Curriculum Timeline: An Exciting Journey

  • Colonial Times

    No formal school systems. Curriculum focused on apprenticeships. Sole focus was on learning central and eternal truths.
  • Period: to

    Mid 1600s

    Harvard founded as the first institution of higher education. Curriculum focused on religious purpose and literay studies.
  • 1st Teacher Regulations Passed

    1st regulations requiring teachers of reading and writing passed in Massachusetts in every town that had 50 or more families and a teacher of Latin if more than 100 families.
  • Franlin's Academy

    Proposed to expand curriuculum to include practical pursuits of colonial life. Classical studies would not be included of everyone, insturction would include active inquiry and field trips. Some subjects included were: PE, horticulture, math, history, science, drawing.
  • Period: to

    Close of the Colonial Period

    Propoals for providing formal education for American children and expanding curriculum choice. Make it more, make it different.
  • How to Make Your Curriculum

  • Period: to

    Hoarace Mann and Henry Barnard

    These and others argued that schools would provide social benefits.
  • Massachusetts Law

    Law created public schools, making attendance laws and increasing state control. Subject matter was also expanded. Art was introduced.
  • National Teachers Association Founded

  • Morrill Act

    Created public colleges, devoted to agriculture and mechanical arts. Curriculum of practical subjects was formally extended.
  • NEA Report

    Began transition from subject-centered to society-centered curriculum. This report was created by a committee of 3 and was titled, "A Course of Study from Primary School to University."
  • NEA Report: Committee of Ten

    Written by a committee of 10 on secondary schools to deal with the problem of college admissions. The creation of 4 parallel programs was suggested: Latin, Modern Languages, Scientific, and Greek.
  • NEA Report: The Committee of Fifteen

    This one focuesd on followers of Herbart who believed that subject matter should be selected based on a child's development. They also wanted a focus on elementary education. Curriculum was almost entirely subject centered.
  • Cardinal Principles of Secondary Education

    This report reversed the direction of reports found in the 1800s, and included life experiences as well as academic subjects in curriculum. 7 main objectives were created: Health, Command of Fundamental Processes, Worthy Home Membership, Vocation, Citizenship, Worthy use of leisure, and Ethical character. Focus shifted away from subject matter and toward the individual student.
  • The Curriculum

    Book by Franklin Bobbitt, first book to focus on curriculum. HIs ideas said that schools shouldn't attempt to teach to "intangible outcomes" such as mental discipline, but teach what is useful.
  • Period: to

    Child Centered Pedagogy

    3 focal points: follow childrens play, introduce a wide variety of instructional materials, and 3 Rs introduces. Goal was freeing children from restrictions.
  • NSSE Yearbook

    Identified 18 central questions including ones about organization of subject matter, etc...
  • Period: to

    1930s - 1940s

    Focus during this time was more conservative.
    8 Year Study: PEA appointed a Commision on the Realtion of School and College. Purposes: form relationship between school and college that encouraged reconstruction and find how high school could serve youth more effectively. Graduated of of experimental programs enjoyed slight adademic advantage but were very much better off persoanlly.
  • Sputnik

    During the 40s and 50s, education was moving back toward traditional core. After Sputnik, it was seen that single curriculum for all schools was desirable and feasible and packages focusing specically on Science, Technology, and Math were created.
  • Period: to

    Curriculum Reform of the 1960s

    Came about because of exaggerated criticisms and fears (we lost our minds), Education became increasingly more important, and people started pushing for a single national curriculum.
  • Period: to

    Pressure Mounts in the 1970s

    Pressure for accountability began to mount.
  • A Nation at Risk

    This report played on fears to national security, made 5 general recommendations including high schoolers being required to study the "Five New Basics." Response of President Regan announced that additional money was not going to be coming from the federal government. As for curriculum, stated that single, subject centered curriculum would work from everyone.
  • No Child Left Behind

    Law based on assumptions made by A Nation of Risk. It says that the crisis in education is to be cured by emphasizing few basic academic subjects, more time on testing.