My first quarter in the M.A.T. program is days away from ending and I can barely wrap my brain around the fact that time has passed so quickly. When we began this course, American History in Education, it was obvious from my pre-assessment that my background knowledge on how education has developed over time was limited. Our modules covered an extensive amount of education’s building blocks, so much that looking back I realize rather than attempting to retain it all what is more important is observing key patterns which continue to be repeated. No matter what is happening politically or financially in society there are certain themes in education that remain consistent.
Re-occurring themes in American education:
- Core curriculum: no matter how educational systems continue to evolve there are core subjects that remain in the center of each school’s basic framework. These subjects/areas of study are mathematics, literature, reading and social studies. As budget cuts are made and curriculum is amended, these subjects persist while other subjects such as art, performance and physical education are seen as extraneous.
- Funding (or lack there of): amongst most of the disagreements over education lies a conversation about money. As school districts continue to increase standards, more funding is needed and where this funding comes from is a hot topic.
- Teacher equality and compensation: the fair treatment of teachers is something that has been a subject of concern since the earliest of times. Whether the issue surrounds gender equality, fair compensation or age bias, teachers are historically undervalued and underpaid.
Most of what I have taken away from this course has helped me build a more realistic understanding of what my future struggles may be as an educator. Learning more about the deep-rooted issues educators have been facing for decades helps prepare me as I develop my skill set.
Speaking of my skillset, here is a snippet of inspiration I gained from this course that has reminded me to hold onto my individuality as an educator and to never stop asking questions. It is a video on Jerome Bruner, an american psychologist, whose focus was on creating curriculum centered around the uniqueness of an individual.
purcell 