The Puritan Origins Of American Schooling

Today, education enables us to enlarge our knowledge and open doors for opportunities to the path of having a good future. In the five readings, each written by a different author, there was a lesson learned and something to take away from each one. Reading through the passages by Mann, Moore, Malcolm X, Gatto, Rose, and Anyon, each author contributed his or her point of view on general public education. This topic can be very argumentative depending on the quality of education people receive. Education today is the single most important mean for individuals to achieve their personal goals in the workforce.

The New England colonies developed quickly and rapidly through the early 1600s. The colonies’ development was largely influenced by the Puritans, who had helped found most of the colonies in the region after emigrating from GB. The philosophies, ideas, and values of the Puritans greatly shaped the development of the colonies in a number of distinct ways. Politically, the idea of a united, representative government that later became a staple of the US was derived from Puritan ideals. Economically, the ideals of fair pricing and the celebrated “Yankee frugality and thriftiness” originated from the Puritans. Socially, emphasis on church, religion, and community was another lasting influence of the Puritans. Clearly, the values held by the Puritans greatly influenced the political, economic, and social development of the New England colonies from 1630 to 1660.

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.

America’s education system is one of the most respectable, reputable and sought after commodities in our society, but it is also the most overcrowded, discriminatory, and controversial system ever established. Most people yearn for a higher education because it 's what 's expected in this society in order to get ahead. It means a better job, more money, power, prestige and a sense of entitlement. But this system has let down the children that are supposed to benefit from it. Education discriminates against minorities, and poorer class students are not expected nor encouraged to attain a higher education. The education system is set up to ensure that every child get a basic

The educational system has been around for thousands of years, and throughout time, there have always existed equality issues. From girls not being able to attend school as far as the boys, to children being separated into different schools because of the color of their skin, equality in education is an issue that has plagued humanity for far too long. Throughout the years, there have been some important decisions made in an effort to afford equality in education. Perhaps, as we move forward in our thinking and beliefs, we may find a way to make education a right that everyone who has the desire to grow through knowledge should be afforded, regardless of circumstance.

It is in one’s moral beliefs that children are the way to a better future. It is instilled in the modern era to the minds of the human race that treating a child a certain way, will lead them to become a certain person. For instance, they will one day become society’s doctors, educators, and politicians, respectable men and women. Yet, in Puritan New England the conditions to raising children to being such was much more intense from modern day’s way of teaching and living. The life for children in Puritan New England was tough and tenacious, because of its strict beliefs in religion, the lack of individualism and expression permitted to the children, and the dire consequences leading to being abused, or at times, being punishable by death.

Religion was one of the greatest driving forces of the 18th century, enriching the lives of those who believed in it, and destroying the ones who did not. Higher education was introduced to the new world not so people could be doctors, but so they could be ministers and spread the word of god. The puritan inhabitants

The Puritans view of education the same way they viewed religion. It was a major part of their daily routine. The puritans had different ways of teaching their children, they used the New England Primer, which was one of the first books to be published in the 18th century. They used this to teach the children how to read and write properly. This book also taught the children the difference of right and wrong, along with the respect of parental figures, sin and salvation.

One area that has been shaped by Puritan influence is public education. Puritans created the first free formal school in 1635 called Roxbury Latin School. The objective was for everyone to be capable to learn to read and have a better educated Puritan society. Consequently, the institution was so remarkably influential that just four years later, the first college, Harvard, was formed. Even younger kids, mostly ages 6-8, were able to attend a Dame school where they studied how to read. This system has many similarities to our public education system today. Children today go to elementary school where basic reading, writing, and math is taught, which can be

This mentality of a Puritan was very important back then because that was the work ethic they had. Eventhough this mentality existed thousands of years ago, it is still relevant today and seen in today’s society. Successful people will talk about how they worked hard to get to reach their dreams. In addition, throughout my years in school, teachers have taught me the importance of hard work and I’ve been able to experience my effort pay off and have great rewards to it.

Puritans did a variety of things for America, other than make people of this age think they’re some Pharisees or some weird freaks over religion.They actually helped in contributing Americans’ devotion to the practice of education. Puritans had a zeal for education and that zeal was founded in their origins. In the view of the Puritans, the Bible was their central to Christian education. They desired education and enlightenment for everyone, especially the common people. They wanted people to be able to read and understand the Bible for themselves in order perspire in the wondrous religion they call their life. Reading of the Bible was necessary to living a devoted life to God. The education of the next generation was important to further “purify” the church and perfect social living in order to enter the gates of heaven. This view goes back to Martin Luther’s idea, who stated, “Above all, the foremost reading for everybody, both in the universities and in the schools, should be Holy Scripture... I would advise no one to send his child where the Holy Scriptures are not supreme.”

An appropriate way to teach how the Puritans maintained their “family values” to an elementary student is to ask the students what they know about the Puritans. Then the teacher can hand out worksheets that includes a list of family values that are considered as good or bad and have students work together in groups of three. The students will then express what they think of these family values in the group. Finally, the teacher can go through all the answers of the worksheet in class.

Education plus God equals success. While this statement is true, the job of incorporating the truth about God into everything taught is becoming increasingly more difficult. Schultz charted public education’s view of reality, truth and value throughout the history of the United States to show how an unbiblical worldview has increasingly taken hold of society, the educational system and

The Puritan values, constructed in the seventeenth century, originated from a movement to reform the Church of England. This particular movement still plays a vital role in the American society influencing the social, ethical, and theological ideas of modern day citizens. These ideas that were put forth were the starting point for the American culture - offering new ideas of how to think and how to live. The writers and thinkers of John Winthrop, Arthur Miller, and Benjamin Franklin make it possible for people to study and apply these laws to their own lives hundreds of years after they were introduced. Even though not all tenets are practiced as strongly as others, the concepts of the value of hard work and a self reliant lifestyle still resonate in the hearts of many American individuals hundreds of years after the birth of this Puritan lifestyle.

In this essay, I am going to discuss religious education under various topic headings including R.E and the R.E teacher, World Religions and morality and ethics. Through attending lectures and seminars, I have learned a lot about the Religious Education system in Ireland and further afield. Furthermore, in my reflective journal, I have reflected on a world of possibilities of what religion means to me. Throughout the year, my opinions on certain topics has changed, or has strengthen and I feel the reflective journal has helped me. In the essay, I am hoping to include reflections, readings and my experiences from the lectures and seminars to discover the various of topics.