Evolution of Education.
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The evolution of education is one not often discussed. Many
of us never think twice about the intelligent minds that created the curriculum
that provides us with a gate way to our futures, we simply come to school, do
our learning and continue on without much of a thought. Yet taking time to
analyze and understand the evolution of education can provide us with
incredibly crucial insight as to how we can reconstruct our public educational
systems.The earliest form of education dates back to more than half a million years ago. In this time the world was flourishing with hunters and gatherers and young children who needed to be trained to follow the footsteps of their parents. In this time, life consisted solely with the purpose of surviving, there were no elective activities that consumed the energy of the human race. With this constant pressure to survive and expand the human species the roots of education started to form. Education in its simplest form can be defined as “the process of receiving systematic instruction” and this was exactly what the first model of education aimed to achieve. As children began to age and mature in their communities they were bestowed with new responsibilities that allowed them to become more educated individuals. However in these times the course structure was extremely simple and tailored to the exact needs of the tribe thus implying that the method of teaching was quite different than it is now. Due to the lack of basic necessities such as abundant shelter, reliable food sources, and safety, education was brought forth in the shape of experimental learning. In today’s society we would categorize this style of learning as kinesthetic. Through the constant exposure to everyday challenges “students” would develop heightened responses to danger, basic hunting/gathering skills, as well as learn how to tend to the young in the community. All of these skills provided the basic foundation for life and allowed the human species to continue its existence to this day in age.
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As time progressed these philosophies of experience based learning continued to become more popular. If we flash forward thousands of years to the time of Galileo and even the life span of President Washington we can see this common thread of kinesthetic value in education. The beauty of this learning style in the preindustrial age was that the student and the teacher had a unique relationship; they interacted with each other throughout the day and had a substantial trust and respect for each other. Within this relationship each individual had their own very distinct role. The teacher was well aware of the child’s overall knowledge and how that child could be stimulated to thrive in each subject. The child on the other hand was responsible for exploring their education in ways that continued to captivate their curiosity. This back and forth feedback was continued until the teacher was satisfied with the child’s understanding of the material. In the rare case of a student being incapable of retaining the knowledge taught by the teacher, the child would be released at fault of the teacher for failing to teach the child properly. This raw and connected form of education has brought forth pivotal figures and findings in our society and helps define to us the true meaning of education.
If we continue to follow this path of evolution we will come across one of the most pivotal moments in the evolution of modern day schooling: the industrial era. In this time America was thriving with it's new found work force and the new innovative style of getting things done. As the industrial "assembly line" style of work continued to grow the population soon realized that the upcoming generations would need to be able to work and function to fit this work style, and thus the industrial model of schooling was created. Horace Mann, the father of the industrial school model, studied a wide variety of educational models before implementing the Prussian system. This system was designed by Fredrick the Great. The King had created this system to teach obedience and solidify his control over his people. The model excelled in teaching the citizens to follow directions, learn basic skills, and understand the importance of conformity. So taking after King Fredrick, Horace Mann created a school based on these principles. His model isolated students in rows and strategically placed teachers in the front of the classroom behind a desk to create a feel of strict hierarchy. For decades this structure seemed to be almost flawless, it educated and prepared students for life in the industrial world and that is exactly what the intentions had been all along. However times began to change and the demand for assembly line workers soon diminished leaving the industrial era in the past. The only problem with this new shift in the society was that the school system went through no alterations to adapt with the changing societal norms. This brings us to the problem that we are facing now; society has blossomed into an abstract, creative, and innovative world, yet our schools are still stuck back in the in the industrial era.
If we continue to follow this path of evolution we will come across one of the most pivotal moments in the evolution of modern day schooling: the industrial era. In this time America was thriving with it's new found work force and the new innovative style of getting things done. As the industrial "assembly line" style of work continued to grow the population soon realized that the upcoming generations would need to be able to work and function to fit this work style, and thus the industrial model of schooling was created. Horace Mann, the father of the industrial school model, studied a wide variety of educational models before implementing the Prussian system. This system was designed by Fredrick the Great. The King had created this system to teach obedience and solidify his control over his people. The model excelled in teaching the citizens to follow directions, learn basic skills, and understand the importance of conformity. So taking after King Fredrick, Horace Mann created a school based on these principles. His model isolated students in rows and strategically placed teachers in the front of the classroom behind a desk to create a feel of strict hierarchy. For decades this structure seemed to be almost flawless, it educated and prepared students for life in the industrial world and that is exactly what the intentions had been all along. However times began to change and the demand for assembly line workers soon diminished leaving the industrial era in the past. The only problem with this new shift in the society was that the school system went through no alterations to adapt with the changing societal norms. This brings us to the problem that we are facing now; society has blossomed into an abstract, creative, and innovative world, yet our schools are still stuck back in the in the industrial era.