ED 201 - Historical and Philosophical Foundations of Education ...

ED 201 - Historical and Philosophical Foundations of Education – Fall, 2001
Instructor
Irv Epstein
Meeting Times: Tuesday, Thursday 8:00 – 9:15 am, CLA 305.
Office Hours: Tuesday, Thursday, 1:00 – 3:30 pm. and by appointment.
Office Telephone: 556-3098
Home Telephone: 454-7937
e-mail: iepstein@titan.iwu.edu
Course Rationale
This course explores educational issues from humanistic and social science
perspectives. Education is among the most personal of the academic disciplines, and in
this course, we will draw upon our own expertise as well as the theoretical work of a
number of authors in evaluating the nature of educational reform, the relationship
between education and social change, the degree to which education promotes or hinders
equality of opportunity for different groups. We will specifically examine the educational
experiences of people of color, people who are poor, and the gendered nature of
educational practice as a means of determining what schools do and why they do it. We
will examine broad policy issues while analyzing specific educational structures; we will
investigate historical patterns and contemporary trends; and we will look at outstanding
examples of teaching excellence in difficult situations. During the latter part of the
course, we will devote a considerable amount of time to creating solutions to some of the
important problems that have been discussed.
Course Objectives
1. Over the course of the term, students will develop a personal philosophy of education
statement which will discuss and justify what it means to learn, what it means to teach
and what forms of knowledge are worth learning.
2. Students will examine issues of education and diversity within historical and
contemporary contexts, with specific reference to ethnicity, class, and gender.
3. Students will analyze the relationship between education and social equity by
investigating issues concerning resource allocation, tracking, and community relations.
4. Students will analyze contemporary issues involved in school politics including:
finance, school board and district relations, teacher unionism, the nature of the
profession, privatization and choice alternatives, etc.

Required Texts
1. Carger, Chris Liska. Of Borders and Dreams. New York: Teachers College Press,
1996.
2. Foley, Douglas. The Heartland Chronicles. Philadelphia, U. of Pennsylvania, 1995.
3. Kozol, Jonathan. Savage Inequalities. New York: Crown, 1991.
4).Michie, Gregory. New York: Teachers College Press, 1999.
5. Orenstein, Peggy. Schoolgirls. New York: Anchor, 1994.
6. Rousmaniere, Kate. City Teachers. New York: Teachers College Press, 1997.
Course Requirements
Requirements
Grading
1.Individual Report of a local school board meeting. 50
points
2. Group Presentation on one of the required texts for the class
and small assignment group work.
3. Individual attendance and participation including
a minimum of five e-mail listserve entries and regular reactions to
class readings in written and oral form.
50 points
100 points
4. 3 Comparative book reviews (7 pages each); for each review,
you will compare and contrast two of the different books that will
have been read during the course of the term.. Two can be rewritten 600
points
for a higher grade.
5. Group project/class simulation. 75 points
6. In-class midterm essay examination based upon class readings and
discussions.
75 points
7. Self-evaluation statement (3-5 pages) 50 points
.
Total
1000 points

Approximate Grading Scale
1000 - 960 points A
959 - 920 points A-
919 - 880 points B+
879 - 840 points B
839 - 800 points B-
799 - 760 points C+
759 - 720 -points C
719 - 680 - points C-
679 - 640 points D
Below 640 points F

Description of Assignments
School Board Meeting Report
One of the requirements of the course is to attend a school board meeting. In your 3-4
page report of that meeting, you should list the names of 1) the members of the board; 2)
the superintendent; 3) board staff (secretaries, etc.) and note their ethnicity and gender.
You should include if available, an agenda for the meeting and comment upon its
appropriateness. It would be useful to record board votes as issues come up and comment
upon the degree of conflict or unaminity among board members and between board
members and the superintendent. It would also be helpful to comment upon the degree of
community participation, the extent to which diverse community voices were visible and
expressive, and the reactions of board members to community concerns. Finally, try to
determine whether 1) board members had comprehensive knowledge of the issues they
were addressing, 2) if board members saw themselves as trustees or delegates, and 3) if
the board acted as if it were dominated, pluralistic or inert (we will cover the definitions
of these terms during the course).
Local School Board Addresses and Meeting Times
District Address Telephone Meeting Times
(check to verify)
Bloomington 300 E. Monroe 827-6031 7:30 pm 2nd and 4th
Weds.
Weds.
(District 87)
Normal 1809 W. Hovey 452-4476 7:00 pm, 2nd and 4th
(District 5)
Weds.
Lexington Greenwich and 365-4141 7:30 CST;
8:00 CDT
Cherry Sts.
3rd Thursday
Chenoa 200 S. Third 945-7214 7:15 pm. 3rd Mon.
Heyworth 308 W. Cleveland 473-3727 7:00 pm. 3rd Weds.
Leroy 600 E. Pine 962-4211 7:00 pm 2nd Mon.
Olympia RR.1, Stanford 379-6011 7:00 pm. 2nd
Monday; Nov-
March; 8:00 pm.
April-October

