PURPOSES/AIMS OF

EDUCATION
 While many purposes of education
exist, and many people have their own
ideas of what education should be, listed
and explained below are several generally
accepted purposes for schooling that
spring from our educational history in
America and modern beliefs about
education.
 
General Purposes:
1. Education for Intellectual Attainment: the
belief that schools should concentrate on
activities, exercises, and courses of study
that develop one’s mind or intellectual
ability. This belief is based upon the
assumption that the brain is like a muscle
that develops with mental exercise and schools
should challenge the learner with tasks that
stimulate the brain.
2. Education for Citizenship: the idea that
schools serve the larger society by
producing students who can function in the
American democracy . This purpose
recognizes that an educated citizen is
essential to maintaining the American
economic and political system.
3. Education for Vocational Preparation: this
is the belief that schools should produce
students who can go into the work force
and become productive. It is the
recognition that a “practical” aspect of
schooling must be satisfied. In an
educational system attempting to educate all
citizens, it is recognized that not all
graduates can go to college and trained workers
are needed after high school.
4. Education for Individual Development:
this is the belief that education develops
the potential of each person. Each person is
unique and education uplifts the individual
intellectually, physically, and emotionally.
Education is seen as the vehicle for
personal development and success in life.
 THE SEVEN CARDINAL
PRINCIPLES OF EDUCATION
 In 1918 the National Education Association’s
Commission on the Reorganization of Secondary Education
identified seven specific goals for the public schools. These
goals have influenced education throughout the 20th century
and still have great influence today. The seven cardinal
principles were designed to articulate the goals for the
comprehensive high school at a time when the high schools
and the public school system in America grew during the
period after World War I. The seven cardinal principles
recognized that schooling had a larger purpose than just
preparing students for colleges and universities. Listed below
are the seven principles.
1. Health: the recognition that as public
education grew and compulsory school
attendance laws were passed in all the states,
the health of the population could be impacted
by paying attention to health issues in
schools. Courses in health, nutrition, and
physical education were instituted.
Modern courses include the study of such
social issues as AIDS, sex education, and
alcohol/drug education.
2. Command of Fundamental Processes:
this is the old “reading, writing, arithmetic”
approach to education, the belief that
educated people must have a firm command
of reading, mathematics, and writing ability.
We hear a lot of talk today about the
“basics” in education and the need to make
sure that all children can read when they
leave public schools.
3. Worthy Home Membership: the belief
that schools should prepare students to
establish a healthy, stable home. Here is
where courses in “home economics” started,
with an emphasis on preparing young
women to cook and maintain a house.
Today, both young men and women take
courses in this area.
4. Vocational Preparation: the belief,
explained above, that schools should
produce workers for the growing economy.
5. Citizenship: the belief, explained above,
that democracy depends on an educated
citizenry , and schools, as the institution
charged with the responsibility for
education everybody, is in a unique role to
“maintain the Republic.”
6. Worthy Use of Leisure Time: as the work
week began to shorten, it was recognized
that Americans would have more leisure
time. This principle supports the notion
that schools should prepare young people
for a healthy life style, including physical
activity and participation in healthy leisure
activities.
7. Ethical Character: the belief that schools
should address issues of “right or wrong”
and “moral” concerns. Recently, a
national debate has arisen over the
teaching of religion in schools and the proper
role that schools should play in moral/ethical
education.
MODERN AIMS OF
EDUCATION
 While the seven cardinal principles of
education continue to influence what we teach
in schools, a few other aims of education are
beginning to influence education in America,
particularly regarding “how” we teach in
schools. Your work in the schools of tomorrow
will certainly engage you in these areas.
1. Learning to Use Information: educators
recognize that students cannot be expected to learn
everything about a subject. In fact, information is
growing at a rate far faster than at any time in
human history. So, learning to use information
becomes as important as learning certain “basic”
information. Acquiring, analyzing, and reporting
information become important skills. Applying one’s
knowledge becomes as important as learning certain
information about a subject. Of course, the
computer becomes an ever increasing tool in school
classrooms.
2. Concept Development: since we cannot
possible learn all that is known about a
subject, and information is increasing ever
faster, then, learning the important ideas
becomes more important. The modern
emphasis on learning content is to
concentrate on the big ideas and not allow
student to become mired in minutiae.
3. Problem Solving: along with the emphasis
on big ideas is the belief that students
need to apply their understanding of
information to “real life” problems. The
problem solving approach draws heavily on the
scientific method, where information is
generated, analyzed, and applied to a
question of importance.
4. Constructivism: this approach gets
students involved in using information, even
constructing information that is applied to
their understanding of concepts and
generalization. Students do more than
memorize facts. They construct meaning
from the information acquired or given.
5. Inquiry: a method of instruction where
students collect, analyze, and apply
their understanding to problems or
issues. Inquiry is the basis for all
science and relies heavily on using data
rather than suppositions or opinions.
6. Social Concerns: Americans tend to look
to their schools to solve issues that plague
society. When auto accidents kill
thousands each year and inflate insurance
rates, then schools institute driver education
courses. When Americans are concerned
about manners, then schools launch
programs that address proper social
behavior. The list of issues that schools are
required to address seems to grow.
SCHOOL ORGANIZATION
 Schools that education young people fall into two
general categories: Private or Public Schools. Recently
states have allowed parents to educate their children in
a “home school” setting. In Kentucky the public schools
are referred to legally as the “common schools.” Our
discussion pertains to the organization of
public(common) schools only.
 Public schools in America are primarily
funded at the local and state levels. Since no
mention of education is made specifically in the
United States Constitution, then the states under
the “reserve powers” have taken on the
responsibility to fund and run public schools. The
power to run public schools at the local level is
vested in a Board of Education, duly elected from
the community, and given broad authority to
govern the schools in its district.
 The chief administrator in a local school
district is the superintendent, who is appointed by
the Board of Education. The superintendent is
allowed to hire other administrators, including
supervisors, office staff, and the principals of the
local schools, which are all approved by the Board.
 In Kentucky, each school, unless it fulfills a few special
characteristics, is required to have a “School Council” that is
given some significant powers to operate a local school. The
School Council operates under a plan approved by the Board
of Education that is in line with Kentucky law. School Councils
are composed of teachers, parents and administrators, under
a ratio of three teachers, two parents, and one principal. The
composition of the council can be changed as long as this
ratio is maintained. School councils in Kentucky have
considerable power and have jurisdiction over such areas as
discipline policies, curriculum, staffing, and scheduling, to
name a few. Each council develops a policy on how to
administer the powers allowed under the law.
 While we tend to view schools and their characteristics as
monolithic, in fact, schools vary widely, even in the same school
district. Some schools are large, others small, and their clients
vary, from middle class, to lower classes, in terms of family
income. Some schools have a high degree of parental
involvement, while others struggle to get input from parents.
Other schools are located in areas where property values are high
and the public allows a high degree of monetary support for the
schools, resulting in a disparity among schools regarding the
money available to support education. Recently, as a result of
research, educators realize that significant educational change
usually occurs at the school level as a result of the educators in a
particular school building with the support of the parents and the