Understanding the purpose of american public education Essay

Understanding the Purpose of American Public Education American public education has undergone a dramatic transformation over the past several hundred years. This transformation not only includes technology and appearance, but diversity and policies as well. However, an age-old question is still being pondered today. What is the purpose of American public education? Although you may have your own answer for this question; not everyone may agree with you. This is where the problem resides. How can one purpose be suitable for everybody? The point of this paper is to informatively examine and explain the purpose of American public education through different perspectives. One noteworthy viewpoint is that the purpose of public education†¦show more content†¦Although only three people are mentioned here, their influence and opinions are still present because their beliefs reach the public through the media and other forms of communication. Therefore, the purpose of education to influence democratic qualities and lifestyles is a common perspective that is most likely widespread throughout society. Another way to approach education and its purpose would be to examine the relationship among schools and their responsibility for their students. While the previous paragraph was about the contribution to society as a whole, this one is about the personal effect that schools should have on their students. What should be the focus for public schooling, and how does that have purpose? This is an important question, and it sounds awfully familiar. A common conception of public schooling is that it’s a place to formally educate and prepare children for college and careers that will determine their lifestyle and place in society. However, most people forget to consider that the most important thing in life is to just be happy. Harry Brighouse, an author and professor of philosophy, does a great job in explaining how public schools should educate children in a wa y that leads to a â€Å"flourishing† life (Brighouse, 2008). He believes that schools should change the way they approach education to help students achieve more than academic success. However, the idea that a schools purpose should be to develop students so thatShow MoreRelatedThe Education Of The United States Essay854 Words   |  4 Pages The purpose of education in the United States has been designed to meet the changing needs of society, though never quite fast enough to fully reflect those changes. In its early history, American education reinforced the religious doctrines of the Puritan settlers. During the era of our founders, the purpose of education shifted to crafting democratic citizens. During the Industrial Revolution school became more about preparing students to be future workers, punching out students on a pedagogicalRead MoreAmerica Needs The American Education System1392 Words   |  6 Pagesfor ways to reform the American education system to give Americ an students a greater opportunity to succeed. According to the report, one cannot ignore the fact that American students are not testing as high academically as other nations in the world. There are many contributing elements that have brought America to her knees in the education system, however, the obsession with standardized testing is found to be more of a stumbling block than a stepping stone in the education system. To understandRead More Essentialism is Essential in Education Essay970 Words   |  4 PagesEssentialism is Essential in Education All six of the major educational philosophies Perennialism, Progressivism, Essentialism, Existentialism, Social Reconstruction, and Behaviorism are in my opinion feasible in the classroom. However, I have chosen Essentialism as the primary philosophy I would like to employ in my classroom for several reasons. Although I think all six would result in learning, which is the primary purpose of education, I think that Essentialism is superior to theRead MoreEssay about Should American Schools Remove Standarized Tests?1245 Words   |  5 Pagesto reform the American education system to give American students a greater opportunity to succeed. According to the report, one cannot ignore the fact that American students are not testing as high academically as other nations in the world (Duncan, 2010). There are many contributing elements that have brought America to her knees in the education system, however, the obsession with standardized testing is found to be more of a stumbling b lock than a stepping stone in the education system. To understandRead MoreThe Manufactured Crisis Essay1510 Words   |  7 Pagesbook disproving the horrible reputation America’s education system has been given by the media and by the government. Americans have almost been programmed to believe that the public school systems are failing and that in order to make their children successful they have to be sent to private schools. The Manufactured Crisis is a well written book jammed packed full of research and observation that overwhelming disproves the myths and bashing of public school systems. In chapter one Biddle and BerlinerRead MoreThe, By Ann Gutmann971 Words   |  4 Pagesreflects my paper and the individual’s experiences during the early 1800’s. This paper will share key details of Charlotte Forten’s journal. Charlotte Forten was an African-American girl that attended a private school in New England. This paper will also showcase the book the Lakota Woman by Mary Brave Bird, a Native American woman that endured in order to survive during the 1800’s. Changes for the better include systems in place to end slavery, to stop racism, and to protect women’s rights. Forten’sRead MoreUnderstanding And Influencing Educational Adaptability Among At Risk African American Students Essay1604 Words   |  7 Pages Understanding and Influencing Educational Adaptability Among At-Risk African American Students : The Role of Administration Edward A. Delgado Texas AM University – San Antonio I certify that I am the author of this paper titled Understanding and Influencing Educational Adaptability among At-Risk African American Students: The Role of Administration, and that any assistance I received in its preparation is fully acknowledged and disclosed in the paper. I have also citedRead MoreThe Political Context Of Education1504 Words   |  7 PagesAustin State University Fall 2013â€Æ' Final Exam The political context of education today has a lot to do with how its purpose has changed over time. Throughout history, there have been two competing purposes of education –public aims and advancing the interests of individual economic consumers who want more societal access and advantage (Labaree, 2011). These two competing views have illustrated the evolution of the purpose of education from keeping the faith, to preserving the republic, to stimulatingRead MoreRace Theory Of Race And Racism845 Words   |  4 Pagesissues of social injustice and achieve an end to racial oppression. Critical race theory is one of the most widely used for this purpose and provides the structure employed by Dwanna Robertson in her analysis of racism against Native Americans and the consequences they have experienced as a result. She uses the term legitimized racism to discuss the racialization of American Indians. By classifying Indians as evil and less than human, whites felt justified in usi ng cruelty against them in order to appropriateRead MoreThe Shortcomings of Standardized Testing1636 Words   |  7 PagesBehind program, standardized testing has become the norm for American schools. Under this system, each child attending a school is required to take a standardized test at specific grade points to assess their level of comprehension. Parents, scholars and all stakeholders involved take part in constant discussions over its effectiveness in evaluating students’ comprehension, teachers’ competency and the effects of the test on the education system. Though these tests were put in place to create equality