NORMAL EDUCATION
©2009 by Michael Riversong
Throughout most of American history education was generally considered of high quality as compared with most countries. In fact several other nations have to varying degrees emulated parts of the system. It was so dominant, most people referred to it as "Normal". Under this system education was freely provided to most of the population. Thus, America's literacy rate soared to nearly 98%, higher than any nation ever before in history. Math ability was also high, leading to spectacular advances in invention and engineering. During the time it was predominant, America became the most technologically advanced and prosperous nation on Earth.
The Normal system was originally written up by Noah Webster beginning around 1800. Its elements were consistent throughout several textbooks and teacher training works. We would do well to recount some of its characteristics and assumptions, as some of these may be useful in constructing a better system. Also, this is what was most widely replaced by the Dewey-Thorndike system starting in 1905. Some of the fundamental assumptions were transferred from Classical Education, which is covered in the document "Logic and Production in Education"
Link: http://home.earthlink.net/~chylogos/Classedu.html.
Character development was regarded as paramount. All success stems from this single element. Much writing was done on this topic. Biblical principles were considered to be the foundation of good character. Much reading material and many exercises contained specific Bible references. Personal discipline was stressed in a number of ways. We should note in this context that Noah Webster had created an English Bible translation himself.
Vocabulary was vital. Many lessons began with a vocabulary list. Only when terminology is understood can there be any possibility of understanding material. In recent years, neurology proved this. Language is a physical phenomenon, directed by specific regions of the human brain. When a word is not understood, part of the brain literally shuts down, resulting in "blanking out" or falling asleep. This is covered in depth in some of the reference material cited in Network Education.
Class periods were usually flexible. This meant that lessons could take long enough to truly achieve understanding.
An important practice of Normal education was what we now call Peer Mentoring. Under the supervision of the classroom teacher, more experienced or bright students would help others. This served to reinforce many lessons. It also allowed younger students to learn in terms more readily and immediately understood. The older students who helped in this way gained healthy self-esteem and several useful skills. Deep social connections were typically forged by this process, making students feel integrated with their communities.
Much of Normal education was configured in respect of transportation and communication difficulties. At its beginning a relatively new postal system was in place which greatly enhanced communication capabilities as compared with previous eras. So postal services became an important tool which also meant that letter writing and good penmanship had to be stressed. One-room schoolhouses in less populated areas were common, which partly drove the necessity of peer mentoring. Books might be scarce in some areas, and often had to be shared. It was the work of teachers to cope with these difficulties, overcome them, and instill desired skills at all levels.
Some skills could only be taught through repetitive drills. Arithmetic, mathematics, penmanship, and some grammar were that way. These drills were effective but were often despised by students. Unfortunately this characteristic helped drive the replacement of the Normal system. It should be noted here that most Asian educational systems rely heavily on drilling. That remains the only feasible method of learning how to write Chinese characters, for example.
Normal education worked well in America from the early 1800s until 1963. That year is significant because it was when almost every remaining public school was brought under the Dewey-Thorndike system, and the "Community Mental Health Act" officially brought psychologists into public schools. The newer system was written up beginning in 1905. It was instituted in many universities from then on, but it took many years before a majority of teachers were trained in it. Arkansas and West Virginia were generally the first recipients of the new system because they did not have statewide public schools. This is all well documented in "The Liepzig Connection" available from Heron Books:
Link: http://www.heronbooks.com/books.php
Revision 3/17/09