Kyra's Literacy and History of American Education Blog

Reflecting on Part III of School: The History of American Public Education The main takeaway that I received from Part III, was that this was a period of serious change for the American Public Education system. The 1950s - 1980s was a time of desegregation and reconstruction for public schools in America. After World War II, there was a significant expansion of the American public education system driven by the baby boom, increased government funding, and the push for universal access to schooling. This period was notably marked by the Civil Rights Movement, in which education's fight for equality began in Topeka, Kansas. At first in 1896, the U.S. Supreme Court had ruled that segregation was constitutional as long as separate facilities were equal. Lo and behold, when lawyers of the NAACP traveled throughout the South, the segregated schools were never equal and black schools were often seriously underfunded.  ( The Warren Court ) With this data, the NAACP brought the case,...

Reflecting on Part II of School: The History of American Public Education The main takeaway that I received from Part II, was that this was a time of transformation in the public education system prompted by the rise of the early 20th-century Progressive Education Movement. Led by figures like John Dewey, progressive educators advocated for hands-on activities, and experiential learning, challenging traditional methods. During this time there were also curriculum shifts, towards more practical subjects, such as vocational education and home economics, to better prepare students for their future. Unfortunately, during this time there was still a gap between race and gender regarding what kids were learning, meaning that this period only perpetuated the educational inequity between different genders and races.  ( Wikipedia ) Who does school benefit and who does it fail?  Who does school benefit? The Privileged Students from privileged backgrounds : Schools typically benefit stu...

Reflecting on Part I of School: The History of American Public Education The main takeaway that I received was that the development of public education took several centuries, but provides residents and citizens with the right to education to reach their fullest potential as educated humans. This process was shaped by prominent figures like Thomas Jefferson, Horace Mann, and Catharine Beecher. Public education during its early years in the United States was always changing sparked by conversations regarding, gender, race, and religion. American public education still is an ever-changing system, not entirely regarding gender, race, and religion like it once was, but is still in discussion on a deeper level surrounding the modern world today.                                               American Public Education: A Unifying & Dividing Institution In the United State...

Headshot: Gary Gold Hello everyone! I'm Kyra Pitts, a senior here at New Jersey City University pursuing my Bachelor of Fine Arts, with a major in Dance in collaboration with the Joffrey Ballet School in Greenwich Village, Manhattan. As you can probably tell from my major, my primary passion is dance, complemented by other art-based hobbies like knitting, drawing, and photography. I chose this class for my senior capstone because, in addition to being a professional dancer with the Ellen Sinopolli Dance Company and constantly performing, the company actively engages with local schools to bring the arts to public education. I believe delving into the history of American public education will provide valuable insights into the industry our company works in. Coming from a white middle-class background, literacy became a part of my life at a fairly average age. While not initially interested in reading or writing before preschool, my curiosity grew rapidly during my early years of stru...