Running head: Purpose of Schooling Paper

Purpose of Schooling Final Paper

Emma Curtis
Colorado State University EDUC 275

Purpose of Schooling Paper

WHAT WAS, IS, AND SHOULD BE THE PURPOSE OF

SCHOOLING IN THE UNITED STATES?
The purpose of schooling in the United States used to focus on
teaching students how to be an exceptional member of a family and to
be of use to the parents. Also, to teach kids how to read, write and
solve math problems. Now, educators are more compelled to somehow
incorporate multiculturalism and distinguish stereotypes.
Back in the early establishment of the United States, teachers
were usually white women and students were mostly white boys. Early
on in our countrys history, blacks were obviously slaves and were
thought to not require an education. The key fact that majority of the
whites in the United States realized is that an education is the greatest
thing that someone can have. The whites acknowledged that education
isnt just learning how to read and write, education is establishing
wisdom. Wisdom includes insight, humility, and love (Brantmeier,
2010). No one can take your education from you and being educated
causes rebellion, usually. If we would have educated our slaves back
when they still had no rights, they would have realized that they have
a chance to fight back and use their intelligence.
According to Dialogical Pedagogy, This system of education is
characterized by a monological and unilateral form of pedagogy in
which the teacher imparts knowledge and students supposedly learn
from it (Fernandez-Balboa, 24). Currently, the purpose of education is

Purpose of Schooling Paper

evolving into filling an empty vessel. Education is not just to pour

information into a child, they need to want to be in the classroom. As
educators, its important to understand that it is our job to produce fun
activities that students have a passion to attend. Part of the reasoning
behind my excitement for the game I came up with during my teaching
week pertained to my understanding that students have a desire to be
involved in their education. A ridiculous amount of studies have proven
that students respond better to the classroom environment when they
have better ways to imagine and visualize concepts (Willis, 2006).
According to Oakes & Rogers, universal schooling was to be
the great equalizer of human conditions, the balance wheel of the
social machinery, and the creator of wealth undreamed of (Oakes,
2006). Delving into this quote is beyond difficult because there are so
many meanings, but heres to trying. Several institutions believe that
they are responsible for the abolishment of bullying, stereotypes, and
inequality in education. In some respects, this is beneficial because
students do spend at least forty hours in schools and are there to learn.
Also, bullying has become even more prominent in recent years.

WHAT IS YOUR ROLE AS A FUTURE TEACHER IN

FULFILLING THAT PURPOSE?
As a future teacher, my role is to step up to ensure that the
purpose of education is pursued. Im not saying I will in any way,
shape, or form be perfect at it, but Ill try my best. My primary concern

Purpose of Schooling Paper

is to establish a safe and efficient learning environment in my

classroom. There will be a zero tolerance rule for bullying and
derogatory put-downs, if students are disrespectful, appropriate
disciplinary action will be taken.
Personally, I believe it would be beneficial for all education
majors to be required to take at least one Human Development and
Family Studies course. According to Rachel Kessler in The Soul of
Education, it is important to understand how families operate and
respond to certain stimuli in order to realize where the education
process stands (Kessler, 2000). There are way too many families out in
this country who dont recognize the importance of our education
system and who continuously pull their children out of school for
seemingly ridiculous reasons. As an educator, I feel it is important to
be able to analyze why this is a vicious cycle that remains constant.

HOW DOES SCHOOLING CONTINUE THE EXISTING

ORDER?
Common belief in the schooling systems in the United States is
that poor parents are uninvolved in their childrens learning, largely
because they do not value education (Gorski, 33). Although, lowincome parents usually cannot be involved in their childs education
because majority of them have evening or working jobs and they dont
receive paid leave (Gorski, 33). Our schools continue this belief
because they promote after-school activities at times that even the

Purpose of Schooling Paper

poor parents counterparts cant attend, but somehow manage to find

a way to be able to get there.
On the other end of the existing order is gender bias. According
to Gender Bias in Education, the socialization of gender within our
schools assures that girls are made aware that they are unequal to
boys (Chapman, 2005). Also, schools arent necessarily educating
their teachers about how to equalize the gender gap between boys and
girls. For example, every time students are seated or lined up by
gender, teachers are affirming that girls and boys should be treated
differently, if we interpret this quote correctly, its telling us to
completely forget the idea of ever separating genders (Chapman,
2005).

