Change for a Time: Childhood Education in 19th Century America

Throughout the history of public education, there have been barriers to the equality of opportunity philosophy. Thomas Jefferson’s proposal and Horace Mann’s implementation of public schools excluded non-citizens like blacks, women, and Native Americans. Next, an increase in immigration and industrialization widened cultural and economic differences between students. The greatest obstacle to equal education

The first year round school was established in 1904 in Bluffton, Indiana (Glines, 2002). Year round education is described as a “calendar modification that requires students to begin school earlier and end later than normal, with the lost summer vacation redistributed in blocks throughout the year” (Glines, 2002, 2698). It is important to note that year round schools have the same number of days in a calendar year as does the traditional school year. However, the days are distributed throughout the year. Year round schools differ from traditional schools in a variety of ways.

There was a time when America’s education system was top-notch according to the culture and society. With time, a myriad of things has changed, but unfortunately what has not evolved is the American education system. The country is still following a system which was not designed for the current global economic climate. Equality, as positive as it sounds is not as sufficient when it comes to education. The system treats students equally yet expect a similar culmination and outcome. Every child has his individuality and distinct abilities; one cannot judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree. Conversely, a few of the prominent reasons why the education system is failing are overcrowded schools, the rise of technology, and following the same old school hours.

During the time of American Revolution, the colony public system only had boys in the institution in the 1600s. It was until the 1700s women whose families were wealthy received formal private education and the lower class were normally limited to whatever they could pick up at home (educationnews.org, 2013). In the 19th century US educators felt that the school system was segregated by age. Educator Horace Man introduced “age grading” for student in Massachusetts in 1848. Its success lead to “age grading” across public schools in America. Today we use the same age grading by dividing children by age in public schools elementary, middle school, and high school. Horace Man wanted reform in in all public school by having equal high-quality

Public schools before the 1830s weren’t technically public because education was not open to the general public. At the time, the “public” schools were made up of a majority of white children, because their parents were wealthy enough to pay for their education. While some schools in both the North and the South allowed African Americans to attend, a lot of the African American families still could not afford to send their children. On top of not being able to afford school, in the South most schools did not believe in educating slaves. The monetary problem holding kids back from getting an equal opportunity to access education was what sparked the movement to reform the public schools.

Education in the late 1700’s and early 1800 was only available to those who had money. Public education was not available to everybody. Children who came from wealthy parents were able to learn how to read and write. These children went on to continue the cycle with their children. Schools came about when towns would pull their resources and higher teachers. The teachers were literally paid by bushels of wheat and half of a cow. School was based off the Bible. These facts and many more make me so grateful for not being born during this time. I love education and I love learning. I don’t know what I would do without the education I have received and continue to receive.

They were to make sure that every student understood the content that they were teaching. Whereas, on the homestead, the teacher had fewer students and could teach individually if need be. That in itself is a rarity that is barely found in today’s school system. Be that as it may, the teacher often had activities to deter their students’ boredom. These activities often consisted of learning the guitar to playing games.

The education system in America has a long history of struggle and change, as we have grown as a nation we have experienced an ever-increasing rise in diversity. This diversity has caused rigidities between groups and all stratus of society and has been a major impact in debates concerning the educational opportunities in America.

The greatest country in the world still has problems evenly distributing education to its youth. The articles I have read for this unit have a common theme regarding our education system. The authors illustrate to the reader about the struggles in America concerning how we obtain and education. Oppression, politics, racism, and socioeconomic status are a few examples of what is wrong with our country and its means of delivering a fair education to all Americans.

When schooling was first created in the US, there were not nearly as many rules. One-room schoolhouses where there were all different kinds of ages and education levels were the norm, and the type of education that was given to students was far different than what they receive today. As education developed and various needs came to light, larger schools were built and students were segregated based on criteria such as age. Separate schooling based on learning ability (special education) was something that came later, but it was eventually developed. The system that is available today is working well in many cases, but there are areas in which it is still failing the students - mainly because there are still too many countries getting ahead of the US in areas such as science and mathematics (Darling-Hammond, 2001; Figlio, 2002). Until the US takes back the number one spot, today's students will be at a disadvantage based on what they are learning and how they can put that education to use in the job market (Collins, 1999; Darling-Hammond, 2001).

The movement for public education in the 1800s served as a strong basis for the arguments builds by great scholars of later period. Characterized by reforms such as push for compulsory, free, public education, great scholars such as Emerson and Charles Eliot borrowed a great deal of the ideas found therein to develop their work.

Life in New Zealand in the late 1800’s was looking quite grim. Section 89 presented in the 1877 Education act, was considered important at the time because the government wanted the notion of building a nation and society, improving the lives of individuals, developing an economy, and to integrate different groups into ‘the social contract’ (Codd, J., & Openshaw, R, 2005) Education was perceived as a formula for this to happen. The reasons for exemptions, was firstly as stated by Charles Bowen (1877) “that it was not the intention to encourage children whose vocation is that of honest labour to waste in higher schools time which might be better spent in learning a trade” (Stephenson,2009 p.9). It was considered enough to gain basic skills in

One of the earliest school supplies recorded in history is the horn book that was first produced in England in 1450. Hornbooks were usually made from a wooden tablet with a handle to hold on to. Usually a hornbook would have the alphabet printed on it covered with a clear sheet made out of a piece of horn to protect the letters. Children could carry these books with them to help them learn the alphabet. Back in the 1800s children usually gathered in one-room schoolhouses. Each child might have had a few school supplies that consisted of a writing slate, chalk, and a few books that they carried strapped together with leather straps or a belt. In the early to mid 1900s students started to have paper and pencils and more schoolbooks.

School in the Middle Ages relied on nature: it began at sunrise and ended at sunset and the breaks were based on when families needed their children in the fields (“Not what it used”). The school buildings consisted of one room where the boys studied with their teacher, who ordinarily had previous religious experience. If a mistake was made during the memorization process, the teacher would harshly slap the student’s back side. No mistake would be made twice because of the memory of the horrible pain inflicted on the student (Trueman). Although the students who attended school were generally wealthy, students sat on the floor, utilizing a bone or an ivory stylus to write. The students took notes on wax coated wooden blocks

I attended Cook Elementary for my fifteen hours of observation. The classroom lighting was dim and not too bright. As I entered classroom 114-116 there was a achievement board to my left displaying the students’ successful and accurate complete classroom and homework assignments. And on my right there was a chalkboard filled with so much information that it was overwhelming to me eye. The chalkboard was divide up into several section. The information on the chalkboard varied from very important to the students’ minor activities for the day. The board had the students daily evacuation plans, school rules, classroom rules, motivational words, students’ task pad, data sheets of every students’ education progress, students’ parent information, magnetic clock, ABC and number chart, math charts, lesson plan, calendar, day of the week and free activity time chart. As I continue into the classroom, I noticed some numbers on the floor. The number on the floor is for the order of how the student should enter and exit the classroom. On the back left-hand side of the classroom was the students’ art hanging on a string. And there was a computer and four laptops on the front left side of the classroom. There was a portable dry erase board, rocking chair, tent chair, ball chair, and several containers of materials to teach the classroom. This classroom look like it was equipped to teach a whole neighborhood of children. I saw the present of one teacher Ms. Grieman, and two assistance