Introduction to the Foundations of American Education

I. THE EDUCATION PROFESSION. 1. A Teaching Career. Today's Teachers. The Importance of Teachers to Society. The Public View of Teachers and Schools. Who Teaches? Teachers Needed. Teaching as a Profession. Characteristics of a Profession. Professional Responsibilities Reflecting on One's Practice. Challenges Affecting Teachers. Salaries. Working Conditions. Beginning and Continuing a Teaching Career. Becoming Licensed. Searching for a Teaching Position. Remaining a Teacher. II. SOCIOLOGICAL FOUNCATIONS OF EDUCATION. 2. Diversity in Society. Culture and Society. Diversity and Education. Socioeconomic Status. Ethnicity and Race. Language. Gender. Exceptionalities. Religion. Geography. 3. Social Challenges in Schools. Power in Society. Ethnocentrism. Prejudice and Discrimination. Today's Families. Parenting. Latchkey Kids. Homelessness. Abuse. Today's Youth. Who Is This Generation? Challenges of Youth Culture. Democracy and Education. Roles of Schools. Purposes of Schools. Whose Schools? Democratic Schools. 4. Education That Is Multicultural. Undergirding Tenets. Diversity. Social Justice. Equality. Culture of the School. Traditions. Hidden Curriculum. Culturally Relevant Teaching. Building on Cultural Context. Centering the Cultures of Students. Validating Student Voices. Challenges in Multicultural Classrooms. Technology and Equity. Gender-Sensitive Education. Education for Language Diversity. Teachers as Social Activists. Thinking Critically. Modeling Equity in the Classroom. Teaching for Social Justice. III. GOVERNANCE AND SUPPORT OF AMERICAN EDUCATION. 5. Organizing and Paying for American Education. The Structure of the American Education System. Organization of Schools. Organization of the School District. Organization of Education at the State Level. The Federal Government's Role in Education. School Choice: Increasing Options along with Uncertain Outcomes. Politics in Education. Issues Related to Organization and Structure. Financing Education: Sources of Funds and the Move from Equity to Adequacy. A System of Taxation and Support for Schools. Education Spending. Accountability. Perennial School Finance Issues. 6. Legal Foundations of Education. Legal Aspects of Education. Legal Provisions for Education: The U.S. Constitution. Church and State. Segregation and Desegregation. Equal Opportunity. Teachers' Rights and Responsibilities. Conditions of Employment. Academic Freedom. Teacher Responsibilities and Liabilities. Students' Rights and Responsibilities. Students' Rights as Citizens. Students' Rights and Responsibilities in School. IV. HISTORICAL FOUNDATIONS OF EDUCATION. 7. The Evolution of American Education. Education in Other Cultures. The Beginnings of Education (to 476 C.E.). Education in the Middle Ages (476-1300). Education in Transition (1300-1700). The Important Role of Education in Our Developing Nation. Colonial Education. The Struggle for Universal Elementary Education. The Need for Secondary Schools. Federal Involvement in Education. The Evolution of Teaching Materials. Meager Education for Diverse Populations. Private Education in America. Learning from History. 8. The Continuing Historical Effort to Improve Education. More Students and Bigger Schools. The Rapid Growth of the Educational Enterprise. School District Consolidation. The Development of the Teaching Profession. The Increasing Complexity of the Educational Enterprise. Changing Aims of Education. Preparation of Teachers. Education of Women. Recent Trends in Education. New Emphases in Education. Educational Critics. School Reform. School Public Opinion over the Past Half-Century. Major Educational Events of the Past Century. The Value of History. V. PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS OF EDUCATION. 9. Philosophy: The Passion to Understand. Structure and Methodology of Philosophy. The Branches of Philosophy. Thinking as a Philosopher. Schools of Philosophy and Their Influence on Education. Idealism. Realism. Pragmatism. Existentialism. Eastern Ways of Knowing. Native American Ways of Knowing. 10. Educational Theory in American Schools: Philosophy in Action. Teacher-Centered Locus of Control Educational Theories. Perennialism. Essentialism. Behaviorism. Positivism. Student-Centered Locus of Control Educational Theories. Progressivism. Reconstructionism. Humanism. Constructivism. 11. Building an Educational Philosophy. Using Philosophy in the Classroom. Classroom Organization. Motivation. Discipline. Assertive Discipline. Classroom Climate. Learning Focus. Using Philosophy Beyond the Classroom. Teachers as Change Agents. Teachers as Leaders. VI. CURRICULAR FOUNDATIONS OF EDUCATION. 12. Standards-Based Education and Assessment. Standards-Based Education. Differing Concepts of Standards. Why Standards Differ. Uses of Standards. Sources for Standards. Types of Standards. Debates over Setting Standards. The Future of Standards-Based Education. Assessment: The Other Side of Standards. What Is Assessment? Purposes for Assessment. Traditional Assessments. Performance Assessment. Professional Aspects of Good Assessments. Accountability. Testing Ups and Downs. Equity within Accountability. 13. Designing Programs for Learners: Curriculum, Instruction, and Technology. Curriculum: Relating Expectations for Learning to What Is Taught. Curriculum Resources and Selection. Selecting Curriculum Is a Complex Business. Managing Curriculum. Evaluating Curriculum. Instruction: Turning Curriculum into Classroom Activities. Instructional Objectives for Student Learning. Different Kinds of Instructional Objectives. Teaching Strategies. Teaching Strategies for Addressing Students with Exceptionalities. Models for School Reform. Technology: Integrated Uses for Curriculum and Instruction. Expectations for Teachers and Integrated Use of Technology. 14. Education in the Twenty-First Century. The Nature of Change in the Twenty-First Century. Characteristics of Change. Size of Educational Change. Futurism and Transformational Trends in Twenty-First Century Education. Increased Accountability Focused on Student Learning. Schools as the Center for Delivery of Coordinated Services. Emphasis on Character Development. Increased Competition Among Schools. The Changing Profession of Education. Career Development Continuum. Professional Collaboration. Participating in the Profession. A Vision for Twenty-First Century Schools. Professional Learning Communities. Classrooms as Dynamic Centers of Learning.