APA Research paper Sample: History of Educational Reform
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Almost all the schools in the western and European countries are structured in the same way. The society goes to a great extent to cater for the expenses of these schools and ensures that all the children are granted the same opportunities in educational institutions. Although education systems operate smoothly currently, there is a long history behind this freedom. It has taken the efforts of various Reformists and legislators such as Martin Luther and Horace Mann to push for changes that have seen all the children share the same classes and curriculum despite their religious, social class and racial differences. During the Stone Age time, there was no education system and children never had the chance to learn in any formal system. The current education systems have come a long way since the automation of agriculture and the establishment of the first school in Germany, which was later followed by others in the United States. This paper discusses the various educational reforms that have been witnessed in several countries.
History of Education
Before industrialization, children were usually involved in farming, and some were forced to work as slaves in factories. This meant that they had no chance of learning, and nothing like a school existed. These children were forced to work in the fields before they were later transferred into dark factories were the masters, kings, and lords enslaved them. In England, it was not until the 19th Century when a law was formed to regulate child labor. A new regulation forbidding the employment of children under the age of nine years was passed in England, which also limited the number of working hours per week (Gray, 2008). After agriculture was discovered, the only idea of education that existed was that which made children to dutifully obey their masters.
Public education in England
Although education was common in England, it was offered based on the social class of the individual. This meant fewer benefits for those who were working (Lumen learning, 2018). The instructions and curriculum were developed locally, with the teachers being expected to provide thorough and strict moral standards. Calvinist philosophies and religious values were a major part of the education system, and corporal punishment and public humiliation were highly utilized to install morals on the learners. The south part lagged behind in education with most of the learning taking place within the homestead, and instructors being family members. The wealthy had the advantage of hiring tutors, but the lower class farming families lacked access to any form of education rather than the one provided within the family.
The Birth of Universal, Compulsory Education in Europe
As the Industries became automated, there was a need to develop an education system for the children. The development of universal and compulsory education systems in Europe gradually occurred between the 16th Century and the 19th Century. Martin Luther is among the first education Reformists who dealt with religious activities. By the late 17th Century, Germany which is the leader in schooling development had enacted laws requiring children to enroll in schools in most of its states. These schools were nor run by the state, but by the Lutheran Church (Gray, 2008).
History of education in the United States
The United States followed in the footsteps of other countries such as Germany and developed and Education system in Mid-17th Century (Lumen Learning, 2018). Massachusetts was the first state that instituted compulsory education system, with the children learning using the New England Primer. This primer includes the Lord’s Creed, the Ten Commandments and other teachings that were aimed at instilling fear of God and respect for elders among the children. The employers saw learning as a good way of making children more productive and preparing them for better careers in the future.
Education was offered according to race, gender and social close in the United States before the first and second Industrial revolution. Basic numeracy education was widespread, especially to males who resided in the north and middle colonies with the people from those areas having high literacy skills. However, the southern region had not developed much in terms of education. The education system in the United States has come a long way, with schools being governed by locally elected board members (Lumen Learning, 2018).
Horace Mann and Educational Reform
According to the Public Broadcasting Service (n.d), Horace Mann is widely known as the Founder of the Common School and started his profession as a lawyer and a legislator. His contribution to the education system in the United States is widely recognized, starting with his reforms in Massachusetts where he fought for the rights of all children to access education funded using local taxes.
Horace Mann
He is responsible for the creation of the reform movement that occurred between 1796 and 1859, which began the common school movement in Massachusetts Mann was a legislator for both the House of Representative and the senator, which enabled him to use the opportunity to push for reforms in Massachusetts. He was later elected into the United States House of Representatives in 1848 after working with Massachusetts State of Education Board as the Secretary (Adamson, Astrand, Darling-Hammong, 2016). Mann’s idea of reforming the education system stemmed from the fact that he saw this as the only way to change the unruly children within the nation into responsible and disciplined Republican citizens. This made him acquire massive approval from modernizers, especially from his party to construct public schools. Other states emulated some of the versions of education systems he had developed in Massachusetts, including the programs that enabled professional teachers to be trained in normal schools.
