History Of Education

Running Head: EDUCATION THEORIES

The US history of Education and Its Impact

Name

Institutional Affiliation

Education Theories 2

The history of public education in the US dates back in the early 15

century when the

first public school was established in the Boston Town which was then a part of the

Massachusetts Bay Colony. Over time education policies among other developments in

education has seen education in the US evolve with an aim of increasing its usefulness in the

society. In relation to the education policies, are issues which relate to language with regards to

what is the appropriate curricula language to use in teaching. The fluidity in understanding of

concepts taught in school relate to the teaching language used during lessons. Tracing back to

1848, Margaret Schurz identified the need to open a Kindergarten in Watertown, Wis; an idea

bought from the German system to help the German community in the area to learn language at

an early age (Annenberg Classroom, 2015). Following the success of the program, Elizabeth

Peabody later established the first English affiliated kindergarten in Boston. Such developments

in the education implicates that language plays a very important role in the teaching and learning

processes.

Owing to the many diverse cultures as well as linguistic affiliations in the US, use of

native language in schools was a key issue. For instance, as sourced from race forward, the 1848

Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidaglo included the right of Mexicans and Native Indians to use native

language in education. However, in 1864, the congress banned the learning of native language

for Native Americans. As learning requires, an effective language which is uniform and familiar

to all is recommended to use in the process of teaching. English being the most prominent

language is preferable to use but its efficiency in learning will depend on whether it is used as a

first or as a secondary language. While uniformity is key to the education process difference in

language preference may bring the difference. Perceptively, language can be used as a

discriminative tool in the education system. In the politics of minority and majority in learning

Education Theories 3

institutions, people who use Hispanic as first language and English as a secondary language

(where in most cases are the minority), may feel that there should be a parallel program which

should teach in Hispanic rather than English. In the notion of progressive education, philosopher

John Dewey (1897) in My Pedagogic Creed, argues that education should be learning by doing

and not rote learning. Language is one of the key aspects of rote learning and being an important

aspect of the learning process might interfere with effective understanding of concepts.

According to Annenberg Classroom, t he US National Education Association reviewed

teaching standards with the help of a commission formed for re-organization of secondary

education in 1918. Among the recommendations given by the commission was to adopt a system

whereby students with different abilities should be assigned a different curriculum which fitted

their abilities. Such different abilities include the ability to learn effectively using another

language other than English. In 1958, the congress passed the National Defense Education Act

aimed at enhancing effective teaching of science, mathematics, and foreign languages with the

fear that American students were ragging behind in mathematics and science. It implicates that

whereas foreign language seem not technically important, it can influence the technicality of

other subjects on the matter. In the recent past the US has consistently experienced immigration

and hence language is a key aspect in terms of relations as well as in delivery of education. For

instance, back in high school one of my friends whose family migrated from Japan experienced

difficulties in learning since his English was at its best poor for understanding taught concepts.

The only chance he had was to undertake English language classes which cost him a full

academic year.

Education Theories 4

The senate passed the Bilingual Education Act aimed at encouraging incorporation of

native language instruction by local district schools through federal funding in 1968 (Annenberg

Classroom, 2017). Here, communalized schooling was the main agenda whereby, for a

community with a uniform language which is as much as superior as English in terms of use and

efficiency, then the language can be effectively incorporated in the teaching and learning system

as well. The need for foreign language is evident in the U.S. with almost every higher institution

of learning (Colleges and Universities) among offering such programs. Among such programs

which are currently included in the system include foreign language in Japanese, French, and

Italy among others. In sectors such as immigration offices the need for foreign language

knowledge continues to persist. With such programs becoming extensively viral all over the U.S,

people especially immigrants affiliated to foreign languages such as Japanese and French can

effectively continue to learn in the U.S with much ease. Interests in dual language learning in the

US continues to grow in the sense that the urge to endow students with opportunities to increase

their proficiency in other learning languages apart from English increases.

Adoption of world language proficiency standards continues in the US with the District

of Columbia and the majority of states (42 0f them) having adopted the standards (USDE, 2015).

Expected partner language grade levels have been set in some of this states which will ensure the

students are proficient in the partner language. North Carolina, Ohio and Utah have set the

proficiency levels in accordance to the ACTFL and/or in accordance to K-12 dual language

programs (USDE, 2015). With such trends in education development, the state will ultimately

have the most civic system of education with a variety of languages for teaching and as well as

learning.

Education Theories 5

References

(USDE), U. D. (2015). Dual Language Education Programs: Current State Policies and

Practices. Washington DC: American Institutes for Research.

Classroom, A. (2017, December). Education Policy. Retrieved December 19, 2017, from

Annenberg Classroom: http://www.annenbergclassroom.org/timeline/education-policy

Forward, R. (2017, December). Historical Timeline of Public Education in the US. Retrieved

December 19, 2017, from Race Forward:

https://www.raceforward.org/research/reports/historical-timeline-public-education-us

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