In the first decade of the twentieth century most American children attended schools for no more than a few years, and from their limited education they and their parents were often content if they acquired only the most rudimentary literacy and numeracy skills. During this time American public education suffered from the fact that most of the nation's schools were rural. These one-room schoolhouses were the educational equivalent of the horse and buggy. The schoolhouse teachers usually had little formal education themselves and faced the daunting task of instructing students who ranged in age from five to twenty years old. The typical classroom, memorization, drill, and recitation were the standard teaching methods. Urban schools, by contrast, were usually age-graded and had a longer school year. The schoolchildren sat in classrooms with desks bolted to the floor but the children were mesmerized by what they were learning and strived to achieve their goals in learning and get that passing grade. As a students in that era I feel that my education would be the equivalent to a first grade students now days. I feel extremely blessed to have the education that I have right now and to be given the opportunity to continue learning and achieving my goals in education.
Simply thinking about not having all of the technology and tools we are offered today is hard to do without. I can imagine having to write a paper or having to learn by writing down instructions from a chalkboard, having to share paper and books. Again I’m glad that we have come a long way in education and resources to maintain educating others at a high level.
No comments:
Post a Comment