Chapter 7 Book Study

Page 106
Quote: "But the fear of society breaking apart is not nearly as great as it once was, and so the demand that public schools Americanize the diverse peoples in America has lost some of its force. Hence, we are willing to let different groups go their separate ways in private schools and homeschooling. In fact, the push for vouchers and charter schools is an effort to let parents take control of their children's education from the state."

There are several components to this quote: some I agree with, some I don't. I agree with the fact that schools aren't pushing everyone to adopt the American way of life. I believe fully in pluralism, and I welcome new cultures and traditions! I think it makes the classroom more colorful and unique, and it makes life more meaningful. However, I do NOT approve of private schools for just African-Americans or women. Women fought for the same rights as men for decades, and finally, those rights were granted, and they way we thank women for fighting for those rights is privatizing education, saying that men aren't allowed in this school? Or charter schools where you have to win the lottery in order to go there? This was not what Mann or Jefferson had in mind when it came to universal schools for common beliefs and knowledge. I don't believe we should all believe the same things, but I don't think separation is the right way to pursue schooling, especially since we've had a civil war over integration and women fighting for decades to do more with their life than just be a housewife. This is not the right way to thank all of the people that fought for a universal education. I do also believe, though, that parents should take some of the control over the government, but not when it comes to curricula or the standards. The professionals know what we need to learn; parents can choose how to let their child choose how they want to learn the material necessary for success.


Page 107
Quote: "There is also the potential decline of liberal arts as education becomes more centered on the individual. Will people seek out the kind of education that broadens them as people?"

I find this quote meaningful because I am worried that people won't get the education that will make them more of a well-rounded person. Charter schools are great for people who are sure of what they are going to do as a career. However, they miss out on the other part of schooling, such as gym, music, art, Spanish, etc. What if the only school offerred was a charter school? People won't be as open to diversity, we won't have music or art to listen to, and even though we may have more mathematicians and scientists, part of what makes the United States so unique is the diversity of likes and personalities. If students are surrounded by one thing their whole life, they won't grow as an individual and will be very close-minded.


Page 109
Quote: "Education will be directed more toward what people want to learn, and hence, they will be more excited and drawn to learning."

Individualizing learning will be great because students will have a motivation to learn. When students are forced to learn something they aren't good at (and aren't getting the right support for) or something they can't seem to find any interest in, there isn't a motivation to continue learning. I know this from experience. There have been classes I have skipped in college because I can't find them interesting enough to read the material or continue the class. The only motivation was getting a good grade, and we don't want our students going through 12+ years of school with that as their only motivation. Everything in school can't be everything we want to learn, but using technology and digital tools can bring a new interest into even the most boring subjects.