The Colonial Period (1607-1775) shaped American education in three ways. First, it was the source of inequality because poor whites, females and minorities were excluded from schools. Education was a privilege reserved for wealthy white males. Second, the Old Deluder Satan Act laid the foundation for public support and local control of schools, two principals shaping our education system today. Third, was the relationship between religion and school, which is still important and contentious issue today.
The Early Period (1775-1820) established the principle of separation of church and state. Legislators removed control of education from the federal government and gave it to the states. The passage of the Land Ordinance of 1785, the federal government established a role for itself in public education.
The Common School Movement: The Rise of State Support for Public Education (1820-1865) This era was a turning point in American Education. The idea of universal access to a tax-supported education was planted. The number of children allowed to attend school rose. State governance and control of education were institutionalized with the creation of state departments of education, and formal teacher training.
The last part of their presentation focused on the education of cultural minorities. The concept of assimilation is the process of socializing people to adopt the dominant society's social norms and behavior. The Native Americans was a good example, because they would not assimilate to the American mainstream ways.
I found their presentation very informing, and it was great to learn about how the field of education got started, and how it has evolved over the years. It is a little surprising to me how many parts of early education still relevant to education today.
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