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NEA Committee of Ten
The NEA Committee of Ten established a school curriculum that recommended 8 years of elementary education and 4 years of secondary education. I put this event here because it added emphasis on educating the K-12 group of students for a number of years, much like today. It also allowed students to choose among elective subjects to study for the first time, giving students a great deal of educational freedom that can still be observed today. -
Simon-Binet Intelligence Test
The Simon-Binet Intelligence Test makes it on this list because of the striking resemblance it has to the modern day equivalent of standardized testing. The purpose of the first IQ test was to detect special students that needed assistance with the school curriculum. These tests would continue through the centuries, evolving and changing, until we reach the present day ISAT, ACT, and SAT tests that are used to grant or block access into higher education. -
Maria Montessori
Maria Montessori made it onto this list because of her progressive teaching methods and ideologies. She believed that each student should be taught on a more personal and individualized level, much like today. Teaching as a whole to a class of students is ineffective if a few students fall behind. Her methods of taking care of each students individual needs has turned into the foundation of the K-12 teaching experience. -
Scopes Monkey Trial
The Scopes Monkey Trial made it onto the list because it was the major event in American history that drew national attention to the idea of separating religion from education. Even though the trial ended in favor of the prosecution, it raised national awareness towards the issue, eventually leading to the near complete separation that we see in K-12 schools today. -
NCLB
This amazing system did many important things to shape the current world of education, even aiding my K-12 educational experience. It created an accountability system on the annual progress reports on achievement level of all student groups. Implemented new higher standards for teachers. Used scientifically based strategies in the classroom. Increased instructional time in reading, writing, and math. Overall, it just fine tuned the system to suit everyone's best interests.
