Historical foundations of curriculum

Historical
Foundations of
Curriculum
* Rise of Universal Education
Prepared by: Liezel H. Paras- M2ES

Mind Challenge
Universal
Education

Rise of Universal Education
•It started at early Nineteenth Century (1800’s)
•Important Concepts:
1. Equality
2. Rugged Individualization
3. Common persons are elected to different
political offices regardless of education.
4. Faith abounded in the capacity of humans to
improve their lives.

Monitorial Schools
 based on Joseph Lancaster’s Model of
Education. (Military Concept)
 Bright student monitors served as
Instructors.
 Teacher taught the lesson to the monitors
and they presented the materials to their
classmates. “Cooperative Learning”

Monitorial Schools
 Instruction was highly structured and
based on rote learning and drilling of 3R’s.
The class was divided into smaller groups
with a monitor in-charge of each group.
The monitorial system was thus also
considered “efficient” education.

Monitorial Schools
The monitorial system deemphasized
classical education for the 3Rs and religious
theory for moral doctrines and citizenship.
It made educational opportunities more
widely available.
It promoted mass education and tax-
supported elementary schools.

Monitorial Schools
CONS
 considered to be mechanical.
 criticized for using students who knew
little to teach those who knew even less.

Common Schools
 Established in 1826 (Massachusettes) by
the law requiring every town to choose a
school board to be responsible for all the
school in the local area.
Horace Mann was one of the law makers
who supported the implementation of the
common schools.

Common Schools
 devoted to elementary with the emphasis
of 3Rs.
 “Education has a market value” – Mann.
 Stewardship theory.
 It was believed as a “great equalizer” – a
means of social mobility for the children.

Common Schools
 Schools are said “common” in the sense that
they housed youngsters of all socioeconomic and
religious background from ages 6-15 and were
jointly owned, cared for and used by the
community.
Teachers had to plan as many as 10 to 20
different lessons a day.
“Little Red Schoolhouses”
“Blab School” – Abe Lincoln.

Common Schools
 School houses were often in need of
considerable repair. Teachers were paid
miserably low salaries.
Considered as “expansion of equality”
Traditions built around the common school:
1. Idea of neighborhood schools.
2. Local Control of Schools.
3. Government support of Schools.

Elementary School
Curriculum Evolution


Essential Subjects
1. Reading
2. Spelling
3. Grammar
4. Arithmetic

Elementary School Curriculum
Evolution
 Religious doctrines was changed to
moral instruction by 1825.
Teachers were provided extensive
training in character building.
Lessons in morality was changed by
courses in conduct during 1875.

1800 1825 1850 1875 1900
Reading Reading
Declamation
Reading
Declamation
Reading
Literary Selections
Reading
Literature
Spelling
Writing
Spelling
Writing
Spelling
Writing
Spelling
Penmanship
Spelling
Writing
Catechism
Bible
Good behavior
Manners and Morals
Conduct
Manners
Conduct Conduct
Arithmetic Arithmetic Mental Arithmetic
Ciphering
Primary Arithmetic
Advanced Arithmetic
Arithmetic
Bookkeeping
Grammar
Bookkeeping
Grammar Grammar Grammar
Geography
Elementary Language
Geography
Oral Language
Home Geography
Text Geography
Oral Language
Home Geography
Text Geography
US History
Constitution
US History
Constitution
History Studies
Object Lessons Object Lessons
Elementary Science
Nature Study
Elementary Science
Drawing Drawing
Music
Physical Exercise Physical Training
Play
Sewing Sewing
Cooking
Manual Training

Academy
 It began to replace Latin grammar
school at early 19th Century.
It offered wide range of curricula.
Designed to provide practical program
as well as college preparatory course of
study.

Purpose of Academy
 “establishment of subjects having value
aside from mere preparation for college,
particularly subjects of modern nature,
useful in preparing youth for the changed
conditions of society. The study of real
things rather than words about things.
Useful things rather than subjects merely
preparatory become prominent features of
the new course of study.” (Ellwood
Cubberley)

Academy
 The era of academy extended to 1870’s when
academies were replaced by public high schools.
Served as finishing schools for girls due to
courses in classical and modern language,
science, math, art, music and home making.
It also offered the “normal” program for
prospective common school teachers by
combining courses in the classics with
principles of pedagogy.

High School
 The idea of high school attendance for
all youth, based on the notion of
equality of educational opportunity was
a major educational reform.
 The high schools stressed the college
preparatory program, but also served to
complete the formal education of
terminal students.

High School
 offered more diversified curriculum
than academies.
20th Century when HS began to offer
vocational and industrial courses as well
as commercial and clerical courses.
Public HS evolved into democratic and
comprehensive institution for social and
political reform.

Secondary School
Curriculum Evolution


Secondary School Curriculum Evolution
 The curriculum of the Latin grammar
school was virtually the same at the
beginning and end of the colonial period.
Classics – Latin, Greek and Arithmetic.
It was believed that a broad program
with several course offerings was the
hallmark of a better academy.

 There was no real philosophy or aim to
these courses except that the most were
college preparatory in nature, even
though the original aim of the academy
was to offer a practical program.
After 1875, high school rapidly grew
and the academy rapidly declined.

 Curriculum continued to expand.
Variety of course offerings that would
allegedly allow the students to find
where their interest and capabilities.

Thank you for Listening



Historical foundations of curriculum

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