Common Schools
A common school was used to refer to a one roomed public school in the United States in the 1800s. This term originated from Mann who wanted to the education system to be inclusive of all the children regardless of their social class or religion. Children usually enrolled in these schools from the age of six years to eighteen years, with the school year being depended on the agricultural seasons. This meant that students were out of school when they were required to assist their parents in farming (Urban, Wagoner & Gaither, 2019). These schools accommodated white children and were funded by local taxes. An elected local school board controlled each district. Mann changed the common school systems in Massachusetts, which later influenced the other states to follow suit. He founded the Common School Journal in 1838, which sought to address the challenges of the common schools. Mann aimed at bringing equality to all the children through sharing classes and common experiences. His mission was to ensure that the less fortunate had a chance to excel in the society as well.
According to Urban, Wagoner, and Gaither (2019), Mann’s ideas were met with criticism and opposition from religious sectarians and Boston School Masters who were against what he stood for. Mann fought to end the Calvinism method of discipline and opted for positive reinforcing. He also pushed for the development of a state curriculum and the funding of schools using taxes from a local property. Most of the students learned writing and spelling, and moral values were incorporated in the literacy.
Education for African Americans and Higher Education
1,000 schools were opened in the south to cater to the educational needs of African Americans. The introduction of the Second Morrill Act which was introduced in 1890 required the states to show that race was not used in the selection of children who were supposed to join schools (Lumen Learning, 2018). This Act was signed into law in 1862, which allowed for the creation of land-grant colleges. These were the first institutions of higher learning to be developed in the United States. Small colleges helped transform young men from the village into more respectable men who took high-end careers in urban centers such as ministers and community leaders.
Chile’s Educational Reform
According to Zelaya (2015), the education system in Chile has undergone various shifts in the last decades because of political leadership which has interfered with the quality of education being offered in the country. Before the changes that were brought forth by Pinochet, the government used to offer free tertiary education, and the degrees from these institutions were the only ones that were legally recognized. Salvador Allende who was a socialist, not only transformed tertiary education, but also primary and secondary education. When Pinochet took over the leadership mantle, the system was changed to a centralized one with the government determining all the aspects of Chilean schools such as the curriculum and salaries. This affected the quality of education because tertiary institutions were being highly controlled and had lost some of their autonomy. Due to the economic crises that were being witnessed in Chile in the 1980s, the system was changed from being decentralized to a centralized one. The centralized system is still being utilized in Chilean institutions today.
The current education system in western countries
Most of the countries have learned the need for a universal and inclusive schooling system that accommodates all types of students from diverse races and social classes. The current system, some forms of corporal punishment have been abolished, and teachers use more lenient and efficient methods of instilling discipline in the children such as positive reinforcing ((Adamson, Astrand, Darling-Hammong, 2016). Children’s lives have been structured by the school curriculum, and the hours that are spending in learning centers are usually pre-determined. The play has also been integrated into the school curriculum so that the children can have some relaxation and learn on the importance of sports and exercise. The current education system also recognizes talent and helps children and students to nurture their talents in different activities such as swimming, athletics, art, and music.
Conclusion
The educational system has undergone various reforms in most of the countries, especially in England and the United States. Horace Mann is known as the father of the American public education due to his contribution to changing the system and fighting for the rights of the minorities and children from the lower social class. Chile has also experienced political shifts that have affected the quality of education that is being offered. Chile has however managed to go back to its centralized system that allows for all the institutions some form of autonomy to run their activities. England has also come a long way in terms of education and has managed to move out of the Calvinism system. In general, most of the countries have been able to enact major changes in their education systems which benefits all the children.
References
Adamson, F., Astrand, B., & Darling-Hammond, L. (2016). Global education reform how privatization and public investment influence education outcomes. Routledge.
Gray, P. (2008, August 20). A Brief History of Education. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/freedom-learn/200808/brief-history-education
Lumen Learning. (2018). Boundless US History. Retrieved from https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-ushistory/chapter/immigration/
Public Broadcasting Service. (n.d.). Only a Teacher. Retrieved from https://www.pbs.org/onlyateacher/horace.html
Urban, W., Wagoner, J., & Gaither, M. (2019). American education: A history. Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.
Zelaya, V. (2015, April 06). Chile’s Educational Reform: The Struggle between Nationalization and Privatization. Pepperdine Policy Review, 8(7).