CHAPTER 28

Who Decides What Schools Teach?

Elliot Eisner  

• This chapter discusses the “lack of voice” curriculum scholars have in the development of curriculum

·        Curriculum scholars are “those educationists whose specialty is the broad aims and content of schooling” (pg. 337)

·        Eisner states that “Marxist and Neo-Marxist” critics are concerned with problems in the education system but not with the remedy.  Others address “everything except the most central of educational questions:  What should be taught in schools?” (pg. 337)

·        The author cites the reason for this dismissal is that the topic is too broad in a time of specialized questioning and research.

·        Also, the focus has been on teaching and teacher education rather than curriculum.

     “Both are no doubt important areas of research, but they cannot replace attention to curricular matters.  No matter how well something is taught, if it is not worth teaching, it’s not worth teaching well.” (pg. 338)

• John Goodlad, A Place Called School – identifies what should be taught in school
• Theodore Sizer, Horace’s Compromise - “less is more” mission for schools
• Ernest Boyer, High School – what is worth students’ attention
• Mortimer Adler, The Paideia Proposal – forms of teaching and curriculum that really count

Stability and Change in Schools

• Schools today have, structurally and organizationally, changed very little from schools forty years ago. 

• Content in schools have been stable.  “English, social studies, math, science, foreign language, art music, and physical education.  Today computer literacy has replaced typing, but where is anthropology or law or child development or political science or feminist studies?” (pg. 339)

Why are schools stable?

• Tradition

• Textbooks

• Lack of teacher planning and sharing

• Standardized testing

What would change if curriculum scholars found a voice regarding school? ]

• Eisner thinks very little.  Each strand of curriculum scholar would view schools according to their specialty.  What would change “is a false sense of certainty, and that has characterized too many of the recent recommendations for education reform” (pg. 341)

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