RUNNING HEAD: Education in Modern Society

Education in Modern Society

Burk Bosse
11/7/12
Education 101

Abstract
Where education is concerned, about 1837 there were many men and women who had
different philosophies on just how to educate children. They all worked to some degree,
which is why the educators have continually switched back and forth, between the
different philosophies.
There were Humanist, someone that is devoted to the revival of classical letters, and the
humanities. There were also those who followed Social Efficiency like Franklin Bobbitt.
John Dewey, who was a Progressive and Charles Elliot who followed Perennialism these
men all had conflicting views.
In conclusion, in order for the teacher to decide which philosophy that fits them, it is
important to read about each philosophy and find which fits best them best.

What is Education?

Education can be many things, from informal knowledge that is learned

from everyday living, such as rules of the family and outdoor experience
learned from camping, to social rules which are learned from your parents
and friends. Education can also be formal, such as knowledge that is learned
in a classroom setting from kindergarten to obtaining your masters in
college. It doesnt stop there, since it also includes the different philosophies
that were formed
Many people had different ideas on how to educate children such as
Franklin Bobbitt, who followed Social Efficiency, John Dewey a Progressive,
Charles Elliot who followed Perennialism, and Cater Woodson who was a
Reconstructionist, these men are examples of educational theorist.
Even though there were private and religious schools, it wasnt until
1837 that Horace Mann, Father of American Education put together his six
principles of education, (bio. 2012). This created public schools in America,
such as the little red school house and progressed to what we have today.
The philosophies have been tried and revisited time and time again.
For years, the teachers who have been achieving success in the classroom
have been practicing what I have labeled as humanistic education- that is
integrating the Intellectual content with feelings. There is really nothing new
about this approach, these teachers, however are very rare birds (Lyon,
1971).

As Harold C Lyons Jr has pointed out, philosophies have been

constantly revisited with same approaches, some being better than others.
Been tried and retried, with some being better than others. Since this
teacher is also a humanist, I tend to agree with the author. In order to pass
on education, feelings must also be included in the teaching of children of all
ages.
All in all that is what education is- the teaching of students in a
manner that, not just a few can understand, but that every child is capable of
grasping. Who can say just what philosophies will cause that kind of
accomplishment, this teacher believes that Perennialism, may be the way to
go because it frees the students to explore on their own without being held
back by an institution.
What is School?
Any environment can become a school. One example of this is street
smarts, or learning to survive alone through common sense practices.
Another example is learning to survive in nature with no previous training.
It is not necessary to be taught in a building, as was shown when the
first settlers arrived in America, most children were taught at home until
many years later when education became a little more formal, and as
mentioned before, was placed in the little red school house .

The first school required the children to learn, and gave teachers an
idea of where children were academically. Its where the children learned the
three Rs, reading, writing and arithmetic, only later, when the philosophies
of education were developed did the little red school house come to an end.
The sad thing is only the wealthy received an education, and if you were
poor you had to hope someone had the tools to teach you to read, write and
do arithmetic.
Since formality entered our schools, administrators and teachers have
gone to goal-oriented teaching in hopes the child could grasp the purpose
and the parents would help in attaining the mission. Were the afore
mentioned goals were introduced, then and only then were schools different,
from what we know as elementary schools to universities and colleges,
become a necessity. The sad thing is, only the wealthy had gotten an
education, and if you were poor, you had to hope someone had the tools to
teach you to read, write, and arithmetic.
.
These places of higher learning not only spurred the need to be
educated, they also allowed everyone to get an education no matter what
their background. Instead of graduating at a sixth grade level, students were
expected to graduate high school. With addition of grades 7-12, teachers
needed more tools such as desks, chalk boards, computers, etc.

This also includes, rules of behavior, which as the number of students

increased, discipline was not always possible, as in the smaller school
environment, to keep control of the students by one teacher, so rules had to
be established and enforced to be able to manage the classroom
expectations, also developed so the student knew what they should
contribute to their learning.
Since, teachers started to run into more and more ethnic children, with
language barriers, at times certain incentives had to be used to spur the
child on, till they began picking up the language and participating in class.
These incentives, since they worked, began to be used with other children as
well, which began helping some teachers to attain their lesson plans.

The Subject Matter of Education

In addition to higher grade levels and tools, subject matter also
improved. The teacher should teach lessons that open the childs mind to all
kinds of subjects that would make for a more rounded individual. Thus
reading, writing, and arithmetic were not the only books that should be open
during class time. Subjects that were also be added are music, science, in
addition to any field trips, guest speakers, and any educational software that
would broaden the childs mind.

