Section 1: 1) The big idea of “schooling as induction” suggests that children go to school to learn to take their proper place in society, to acquire the knowledge, traditions, and behaviours required...

Section 1:



1) The big idea of “schooling as induction” suggests that children go to school to learn to take their proper place in society, to acquire the knowledge, traditions, and behaviours required to make them both culturally intelligible (recognizable) and intelligent (literate, civilized), for their own quality of life and for that of the state. Drawing on Plato’s


The Republic


and two other seminar readings, discuss this ‘big idea’ offering at least one example from each of the three texts.

“Schooling as induction” is the first big idea that shed light on the concept that schooling induces children so they can acquire their place in society in order to live a quality life. Through this process of induction the children are to achieve benefits that would help them in their long run. The article
Schooling in the Industrial Age,
Human and Child Nature: The Search for Perfection, and the book
The Republic of Plato
offers the big idea, as it is a crucial part of development of a child as they step into formal educational institutes.
The article
Schooling in the Industrial Age
by Paul Axelrod helps understand the need of schooling in the Industrial Age as per the demand. The schooling during the Industrial Age took the approach of a traditional classroom, which consists of rigid teaching style and an authoritative and domineering relationship between the student and the child. This style turned off the child’s imagination and steered the thoughts of the child in one direction closing off other opportunities, advancement, knowledge and curiosity. Axelrod points out the consequences of the schooling in the Industrial era that contributed towards inducing children through the schooling process. Along with the consequences, Axelrod also mentions gender segregation and different schooling is provided for the genders.
The goal of induction is to help individuals realize how they can best make a contribution in the society. The article provides many instances where through the process of schooling, children are induced in order to help contribute to the society. One key example is: “Manual training was offered only to boys because they, not girls, were expected ultimately to work in industrial occupations” (Axelrod, p. 17). Although the issue of gender segregation is obvious the key point here is that educational reformers predicted the need of male workers in the growing economy and trained them to fill the space and prepare them for the economy ahead. Through manual training the education system was creating boys who would payback the society through their labor and knowledge gained from the same society. Similarly to disregard the gender segregation, the reforms provided females with education that catered towards the caressing and loving such as nurses. Due to the rising complaints of health conditions in schools, the education system turned towards girls and induced them to be nurses as they believed “competitive spirit was lacking in girls and they were more inclined to gentler activities such as ‘games of chance, of cards…and table games” (Axelrod, p. 21-22). Females started focusing on pursuing a career in nursing and further “visited the homes of working class and immigrant families…lectured parents, not only on appropriate health-care practices, but also on topics such as child rearing, temperance, and home decoration” (Axelrod, p. 23).
The above two examples show the growing demand of occupations and the action taken towards children to fit them in the society in the near future. As the problem arose, the education system immediately took action and worked towards providing for the society and setting up children to pay back the society. Schooling as induction once again, is clear in this case through the immediate actions taken by the educational reforms as they sought to create children’s mind into what society required. The children’s mind were molded and manipulated to fit the needs of society through education that closed off creativity and curiosity amongst children. Many changes took place in the Industrial Age and educational reforms did not step back from shaping the minds of young children who innocently believed what was presented to them.
Next, the article
Human and Child Nature: The Search for Perfection
by Alice Prentice is the study of searching perfection as the title suggests. Throughout the article, the focus remains on how to turn children into infinitely perfectible. Prentice also noted that as society progresses the human has to change accordingly and be acceptable of the progresses made. Overall, the article explores the nature of a human and child – similarities and differences to conclude to the type of schooling for different minds.
Prentice quotes Ryerson in her writing,
“Children were clay, to be molded into ‘vessels of honor or dishonor – to be made the ornament or disgrace, the benefactors or the plagues, the blessings or curse of their race.’ It was education that made the difference. An uneducated child would grow up into ‘a mere animal’ with tastes and sympathies ‘as degraded and pernicious they might be exalted and useful…The basic tendency of the child was to remain ‘an animal’ if education did not intervene” (Prentice, p. 175).
The quote portrays children as mere objects rather subjects and taking them out of wilderness into better citizens and human beings. Education here is seen as
the
