From Publishers Weekly
Chronologically arranged in four sections (1770-1890, 1900-1950, 1950-1980, 1980-2000), this anthology covers much ground (charter, common, frontier and dame schools) at a brisk, engaging pace. These five eminent scholars catalogue the experiences of African-Americans, Catholics, Native Americans, Mexican-Americans, people with disabilities and girls in an educational system originally designed for Protestant white boys. Tyack and company nimbly chart changing educational philosophies (Horace Mann, John Dewey, the Gary Plan, Archbishop John Hughes) and public debates, such as those aroused by the introduction of IQ tests in the 1920s, the 1957 launching of Sputnik (prompting fear that Soviet education outshone U.S. education) and the 1983 publication of A Nation at Risk, an assessment of the state of public education by "a presidential commission of corporate and public leaders and educators." And there are surprises "black literacy soared in the decades after the Civil War, from 5 percent to 70 percent"; "New York's English-only curriculum was radical" in the 1910s; in the 1930s two-thirds of Los Angeles's Mexican-American students were classified as "slow learners... even mentally retarded" after the introduction of IQ tests; Lyndon Johnson was a schoolteacher; and in 1970 women received "less than 1 percent of all medical and legal degrees." This exemplary, thoroughly readable account of a "complex and controversial and open-ended" subject is enhanced by 125-plus photos and illustrations. (Sept. 12)Forecast: This companion to the PBS documentary series will attract a significant readership. Though balanced, it will stir controversy at a time when reform leans toward business models and Horace Mann's belief "that all citizens" are responsible for the education of all children is being challenged.
Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
--Ce texte fait référence à une édition épuisée ou non disponible de ce titre.From School Library Journal
Adult/High School-A direct and well-written text and the liberal use of historical photographs make School one of the few books available on the history of education in America written for the layperson. Although some earlier material is included, the bulk of the text and photographs covers the founding of a universal public-educational system in the mid to late 19th century to the inclusion battles of the early 1970s. A single flaw of this otherwise worthy book is a bias against the more bottom-line and business-oriented influences following the "America at Risk" report in the early 1980s. Those looking for a harsh critique of the American school system will not find it here. The history of alternative schooling is not included, and there's not much coverage given to curriculum-development issues such as the phonics/whole-language debate, and other methodologies. The roughly chronological layout allows readers to trace the roots of the philosophy and rituals still surrounding the average public-school day for most students. This information will be the primary attraction for teen readers, as the whys and hows of their school day unfold beneath their fingertips. A companion book for the "School: The Story of American Public Education" documentary series on PBS television.
Sheryl Fowler, Chantilly Regional Library, VA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --Ce texte fait référence à une édition épuisée ou non disponible de ce titre.
Sheryl Fowler, Chantilly Regional Library, VA
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --Ce texte fait référence à une édition épuisée ou non disponible de ce titre.
