A Point of View: More than 60 years in education and counting...

Part two of a three-part series...

During the past 60 years, the time frame in which I have been an educational practitioner, our schools have been highly impacted by cultural changes and current events.

History changed on Oct. 4, 1957, when the Soviet Union successfully launched Sputnik I. The space race began and greater competition in the academics was highlighted. There was also a push to place greater resources into guidance programs to assist students in their quests for college preparation. Much of this was driven to compete and surpass those as part of the Cold War scene.

Subject matter specialization, even at the elementary level, was almost immediately emphasized. Homogeneous grouping of students was strongly advocated by some parents, particularly those who felt that their children would surely fall into the top groups. Programs for the gifted and talented were proposed and initiated. Many parents advocated the assignment of percentage grades in place of letter grades. An increased amount of homework was loaded on by the schools.

Programs in the academic sciences received both attention and financial support. Modern mathematics became a flash point in many of the schools. Book publishers competed among themselves to develop the most modern math programs. There was a renewal of communications among nations and foreign language education was emphasized in schools. Foreign language instruction at the primary level was advanced.

“Johnny can’t read!” was a common saying among parents. Increased attention was given to phonics in the reading programs. The initial teaching alphabet was introduced in some schools. Next, whole language became popular within the education lexicon. The whole language methodology entered the scene to counteract the ITA, in some ways. Some students became confused when transferring school systems. Consternation among parents prevailed when students were being instructed in modern math or in a different reading system that the parents had little familiarity with. Parent/teacher conferencing as a planned reporting procedure became increasingly widespread.

In the early 1970s, Dr. Larry Lezotte identified the correlates of effective schools, a movement which has had some prominence in schools even to the present day. Added to the education lexicon were such significant concepts as inclusion, age appropriateness and values clarification and modification. Competency-based teacher education moved into the forefront. School administrators were required to adhere to certain administrative competencies in order to meet newer and more rigid certification requirements. The proposed program for the preparation of school administrative personnel at SUNY Fredonia was fully approved by the New York State Education Department and was heralded as an exemplary program of distinction.

Over the years, there has been an avalanche of federal and state legislation passed and agency regulations put into place, impacting education and schools. Unfunded mandates began to strangle school budgets. Court decisions impacting schools were on the increase. Programs like Head Start, Job Corps, subsidized lunches and Title One began during this time. Some school systems found it almost a necessity to employ a full-time legal council to interpret the legality of various issues.

Behavioral learning objectives were added to the lexicon. These often guided instruction during the 1960s and this approach opened up a new wave of approaching the evaluations of learning outcomes.

More attention was given to meeting specific grade standards once those standards were established. Textbook publishers often determined curricular content and standards. Company-produced achievement tests were developed and this type of testing became a standard school practice. A whole new thrust of testing spiraled. And then, with more required testing, there was less time available for solid teaching. But teaching was in demand and a dilemma ensued. The media suggested that schools were in crisis.

School testing and teacher accountability moved into the forefront.
To be continued ...