The Evolvement of Education
The history of education is highly complex and has strongly impacted the current education system across the world and in the USA, specifically. For instance, in 1917, Mississippi was the last state to impose the law of compulsory education for children until the age of 16 (Stambler, 1968). This change remains to this day and has positively affected literacy in children in the states. Furthermore, in 1954, the issue of racism in schools was finally tackled by ending the segregation of establishments for white and black people (National Archives, 2021). Nowadays, children of any skin color can choose any academy to study in, and no one is judged by their nationality when it comes to applying to kindergartens, schools, colleges, and universities.
What is more, the concept of education and teaching methodologies have been altering throughout the years. Yet in 1900, G. Stanley Hall was the first to propose scientific findings for the significance of centering education on child psychology (Young, 2016). In other words, he claimed that a child cannot move to the next stage of development without completing the current one. Naturally, this concept is a base for the education system today in the US since children are expected to acquire specific knowledge and skills at a particular grade at school. In 1966, another critical accomplishment in education history happened — the Coleman Report (Young, 2016). It finally opened the eyes of teachers and tutors to the impact of a child’s background on one’s education. Therefore, the report encouraged school staff to not judge the students on what happened in the classroom only and mind what might be happening in their homes.
Pandemic Challenges
The global pandemic has forced educational establishments to transition into a remote type of learning. Naturally, such a drastic change was bound to affect both students and tutors. Most of all, this alteration has made it impossible to maintain equality in online learning because of the different backgrounds of the people. Therefore, teachers have been forced to seek methods of fostering adequate understanding but sustaining equality and inclusion within the class both virtually and in person.
Personally, I believe that this change in education has brought many challenges to tutors. To elaborate, it is critical to ensure that everyone in the class receives the same amount of attention and academic assistance. Yet, for those who are not better off, it is not feasible to be present in virtual meetings at all, which is a significant obstacle to their learning path. Not only is it the problem of not having the means of technology, but internet connection and other factors that may impact online learning. Therefore, the teachers cannot do a lot in this situation, so I have to encourage the school to provide the students with the means to attend online classes or change the settings.
Furthermore, as I have to find ways to make the process of practical lessons more comfortable for the students, I am constantly researching new platforms that would be convenient in use for them. I find it crucial to provide young soon-to-be teachers with the necessary means and prepare them for their work with children or adults. As a result, I ensure that everyone can participate in the class and actively ask questions and answer them for their colleagues and me. Overall, as a preservice teacher, I understand my responsibility to make sure that my students become professionals who can also foster and encourage learning and provide equality in their classes.
References
National Archives. (2021). Brown v. Board of education (1954). Web.
Stambler, M. (1968). The Effect of Compulsory Education and Child Labor Laws on High School Attendance in New York City, 1898-1917. History of Education Quarterly, 8(2), 189. Web.
Young, J. L. (2016). G. Stanley Hall, Child Study, and the American Public. The Journal of Genetic Psychology, 177(6), 195–208. Web.