most critical requirement for survival in society. It goes as far as to say that children will remain animals if education was not to rescue them. Molding was in the hands and controls of instructors who would decide how to shape each individual as they desire and as the society demands. They could control which student deserved to be a doctor and which student deserved to be a carpenter. The power lay in the hands of educators who knew what is best for the young and developing minds. Educators used the power to their advantage and helped children find their place in the world through the search of what career is perfect for the child keeping in mind that the child was not part of the process at all. Through choosing career paths, educators set children on the “right” track for their own quality of life and later for the state. In the end, the society benefited from the labor and knowledge that the child gained through the process of induction.
Inducing children into various career paths sets them up for a life that is already decided for them. Induction in the early century left no room for thought and creativity. Similar to the early century, schooling as induction continues to form and shape children into set career paths. For instance, with the growing need of technology, the educationalists integrated computer classes and the majority of the students today are in the best engineering programs in the best universities around the world. Because we live in a world of technological gadgets and devices, the demand is of computer savvy individuals who can tackle issues with new technology and/or invent new and improved devices for a better lifestyle. Computer classes begin as early as elementary schools and all the assignments are now done via computer software’s rather than in writing. The only difference between the early era and the technological era is that creative thinking is encouraged and not oppressed. All in all, indirectly, the children continue being induced to fit the needs of the growing society and finding their proper places in society.
Lastly, the book,
The Republic of Plato
translated by Francis MacDonald Cornford provides a perspective of Plato on the education of children and the purpose they serve in the society. The main focus of the Plato’s perspective here is to determine an extended definition of what constitutes Justice in a given state? Plato outlines each step that will conclude the definition of what justice is in a society. His detailed information helps comprehend what an ideal state may look like which is comprised of many questions along the way; such as, the subjects, the ideal teacher, the resources, citizens, economy and other factors that are necessary to come to a conclusion.
Plato writes,
“…but the god who fashioned you mixed hold in the composition of those among you who are fit to rule, so that they are of the most precious quality; and he put silver in the Auxiliaries and iron and brass in the farmers and craftsmen. Now, since you are all of on stock, although your children will generally be like their parents, sometimes a golden parent may have a silver child or a silver parent a golden one…” (Plato, p. 106-107).
Here we see how Plato introduces the idea of class within a just state. It is ironic however, it also affirms the idea that the other two readings introduced of inducing children to a right track in life and to serve the society. Here also, by dividing the citizens into a class system, Plato identifies how the citizens will provide back to the society and that Almighty has already decided the path that each citizen will take in order to keep the cycle going. In Plato’s idea of a just society, a class system exists to maintain the order.
The class system thus becomes visible through education. The reforms will then focus on each class distinctively and that will form segregation in class and segregation in their stream. This system parallels to the system that is existent in some parts of South East Asia where the caste system is in place and their focus on education is specific to their own caste. For instance, a child born in a carpenter’s family is already prone to being a carpenter unless he has potential of being a ruler or a soldier, which will be then enforced through education and taught to fit that particular caste. Although induction here is creating differences between caste members, it also points out the role of citizens in assisting towards building a just society. If the citizens know their roles beforehand, the cycle will not be disrupted and continue while maintain a social order. The social order will then provide a just society as there will be no confusion as to which citizen belongs to the high caste, middle caste and low caste. The caste system is a way to let soldiers do their job well rather than having carpenters play their role. If a carpenter was to perform the role of a soldier or a guardian, there will be a lot of confusion as the carpenter is not educated towards that path, causing disorder and disruption in the society.
In conclusion, the three sources prove to be strong evidence affirming the notion of schooling as induction. The articles and the book reaffirm that schooling as induction helps children identify their roles in society simultaneously closing off doors of opportunities or advancement. Induction helps in maintaining order therefore the society consists of all types of people that are needed to keep the society continue its cycle.

Section 2:


3) The big idea of “schooling as growth” suggests that, regardless of the social order, schools should cultivate the individual talents, interests and goals of each child, for whom the outcome of education is “the integration of the self” and a life characterized by personal acceptance and fulfillment. Drawing on Krishnamurti’s


Education and the Significance of Life


and two other seminar readings, discuss this ‘big idea’ offering at least one example from each of the three texts.

