Abstract
Schools responded to immigrants by “Americanizing” them, where almost all classes were taught in English. Only Christian holidays were celebrated even though most students in NYC were Jewish. In the beginning of the 1900’s, eighty percent of children would rather have worked in a factory than go to school because at this time schools were considered dirty and full of disease. Schools soon became more student-centered when John Dewey tried to focus on the health of the students. Educators exposed students to work places and nature and there was a focus on physical activity and keeping students moving between classes. Schools even built swimming pools to give some students a chance to bathe. Children enjoyed going to schools like this because they focused on work, study, and play. In 1920, the percentage of 17 year olds graduating was 17%, which then reached 45% in 1945. Also around in this time period, the IQ test was created and soon began to rise in popularity. A pilot test was used on American soldier and they calculated the average age for American adults to be 13 years old. Around one million students were tested each year from their home economics skills to citizenship.
I thought this documentary was really informative and it helped me understand why the school system is the way it is today. As a health major, I really enjoyed learning about John Dewey and the focus on health in schools. It was surprising how quickly immigrants had to adjust to the American lifestyle, even in cities where immigrants were the majority. Another part of this time period was the beginning of the IQ and standardized tests. I found it interesting that even after estimating the average adult age at a low 13 in the pilot test, it did not stop schools from issuing the test to students. There is obviously still a controversy over standardized tests today, and I don’t think the problem will be addressed and solved for a long time.
No comments:
Post a Comment