This would form children that could make their communities a better
and safer place to live in. This shaped brighter minds to fill the places that
might be needed in work environments such as the space program and
government. Who could say that a child educated in all things, might just be
the person we need to solve problems on space travel, like finding a faster
way to travel to Mars and to further the search for life on the planets.
Seeing, that the world is adding new technologies at an even faster
rate, its important that, we have people with the knowledge to keep up with
the ever changing world. Things also important to have in a classroom are
technologies the student can experiment with to develop their imaginations.
We must at all times during class and after, keep the quest for knowledge
continually burning in our students, not only to further that search, but just
possibly keep them aware and away from the dangers in our society.
This said, the student raised in such a curriculum, should have the wisdom,
with guidance from their teachers and parents to stay away from illegal
drugs, gangs, and other violent activity. Some may enter government and
finally present the population a closer from of government, which the writers
of the Declaration of Independence intended for us.
We should also take a look at what kind of building would better serve
the students. An example of this progress is an open school, were the walls
which are present are just used to hold up the building while the student can
look upon, flower gardens which the students grew themselves, agriculture,

such as corn, wheat, and any other useful crop. So as the student
progresses, he not only has skills for his own survival, but the community as
well.
So as the student progresses, he not only has skills for his own
survival, but the community as well. Would it be better to stick with tradition
and have a buildings with different cells, were the students are taught by
grades being kept apart in a building that is portioned according to grade?
To sum up, the curriculum, which is presented, should produce
children which would use their education to be a constructive individual
which would volunteer for different charities and possibly be able to come up
with organizations which might be run more efficiently and reach a higher
population of low income families, which may be falling through the cracks
today.
This may be only one idea of a well-rounded student, yet again, who knows
until the philosophy is tried, what would result after such a curriculum being
taught for twelve years or more.
The Nature of Method

There are certain strategies, which teachers can use to try and
ascertain which students, need the most help in achieving the teachers
goals. For instance, the teachers can present a subject to all her students
with the same type of classroom exercises. Only the more intelligent

students might receive exercises designed for their mental capabilities, while
the exceptional students could receive the same in the form of a game or a
brighter student helping them, all the way to recommending them to special
education, were there would be teachers trained in helping the exceptional
students. These methods help students reach the goals set for them.
Seeing that there are more and more multicultural students in the
classroom, to teach these differences requires a greater amount of skill,
which the teacher needs to learn. Sometimes this might mean having
someone in the classroom versed in the students language, possibly an
older sibling, who already speaks English, and can translate or a teachers
assistant, who has the time to teach English to the new student.
These days, the teacher needs to at least have some training on how a
child learns, processes that knowledge, and puts it to use. Such as taking
psychology 101, before the course the teacher has no clue on how to adapt
their lesson plan to the class they are teaching, or to assess how the student
is meeting the requirements. This can be accomplished by the grade the
student receives, by quizzes, tests, games of some sort, to how creative the
teacher can become in estimating, if the student is grasping the lesson

School and Society

Perhaps the most important of these conditions is the social order in

which men have to live. When Aristotle said that man was by nature a social
animal, he was merely describing a state of affairs. Man is born via a social
group into a social group, and for better or worse, through inclination or
necessity, heredity or learning, lives his life in a group. Nobody chooses to be
born; life is always a social imposition. The important issue is not so much
whether man is by nature a social creature or only becomes one by
submitting to cultural pressure; it is rather which social arrangements further
or hinders its members drive to self-perfection (Broudy, 1962).
In a family then, its safe to say that it depends upon whether or not
the drive exist to forward their education from k-higher learning, such as
universities and colleges. This can only come about if the parents themselves
guide their children toward a higher education, which in turn improves the
children social positions.
Colleagues themselves also can alter the situation of their friends and be a
great influence on those who have the potential to succeed yet need to learn
skills which will guide their friends in the right direction. Community shares
the responsibility to provide places of elementary to high school learning as
well as places of higher learning such as community colleges. The teacher
that can instill these principals has the needed understanding which will put
the aforementioned to be able to educate the communitys children.
Written and Verbal Communications Skills

To accomplish a rapport with community, school, and society, a teacher

must be well versed in their communication skills, so that they will not only
be understood by their students but also those in government, local, state,
and Federal should there be a need present. School children need plain and
concise instruction so they can complete the lesson handed them.
If the child/children cannot understand the lesson, the teachers goals are
not met nor does any learning take place. Just as in speech, the teacher also
has to be clear when they write out assignments, write letters/notes to
parents about their child progress, and not forgetting the teachers peers and
supervisors.
There again the confusion that would be developed would not progress the
teachers purpose, and could cause the wrong actions, which the teachers
intentions were trying to prohibit.
Thus, in closing, if the teacher is lacking in knowledge of written and verbal
communication, there is no reason to allow them in a school or classroom.
This said, it points out the reason why a teacher must complete four years of
college, with all the right classes to cover the skills they will need.

Conclusion
When Franklin Bobbit, John Dewey, Charles Elliot, and Carter Woodsen
came up with their different philosophies, the philosophies of education
came out of the dark ages. These philosophies became the foundation the
academia built upon to bring about our present school system. Although
education changes from one philosophy to another it is still the basis of
learning which until a better way is found will most likely be used in the
future of education. This is why teachers have to go to four or more years of
college: to keep abreast of the ever changing philosophies, ideas and
methods. Perhaps someday all these philosophies will come to an end and a
perfect school will be forged turning out the perfect student versed in
every subject which will bring humanity to what some call the perfect
world.

Reference
Broudy, H. S. (1961). Building A Philosophy of Education (2nd ed.). Englewood Cliffs, N.J.:
Prentice-Hall,Inc.
Gamson, Z. F. (1984). Liberating Education. San Francisco, Ca: Jossey-Bass Inc, Publishers.
Horace Mann biography. (2012, November 13).
Lyon, H. C., Jr. (n.d.). Learning to Feel-Feeling to Learn. In book (pp. 35-37). Columbus, OH:
Charles E. Merrill Publishing Company.
Ulich, R. (1961). Philosophy of Education. New York, N. Y.: American Book Company.