Tri-Valley 410 E. Washington, 378-2351 7:00 pm CST; 7:30pm
Downs
CDT, 1st and 3 rd
Mon.
Part One: Model School
Model School/Simulation of School Board Meeting
During the latter part of the course, you will work in small groups to devise a model
school, given an imaginary student body reflective of national norms. You will be
expected to devise your own curriculum, governance structure, mission statement, and
budget using information gained from the internet, from class readings, and from
consultations with local school district officials. Each group will present its model school
proposal orally before the rest of the class where the proposals will be evaluated. They
will then be submitted to the instructor in written form. Finally, we will combine the best
characteristics of all of the proposals for one model school.
Part Two: School Board Meeting
We will reenact a hypothetical school board meeting where the proposal to create the
class model school will be considered. Everyone in the class will be given a role from
board member to superintendent to parent, teacher or student. Each participant will try to
make sure that her/his position is advanced during the meeting and will write a brief (2
page) summary of the strategy and tactics employed to further one's cause.
Group Presentations
As a part of your small group grade, your group will be expected to teach one lesson,
based upon one of the required books of the course. The group will present material it
considers important to an understanding of the book and will be encouraged to use
discussion, lecture, video and alternative teaching methods to present the material. The
group presentation will be graded according to the degree of consistent and uniform
participation on the part of every group member, originality of presentation, clear
understanding of the material, and ability to engage the rest of the class in the
presentation. I will meet with each group outside of class to help in the planning of the
presentation.
E-mail entries
We will start our own list-serve group on e-mail and every member of the class will be
expected to make at least 5 contributions. Your contribution can be a comment upon a
theme raised during class discussion, a reaction to a book, a speaker, or an activity. Or,

you can simply comment upon what another person says on e-mail. The idea is to extend
discussion beyond the classroom without direct instructor interference. At least two of
your e-mails should include references to books, articles, websites, or sources you have
discovered that pertain to the issue at hand outside of regular classroom exchange. This is
your opportunity to talk to each other about issues that arise in class. I will monitor the e-
mail only to make sure that the minimum number of entries are fulfilled and that you
mention at least two external sources in your discussions. This activity will constitute part
of your participation and attendance grade.
Comparative Book Reviews
Three 7 page book reviews are required for the course. The reviews ask you to compare
two of the books we will have read during the term. For each review, you should identify
the title, author, city of publication, publisher, and date of publication of the books
subject to review.
Review Number 1 – George Michie, in his book Holler if You Hear Me, tries to use the
actual voices of his students in explaining how and why teaching can make a positive
difference in their lives. Kate Rousmaniere, in her book City Teachers, argues that New
York City teachers historically have battled for control over their working conditions and
the teaching methods they would prefer to use, often with little success. Can inner-city
teachers make a difference in their own lives and in the lives of the children they teach?
Answer this question by comparing both of these books, examining the premises each
author makes, the evidence that they use in support of their premises, and the adequacy of
their conclusions.
Review Number 2 – Jonathan Kozol, in Savage Inequalities, uses his role as an outsider
to demonstrate how the systematic injustices of the American educational system give
those who are disadvantaged little help. Douglas Foley, in The Heartland Chronicles,
uses his role as an anthropologist and former member of a rural community, to examine
how schools in his hometown were and continue to be insensitive to issues of ethnic
diversity. He recounts experiences from his own life and interviews former friends and
associates in arriving at his conclusions. Explain the strengths and weaknesses of each
methodology, determine which picture of educational and social inequality is more
accurate, and why.
Review Number 3 - Chris Carger, in Of Borders and Dreams, shows how his schooling
failed Alejandro and the Juarez family at every step, while Peggy Ornstein, in
Schoolgirls, argues that schools are systematically biased against girls. Explain why you
agree or disagree with the extent of their pessimism and give a series of concrete steps
that you think would improve educational outcomes for girls and for Latino children of
all types.
For each review, assume that the reader has not read the books in question and back up
your arguments with evidence from the texts, class discussions, and personal experience.

