Key Periods and Figures in the History of American Schooling by Tovah Lowy

Colonial Education (1600s-1700s):

lowyt24 — 2025-02-10 02:29:57 UTC

The main goal of education during this time was to teach children religious values and to spread the beliefs of Christianity. Education was mainly only for rich white males, since they seem to have the resources and social status to attend schools. Girls or even low income families had little to no access to education during this time. Dame schools were small, compared to Latin grammar schools, and they were typically ran by women in their own homes. Latin schools were more formal and focused on educating young wealthy men, preparing them for their future career.

Common School Movement (1830s-1850s):

lowyt24 — 2025-02-10 02:39:00 UTC

Horace Mann, typically known for being the "Father of American Education," had a major role in advocating for publicly funded schools. He believed that children all over, no matter where they come from, deserved the opportunity to have an education. Before this movement had even taken place, education was known to only be available for the wealthy white folks. This changed the idea of education from being "only rich white people can have this" to "anyone willing to work for the can achieve it" and I think that has shaped our world into ways that it is today.

Progressive Education Movement (1890s-1950s):

lowyt24 — 2025-02-10 02:50:13 UTC

John Dewey, who was a philosopher and educator, lead the figure in the "Progressive Education Movement". He believed that education should come from real-life experiences and that schools should reflect the needs and interests of children. Dewey believed, along with others, that students should be engaged in hands-on, experiential learning rather than bland memorization in the classroom. Progressive education was a huge advocate for showing how important I was to meet the needs of the child. It was also a change from the traditional, teacher-styles of education, where the teacher was one giving all the knowledge.

Desegregation and Civil Rights Era (1950s-1970s):

lowyt24 — 2025-02-10 02:59:29 UTC

During the time that Jim Crow laws were being enforced there was a Supreme Court case called the "Brown v. Board of Education" case. This case was a moment in history that declared how racial segregation in public schools unconstitutional. There were many attempts to integrate students of color with white students in the school systems, but the public eye didn't agree and they spoke up whenever they could. Whether it was harassing police officers, students at school or out in public, no matter where it was, there was always someone who tried to make colored people know that they fit like they didn't belong with white people.

Efforts to integrate schools and ensure equal opportunities. Thurgood Marshall, who was a huge civil rights activist at the time, fought for justice and later ended up being the first African American appointed to the U.S Supreme Court.

Modern Reforms (1980s-Present):

lowyt24 — 2025-02-10 03:10:33 UTC

Throughout the 1980's standardized testing was growing and starting to become enforced in grades 3-8 in subjects math and reading. The push for this testing was to hold accountability with the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) in 2001. People that advocated for the school choice had argued that giving families more options in selecting schools would end up leading towards better educational outcomes, increased competition, and improved quality of education. The demand for digital media in the schools system largely increased as schools started to incorporate STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) into the curriculum so that students could be more prepared when faced with deciding a career path like a trade or other high demand fields.