What is perennialism and how is it relevant today ?

Behind every school and teacher is a set of beliefs, or philosophy of education, that determines what will take place in the classroom and how students will be taught. Perennnialism is a philosophical approach to the subject of teaching that places much emphasis on ideas that are everlasting and history. Perennialists believe that studying the great ideas and faults of Western Civilization will help us as modern humans to progress, if we can understand how to solve problems are our past, we will be able to solve them in the future. According to http://www.hccs.edu, "teaching unchanging principals is critical. Humans are rational beings, and their minds need to be developed."

This philosophy focuses mainly on teaching, preserving the past, cognitive development, and conformity. Through my research I found that perennialism is a very popular, effective approach to teaching. I agree with the beliefs of this philosophy because it only makes sense to learn from the past and from our mistakes. I think most learning is done through experience, whether good or bad. It is crucial for us as a society to learn from our successors and to build/grow from them. The world would not exist today if this had not been done in the past. Perennialism is essential to learning, civilization and society.

A quote I liked explaining pernnialism from http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com says "Perennialism gives teachers the power to choose the curriculum, organize the school day, and construct classroom activities. The curriculum reinforces a predominantly Western heritage while viewing the students as vessels to be filled and disciplined in the proven strategies of the past. Essentialists focus on cultural literacy, while perennialists work from the Great Books." I think it is important that the teacher has an input on the curriculum and is able to organize his or her own school day. Although I do concur with this belief I think it is also important to have structure and to learn about things happening in the world today. I think a combination of many approaches will bring forth the best results in a classroom. It is most important to be well rounded and address all topics in a variety of ways in the classroom. So, despite the fact the I agree with this philosophy I think it needs to be altered and expanded upon.

What are some pros and cons of inclusive school programs ?

Inclusive school programs are defined as providing general education classes/programs for students who suffer from educational disabilities. Whether these programs work or not has been debated for years. One side argues that it is a great and wonderful opportunity for those who have disabilities, while the other side says that teachers should be better trained to suit the needs of these students. So the question remains, should students with disabilities be integrated into general education classes or not?


Research on this topic concludes that segregated special education services are not only inefficient, but are also too expensive. It is thought that students that are disabled are better off in a general education classroom because

• "teachers who have only low-ability students have lower expectations;
• segregated programs tend to have "watered-down" programs;
• students in segregated programs tend not to have individualized programs;
• students in segregated programs tend to stay in segregated programs"

• most regular education teachers are willing and able to teach students with disabilities; and
• the law supports inclusive practices.
• "http://www.sedl.org/change/issues/issues43/underlying_assumptions.html

These points make it very easy to side with the fact that inclusion is a good thing. Although most teachers are willing to teach students with disabilities and the law supports these practices, there is still an opposing side to this argument.

On the other hand, people argue that canceling the segregation problems is just to save money and that it is not in the best interest of the student at all. It is argued that disabled students are far different from those students in general education classrooms and therefore they deserve different services. 

• "special education teachers have higher expectations for their students;
• special education curricula are appropriate for their intended students;
• individualization is more likely to occur in smaller classes with specialized teachers than in the regular classroom;
• regular teachers do not want special needs students in their classrooms; and
• students with disabilities have never been well-served in regular education, and there is nothing to indicate that teachers are any more able to deal with them now than they were previously."

Having researched both sides of the argument I find myself siding with neither argument. Although both sides make good points, I wonder if these points are true to every student. The way I was taught is that every student is a unique individual, regardless if they are gifted or if they have disabilities. I think it is up to the student how they would like to learn. If the student is not capable of making this decision on their own I think the parents should be the successor to making this decision. Some students with disabilities are not capable of being integrated into general education classes, while others fit in perfectly. I think that schools should continue moving forward with inclusive education programs because it is important for students, no matter what their abilities may be, feel included. If a student is not fit to spend an entire day in a general education class room, then a plan should be devised so he/she can spend some of their time in the class room. Inclusive education programs are a great idea but it is not so easy as to say it is right or wrong. With more time, thought, and dedication into the program I think it could be a great opportunity, not only for disabled students but for all students. The most important ideal is to treat each student equally, offer them equal opportunities and ensure that all feel like they are a member of their class.

What works and what doesn't ?

The word multicultural education is defined by Julia Scherba, as "a process of comprehensive school reform and basic education for all students. It challenges and rejects racism and other forms of discrimination in schools and society and accepts and affirms the pluralism (ethnic, racial, linguistic, religious, economic, and gender, among others) that students, their communities, and teachers represent." So the question I pose today is which methods of multicultural education actually work in the classroom, and which don't?

Being a "good" teacher involves engaging each student equally, without gender bias' or discrimination against any race in the classroom. The trouble in solving this is that teachers tend to create a bias or stereotype unconsciously or without knowing. The majority of instructors don't intend to not include boys or girls in a certain lesson, however, when they are planning they might forget to take this into consideration, leaving one gender to be left out. So, the obstacle we face here is how to stop this? How to design a classroom that student and teacher alike have no bias against one another, where each member of the class treats each other equally and as individuals, and most importantly make sure gifted or foreign students receive the attention they deserve.

