Schooling systems and educational outcomes

Education

Recent literature reveals a transformational shift in discourse about public education. These three articles in particular shows how public education must be viewed within a broader social, ideological, and political context. Education plays a strong role in student socialization and is more than merely the dissemination of facts. Moreover, education is about more than job training or specific skills development. An education has the potential to change an individual student's worldview, which in turn can change future social and political realities.

In "Educational Aims n Historical Perspective" we distinguished between schooling, training, and education. Schooling refers to the socialization process and also to the way school organization and structure impacts psycho-social development. Through schooling, a student learns about the dominant ideologies of the culture and about social norms. Extracurricular activities are as important as classroom instruction because schooling is not about curricular content.

Training is, however, an important goal of public schools. Students need to learn the fundamental signs and symbols that promote mathematical and linguistic knowledge. Learning art, music, and athletics all require specific training. In school, educators also train students to develop social skills, habits and etiquette including how to avoid speaking out of turn by raising their hands. As the author noted, training is the means to a greater end: education.

Education helps students learn how to think, not what to think. An education helps students think abstractly, critically, and creatively. Students gain an appreciation for the arts, literature, science, and a whole array of subjects when they are educated to be open-minded. Eagerness to learn is a part of education. More importantly, an education helps learners to continually find meaning in new objects or ideas. We noted how education can be best viewed as a spiritual process because of the way it can change the student's character and worldview. An education can engender genuine caring and concern for the world and for fellow human beings. Beyond the simplistic application of training, education ensures that students apply their knowledge and skills to making the world a better place.

In "The Evolution of Public Schools in the United States," we examined the importance of the Progressive era in American history and the impact Progressive politics had on the emergence of the public school. Prior to Progressivism, education was not universal. Women and minorities were excluded from education, which was also a class-based system. Prior to the Progressive era, class stratification was systematically reinforced through the educational system. While the system could do more to promote a more egalitarian society today, the public school system at least has formal measures in place to encourage the growth of all students regardless of their background.

The author of "National School Reform" showed how Conant set new standards for public education, also demonstrating its spiritual and ethical goals. All students are offered a chance to thrive and succeed, to prove their individual merits. Talent is recognized and cultivated regardless of class or ethnic background or gender. Conant also saw that science and technology become core parts of the public school curriculum because of their impact on society.

The Progressive revolution in education also created the admissions polices still extant in today's university system. As President of Harvard, Conant instituted radical changes that eliminated the blatant biases of years past. Applicants would be evaluated on their academic merits, judged largely by their performance on standardized tests. Instead of relying on wealthy, well-connected parents and their social ties, applicants had to prove they were intellectually prepared to succeed at the university. To solidify the new admissions procedures, Conant also instated national scholarship programs that could provide financial assistance to poor applicants who were qualified to attend Harvard. The Conant method became adopted throughout the nation and remains part of the American educational system.

It is important to realize the contributions of Progressives like Conant to understand how public school values and goals evolved. By understanding how the Progressive politics of the early 20th century impacted education, we can implement similar changes today. Moreover, we can better appreciate the evolution of education and know that whatever imperfections remain can be eliminated through straightforward institutional changes. Education is now viewed as a universal right, not a privilege. Whatever biases remain in public education can be removed, because the belief in equal opportunity has prevailed.

Standardized testing offers the only known way to ensure admissions to universities are based more on merit than on social class. In spite of their limitations, standardized tests do offer the only means to assess scholastic aptitude. A merit-based admissions procedure contributes to the betterment of society by offering educational opportunities to citizens who would be otherwise denied them. Upward social mobility and the ability to participate fully in the political process are possible outcomes of a merit-based educational system.

Effective educators understand the cultural contexts in which they work. In "Culture of Youth and How it Affects Learning," we saw how educators need to work hard to understand youth culture. To relate to their students, teachers must find common ground. Learning the language and values their students use out of the classroom will help those teachers communicate better. Students will be more able to relate to their teachers and to their materials when it is presented in ways that are meaningful to them. This is not to say that schools should pander to popular culture and eliminate classical guidance from the curriculum. Rather, educators have a responsibility to offer students the best possible education. The best possible education is accomplished through listening to students' needs and encouraging them to learn. Teachers can create a learning environment that is conducive to curiosity and caring rather than an environment that creates apathy and discontent.

Students often complain that their teachers do not help them understand the meaning behind their lessons. This ties into what was said earlier about educational aims: school is not just about training but about a broader appreciation of life. If teachers are satisfied with the rote dissemination of knowledge and behavioral training then they are not doing their jobs. Students need to learn how to think critically and creatively and to do so, teachers need to approach their material in ways that stimulate student interest. Awareness of popular culture and student culture will improve student-teacher relationships.

Equally as important as understanding youth culture is understanding how to involve parents more in the educational process. One of the greatest problems with education today is the lack of community and parental involvement in schools. Schools are viewed as distant, bureaucratic social institutions. Parents leave their kids at this impersonal institution all day and expect that all education takes place within those seven hours. This attitude is destructive for individual students and for the society. A parent who becomes engaged in the curricula, who cares about the learning environment, the school culture, and the approach to learning will fulfill the broader obligations of education. Schools can and should become more integrated into their communities so that parents are more empowered. Empowerment must become a new goal of education: to show that schools will respond to the needs of diverse communities to promote equal opportunity.