bode
1873-1953
Key Components of Theory: studied education, psychology, pedagogy, and learning theory

Contributions to Education: Professional goal to determine the scientific theoretical basis for the professionalization of teacher education, wrote a textbook on Classroom Management

The Implications for Learning: schools need to focus on the development of the socially efficient individual

The Implications for Teaching: an efficient school requires the unquestioned obedience of teachers, science must be the foundation of good teaching
William C. Bagley
1874 -1946
Key Components of Theory: American educator and civil rights leader, active in women’s clubs, which made her nationally prominent

Contributions to Education: best known for starting an African American school in Daytona Beach, FL (eventually became Bethune-Cookman University), first African American woman to become a federal agency head in the position of Director of the Division of Negro Affairs

The Implications for Learning: African American girls had the right to be educated and become successful homemakers

The Implications for Teaching: The “three R’s” are important teaching tools in schools
Mary McCleod Bethune
1875-1955

Key Components of Theory: “functional theory” of instruction, activity-analysis approach to curriculum instruction

Contributions to Education: “Seven rules of curriculum instruction,” emphasis of inclusion of social ideals in the curriculum

The Implications for Learning: subject matter needs to be organized, students should be allowed to construct functions of subject matter for themselves

The Implications for Teaching: a scientific approach to curriculum instruction is considered best, advocate of audiovisual education
Werrett Wallace Charters
1875- 1952

Key Components of Theory: one of the founders of curriculum theory and practice, believed schools needed to develop individuals’ intellect rather than train them for work

Contributions to Education: wrote “Curriculum of Modern Education,” emphasized the importance of general education

The Implications for Learning: organization in the school will promote social efficiency, students should continue their general education until age 18-20, students’ lives could not be determined in advance

The Implications for Teaching: curriculum should promote school efficiency, his early work was characterized by a steadfast insistence on principles of scientific management and engineering
John Franklin Bobbitt
1876-

Key Components of Theory: pioneer in the field of adult education, parental education, and working with girls and women

Contributions to Education: founded the Department of Adult Education at Ohio State University, first female on the west coast to receive a PhD,

The Implications for Learning: social aspects of learning were imperative (founded Pi Lambda Theta educational fraternity)

The Implications for Teaching: a curriculum should be developed from nursery school through graduate and professional development
Jessie A . Charters
1880-???
Key Components of Theory: librarian, historian, naturalist, world traveler, and mentor

Contributions to Education: Associate Librarian at Dartmouth College

The Implications for Learning: reading resources are imperative to learning and acquiring education

The Implications for Teaching: reading resources are imperative to teaching
Harold Goddard Rugg
1883-1957
Key Components of Theory: influential education theorist, leading critic of progressive education, affiliated with the school of Social Reconstructionism,

Contributions to Education: influenced critical pedagogy, wrote 29 books about education, leading advocate of the teachers’ union, head of the American Federation of Teachers

The Implications for Learning: only through schooling can students be educated for a life in a world transformed by massive changes in science, industry, and technology

The Implications for Teaching: the cultural, social, and political purposes of education must be examined
George S. Counts
1889-1974
Key Components of Theory: curriculum theorist and reformer, teacher educator

Contributions to Education: wrote 7 books on education, including “Curriculum Development: Theory and Practice”

The Implications for Learning: in a society where changes come fast, individuals cannot depend on routinized behavior or tradition in making decisions

The Implications for Teaching: a student of Dewey, Taba believed teachers should educate in a democratic environment, teachers need to understand the 3 levels of knowledge- facts, basic principles and ideas, and concepts
Hilda Taba
1902-1967

Key Components of Theory: American philosopher, popular author and educator

Contributions to Education: believes philosophy should be a part of the mainstream school curriculum, education should teach people to be responsible citizens in a democracy

The Implications for Learning: the ethical problems that human beings confront in their lives have not changed over the centuries

The Implications for Teaching: advocate of economic democracy and common sense in philosophy
Mortimer Adler
1902-2001
Key Components of Theory: American educator who focused on the field of assessment and evaluation

Contributions to Education: influenced the underlying policy of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965,

The Implications for Learning: How can learning experiences be organized for effective instruction? How can the effectiveness of learning experiences be evaluated?

The Implications for Teaching: Tyler is credited for coining the term “evaluation” for aligning measurement and testing with educational objectives
Ralph W. Tyler
1902-1994
Key Components of Theory: educational researcher and theorist

Contributions to Education: influential in renewing schools and teacher education, published over 30 books, including “A Place Called School”

The Implications for Learning: education is a fundamental right in democratic societies

The Implications for Teaching: education is essential to developing individual and collective democratic intelligence
John GoodladI.
1920 -
Key Components of Theory: Critical Theory Reconstructionist

Contributions to Education: author of “Pedagogy of the Oppressed,” laid the foundation for critical pedagogy

The Implications for Learning: attacked the “banking” concept of education, in which the student was viewed as an empty account to be filled by the teacher

The Implications for Teaching: “there is no such thing as a neutral education process”
Paulo Freire
1921-1997