“Schooling as growth” is a self-explanatory concept that emphasizes on individual growth, personal fulfillment, and cultivates healthy individuals. Growth in this context does not mean physical growth but mental growth in terms of educational attainment and attainment of skills and talents that are gained through the process of schooling as growth. The article
Art and Imagination,
A Schooled Culture
and the book
Education and the Significance of Life
provide examples of schooling as growth through distinctive perspectives that each reading offers.
The article,
Art and Imagination
by Maxine Greene highlights a different approach to education, which is through art and having an open imagination. Art is not only about drawing and painting but also through other forms of art. A common myth is that if a student does not exceed in math and science then the child will not achieve heights in life therefore, other courses such as arts, music, dance, drama, and other social science courses are considered a “waste of time” as many closed-minded people say. The article suggests that it is critical for schools to encourage imaginative and creative thinking for the children to express their feelings and emotions as it helps them grow and learn about themselves in life.
Greene writes on page 87, “…participatory involvement with the many forms of art can enable us to
see
more in our experience, to
hear
more on normally unheard frequencies, to
become conscious
of what daily routines have obscured, what habit and convention have suppressed” (Greene, p.87). This statement really looks at all the perspectives of a child who wants to make him or her aware. Art enables a child’s self-expression that further helps a teacher in understanding the child’s interest, strengths and weakness according to which next steps can be taken. Often the child is unable to explain his or her troubles, which can be understood through other forms. Although verbal communication is the main medium, but sometimes the medium needs to be shifted according to the child’s needs. Through the use of a different medium, a child can comfortably and freely present the views, which in itself is an indication of growth.
Schooling as growth can happen in many different contexts and various situations. It can be a simple conversation amongst a group of children where they are learning to problem solve or doing quiet reading and leaning about a boy who helped the blind lady cross the street and applying the text to real life situations. Growth does not always mean progressing from basic mathematics to algebra. Growth is always mistaken for physical growth. Physical growth and healthiness is critical for the child just as much as being able to think outside the box.
Such capability will only be possible if the focus is on the individual rather than social growth. The competitive world that we live in enforces parents to teach their children to be competitive which encourages children to memorize and be first in everything – math test or a soccer game. In the midst of being first, the child loses the ability to think creatively and think beyond what is presented. Young children are capable of coming up with creative and wild ideas which work but they need the push from both parents and teachers, to let the creativeness out and be free of societal pressure.
Next, the article,
A Schooled Culture
by Matt Hern, explores the debate over who is considered educated and who is not. It explores this question through ADD/ADHD students and provides distinctive definitions of education. The idea of education has become so vital that the society rejects people who do not attain post-secondary education and label them as “uneducated”. The article also points out the dilemma that teachers find themselves in: to abide by the rules? Or follow passion? is another challenge for teachers to come across in order to help the children grow.
Hern presents a point that disrupts the growth in children. He says on p. 100-101,
“Many see teachers as the root problem. The argument is that if teachers would be more patient, understanding, flexible and innovative in their classroom management, then vastly fewer children would end up dosed. On the other hand, teachers are constrained by the same system children are. Teachers have to deal with thirty children in a classroom, standardized curricula they had no part in generation and frequent testing of their students by whose performance they are judged” (Hern, p101-101).
