Lauren Martin & Claire Pouliot

School & Society

Dr. Hamann
6 March 2014
Proefriedt thinks we cannot understand contemporary schooling without
understanding previous schooling. Use Mead, Russell, and Postman & Weingartner
(as well as Proefriedt) to support Proefriedts point and, at the same time, to justify
why pre-service teachers (i.e., those preparing to become teachers) should study the
history of schooling

Shifts in what the culture values result in shifts in what knowledge finds its
way into school programs and in what educational ends are pursued (Proefriedt
12). This is a respectable statement from Proefriedts book, Higher Expectations, as
to why Proefriedt believes that for someone to understand contemporary schooling
we must first understand previous schooling. Mead, Russell and Postman &
Weingartner also support Proefriedts statement on understanding contemporary
education. Each article will agree with that pre service teachers should be
knowledgeable about the past schooling in order to fulfill a greater contemporary
schoolings. All of this will also lead to why pre-service teachers should study the
history of schooling.
Firstly, in Proefriedts book, High Expectations, he shows us many examples
of why we need to understand previous schooling to understand contemporary
schooling. He states many times that the point of schooling was for the community
and society. He says, Often dismissed today as hopelessly idealistic or utopian, the
articulation of educational ends that include a concern with benevolence toward
others, and with creating a good society, has in fact a long history in mainstream
American educational thinking and practice. (Proefriedt 44-45). Here, Proefreidt is
saying that creating a good society is what the history of learning has always been
about. Today schooling is more the private good/personal gain of a person. In the
past, people such as the Beechers saw education as a benefit to society. Proefriedt
also stated earlier in the book, Most leaders believed the key to the survival of the
Republic rested in the virtue of its citizens; and virtue was defined not only as a set
of individual character traits, but as public virtue, the sacrificing of individual
interest to the good of the larger community (Proefriedt 24). Schooling was about
society coming together to form a larger community and Proefriedt believes that we,
as a society, in the new contemporary period we are trying to do the same for our
larger community. But to fully understand this concept we as a society have to look
back at the history of education. Proefriedt mentions many old ways of teachings
that worked for a period of time, until society evolved and we needed to adapt to the
needs of the students. One example of this in the book was when he was telling a
story about Franklin and how his redefining of lifes purposes, and hence
educations purposes, and his shift in understanding of what knowledge was of most
worth (Proefriedt 11). Our societys measure of what knowledge is of most worth
has changed and evolved which is why pre-service teachers should study the history
of schooling. Specifically speaking, learning has changed from focusing on religion
and apprenticeships to a private and public sphere. Private schools offer learning
centered on religion based on past teaching and public schools are primarily
focused on keeping religion out of the school due to the fact it is free to the public
and should therefore respect everyones views. The history of learning helps in the
understanding of contemporary learning according to Proefriedt.
In her article, Questions That Need Asking, Margaret Mead says, No society
today, however small or isolated, starts from scratch to think out all over again
what, if one were quite free to choose would be planned now as the best way of
educating children. Here, she states that no society can start a new schooling
system from scratch because as a society we are unable to view a different way of
educating children due to the fact that we are so consumed with the idea of what
school actually is. This is simply not plausible. Mead goes on to state that children
have learned methods on their own of how to tell the time of day or even how to
learn the regions on the map. These are merely passing examples to emphasize that
we havent for a very long time really asked fundamental questions of this sort.
Which learning, at which time, by what methods belong in our schools? says Mead.
Mead is suggesting that by understanding previous schooling and how some of that
schooling is not necessarily needed anymore, society should reevaluate how they
have schools set up currently. She says that society will understand how current
schooling needs to be set up when they take into account that people are evolving
and do not learn from old ways any more. This supports Proefriedts point that
society needs to understand ways of previous schooling to understand
contemporary schooling. Contemporary schooling is the way it is now because
society has evolved; therefore we have to evolve our school systems as well as a
reason why pre-service teachers should be studying the history of schooling to help
understand contemporary learning. An example of schools adapting to society
would be bringing the technology into schools in order to prepare students for the
advanced technology in new age jobs. This shows society attempting to evolve
schools along with society itself.
William F. Russell states in the first sentence of his article School
Administration And Conflicting American Ideals, An educational system is successful
only when in all its aspects it contributes to the end of the society in which it lives
and has its being An example of this is when he states that the Soviet Union,
Bulgaria and Italy show that changes in national purpose are followed by
corresponding changes in the school; not only in what is taught, how it is taught and
the spirit of instruction, but as completely in teacher training and school
administration. Every aspect of education must adjust itself to the national ideal
(Russell 1). It is important for the schools to be adaptable as the national ideals are
changings. As government evolve it expects schools to evolve as well which supports
our argument of understanding previous schooling in order to understand
