Early History of Education in American

American Colonial Period 1600-1776

• Education at Home–What are some disadvantages to this?

• Apprentice – someone who learns a skilled trade by watching and helping someone in that trade

American Colonial Period 1600-1776

New England Colonies – MA, CT, NH, RI• Puritans from migrated from England• Education for religious reasons– Learn to read The Holy Bible– Teaching farming skills

American Colonial Period 1600-1776

Middle Colonies – NY, NJ, PA, DE• Immigrants from Ireland, Scotland,

Holland, Germany, etc.• Quakers established schools– Included all races and females

American Colonial Period 1600-1776

Southern Colonies – VA, MD,NC, SC• Education is not a function of

government• Only education for wealthy plantation

owners, usually by tutors• Few opportunities for middle class

education• Slaves taught only skills useful to

owners

Role of the Teacher

• Ranked just below religious leaders

• No drinking or smoking

• No dating or marrying

• Performed charitable acts

• Regular church attendance required

• Mandatory participation in civic events

• Industrious and honest

• Visited the sick

School Curriculum

• Reading, writing, simple math, religion

• Little education after elementary• Trade training, i.e., shoemaking• Latin, Greek, advanced math for

wealthy• Sewing and home management for

girls sometimes poetry and literature

School Curriculum

Hornbooks • flat wooden boards

with a handle• Sheet of paper

contained alphabet, prayer, Roman numerals

• Covered with clear sheet of animal horn

American Early National Period 1776 - 1840

• Began with American Revolution• Changes occurred more quickly in

cities• Schools were seen as a vehicle for

making a better society• Less European influence• Teaching skills focused on helping

students enter trade such as agriculture, business, or shipping

Benjamin Franklin

• Understanding science helped to understand people and societies

• Began the first public library• Expanded educational opportunities

to those who could pay tuition and attend, regardless of religious beliefs

• Influenced schools to teach good citizenship and a variety of subjects

Thomas Jefferson

• Education was key to making new democracy a success

• If common people were well education, they could take part in government

• Introduced legislation to divide counties into smaller districts responsible for public education

• Free elementary schools• Established University of Virginia

Role of Teachers

• Positive models of good citizenship• Involved in community through

church participation and involvement in community issues

School curriculum• Reading, writing, and math• Christian principals and citizenship• Greek, Roman, English and American history• Wealthy boys went on to study Greek, Latin,

English grammar, literature, and science.• If girls received additional education, it was

with tutor; only subjects “relevant” for females

• Education limited to those of European ancestry

American Common School Period 1840 - 1880

• Labor-saving devices gave people more time for other interests and pursuits

• Americans began to realize injustice of slavery

• Free education became widely available

Horace Mann

• 1st secretary for the State Board of Education in MA

• Worked to establish free public education for every boy & girl in MA

• First state supported schools• Established normal schools• Advocated for free libraries• Believed schools should be

nonsectarian

African American Education

• Often done in secret• Northern freed slaves faced social

and economic obstacles• Allowed to attend Quaker schools• First African American colleges were

founded• Most schools were segregated

Role of Teacher

• Taught all grades

Kindergarten

• Established by Freidrich Froebel who believed children learn best through play

• Intended to help poor children succeed in school

McGuffey Readers

• Textbook that taught moral lessons

• So widely used they contributed to the standardization of American education

The Morrill Act

• Known as Land-Grant College Act• Gave federal land to establish

colleges in every state• Colleges provided practical education

in agriculture, home economics, and other professions

• Made higher education available

American Progressive Period 1880-1921

• Women gaining more rights• More immigrants• Industrial Revolution changed the nature of

work and society• Education seen as way to make American

better and safer• Schools overcrowded• Children worked instead of school– Progressives fought to require children to

attend school

Segregated Education

• African American children attended separate schools with less funding

• Resources scarce and inferior• Very limited funding• Only African American teachers could

teach here

Role of Teacher

• Teacher preparation programs in college replaced normal schools

• Focus on educational theories• Teachers unhappy and formed labor

unions that fought to improve pay, status, and working conditions

• Many women were teachers; few principals

School Curriculum

• Students encouraged to think critically and independently

• Progressives believed that citizens trained to think and question would clean up corrupt governments and improve working/living conditions

• Thousands of new public schools opened

John Dewey• Believed that classrooms were too rigid

and inflexible• Believed school should place more

emphasis on problem solving and critical thinking

• Promoted link between learning and experience

• Believed social interaction aided learning

• Teachers began to move into role of guiding learning

Maria Montessori• Helped children who had difficulty learning• Believed young children are capable of

great discovery and motivated to explore the world

• Sensory experiences should come before learning to read and write

• Considered all of a child’s needs• Classroom should be stimulating

environment• Children direct their own learning

Career and Technical Education

• Prepare students for specific trades or occupations

• Established by the Smith-Hughes Act of 1917

The 1920s and the Great Depression

• Schools expanded during the good times

• Schools faced hardships during the Great Depression

• Teacher pay cut or eliminated• Only basic courses taught• Federal funds helped hire teachers and

purchase supplies• School lunch program began

Dick and Jane Readers

• Books taught basic reading skills with simple stories

• Helped standardize education