HOW CAN SCHOOLING TRANSFORM THE EXISTING

ORDER?
The first step in the conversion of schools and educators is
acknowledging that there is a problem to fix. Luckily, our education
system has recognized that some things do need to be changed.
For example, regarding gender bias in education, Amanda
Chapman writes, educators need to be made aware of the bias they
are reinforcing in their students through socialization messages,
inequitable division of special education services, sexist texts and
materials, and unbalanced time and types of attention spent on boys
and girls in the classroom (Chapman, 2005). When talking about

Purpose of Schooling Paper

socialization messages, this reinforces that education majors should

have to enroll in Human Development and Family Studies courses in
order to understand the non-verbal signals they are sending to their
students. Also, schools could incorporate some information into their
in-services addressing gender bias concerns.
The main theme of OK, I Get It! relates to teaching educators
how to respond to situations that continue to be problems in the United
States schooling systems(DiAngelo, 97). DiAngelo and Sensoy say it
best, [your students] are beginning to realize that contrary to what
they have always believed, socially-constructed categories of
difference (such as gender, race, ability) rather than merit alone, do
matter and contribute significantly to students experiences, outcomes
for success, and future life opportunities(DiAngelo, 97).

PRE-WRITE ANSWERS
1. I believe the purpose of education is to help form productive
members of society. Even in third-world countries, where they have
barely any money or resources to survive, they still manage to find a
way to educate their people. Also, the education is meant to further
mankind and produce a better generation than the last, every time.
Plus, as the world becomes more technologically and scientifically
advanced, it is crucial that we educate our country's youth. It is also
pertinent that we continue successful societal growth. That being said,

Purpose of Schooling Paper

technology is also our demise. It is making learning a lot less

convenient because it is very easy to hop on the laptop and google
something, rather than applying your effort and actually learning in
class.
2. I hope to inspire lives through Agricultural Education. It is vital that
students always remember their roots and what this country was
founded on. Also, what this amazing country continues to be. I hope
that we, as educators, can help our students use technology for the
best and continue to teach them where their food really comes from
and how many things in agriculture are operated the same as when
our grandparents were young. But, also how technology and science
have helped developed more convenient methods for farmers.
3. School teaches cultural norms to children, in other words, it helps
children understand what is socially acceptable and what is not. Also,
with continuing education about politics and economics, this helps to
prevent history from repeating itself. School-aged children are very
impressionable and grade school is a time to figure out who you are as
a person and realize what type of people you like to spend your time
with. This is especially important when it comes to social status.
4. As we learn better ways to do things, we generally apply those
changes. It is our jobs as educators to carry those tactics on to our

Purpose of Schooling Paper

students. Again, the common reason is to not repeat history, in any
category.

Purpose of Schooling Paper

REFERENCES
Brantmeier, E. (2010). Spirituality, religion, and peace education.
Charlotte, NC: IAPInformation Age Pub.
Chapman, A., (2005). Gender Bias in Education.
DiAngelo, R., & Sensoy, O. (2010). OK, I Get It! Now Tell Me How to Do
It!: Why We
Cant Just Tell You How to Do Critical Multicultural Education.
Multicultural
Perspectives, 97-102.
Fernandez-Balboa, J., & Marshall, J. (1994). Dialogical Pedagogy in
Teacher
Education: Toward an Education for Democracy. Journal of
Teacher
Education, 172-182.
Gorski, P. (n.d.). Reaching and teaching students in poverty: Strategies
for erasing the

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opportunity gap.
Kessler, R. (2000). The soul of education helping students find
connection,
compassion, and character at school. Alexandria, Va.: Association
for
Supervision and Curriculum Development.
Oakes, J., & Rogers, J. (2006). Learning power: Organizing for education
and justice.
New York: Teachers College Press.
Willis, J. (2006). Research-based strategies to ignite student learning
insights from a
neurologist and classroom teacher. Alexandria, Va.: Association
for
Supervision and Curriculum Development.

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