EDG4376 Reflection #3

“Progressives and Their Contemporaries”
John Dewey and William H. Kilpatrick were early proponents of Progressivism. They believed students should learn about subject matter that relates to their own interests and that schools should represent the life of the society. Dewey’s close friend, Colonel Francis Parker, also advocated Progressive Education, and even opened a progressive school in 1901 in Chicago, Illinois. Thorstein Veblen, a scientist and engineer who wrote Theory of the Leisure Class in 1899, was a member of the Technical Alliance. In 1919, he helped Dewey found The New School, which was built entirely on Progressive Education concepts. Emma Goldman was a Russian immigrant who praised the US for its high level of freedom during the Progressive Era. She fought for women’s equality, workers’ rights, and free universal education. George S. Counts was also a progressive educator who was politically oriented and fought for schools to “build a new social order.” The first American woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize was Jane Adamms. She was responsible for the founding of Hull-House, and strongly believed in self-expression, learning to play, active engagement, and personally enriching experiences. Ella Flagg Young was yet another leading school reformer who worked closely with Dewey. William James and Ralph W. Tyler, both philosophers, were also known for their progressive ideologies. W.E.B. DuBois and Booker T. Washington made a significant impact on the African American aspect of the Progressive movement in education. Paulo Freire is famous for his book, Pedagogy of the Oppressed, and believed that education is the path to permanent liberation. Harold G. Rugg, an educational reformer, was also associated with Progressivism, and John Goodlad introduced the idea of “non-graded” schools in the 1950s. Marietta Johnson founded a progressive school in 1907, called “The School of Organic Education. Mortimer Adler, a leading philosopher of the 20th Century, believed that education should center on the development of good values. Augustus Comte was also a member of the Progressive Education Movement. He held social theories that advocated Positivism. George Herbert Meade felt that Science courses have a significant role in schools because the research method can be utilized in many different classes, but subject matter should relate to students’ problems and experiences. He also thought that education is a dialogue, the teacher is the most significant factor in instruction, and broad fields of learning should be emphasized because “the whole is more concrete than the part.” Charles Sanders Pierce felt that an idea or thought must be tested by experience to be validated, and ultimately, with John Dewy, founded the movement called Pragmatism. Therefore, all of the people on the table had a part to play in the Progressive Education movement.

EDG4376 Reflection #2

The Progressive Movement occurred in America during the last part of the nineteenth century. A major aspect of US history that revolutionized the educational institution, the Progressive Movement has definitely impacted the Social Studies curriculum and the integrated curriculum movement in schools today. For one, the Progressive Movement was intertwined with Reconstruction, in which women’s rights, the temperance movement, and the farm movement all added to the major changes going down in history. Muckrakers publicized the dreadfulness of America’s urban slums, terrible factory environment and child labor; the citizens knew that reform was necessary. In 1887, the Interstate Commerce Act was passed, followed by the Sherman Antitrust Act in 1890. These two laws, along with the new amendments added to the Constitution, began a series of successes for advocates of Reconstruction and the Progressive Movement. The ultimate trickle-down effect resulted in Progressive education, which aimed for a more democratic school environment. Progressive education focused on respect for diversity, spawned by the Civil Rights movement. In an attempt to reform the evils of society, supporters sought to use the educational system to mold young people into model citizens and create a better future for America.
All of these incidents made a significant impression on United States history. Today, all students in schools across the country learn about Reconstruction and the Progressive Movement in their Social Studies classes. Furthermore, these momentous events can easily be integrated into any subject area curriculum. Educators can utilize the topic of Progressive Education as inspiration for Women’s History month. They can also teach their students about slavery, the civil rights movement, and how discrimination and prejudice still sometimes haunt America. Children can be educated about how to avoid injustices in the workplace. We can all work together to learn from our history; how to take the good from the past and steer clear of repeating the bad. Since the Progressive Education Movement has shaped our country, we cannot disrespect ourselves as American citizens by ignoring it, and we have a responsibility to pass our knowledge down to our children.

EDG 4376: Reflection #1

The progressivism and behaviorist movements in the early twentieth century sparked a revolution in the educational system. Many philosophical theories came about that changed the American paradigm of how learning was to be conducted and transmitted through the generations. Franklin Bobbitt, John Dewey, and Ralph W. Tyler had entirely different views on the concept of a school curriculum and how it should be utilized effectively, yet all three made a significant impact on the system. A school’s curriculum should be a planned process that attempts to effectively deliver knowledge in order to achieve the final product, being student comprehension and achievement. A curriculum’s main objective is to prepare students for the real world, so they can discover their main purpose in life. It should be simple, rational, and clearly organized, focusing on what a school seeks to attain, the process of attaining it, and assessment to ensure success. It is imperative that educators work with the curriculum’s objectives in order to achieve classroom success. All in all, a school’s curriculum varies according to surrounding societal influences, the subject matter and skills that are to be taught, and the educators, administrators, and students themselves. It can incorporate cognitive processes, academic rationalism, social adaptation, and/or technology. An additional valid theoretical approach to the definition of curriculum is that it is the active development of preparation, what actually happens in the classroom, and valuable evaluation. Lawrence Stenhouse equated curriculum theory and practice to culinary arts in 1975. To him, a curriculum, like a new recipe, is first an idea that is subject to experimentation and ultimately varied in recipe according to taste. Stenhouse believed a curriculum should “enable educators to make judgments about the direction their work was taking,” and personally, I agree completely. Furthermore, I concur with Stenhouse’s idea that a curriculum’s strength is cultivated by the teachers and the level of inspirational knowledge they pass on in the classroom. To me, whatever definition one places on “curriculum” is trivial compared to the educators motivation in instilling it.