americancolonialperiod 1600-1776 american colonial period 1600-1776 education at home – what are...
TRANSCRIPT
Early History of Education in American
American Colonial Period 1600-1776
• Education at Home–What are some disadvantages to this?
• Apprentice – someone who learns a skilled trade by watching and helping someone in that trade
American Colonial Period 1600-1776
New England Colonies – MA, CT, NH, RI• Puritans from migrated from England• Education for religious reasons– Learn to read The Holy Bible– Teaching farming skills
American Colonial Period 1600-1776
Middle Colonies – NY, NJ, PA, DE• Immigrants from Ireland, Scotland,
Holland, Germany, etc.• Quakers established schools– Included all races and females
American Colonial Period 1600-1776
Southern Colonies – VA, MD,NC, SC• Education is not a function of
government• Only education for wealthy plantation
owners, usually by tutors• Few opportunities for middle class
education• Slaves taught only skills useful to
owners
Role of the Teacher
• Ranked just below religious leaders
• No drinking or smoking
• No dating or marrying
• Performed charitable acts
• Regular church attendance required
• Mandatory participation in civic events
• Industrious and honest
• Visited the sick
School Curriculum
• Reading, writing, simple math, religion
• Little education after elementary• Trade training, i.e., shoemaking• Latin, Greek, advanced math for
wealthy• Sewing and home management for
girls sometimes poetry and literature
School Curriculum
Hornbooks • flat wooden boards
with a handle• Sheet of paper
contained alphabet, prayer, Roman numerals
• Covered with clear sheet of animal horn
American Early National Period 1776 - 1840
• Began with American Revolution• Changes occurred more quickly in
cities• Schools were seen as a vehicle for
making a better society• Less European influence• Teaching skills focused on helping
students enter trade such as agriculture, business, or shipping
Benjamin Franklin
• Understanding science helped to understand people and societies
• Began the first public library• Expanded educational opportunities
to those who could pay tuition and attend, regardless of religious beliefs
• Influenced schools to teach good citizenship and a variety of subjects
Thomas Jefferson
• Education was key to making new democracy a success
• If common people were well education, they could take part in government
• Introduced legislation to divide counties into smaller districts responsible for public education
• Free elementary schools• Established University of Virginia
Role of Teachers
• Positive models of good citizenship• Involved in community through
church participation and involvement in community issues
School curriculum• Reading, writing, and math• Christian principals and citizenship• Greek, Roman, English and American history• Wealthy boys went on to study Greek, Latin,
English grammar, literature, and science.• If girls received additional education, it was
with tutor; only subjects “relevant” for females
• Education limited to those of European ancestry
American Common School Period 1840 - 1880
• Labor-saving devices gave people more time for other interests and pursuits
• Americans began to realize injustice of slavery
• Free education became widely available
Horace Mann
• 1st secretary for the State Board of Education in MA
• Worked to establish free public education for every boy & girl in MA
• First state supported schools• Established normal schools• Advocated for free libraries• Believed schools should be
nonsectarian
African American Education
• Often done in secret• Northern freed slaves faced social
and economic obstacles• Allowed to attend Quaker schools• First African American colleges were
founded• Most schools were segregated
Role of Teacher
• Taught all grades
Kindergarten
• Established by Freidrich Froebel who believed children learn best through play
• Intended to help poor children succeed in school
McGuffey Readers
• Textbook that taught moral lessons
• So widely used they contributed to the standardization of American education
The Morrill Act
• Known as Land-Grant College Act• Gave federal land to establish
colleges in every state• Colleges provided practical education
in agriculture, home economics, and other professions
• Made higher education available
American Progressive Period 1880-1921
• Women gaining more rights• More immigrants• Industrial Revolution changed the nature of
work and society• Education seen as way to make American
better and safer• Schools overcrowded• Children worked instead of school– Progressives fought to require children to
attend school
Segregated Education
• African American children attended separate schools with less funding
• Resources scarce and inferior• Very limited funding• Only African American teachers could
teach here
Role of Teacher
• Teacher preparation programs in college replaced normal schools
• Focus on educational theories• Teachers unhappy and formed labor
unions that fought to improve pay, status, and working conditions
• Many women were teachers; few principals
School Curriculum
• Students encouraged to think critically and independently
• Progressives believed that citizens trained to think and question would clean up corrupt governments and improve working/living conditions
• Thousands of new public schools opened
John Dewey• Believed that classrooms were too rigid
and inflexible• Believed school should place more
emphasis on problem solving and critical thinking
• Promoted link between learning and experience
• Believed social interaction aided learning
• Teachers began to move into role of guiding learning
Maria Montessori• Helped children who had difficulty learning• Believed young children are capable of
great discovery and motivated to explore the world
• Sensory experiences should come before learning to read and write
• Considered all of a child’s needs• Classroom should be stimulating
environment• Children direct their own learning
Career and Technical Education
• Prepare students for specific trades or occupations
• Established by the Smith-Hughes Act of 1917
The 1920s and the Great Depression
• Schools expanded during the good times
• Schools faced hardships during the Great Depression
• Teacher pay cut or eliminated• Only basic courses taught• Federal funds helped hire teachers and
purchase supplies• School lunch program began
Dick and Jane Readers
• Books taught basic reading skills with simple stories
• Helped standardize education