Self-Evaluation
Your final assignment will be a self-evaluation statement (3-5 pages in length) where you
will comment upon the intellectual growth you have made during the course of the
semester. In writing this evaluation, you will be asked to comment upon what you have
learned from each of the assignments completed in the course, what you have learned
from your peers through group interaction, and in what areas you hope to learn more as
you continue to pursue your studies at Illinois Wesleyan University.
Grading and Assessment Procedures
This course is designed to offer varied forms of assessment throughout the term and it is
expected that you will demonstrate competence in all of the prescribed forms of oral and
written expression in order to receive credit for the class. Although instructor to student
and student to instructor expectations will become clearer as the course proceeds, please
keep in mind the following general performance criteria that will be used in the course.
I. Evaluation of formal written work
1) "A" papers demonstrate excellence in content, organization and style. The author
presents a unified thesis, followed by a sound organizational strategy. The ideas that are
presented are engaging and illuminate insights not readily apparent in reading the
required text. Assertions are supported by evidence and logical argument. Where
appropriate, contrary arguments and conflicting evidence are noted and reasons for
disagreements are made clear. The author is aware of her/his role, the appropriate
audience for whom the piece is intended, and presents ideas that are clearly stated and
easy to understand. A papers rarely contain any spelling or grammatical mistakes.
2) “A-” papers differ from A papers in that there may be one or two fewer truly engaging
and illuminating insights that are presented. Still, the ideas that are expressed are creative
and insightful, assertions are supported by evidence and logical argument, and contrary
arguments are presented when called for. Grammatically and stylistically, the author may
make one mistake but this is the exception. In short, this is not the perfect paper, but it
comes close.
3) "B+" papers are solid pieces of work that demonstrate good ideas and insights that are
somewhat more common and perhaps less useful than those presented in "A" papers. The
organization and style of the papers are of a generally high quality although there may be
an occasional inconsistency in this area. Assertions are supported by evidence and logical
argument although one might expect further elaboration and development of the material
that is presented. Only a few spelling or grammatical errors are in evidence in a B+ paper.
4) “B” papers are solid pieces of work that demonstrate author familiarity and
engagement with the important issues at hand. A “B” paper fulfills the teacher’s
expectations for the assignment, but it is not exceptional or extraordinary in any way. The

writer will demonstrate logical reasoning and support her/his arguments with relevant
evidence but will not take any chances or reach beyond a conventional understanding of
the material.
5) “B-” papers are solid pieces of work with one or two slight exceptions. The author will
demonstrate general familiarity and engagement with important issues but may miss the
implications of one important argument or make a statement that is empirically and
factually incorrect. Still this will not take away from a general understanding of the issues
at hand.The paper will for the most part be well organized, but there may be a particular
paragraph that is stylistically or grammatically inappropriate.
6) "C" papers are adequate pieces of work that demonstrate acceptable understanding of
the assignment. The insights and ideas presented will rarely go beyond the obvious and
there may be some organizational and stylistic inconsistencies that detract from the
content of the piece. It is generally clear that the author understands the nature of the
assignment and appreciates her/his role and that of the audience for whom the piece is
intended. But the use of evidence and logical argument while present throughout the
piece, is limited. Sometimes, one argument will be clearly delivered but opposing points
of view will not be considered. Clarity of expression is present although it may be
seriously lacking in a few areas. Grammatical and spelling errors may be present, but one
can still understand the author’s intention and meaning. C+, C, and C- grades will differ
depending upon how well the author communicates her/his understanding of the
assigment, and demonstrates evidence for having completed the required reading in its
entirety.
7) "D" papers may have some virtues: an occasional insight or good idea, but they are
marred by unclear writing, organization, and style. They demonstrate lack of attention to
audience and communicate the purpose of the piece unclearly, and they are lacking in the
presentation of solid argumentation and evidence. Upon reading this type of paper, one
can’t be absolutely sure that the author understands the assignment and has read the
required material, necessary to complete the assignment intelligently. Grammatical and
spelling errors are abundant.
8) "F" papers fail to address the requirements of the assignment. Their authors show no
insight into the work being studied and show poor attention to organization and style.
These are papers that often are written at the last minute and do not clearly demonstrate
that the author understands her/his role or the nature of the audience for whom the work
is to be written. No evidence is given to demonstrate that the author has actually read the
required material or completed the required tasks prior to writing this paper. No effort is
made to organize one's thoughts clearly.
All formal written work for the course should be proofread and spell checked before
being turned in.

