Common School Movement

Horace Mann, referred to as "the father of the public school," was the one of the first to suggest there be common schools--now known as the public elementary schools.  The purpose Mann found for creating these public schools was because he believed that "public education could serve both practical and idealistic goals," as stated in the 6th edition of Teachers, Schools, and Society, written by Myra Pollack Sadker and David Miller Sadker.  At the time businesses and industries were booming therefore he recognized the importance of not only teaching religion but the basic concepts in the work field.

I believe the greatest accomplishment that Mann was able to do was fight to allow people of all classes, although only white, to attend these public schools.  Before, only the rich white children were able to attend school, not just because they were more literate, but also because they had the money to go to school.  Being able to establish common schools was allowing for the integration of the rich and the poor.  Not only would the rich and the poor be attending the same school but the poor would have the chance to be literate.  Slowly but surely, the poor were able to develop a better standard of life.

Critical Pedagogy

"Critical pedagogy forces us to see a broad social, historical, cultural, and political context of teaching and learning.  Critical pedagogy gives us the courage to say what we see.  Critical pedagogy is grounded in justice, equity, and moral mandates.  Critical pedagogy makes us ask fundamental questions such as 'What is the right thing to do today in my teaching and learning in this particular context?'  It is as broad as the world and as deep as our own individual lives.  Critical pedagogy makes us look at the world, and it makes us look at our individual role in the world, the community, the classroom.  Critical pedagogy is like a lens that enables us to see more clearly, more critically, more keenly."

 

- Joan Wink

 

This quote was taken from the article What in the World Is Critical Pedagogy?, written by Joan Wink, and I believe it aids in the understanding the importance of critical pedagogy.  The focus of critical pedagogy is to give individuals the ability to look at certain issues and question them in order to gain something in the end.  One of the reasons why I believe critical pedagogy is necessary is because it gives us the opportunity to question our very own beliefs and morals in certain subjects.  After questioning and acting to answer the matter, you should have a better understanding of why you believe the things to you do.

 

As a future teacher, I believe this is crucial in being an effective teacher rather than one who merely does what she is told.  I need to critically assess myself and my teachings in order to give my students the very best information I can possibly give.  Not only that, but in return I have to allow them to ask questions of their own so that they too can benefit from answering their own questions.  Joan Wink said it best when she wrote that "Critical pedagogy makes us look at the world, and it makes us look at our individual role in the world, the community, the classroom."