Teacher Feature 

Assistant Professor of Music and High School Music Teacher, Dr. Rhonda Rhodes.

Teacher Feature Reflection Questions:

1. Why did Dr. Rhodes become a teacher?
2. What does Dr. Rhodes believe makes her a good teacher?
3. What is Dr. Rhodes’s favorite part of being a teacher?
4. What advice would Dr. Rhodes give to new teachers?

Utah Education Flashback

The Indian School in Brigham City, Utah, was established in the late 19th century to provide education and assimilation to Native American children from various tribes across the western United States. The school was operated by the federal government and sought to instill American culture and values in its students while suppressing their indigenous heritage. Over the years, the school faced criticism and controversy for its harsh disciplinary practices, inadequate living conditions, and cultural erasure. In the mid-20th century, as the civil rights movement gained momentum, the school began to shift its focus to preserving Native American culture and traditions. Today, the Indian School in Brigham City serves as a museum and cultural center, preserving the history and legacy of the boarding school era and educating visitors about the impact of assimilation policies on Native American communities.

Click this link to learn more about The US government’s education of Native American children.

The History of Education in America

The history of education in the United States can be traced back to the colonial period when early settlers established schools to educate their children.

Old Deluder Satan Act of 1647

Passed to protect “idle” children from being under the influence of the devil. Children that were engaged in schooling were less likely to fall prey. The religious basis of the act was explicit: the act stated its intention was to thwart “ye old deluder, Satan” in his goal “to keepe men from the knowledge of ye Scriptures.” The famous Old Deluder Satan Act of 1647 reflected the urgency felt by some Puritan leaders. While not requiring school attendance, this pronouncement by the Massachusetts General Court mandated that towns with fifty or more families were to make provision for instruction in reading and writing, and that in communities of a hundred households or more, grammar schools should be established that would prepare boys for entry into Harvard College. Although noncompliance could result in a fine levied against a town, not all towns adhered to the requirements of the enactment. _{(WAGONER, J. L., & HAARLOW, W. N. (2002). Common School Movement. In J. W. Guthrie (Ed.), Encyclopedia of Education (2nd ed., Vol. 2, pp. 427-431). Macmillan Reference USA. https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/CX3403200146/OVIC?u=onlinelibrary&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=7a84f8bf).}

The Common School

Formal education did not become widespread until the mid-19th century. During the early years of the nation, education was primarily the responsibility of families, churches, and local communities. Schools were often one-room buildings where a single teacher would instruct students of all ages in basic reading, writing, and arithmetic.

Common School Movement
The Common School Movement was an attempt in the 1800s to make school available in the United State. It key feature was introducing the idea of a tax-supported education.

In the early 1800s, this movement to establish publicly-funded schools gained momentum, led by educational reformers such as Horace Mann. By the mid-1800s, most states had established public school systems and required children to attend school.

During the late 1800s and early 1900s, the focus of education shifted towards developing a standardized curriculum and preparing students for the workforce. The progressive education movement emerged in the early 1900s, emphasizing student-centered learning and the development of critical thinking skills.

Separate but Equal

In the late 20th century, education reform efforts focused on improving student achievement through standardized testing and accountability measures. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, and later the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015, aimed to improve student achievement and close achievement gaps through increased accountability and testing.

Today, education in the United States remains a complex and evolving system, with challenges such as funding disparities, teacher shortages, and achievement gaps still present. However, there is ongoing innovation and experimentation in the field of education, with new models and approaches being developed to meet the needs of students in the 21st century.

Vocabulary

Old Deluder Satan Act of 1647

Dame Schools

Horace Mann Common School Movement

Tax-supported education Public school systems

Standardized curriculum

Progressive education movement

Student-centered learning

Critical thinking skills

Separate but Equal

Curricula

Teaching methods

Plessy v. Ferguson

Jim Crowe Laws

Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka Kansas, 1954

Racial segregation

Civil rights movement

Little Rock Nine African

Orval Faubus – Governor of Arkansas.