Educational Foundations An Anthology

9780130987464

0130987468

This is not a traditional foundations of education text. While it does cover all of the traditional themes of the history, philosophy, politics, and sociology of education as well as the nature of school environments and the teaching profession, it does so in a different way. Through excerpts from novels, biographies, memoirs, lectures, essays, plays, and poetry, and through songs and paintings, this anthology brings traditional themes to life within meaningful contexts. Theoretical Framework and Rationale I really love these works and the artists and writers who have created them. Perhaps this is too personal a tribute to make in the preface of a textbook. But that is precisely the point ofthistext: to personalize and humanize the education courses for which this material is intended. At its very core, education is about people, that is, students, teachers, and others, who operate in a number of diverse environments. And this text is about bringing those people, processes, and environments to life for your students. Future educators will learn from many of the teachers and others described in these pages. They will identify with some; they'll disagree with others. They will likely wish they could meet a few of the more inspiring ones. But in all cases, students will be stimulated to think deeply about the ideas and actions they are reading about, and they will want to compare them with their own practices and beliefs about teaching and education. This anthology unites liberal education with traditional teacher education by drawing from a number of liberal arts disciplines, including history, literature, and art. By using this interdisciplinary approach, students will be able to experience firsthand a valuable model that they, too, can emulate once they become teachers. As they are motivated by these resources and make emotional connections to them, they will also be learning how to integrate curriculum in new and meaningful ways. "Showing the connections between things"--as one teacher in this anthology describes her way of teaching (Freedman, 1991)--is the approach taken here. In addition, the literature included in this text will enable students to come face to face with the fact that education is characterized by controversies of many sorts. They've been there in the past, they're facing us now; and they will be with us in the 21st century. And even though each chapter focuses on a different traditional theme, students will soon notice that many of the same controversies appear again and again throughout the book and are not always resolved. That is the nature of education, and students need to be aware of such realities within their field. The rationale for choosing these particular selections from among so many others was based, in part, on their emotional and intellectual appeal for readers. Each selection represents an exemplary work of literature, art, or poetry and is clearly representative of the chapter theme. Foundations students need facts, yes. But they also need to be inspired. These readings provide that inspiration. Students will be able to view aspects of human behavior or thought that are universal in nature and that, in many cases, transcend cultures as well as time. Some of the excerpts will literally have the students laughing (e.g., Kaufman, 1991) and crying (Gibson, 1980). A few will arouse anger (Johnson, 1990); others, feelings of satisfaction (Taylor, 1951). And all will provide springboards to discussion and instruction by offering realistic situations around which students can solve problems, gain knowledge, and identify personally. While the readings within a particular chapter have implications for that particular chapter's topic or theme, nearly all of the selections relate to more than one theme and could have been placed just as appropriately within the contexts of other chapters. For example, the Jose Calderon poem in chapter 3