School is becoming increasingly important as an educational tool in our society. People work longer, children have to stay at school longer and schools are required to provide children with the right education.
The school and education
Teaching is the specific task of the school. But the school is also a pedagogically shaped field. It is not only through the teacher’s interaction with the children and through the school program that one can speak of education in a central sense. The children themselves form a community with each other.
Public education is not a colorless neutrality. Social norms and standards are also transferred through the learning material. The pedagogical influence of the school is not always appreciated.
Education in discussion
Education can enjoy broad social interest these days. The call for improvement in the quality of education is general.
Development model
Student-oriented education that is tailored to the pace of development of the students and takes their giftedness and interests into account. The goal is the development of the child’s whole person, not just the intellect. Criticism: Not enough performance is required from the child. Too much child in the student instead of student in the child.
The equipment model
Requires subject-matter-oriented education and coordination of education with the demands of society. The emphasis is on the cognitive subjects. Criticism: The development of the student is too one-sidedly focused on social interests.
Middle school
Was originally intended as a compensation program for primary school age and for postponing career and study choices through the three- to four-year secondary school for everyone. However, due to circumstances, this project has been stuck in the experimental phase. A compromise has been found in the multi-year basic education after primary school. Criticism: The previous design focused too much on development. According to Leune, an opponent, selection-free education leads to self-selection. This is to the detriment of children from culturally less privileged backgrounds.
Primary school and special education
The Basic Education Act involves increasing the breadth of care in education. The aim is to increase attention for students who are having difficulties at school. Short-term objective for special education: eliminate an isolated position by strengthening cooperation with regular education. Long-term objective: replacement of regular and special education with primary education that is differentiated in such a way that virtually everyone can attend.
School & multicultural society
The new immigrant students are not a homogenous group. This entails practical problems. Should education be aimed at integration or even assimilation into Dutch society and culture? There are measures.
Strengthening the education priority policy
Schools with many students from socio-economic families receive extra contributions.
Education in your own language and culture (OETC)
Strengthening the original identity of (immigrant) children so that they do not lose their bond with their environment.
Inter-cultural education
Intended for all students of Dutch schools to provide a positive basis for the understanding of the local and foreign on both sides.
School & family
The school is not an extension of the family, but has its own role in the whole of education. Because school and family are working toward the same goal, close collaboration is required. The school must clearly inform parents about the character of the school they choose for their children. Mutual communication is strengthened by the creation of parent and education committees. In addition, there is active involvement of the parents: Parental participation.
Education & utopia
Illich: Where society used to take on an important role in the education of new generations, the school has usurped the monopoly of education. Illich speaks of the arrogance of the school. Criticism: His view of the school as an independent entity, while on the other hand it is dependent on all kinds of social influences.
The professional educator
The school
The teacher’s field of activity. There is freedom of education in our country, which means that in addition to schools founded by the government, there are also schools founded by associations or institutions.
The place of the school in society
The school is a service institution that serves the education and his life task. In this way, the school also serves the continuity and future of society. The school must meet the requirements of the public mission; the transmission of culture.
The teacher
A characteristic of the professional occupational structure is the professional autonomy of the teacher, acquired through training.
The students
The target group of the teachers’ work. In principle, a teacher must feel responsible for all students. The ideal of the school and therefore of the teachers should be the highest possible appropriation of culture by the entire new generation.
The learning material
The daily work of the teacher. The aim is to transfer this matter to the new generation.