EDE 200: Social Foundations
of Education
Session 12
Housekeeping
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Questions
Journal Article Critique
NYSTCE reminders - $79 or $149
3 stories
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Agenda
• Watch/discuss School video part 2.
• Listen/Talk about George S. Counts
on teacher neutrality.
• Discuss Banks (2009).
• Discuss all of these issues in the
context of contemporary society.
• Listen/talk about specific NYC
teacher issues.
Video Discussion
• School: The Story of
American Public
Education
• Narrated by Meryl Streep.
• Key: Relationship between
history and today
• Episode Two
– As American as Public
School
– 1900 – 1950
Points to Think About
• Schools role in removing “the
barbarism of our immigrant
background”
• Role of patriotism – school’s job
to teach love of country?
• Tracking - does a bricklayer
really need to know
Shakespeare?
Ellwood Cubberley
Lewis Terman
George S. Counts
• Educational theorist
• Head of teachers union
(AFT)
• Contemporary of John
Dewey (progressivism)
• Dare the school build a
new social order?
• American ideals and
how they play out in
school
Should the Teacher Always be Neutral?
• Look through Counts’ article
for one line that you feel has
particular pertinence.
• On one side of the card,
write the quote.
• On the other side, briefly
state why you chose it.
Uses of Education in Dictatorships
• Particular form of
education
• Unquestioning of
authority
• Group > individual
• Lack of dissent
• Uniformity
• Brainwashing?
Teacher Neutrality and Bias
• Is public, American, and wellmeaning education a form of
brainwashing/indoctrination?
– Yes, this is bad
– Yes, but this is can be beneficial
– No
• Dangers of teaching “just the
facts”
• Dangers of giving equal time to
all views
Journal Article Discussion
• Reminders:
– About 15 minutes.
– No need for presentation of facts.
– A few prompts that we can discuss.
– Facilitation, press when needed.
– Being prepared with comments/questions.
– Allowing “space” for others.
Journal Discussion
• Banks (2009)
o “The
Father of Multicultural Education”
Questions
• What questions do you
have about teaching in
NYC that we have yet
to address?
• What have you seen
during your
observations that
needs clarification?
Layoffs / Excessing
• Seniority procedures
– Last in, First out
– Retention rights
• Pros and cons
• Layoff situations (downsized)
– Last faced in 1970’s
• Excessing (inconvenienced)
– Absent Teacher Reserve (ATR)
Chancellor Dennis Walcott
For Next Time . . .
• Look ahead at upcoming
readings.
• Be thinking about your
upcoming assignments (see
syllabus).
10/20 – Journal
Article Critique
11/17 – School Visit
Paper
11/29 – Group
Presentations begin
12/13 – Researched
Position Paper &
Participation
Reflection Paper