Purpose of Schooling

Angela Natrasevschi
Educ 275
Professor Morrell
Reflection
The difference between my beginning and final responses to the course umbrella
questions was quite noticeable. My pre-write was solely based on my personal
experiences and perspectives on education. While there were a few good ideas, I think
my final response emulates how an understanding of the complex history, ideology,
pedagogy, and cultural issues of schooling in the United States can make a more
informed perspective about these issues. That I can build on as I am developing
classroom practices for critical multicultural education for my future students. The class
readings and discussions have significantly changed my perspectives on the course
umbrella questions in this way. Our classroom practices of ground work and symbolic
expression, were equally as influential for me, our model of a safe classroom
environment where I felt I could speak authentically, engaged me more with the
pedagogical strategies throughout the course. Ultimately, I thought that it is important to
understand schooling in the United States from an intellectual stand point, which we
explored through most of the course readings, this knowledge will synthesize with my
future classroom strategies and practices, helping me to be a lifelong critical multicultural
educator. I feel that along with other educators I can work to transform the existing order
through schooling.

Introduction
Schooling in the United States is a complex issue with historical, ideological,
cultural, and pedagogic implications. These themes are broad and multifaceted in
themselves, but even more so when they come together to form the context of presentday education. Nonetheless, as future educators it is necessary to be aware of this existing
order to be able to have ongoing critical analysis of its reflections in our future
classrooms.
The Past, Present, and Possible Purpose of Schooling in the United States
Public education has been always held the potential for the common good.
Although, this potential has not been delivered throughout history, or even today, the
future of education should reunite with this true purpose of education. The past and
present of education in the United States shares a commonality. The intentions for the
common good have not been executed.
The purpose of education in United States was built on a history of education as a
means of cultural and linguistic genocide, and educational segregation, as a way to
create uniform culture and language usage as a means of maintaining social order and
control (Spring, 2013, p.133). The purpose of schooling today, as defined by our
national educational policy, is structured for No Child Left Behind, a program that
emphasizes standardized testing, with the goal of raising the achievement levels of all
students and closing the achievement gap that parallels race and class distinctions
(Darling-Hammond, 2007, p.245). These policys intentions have questionable
implementation, that are similar to the cultural and linguistic genocide, and educational
segregation issues I discussed, that defined the purpose of historical schooling in the

United States. No Child Left Behind makes English the dominant language of schools
and forces schools to teach a common culture that is embedded in the common core
standards (Spring, 2013, p.133). Students are segregated by low-income and highincome inside of communities; No Child Left Behind has spawned a new era of separate
but equal and inequality of cultures and languages (Spring, 2013, p.161).
The goal of public education has always been to create and facilitate equal
opportunities for having a better life for all students, although the historical ideological
underpinnings have continuously altered its efficacy. Facilitating equal opportunities and
a better quality of life through education should be the purpose of schooling. Future
educators should consciously move towards fulfilling this true purpose of schooling.
While being conscious and critical of how the precedent of the purpose of schooling from
past and present history is reflected in their classrooms.
The Teachers Role in Fulfilling the Purpose of Schooling
Teachers are a part of the positive change in fulfilling the purpose of schooling.
Through critical reflection and evaluation of how the community and society in their
classroom teachers can challenge the influences of existing order in their pedagogy.
Teachers are products of this flawed system, and their experiences can create a bias in
their pedagogy. According to Nieto and Bode (2012), the consequence of this is when a
teachers practices reflect their experiences, which can lead to unwittingly
perpetuating policies and approaches that are harmful to many of their students (p.7).
This is why teachers need to by critical of themselves to facilitate change in schools.
Multicultural education, as discussed by Nieto et. al., as well as DiAngelo and Sensoy. is
the leading pedagogic solution to critically challenging the existing order in classrooms.

DeAngelo et. al. (2010), stress that educators focused on challenging social difference
and inequality need to realize that there are no easy answers, or quick-fix classroom
strategies, and be willing to continue in the practice of critical analysis while
combating multiple and constantly shifting factors. (p.98-9). If teachers can critically
challenge how the existing order is reflected in their classroom, then schooling can move
away from perpetuating this, toward transforming this
The Existing Order
To fulfill the purpose of schooling, and develop critical multicultural education, it
is also essential to evaluate how schooling perpetuates the existing order, as well as how
it can transform it. The existing order is perpetuated through schooling because of the
residual influences of history on education translating into present educational policy that
I spoke about earlier. The existing orders influence in the classroom is complex; it breaks
down into issues of culture, politics, social, economic, environmental conditions that can
affect students. The influence these factors have is individualized to communities,
schools, and students, although the broader historical and societal context and presence
cannot be discounted. This complex multifaceted nature of the existing order requires
critical multicultural educators; schooling only perpetuates the existing order when
educators discount the influence of these factors in their classrooms in all aspects.
Critical multicultural educators can transform schooling, which can shift the
existing order. Critical educators are aware educators. According to Chapman (2005),
teachers who are made aware of their gender-biased teaching behaviors and then
provided with strategies and resources to combat bias are better able to promote gender
equity in their classrooms (p.4) I think the awareness of gender-bias that helps educators