This is a huge problem that has been in existence for a while now and continues to grow as tuition rises. The rise of tuition equals to larger lectures with one professor, which in return affects the learning environment. Similarly, the ratios in day cares and classes further on have high number of students. In such an environment, the teacher is forced to cater towards the entire class and not each individual. The teacher wishes to provide a unique experience for each individual but is tied to the system where the ratio of each twelve kindergartens equals to one teacher. Due to this high student-teacher ratio, the children’s yearning curiously is suppressed by the system and restrains the teacher from providing an exceptional learning environment. Rather the teacher ends up ‘taking care’ of the children in the classroom versus providing a leaning environment. Another consequence due to the increased ratio is teacher’s jumping to conclusions in regards to ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder) or ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder).
To avoid the labeling and support the growth in this case can only be achieved by decreasing the student-teacher ratio. By decreasing the ratio many valuable changes will take place in the classroom that will not only be affective for the children but teachers as well. The teachers will be successful in providing inclusive and an adequate teaching and learning environment where one-on-one interaction is possible. Some children just require extra attention, extra nurturing, extra care, extra love, extra affection, which can help succeed children and avoid the labels of ADD or ADHD. The entire purpose just emphasizes the need of a strong relationship between teacher and student is critical for growth that is possible with less number of students to one teacher.
Lastly, the book
Education and the Significance of Life
by J. Krishnamurti is a philosophic book that explores the type of relationship the teachers must have with students and themselves. It helps understand the challenges between teacher and student, the barriers that come in the way of a teacher and other issues that are dealt with on daily basis but maybe overlooked as minor problems. In his book, he redefines the purpose of education that I believe is lost in the society we live in. He also concentrates on what the educational system turns children into rather than introducing children to themselves.
Krishnamurti presents multiple ideas on what the ideal and true purpose of education is in a child’s life. He says,
“The right kind of education consists in understanding the child as he is without imposing upon him an ideal of what we think he should be. To enclose him in the framework of an ideal is to encourage him to conform, which breeds fear and produces in him a constant conflict between what he is and what he should be…” (Krishnamurti, p. 25-26).
The quote by Krishnamurti is very self-explanatory in terms of the consequences of what might happen if the child is forced to be something that he or she is not and does not want to be. There is a quote by Stacia Tauscher that I believe in religiously, “We worry about what a child will become tomorrow, yet we forget that is something today”. Both quotations go hand in hand as while we are worrying about the child’s future, we (parents and teachers) impose activities upon the child that will benefit in his or her future but we forget what skills the child is offering today and understanding the child as he is. Here comes the conflict between what the child should be according to the needs of society and what the child is or wants to be.
Due to this conflict, the growing of a child is disrupted once again. The child will end up being conflicted in what he should be and what he is if he or she is told various things from people around him or her. Instead of exploring curiosities in the world, the child is bound to sacrifice the freedom and follow a set path that is set by parents which may include specializing in mathematics and science to achieve a profession in engineering or medical. Furthermore, the child is aloof from creative understanding and creative thinking that the child’s mind is capable of. The child will do as asked and not be able to think outside of the box. The child’s own experiences will not allow the child to know personal traits and attributes that makes the child unique rather the child’s central focus will become to improve or enhance what the society asks out of him.
In conclusion, having an open-mind, providing inclusive learning environment and understanding the child are critical points amongst various others in the big idea of schooling as growth. Growth and development are critical aspects of a child that are to be nurtured with love and care. A growing child requires love as well as the guiding hand to guide and not enforce personal or societal beliefs. The competition is with oneself first then the world.