contemporary schooling. Russell continues to explain the difference in national and
state governments according to liberty and equality. The national government is
able to provide freedom but not equality and the state is able to provide equality but
not liberty. Russell says, Our development in the United States to the present time
seems to provide equality in the state governments without liberty; and liberty in
the federal government without equality (Russell 4). Although education standards
are up to the state there is a national standard, common core, that states can abide
by if they so choose In conclusion Russell states it would sever from the national
and state governments powers which threaten the liberties of the people; and
would render unto the state and nation power making for equality of opportunity
(Russell 4).
His entire article is confident that the reason contemporary schooling is so
successful today is because of what was taught in the past. Schooling in the past has
been shaped and formed for better learning. Creating an education program does
not happen over night. Russel says, Education has momentum, teachers are
traditional, and as a rule of modification are the result of efforts extended over a
considerable period of time (Russell 1). As time goes on there are different teaching
styles that are adapted and is more reasoning as to why pre-service teachers should
understand the history of schooling. In the history of education, people noticed that
opportunity of equality was not being met. Not only specifically what is being taught
previously in classrooms has shaped what we are learning today, but the way
students and teachers are acting also influences contemporary teaching. People
began to notice school districts were being separated by their financial reputation.
The rich and the poor communities were being separated in school, which caused
controversies with funding. It was unfair to the poor schools to be paying teachers
less than the wealthier schools. The government stepped in and said that a school
must be provided whether the home folks want it or not; that it must be open for so
many days; that a teacher must have at least certain qualifications and be paid not
less than so much; that the building must be safe and warm. The government
created the purpose to secure equality. It was important that education took this
step in order to shape present learning today. There are now school boundaries that
create a well-rounded school atmosphere. We can be thankful for the diversity in
the classroom and how everyone in the education system is treated. We can all
relate to how much education standards have changed and the types of testing the
schools are taking now are a lot more intensified. Standards for students will just
keep adapting to how the nation is changing. There is also a noticeable difference of
diversity in the classroom, and as time continues to tick there will be more diversity
being put into school. Russell addresses what changes have been made in the past in
order to create contemporary schooling today.
Whats Worth Knowing by Postman & Weingartner is all about questions.
What types of questions should be asked to better education? Questions have been
essential in the past and for the future. There is a range of questions that should be
considered such as basic questions 2+2, but is it more important to know about
what types of questions will increase learners will and capacity to learn? (Postman
& Weingartner 66). So many questions are being asked; which ones are worth
asking? What one needs to ask of a standard is not is it high or low? Is it
appropriate to your goals?(Postman & Weingartner 67). Its true that there are
millions of questions out there to ask, but you need to take time to answer the ones
that will help you meet your goal. Its important for these questions to be asked by
students and have them build off information shared from each other. Teachers
should allow students to share their opinions and let the class learn from each
others viewpoints in order to have a deeper understanding and diversity through
beliefs. The basis of learning depends on where students deicide to go after such
general answers. The questions that Postman and Weingartner propose do get
asked in schools today. They should get asked these open-ended questions because
its vital that students take their own viewpoints on these subjects. Students will
experience what it is like to grow in learning as they tackle these questions today as
well as in the future. In the beginning people were asking questions about basic
survival needs, such as food shelter and clothing, and now people are asking
questions related to technology and how can we reach higher technological
advances. If your goal were to become a math teacher, starting at 2+2 would be
essential, and then working your way answering harder and more complicated
questions about how to teach math. Schools today ask questions that are relevant as
well as worth knowing.
In conclusion, Mead, Russell and Postman & Weingartner all support
Proefriedts statement about understanding previous schooling to understand
contemporary schooling. Proefriedt proves this through private good/personal gain
versus public good, the evolution of society and the shift in understanding through
the history of learning. Mead supports Proefreidt in the fact that schooling has
changed, but it can change for the better if we stop looking at what schooling is and
instead look at how it can be different. Russell argues liberty versus equality in the
national and state government systems towards education standards has caused the
way schooling is taught today. Postman & Weingartner ask what knowledge is of
most worth and what is worth asking to create the most efficient curriculum. Each
article the past has been a road of questions and experiments that has been the
result of contemporary education.
Therefore all of these points alludes to Proefriedts point to understand the
whole contemporary schooling we must study the past schoolings in order to create
better teachers now. As pre service teachers with better understanding of the
history of past schooling we can develop a better learning community for future
generation of students.