promote equity is the same awareness that translates into combating bias in other factors
of the existing order.
While this requires critical educators, really the change will happen through the
implementation of pedagogy and practices in the classroom. According to the Dalai Lama
(1999) the way to dispel ignorance is through education, and that by developing secular
ethics or essential human values in students; we can transform the existing order
through education by imbuing a sense of caring in the classroom, which will translate
into society (p.85-9). Teachers can model a transformed existing order for students, in the
classroom environment created through pedagogy. Kessler (2000) offers some excellent
strategies for this, the collaboration of classroom ground rules allows students to define
and take ownership of the conditions for safety in their group, this fosters students to
have a safe place to speak authentically and genuine communication (p.6-8). Kessler
(2000) also offers a symbolic expression strategy, where students can foster connection
and cooperation in the group through their similarities and differences. We practiced
both of these strategies in our own classroom this semester. I think by modeling these
value based practices in the classroom, teachers can not only help students communicate
what values are important to them, but they are developing this caring collaborative
community that will integrate into students interactions in society, as the Dalai Lama
suggested.
Conclusion
Schooling in the United States is the culmination of history, ideology, culture,
pedagogy, and the influence of the existing order. These broad and complex factors form
the context of present-day education. The undelivered intentions for equal opportunity

and a common good through schooling, prompts future educators to form critical and
aware multicultural educational pedagogy. With the goal of fulfilling this true purpose of
education and the possibility of transforming the existing order through the hearts of
students, and inherently society.

References
Chapman A. (2005). Gender Bias in Education. Retrieved December 9, 2015, from
Research RoomEdchange Multicultural Pavilion:
http://www.edchange.org/multicultural/papers/genderbias.html
Dalai Lama. (1999). Education and the Human Heart. In S. Glazer (Ed.), The Heart of
Learning: Spirituality in Education (pp. 85-95). New York, NY: J.P.
Tarcher/Putnam.
DarlingHammond, L. (2007). Race, Inequality and Educational Accountability: The
Irony of No Child Left Behind. Race Ethnicity and Education, Vol 10(No 3),
245-245. doi:10.1080/13613320701503207
Diangelo, R., & Sensoy, . (2010). OK, I Get It! Now Tell Me How to Do It!: Why
We Cant Just Tell You How to Do Critical Multicultural
Education. Multicultural Perspectives, Vol 12(No 2), 97-102. doi:10.1080
Kessler, R. (2000). Honoring Young Voices. In The Soul of Education Helping Students
Find Connection, Compassion, and Character at School (pp. 13-29). Alexandria,
VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Nieto, S., & Bode, P. (2012). Affirming diversity: The Sociopolitical Context of
Multicultural Education [Kindle 6 version], p7.
Spring, J. (2013). The great Civil rights Movement and the New Culture Wars,.
In Deculturalization and the Struggle for Equality: A Brief History of the
Education of Dominated Cultures in the United States (7th ed., pp.133-161).
New York, NY: McGraw-Hill.

Pre- Write
1. What was, is, and should be the purpose of schooling in the United States?
The purpose of schooling or education in the United States has been to enrich the minds
of our youth and help them pave a way to the innovations of the future. It is to develop
the creativity needed to survive this evolving world. As well as to build the skills needed
to reign in the impulsiveness that comes along with grand ideas. Organization, focus and
critical thinking to name a few. The purpose of Schooling in the United States should be
to create the next generation of great minds and to aid them in reaching their full
potential.
2. What is your role as a future teacher in fulfilling that role?
To act as a conduit that inspires and motivates students to pursue their passions. As well
as engaging them in the learning process. Helping students to develop skills in creativity
as well as creating lessons that push every student to try their best.
3. How does schooling continue "the existing order"?
The system of education as it is now is a highly systematic and decentralized process that
takes the attention away from the individual and focuses on the average population. In

doing this our "existing order" is maintained. Metaphorically our education system grinds
people up and forms them into sausages. one after the other the same shape the same
experience over and over again in an effort to raise the overall average of our country.
What is ignored is the specific intelligence that everyone has and the initial creativity and
by using the same systems of education for everyone instead of catering to individual
ways of learning that intelligence is suppressed and the creativity dwindles away. This
creates a complacent people that lack the motivation necessary to disrupt the existing
order and create something better.
4. How can schooling transform "the existing order"?
By creating opportunities for individuals to better their lives. As well as making students
that have solutions to influence the existing order. Schooling can inspire students to do
great things, an influential teacher can shift a student's perspective, and bolster their
interest in a subject or way of thinking. Instead of everyone thinking and doing things one
way.