Section 3:


5) The big idea of “schooling as social transformation” suggests that children go to school to learn how to live in the social world where “change is the rule,” to practice active social engagement, and to cultivate their social agency and participation in democratic relations. Drawing on Dewey’s


Experience and Education


and two other seminar readings, discuss this ‘big idea’ offering at least one example from each of the three texts.

The education system has come a long way and experienced many changes on its way to 2012. The changes were made for the betterment of the education system in order to provide an adequate learning environment for all children. The Canadian education system has shifted from residential schools to multicultural schools continues to attempt to provide a positive learning environment for the coming generation. These transformations indicate the significance of change. The article
Opening the Classroom Closet: Dealing with Sexual Orientation at the Toronto Board of Education,
Embracing Change: Teaching in a Multicultural World, and the book
Experience & Education
provide numerous examples and ideas that present schooling as a social transformation.
The article,
Embracing Change: Teaching in a Multicultural World
by Bell Hooks brings out the experience of the author herself as she was educated mostly in a segregated school and had cherished the time spent there. However, her experience in non-segregated school was disregarded and she felt that the students were treated as objects and not subjects (Hooks, p.104). Through her personal experience, the reader is able to understand the need of integrating multiculturalism through fluctuating teaching techniques that opens up a stage for discussion and hearing opinions of others that are valuable to the speaker.
The article ends with a very key point that is,
“Multiculturalism compels educators to recognize the narrow boundaries that have shaped the way knowledge is shared in the classroom. It forces us all to recognize our complicity in accepting and perpetuating biases of any kind. Students are eager to break through barriers to knowing, willing to surrender to the re-learning and learning ways of knowing that go against the grain” (Hooks, p. 108).
The quote clearly points out to the need of multiculturalism in classrooms as it fosters different views leading to discussions and new learning. Students are curious to learn and be part of cultures that are different from their own. Some people make uninformed statements that can be hurtful but through open discussion in multicultural classrooms hurtful statement can be avoided. Individuals learn from each other’s experience as each experience is unique and contributes fairly to an inclusive discussion. A discussion without biases and stereotypes is only possible if the teacher uses a teaching style that fits perfectly to the needs of that particular group of students.
In order to have a firm understanding of the narrow boundaries between cultures, teachers have to be very carefully in choosing the teaching style that will be used to present a topic of multiculturalism. This requires keeping in mind the interest of the group and the number of different cultures in classroom as it is important to provide the same experience for all the students. Hence, the students’ learning and continuous interest is highly dependent on teachers and their teaching method. The change in this case is seen through adapting the requirements of the classroom and changing around the teaching method to fit to the needs. For instance, one teacher can ask the group of students to do a PowerPoint presentation on different cultures whereas another teacher may ask the students to bring foods that are part of the culture while another teacher may simply teach the class through different books or another teacher may get the students to share their own culture in any manner they like. Since, change is the rule, there is no fixed teaching method to the new form of learning. This will not only help the students learn from each other but it will also help the teacher to get to know the students better. The children are learning to accept each other for who they are and to avoid segregation or racial remarks that are unnecessary and provoke disagreements and disputes. Afro-centric schools that are in place currently acts as a perfect example where students are engaged in learning about their culture and advancing in the society but may lack behind in cultural awareness that is critical living in a diverse nation like Canada.
Next, the article
Opening Classroom Closet: Dealing with Sexual Orientation at the Toronto Board of Education
by John Campey, Tim McCaskell, John Miller, and Vanessa Russell shares the timeline of the acceptance of homosexuality in the 80s. The timeline is a perfect source of schooling as transformation as it points out the rejection and slow acceptation of homosexuals and homosexuality. Transformation rom fearing to talk about homosexuality to integrating homosexuality awareness as part of the curriculum.
The authors mention, “Lesbian and gay students are denied the opportunity to develop social and life skills at the same time as their heterosexual peers” (Campey, McCaskell, Miller & Russell, p. 35). The quote makes it crystal clear of inequality and marginalizing that the heterosexuals may have experienced in this time period. On one hand, it is understandable why the idea was rejected and disapproved from teaching in schools but on the other hand, it is also an example of people who are unable to open up their shallow minds to acceptance of emerging changes in society. It also displays fear that is amongst the people who are not yet ready to allow a new concept to the children. After a lot of struggle and debates, homosexuality was starting to become “normal” and acceptable amongst the people. This is proved through the emergence of a group called TEACH in Toronto, “TEACH (Teens Educating about and Challenging Homophobia) is an interesting group in terms of its membership: not all members define themselves as lesbian, gay, or bisexual. This is significant since there is no other youth group in Toronto doing similar equity work whose membership includes straight youth” (Campey et al., p. 91). This is an example of achieving success after lots of struggle and making place in society and being treated equally by the people living in the society. TEACH is the only group that is constituted of not just homosexuals but straight members as well. Most significantly, it was a group constituted of youth who helped raise awareness in the society.
The transformation in this case is very significant because the change was progressive and shows the need of acceptance is critical. Many children suffered when they tried to reveal their sexual orientation – kicked out of the house, harassment at school, issues of poverty and more. However, now these children can now be worry free of their sexual orientation when ‘coming out’. The integration of sex education for students in schools to inform students of using precautions and being safe. The teachers have to be certified and undergone trainings that will help provide efficient knowledge on sex education for all sexual orientations. Because the children are now informed about different sexual orientations, they are curious to investigate more and it also helps break the barriers between different groups. Harassment, bullying and other issues have decreased over the years as the encouragement of teaching about all sexual orientations is in full affect.
FEEL FREE TO ADD MORE IF YOU LIKE.


