Show:
Historical foundations
Theory
The achievement gap
Funding and resources
Contemporary policy
100
What does Anderson think of the philanthropists of the 19th century?
These corporate/white interests supported black (rural) vocational education in the South for some good reasons, but mostly for training a lower-class labor force for railroads and other business interests, a post-emancipation form of slavery and race relations.
100
What does Mike Rose think of vocational education?
He values it, thinks it's important.
100
What does Delpit mean by "culture of power"? What are three of the five aspects she proposes?
1. issues of power are enacted in classrooms 2. there are codes/rules for participating in power (a culture of power) 3. the rules of the culture of power are a reflection of the rules of the culture of those who have power 4. if you are not already a participant in the COP, being told explicitly the rules makes acquiring power easier 5. those with power are frequently least aware of -- or least willing to acknowledge -- its existence. those with less are often most aware.
100
What percent of school's budget, to the nearest 10%, generally comes from the federal government?
10%
100
Has socio-economic segregation increased or decreased in the last 40 years?
increased. See Bischoff and Reardon.
200
What does Beecher argue for, related to women in education? What legacy does that argument have today?
female teachers, don't have to pay them much. even more appropriate because of so-called feminine qualities of care and instincts for taking care of children. still high proportion female, particularly among the younger grades, low salaries. teaching devalued, arguably. Cornell dropped its Department of Education... but not business, law, medicine
200
What are the four sociological functions of education (as posited by professor Sipple)? Name an example of each, and an example of when two different functions may conflict with one another.
- socialization - training - caretaking - sorting
200
Name two readings (with authors) that address the achievement gap and summarize them.
Noguera et al., Deschenes, Delpit, Brown, etc.
200
How are charter schools funded?
public tax dollars, based on the number of students that enroll
200
True or false? The Common Core is the US's national curriculum. Explain.
False -- the Common Core has been developed and promoted by a mix of actors, including private ones, and has been implemented on a state-by-state basis.
300
Describe the Indian boarding school phenomenon from the perspective of structural functionalism and conflict theory.
functionalism: forming a national American (white) identity, making Indian children more like white children conflict theory: this was a form of direct and indirect oppression that devalued native culture, through disallowing their language(s), etc.
300
How does conflict theory differ from structural functionalism? Name two readings, one that reflects each, and explain how (or explain one phenomenon through each of the two lenses).
Conflict theory: the way of the world is conflict and if you don't see it, it's because it's hidden oppression. Functionalism: harmonious whole, everyone/thing has a role, society has interlocking parts like a machine. A variety of readings should work!
300
What is the paradox that Mickelson is seeking to explain? What are two of the theories she lists?
girls doing better in school, but not having market return on their investment Pollyanna hypothesis: girls expect to be equally rewarded, so they do well (naively) differential reference group: girls do well because if not equally rewarded, at least just rewarded in general social-powerlessness: greater rewards from marriage market, Mrs. degree. gender-role socialization: women socialized to respond to external validation; males have internal orientation. feminist theory: women evaluate returns on education not just on income, status, careers -- but quality of life.
300
Describe what happens if a state mandates an across-the-board 5% cut in aid. How would different school districts be affected?
Disproportionate effect on poorer (high-need) school districts that rely more on money from the state because their local portion is much smaller...
300
Describe Deresiewicz's idea of "excellent sheep" and explain whether you agree or not, with at least one piece of evidence/observation/argument. (I don't care if you agree or not, just whether you have a compelling rationale.)
students from Ivy League and top-tier universities with "a lack of curiosity, of interesting rebellion, of moral courage, of passionate weirdness... a generation of polite, striving, praise-addicted, grade-grubbing nonentities " (from NYT article)
400
How does Horace Mann weigh in on the debate about whether school should be for vocational training or more purely intellectual learning?
He says that training for life and training for career should be no different and finds a sort of middle ground.
400
What is social/cultural capital? What French theorist should we associate the capitals with? What is the Sipple take on social capital?
social networks, instrumental connections, understanding cultural references. Bourdieu Sipple: the value of different capitals varies across context. no pesos at Manndibles, can't use the College of Engineering guy to get Knicks tickets.
400
What was Conant's ideal high school?
that diagram in Life magazine...
400
What is the primary source of local funding for schools?
property taxes
400
Barnett (2013) finds that "large-scale public programs have succeeded in producing meaningful long-term gains for children and not just disadvantaged children" -- but those gains depend on what?
the quality of the program
500
Why are there so many private Catholic schools today?
Public schools were basically Protestant schools with Protestant values, etc, but were more willing to put away overt religious signs to get public money in the 19th century, as schools began to take seriously the notion of separating church and state.
500
Rose wants a "fresh language of schooling" -- what kinds of reforms/language is he frustrated by?
standards based reform, standardized testing.
500
Which has the largest effect (school or home), on which kinds of students, according to Coleman?
The school effect is relatively weak for kids from well resourced backgrounds. The school effect is stronger for kids from poorly resourced backgrounds -- matters where they go to school more.
500
What is the difference between equity and equality (in Coleman's terms) and what implications does that have for funding and resources for high-need and low-need districts?
Coleman thinks equal inputs (equality) unfair, equal outputs (equity) impossible; we should be aiming for reducing inequality as much as we can. No sense in having legal terms that don't mean anything! Equity is more akin to the kind of "progressive" tax system in place, where high-need districts get more money from the state/feds than low-need, although it doesn't totally equalize school funding.
500
Name one argument in favor of the Common Core and one against.
for: raises school accountability, narrows 'mile-wide' curriculum, standardizes curricula against: corporate partnerships suspect, heaped on teachers quickly.