How Teachers Taught: Constancy and Change in American Classrooms, 1890-1980
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DOCUMENT RESUME ED 383 498 RC 020 081 AUTHOR Cuban, Larry TITLE How Teachers Taught: Constancy and Change in American Classrooms, 1890-1980. 1st Edition. Research on Teaching Monograph Series. REPORT NO ISBN-0-582-28481-3 PUB DATE 84 NOTE 306p.; Photographs will not reproduce adequately. PUB TYPE Books (010) Historical Materials (060) Reports Research/Technical (143) EDRS PRICE MFO1 /PC13 Plus Postage. DESCRIPTORS Case Studies; Classroom Techniques; *Educational Change; Educational History; *Educational Practices; Elementary Secondary Education; Open Education; *Progressive Education; *Resistance to Change; Rural Education; Teacher Behavior; Teaching Methods; Urban Education IDENTIFIERS School Culture; *Teacher Centered Instruction; Virginia (Arlington) ABSTRACT This book investigates teaching practices before, during, and after reform impulses in the 20th century aimed at changing what teachers routinely do. Patterns of stability and change over a 90-year period are developed from evidence from awide variety of sources, including classroom photographs, textbooks and tests used, student recollections, teacher reports of how they taught, and classroom observations by parents and administrators. A continuum stretching from teacher-centered instruction to student-centered instruction provides a tool to help map the intricate complexity of classroom practices. Part I covering 1890-1940 consists of three chapters: (1) a description' of teaching at the turn of the century, including progressive reforms of that era;(2) case studies of classroom practices in New York City, Denver, and Washington, D.C. during the 1920s and 1930s; and (3)a survey of teaching practices nationally during those 2 decades, particularly in rural schools. Part II summarizes case studies of informal and open education in Washington, D.C., New York City, and North Dakota during 1965-1975, and provides an intensive look into Arlington (Virginia) classrooms during 1969-1980. Part III examines five possible explanations for continuity/change in teaching during this century:(1) school as a form of social control and sorting;(2) constraints related to the organizational structure of school and classroom;(3) the culture of teaching;(4) individual and shared beliefs about child development, the role of school, and authority; and (5)the nature and effectiveness of reform implementation. This book contains over 300 references, many photographs, and an index. (SV) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** Igt 4 U DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS Office of Educational Researchand improvement MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY EDUCATIONAL RESOURCESINFORMATION CENTER (ERICI 41.4-"J This document has beenreproduced as received born the person or Ooginaling rt organization 0 Minor changes havebeen made to improve reproduction quality Points of view Of °owns slatedin this docu meal do not necessarily representofficial TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES OERI position or policy INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)" BEST COPY AVAILABLE Research on TeachingMonograph Series HOW David Berliner,EDITORIAL University BOARDStateof ArizonaUniversity TEACHERS HughVirginiaSusanJereThomas Mehan, Florio-Ruane,E. Koehler, Brophy, L. University Goad, National Michigan MichiganUniversity of InstituteCalifornia,Stateof Missouriof University EducationSan Diego TAUGHT RobertLeeJane S. Stallings,Slavin, Shulman, Johns Vanderbilt Stanford HopkinsUniversityUniversity CONSTANCY ANDCHANGE IN JERESUSANand ClassroomE. URMSTONBROPHY Teaching andAND PHILIPS, CommunityCAROLYNThePUBLISHED on invisibleM. theEVERTSON, Warm TITLES Culture: PygmalionSpringsStudentCommunication Indian GrowsCharacteristicsReservation Up: in Studies AMERICAN1890-1980CLASSROOMS HARRISTHOMASinMathematics the M. L. Expectation COOPER GOOD, Teaching DOUGLASANDCommunicationTHOMASGROUWS, L. GOOD, ProcessANDHOWARD EBMEIER, Active Larry Cuban ROBERTLEONARDPHILIPKYLE, A. E. CUSICK, S.SLAVIN, Class CAHEN, Size TheCooperative NIKOLAandEgalitarianInstruction FILBY, Learning Ideal GAIL andMcCUTCHEON, theAmerican HighAND SchoolDIANE W. STANFORD UNIVERSITY LARRYGARYClassrooms: NATRIELLO CUBAN, How 1890-1980ANDTeachersSANFORD Taught: M. DORNBUSCH, ConstancyandTeacher Change Evaluative in American :?. 1 e:: Standards and Student Efforts :i. 9 8 4 .;5:3-2- i'7 -4--:. LongmanPIIIInowI. IIIIPI11 PI11 ,. /..... vA New York11.4,,. & LoriI on Contents AcknowledgmentsForeword viixi AssociatedLongmanHow Teachers Inc., companies, 1560Taught Broadway, branches, Newand representatives York, N.Y. 10036 PARTIntroduction I. PROGRESSIVISM1890-1940 AND CLASSROOM PRACTICE, Copyrightthroughout © the 1984 world. by Longman Inc. 1 TeachingBehind the at Classroom the Turn of Door the Century:in Three Cities,Tradition 1920-1940 and Challenge 4117 photocopying,reproduced,Allin any rights form reserved. storedor recording,by any in No a means, retrievalpart or ofotherwise, electronic,this system, publication without or mechanical, transmitted may the priorbe PART32Rural II. andOPENPROGRESSIVISM Urban CLASSROOMS Schools, 1920-1940REVISITED, AND ALTERNATIVE 1965-1975 SCHOOLS:112 permissionProductionEditorialDevelopmental and ofand Designthe Editor:Manufacturing publisher. Supervisor: Lane Akers Supervisor: Russell Till Ferne Y. Kawahara 54PARTArlington,ClassroomInformal III. STABILITY Education, Virginia,Practice in 1969-19801965-1975:AND a School CHANGE District: New INWine CLASSROOMS, in Old Bottles? 208147 Cuban,LibraryHow Larry.of teachersCongress taught. Cataloging in Publication Data Appendix6Explaining1890-1980 How They Taught: An Exploratory Analysis 272237 3.2. Teaching.EducationUnitedIncludesBibliography:1. EducationUnited index.I. Title. p. StatesHistory-20th StatesHistory-19th century. century. IndexBibliography 287274 MANUFACTUREDISBNLA2I6.C82 0-582-28481-3 IN1984 THE UNITED 370'.973STATES OF AMERICA8317559 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 92 91 94/ 8988 87 86 85 84 Foreword germaneThose who to conducttheir work. research There on isteaching a senserarely in which consider history historical istreated investigations as arcane, elt esoteric,historicalthis book, and inquiry1 am of convinced little may import well that provide toprecisely the concernsuswith the opposite theof mostpractice is powerful true. and Carefully policy. guides In conductedavailable. reading Anyclassroomspolicyinvestigation study makes of studied was teachingtwo. conducted. kindswere that representativeof purportsclaims. 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