Informal written work
During this course, you will be asked to complete informal written work as well as more
polished formal written work. Examples of informal written work include your initial
philosophy of education statement, interview with an educator, answers to chapter
questions, extra-credit summaries of speaker and film presentations, etc. This work will
be graded on a check, check plus, check minus basis, or zero basis. A check indicates that
the work is of acceptable quality and that you have met the basic requirements of the
assignment. A check plus indicates that your insights are truly exceptional and that you
have surpassed the requirements for the assignment. A check minus indicates that the
assignment is deficient in one aspect: lack of thought or attention to the task,
unacceptable quality of the written work, etc. As there will be many opportunities to
complete informal written work, revisions will not be accepted for informal work. In
addition, I will evaluate your informal work when assessing your final grade. If your
point totals place you in an ambiguous position with regard to your final letter grade,
your performance on your informal assignments will be used to reconcile all ambiguities.
II. Evaluation of Oral Expression and Participation
In order for this class to work, everyone must extensively participate orally, both on an
individual basis in front of the larger class and within smaller group settings. As difficult
as it may be to speak in front of others, it is absolutely essential that each person makes
an effort to share their wisdom with the rest of the class. Quality oral participation does
not mean monopolizing discussion. It involves listening, reflecting, critiquing,
encouraging and sharing. We will try as much as possible to create a classroom
environment where these skills are allowed to flourish, in a spirit of tolerance and mutual
respect. When we deal with controversial issues where individuals have strongly held
opinions, we will try to encourage each other to reassess and reevaluate strongly held
views. The overall evaluation of oral participation will therefore be based upon the
consistency of performance as well as the quality of one's contributions. Be prepared to
have your views challenged in this class, but understand that this does not mean that your
views are unimportant or unappreciated.

III. Evaluation of Attendance
Each class member is expected to attend regularly and to notify the instructor in advance
if it is necessary to miss class because of a special circumstance. Attending class is more
than a personal choice: it is a social responsibility, for the class as a whole will be harmed
without your continued presence. If there are extenuating circumstances that prevent you
from fulfilling this commitment on a regular basis, it is your responsibility to inform the
instructor as soon as possible of this fact. In addition, it will be necessary to meet with
small group members at a convenient time outside of class, to plan group presentations.
Make sure that scheduling conflicts are equitably negotiated when they arise.
IV. Due Dates
Unless renegotiated by the instructor and the entire class, due dates will be strictly
respected except under unique circumstances (the printer isn't working, my hard drive
crashed, the dog ate my paper are not unique circumstances). All assignments are to be
turned in on the agreed-upon date and one full grade will be deducted for each day the
assignment is late,
starting with the beginning of class time.
Tentative Schedule
August 28 th , August 30 th ,, September 4th, September 6th
Topic: Introduction to the Philosophy of Education
Reading: Michie, Holler if You Hear Me.
Group One presentation of Michie, Due September 6th.
September 11th, September 13 th ,September 20th
Topic: Issues in the History of American Education; Teaching as a Profession
Reading: Rousmaniere, City Teachers.
Group 2 presentation of Rousmaniere. Due September 20th th .
September 25th, October 2 nd , October 4th
Topic: Contemporary Issues: School Financing and School Resources
Reading: Kozol, Savage Inequalities.

Group 3 presentation of Savage Inequalities, Due October 4th.
October 9th, October 11th, October 16th
Topic: Education, Ethnicity and Identity
Reading: Foley, The Heartland Chronicles
Group 4 presentation of The Heartland Chronicles, Due October11th.
October 16th -Midterm Exam
October 18 th - Speaker on Youth Gangs, (Pat Morland from Project Oz,), Thursday,
(tentative)
October 23 rd , October 25 th , October 30 th, November 1st
Topic: Education and Gender
Reading: Ornstein, Schoolgirls
Group 5 presentation of Schoolgirls, Due: November 1 st .
November 6 th , November 8 th , November 12th
Topic: Ethnicity and American Education: The Latino Experience
Readings: Carger, Of Borders and Dreams,
Film: Fear and Learning at Hoover Elementary, November 8th
November 13th, November 15th, November 20th, November 27th
Topics: The Politics of Education and Educational Reform; begin preparations for
Model School proposals
November 22nd - Thanksgiving
November 29 th – Model School Proposals
December 4 th , December 6 th – Preparation for Final Simulation
Final Simulation – Tuesday, December 11 th 1:15 pm – 3:15 pm.
Assignment Due Dates

September 4th - Interview with an educator about her/his philosophy of education.
September 6th - Philosophy of education statement describing what you believe it means
to teach and be educated.
September 6th - Group One presentation on Michie.
September 20th - Group Two presentation on Rousmaniere.
September 20th - First two e-mail entries due.
September 25 th – First Comparative Book Review due.
October 4th- Group Three presentation on Kozol due.
October 11th – Group Four presentation on Foley due.
October 16 th – Midterm Exam (in class).
October 18 th – Second Comparative Book Review due.
October 18 th – Speaker on Youth Gangs, tentative.
November 1 st – Group Five presentation on Ornstein due.
November 6th - School Board Meeting Report due.
November 8th - Three additional e-mails due.
November 8th - Second Comparative Book Review due; deadline for revisions on first
book review.
November 29th- Presentation of model schools.
December 6th - Third Comparative Book Review due; deadline for revisions on second
book review.
December 11th - Exam Day - School Board Simulation
December 12th - School Board Simulation statement; self-evaluation regarding
growth in the course due.