To begin this discussion we will start with what doesn't work.
1.) Racism and prejudice DO NOT work in the classroom! There is no place within a school building that it is appropriate to be racist or prejudice. As a teacher going into this profession you must be aware that you are going to be working with a diverse group of children. If you do not have an equal respect for all beings than you have no place being in a classroom or being a teacher!

2.) Being uneducated about other cultures does not work in the class room! As I said before there is going to be a diverse group of children in and out of your classrooms through the years. In order to better connect, understand, and teach a foreign student you must be aware of their culture as well. It is important to research where an immigrant student is from so that you do not offend them or their native culture.

3.) Having high or low expectations does not work in the class room ! Having high or low expectations of student only makes learning for a child harder. "Students must believe that they can achieve before they will risk trying, and young people are astute at sensing whether their teachers believe they can succeed."
http://www.ascd.org/publications/books/107003/chapters/Educating-Everybody's-Children@-We-Know-What-Works—And-What-Doesn't.aspx

Although there are many other practices that counteract the task of multicultural education, there are some methods we found that I believe do work!

1.) Promoting parents to be more involved works! If the school and parents have a better relationship this will most definitely better the child. Students often work hard in school to impress their parents, and parents are their to help their children. If the parent is on the same page as the teacher it will increase the students involvement as well! Schools are now beginning to offer more pamphlets in different languages, translators, and even bilingual classes in order to benefit other cultures too.

2.)Teaching students about one another's culture! I think teaching a child that everyone is different and that this is a good thing is one of the most important lessons they will ever learn. It is crucial that a child understand why someone else is different, and how they're life may be. Young children have to learn the fundamentals of equality, sharing, and openness.

3.) The most efficient method I find is establishing a bond with and amongst your students. It is important to get to know your students so that you can start to form a relationship with you. If you provide a comfortable, welcoming environment to the children, and speak in a respectful tone, this will ensure that you and the students will bond. It is crucial that each student feels welcome, engaged, and important and through establishing a bond this can happen.

Multicultural education is a work in progress today, that teachers hope to expand and make more efficient. I hope that one day each child that enters a school building will feel welcome, safe, and secure. As a teacher I plan on incorporating multicultural education and all the things I have learned concerning this topic to ensure that my students will all feel equal. I think that this is one of the most important, overlooked topic within schools that needs to be assessed not only now, but throughout the years.

Private Vs. Public Schools 

The question I pose this week is wether students receive a better education from private schools or public schools? Most everyone would guess that private schools are more efficient; more money to buy books, supplies, and to keep the school up to date. Private schools often advertise better sports teams, clubs, extracurricular activities and the opportunity to be accepted into more elite colleges. Private schools often use the method of uniforms. The use of uniform is to make sure each student is viewed as equals and no one has nicer clothes than anyone else. Also this is a cleaner, more uniform look. But is the bonus of extra money and better supplies really affecting the children's education?

At first glance public schools are thought to have poor quality books, supplies, and buildings.  Most people believe public schools to have lower budget and therefore less qualified teachers than private schools. But after doing research I found that these stereotypes we all know to be true, in actuality they are not. In the article Private vs. Public schools, I found some intriguing evidence according to the CEP;
"When the report's authors compared students of similar socioeconomic status at private, public and parochial high schools, they found that:

• Achievement scores on reading, math, science and history were the same;
• Students were equally likely to attend college whether they had graduated from a public or private school;
• Young adults at age 26 were equally likely to report being satisfied with their jobs whether they had graduated from a public or private school;
• Young adults at age 26 were equally likely to engage in civic activity whether they had graduated from a public or private school."

 Reading this made me wonder if this evidence was true, but as I began to do more research, the NY Times concluded this for me."United States Education Department released a controversial and long-awaited report comparing public and private schools in terms of student achievement as measured on the federal math and reading tests known as the National Assessment of Educational Progress. As with previous studies, this one debunked the widely held belief that public schools were inferior to their private and religious counterparts."(http://www.nytimes.com)

This quote, as well as this article, proved to me that there was no difference between private and public schools.

Having gone to both public and private schools I discovered first hand that I did not like parochial schools, wearing uniform, or having to travel to go to school. I too, concluded that I felt just as comfortable and educated in public schools as I did in private schools. I felt as though uniforms took away my individuality and creative aspect of myself. Also, I concluded that I learned more in public school because private schools do not need to follow the states curriculum, the teachers taught less and were not as worried about meeting a deadline. The last aspect that forced me to resign from my parochial school was the people, because of the cost of the school more wealthy and upper class students attended the school. I found that these kids were snobby and not my kind of people. I feel much more comfortable in a public school and knowing that the education you receive from both public and private schools is equal.