Lastly, John Dewey’s book
Experience & Education
incorporates the two extreme ends of teaching methods – traditional and progressive. Traditional that was used during the Industrial era and the progressive that we are experiencing today. His book explores ideas such as social control, the nature of freedom, the meaning of purpose and a few more. Through these educational theories,
Dewey continually emphasizes experience, experiment, purposeful learning, freedom, and other concepts revolving around progressive education. He also argues that the quality of an educational experience is critical and stresses the importance of the social and interactive processes of learning (THIS IS OFF OF WIKIPEDIA. PLEASE HELP RE-WORD OR RE-ADJUST SOMEWHERE IN THIS PARAGRAPH.).
Similar to Dewey, personally traditional education provides little and no room for growth. It is almost saying either do this or that and nothing beyond. Traditional education closes the doors to opportunities for enhancement and betterment of the child. Children who grow up in such an education system, start to preach the same to next generation and the idea becomes rigid with little or no changes and acceptance at all. Dewey writes,
“The history of educational theory is marked by opposition between the idea that education is developed from within and that it is formation from without; that it is based upon natural downments and that education is a process of overcoming natural inclination and substituting in its place habits acquired under external pressures” (Dewey, p. 17).
The statement by Dewey highlights the debate between traditional and progressive education and its consequences. The education is developed from within equal to education involves educative experiences. The traditional education lacks educative experiences and follows the rigid rules that are made by the institution, teachers and other authorities of which children had no say in. The purpose of education is not to control the mind’s of children rather the purpose is to provide educative experiences for children to learn through distinctive experiences and explore further through an open and creative mind. The job of education is not to brainwash children and provide one-sided information rather it is to provide both sides of the coin and let the child decide which side they support and they reasoning behind it. Traditional education, personally was never effective as it created similar minds that possessed similar skills and outlook. The children are learning under external pressures that include the old-fashioned class structure; teacher in front of the class while the students are sitting in rows; children raising hands or asking for permission to leave the classroom are examples of few rules outline by the teachers; children forced to participate in a curriculum that they were not part of creating and other external pressures that disrupt the freedom and multiple outlooks of children.
The attributes that progressive education attains provide room for transformation. In traditional education, change is next to impossible. The teachers went from being dominant to understanding; from commanding to agreeing or negotiating; from manipulative to direct; from being rigid to flexible; from reactive to proactive or preventive. Many other changes came along with the progressive education: open discussion rather than following the textbook; children taking initiative and making decisions rather than following orders; independent rather than dependent. Such changes emerged due to the betterment of the development of children. If traditional education was to continue in the 21^st
century, the technology would not have been accepted by the education system to be part of classrooms. The biggest change that came along with progressive education was the focus on being creative and having an imaginative mind with problem solving skills, taking initiative, adaptive and much more rather than educating the child to fit in the society and closed in a box.
In conclusion, the three sources underscore a common theme that personal and educative experience is crucial for allowing room for changes – minor or major. The nature of experience will only be educative when the child is given the right environment, resources and guidance to thrive and stand apart from the crowd.

Reference
:

Axelrod, Paul. 1997. Schooling in the industrial age. In
The Promise of Schooling: Education in Canada, 1800-1914
(pp. 104-122). University of Toronto Press.
Campey, J., T. McCaskell, J. Miller, and V. Russell. 1994. “Opening the Classroom Closet: Dealing with Sexual Orientation at the Toronto Board of Education.” In S. Prentice, ed.
Sex in Schools: Canadian Education and Sexual Regulation,
Toronto: Our Schools/Our Selves Education Foundation.
Dewey, J. 1997.
Experience & Education.
New York: A Touchstone Book.?
Greene, Maxine. 1995. “Art and Imagination.” In
Releasing the Imagination,
San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Hern, Matt. 2003. “A Schooled Culture.” In
Field Day: Getting Out of School,
Vancouver: New Star Books.
hooks, bell. 1994. “Embracing Change: Teaching in a Multicultural World.” In
Teaching to Transgress,
New York: Routledge.
Krishnamurti, J. 1981.
Education and the Significance of Life.
New York: HarperSanFrancisco.
Plato. 1952.
The Republic,
trans. F.M. Cornford. New York: Oxford University Press.?
Prentice, Alison. 1999. “Human and Child Nature: The Search for Perfection.” In
The School Promoters,
Oxford University Press.
A school is a place where the child spends majority of the time. At school a child is exposed to many things that makes an impact on the child’s thinking. Especially in the younger years, children are curious as they are stepping into the real wo