Foundations of Education 2nd Edition - Ch1 Lesson Plan 1
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This lesson plan is also available as a Word file here.

Chapter 1: Lesson Plan 1: The Historical Roots of the Teaching Profession

Course: Foundations of Education

Topic: The Historical Context of Teaching

Time Allotment: 2-3 hours

Target Audience: Senior or Graduate-level College Students

Homework in preparation of lesson: 

Advise students to do the readings, take chapter 1 self-assessment and note questions they have regarding the readings on class discussion board or blog.  


In class activities:

Part 1: Setting the Stage (total of 30 minutes)


a)    Introduction and Hook (10 minutes)

●      Activity: Begin with a brief, informal discussion. Ask students to reflect on their own experiences with teachers.

○      Questions to prompt discussion:

■      "What qualities make a great teacher?"

■      "Why did you choose to go into education?"

■      "Do you consider teaching to be a 'profession' like law or medicine? Why or why not?"

●      Contextualization: Connect their responses to the central issue of the chapter: the status of teaching. Introduce the key questions the chapter explores: Is teaching a profession, a job, or a calling? Explain that understanding the history is crucial to understanding the current state of the profession.

b)    Mini-Lecture: European Heritage (20 minutes)

●      Content: Provide a concise overview of the historical roots of education, using key terms from the chapter.

○      Classical Tradition: Explain the concept of liberal education and its goal of liberating the mind. Mention the focus on the liberal arts in ancient Greece and Rome.

○      Middle Ages: Briefly discuss the influence of the church and the formalization of the seven liberal arts.

○      Renaissance and Reformation: Highlight the revival of the humanities during the Renaissance and the push for widespread literacy during the Protestant Reformation.

●      Discussion: After the lecture, ask students to share their thoughts on how these early European influences might have shaped American education.


Part 2: American Education and the Changing Role of the Teacher (total of 60 minutes)

a)    Small Group Activity: American Education Timeline (30 minutes)

●      Activity: Divide students into small groups. Assign each group one of the following historical periods from the chapter:

○      Colonial Schools

○      Teachers for the New Nation (Common School Movement)

○      Women Enter Teaching

○      Teacher Preparation (Normal Schools)

●      Task: Instruct each group to create a brief, 5-minute presentation or discussion summary on their assigned period. They should focus on the following questions:

○      What were the major educational developments during this time?

○      What was the role of the teacher?

○      What were the challenges teachers faced?

○      What key terms from the chapter apply to this period (e.g., New England Primer, common school movement, normal school)?

●      Facilitation: Circulate among the groups to answer questions and guide their research.

b)    Group Presentations and Discussion (30 minutes)

●      Activity: Each group presents their findings to the class.

●      Class Discussion: After each presentation, facilitate a brief class discussion.

○      Questions:

■      "How did the role of the teacher change from the colonial era to the 19th century?"

■      "What were the social and economic factors that led to the feminization of the teaching profession?"

■      "How did the establishment of normal schools change the perception of teaching?"


Part 3: The Birth of Professionalization (total of 60 minutes)

a)    Mini-Lecture: Professionalism vs. Professionalization (20 minutes)

●      Content: Clarify the distinction between professionalism (an individual's commitment to their craft) and professionalization (the collective effort to elevate the status of the profession). Use examples from other fields like medicine and law (learned professions). Explain the concept of status discrepancy.

●      Discussion: Ask students to consider why the "professionalization" of teaching has been so challenging.

b)    Case Study: Teachers Organize (40 minutes)

●      Activity: Present a detailed case study on the early history of the NEA and the AFT.

●      Content:

○      NEA: Discuss its origins and early administrative dominance, contrasting this with its later role as a strong teacher advocate.

○      AFT: Explain its close ties to the labor movement from the beginning and its focus on salaries and working conditions.

○      Key Figure: Spotlight Margaret Haley as a pivotal figure who challenged the status quo.

●      Small Group Discussion: Have students break back into their groups to discuss the following questions:

○      "Why did two different organizations with such different approaches (NEA vs. AFT) emerge?"

○      "How did the bureaucratic structure of schools impact teachers' ability to gain autonomy?"

○     "Do you think teachers should be part of a union? Why or why not?"



Part 4: Wrap-Up and Connection to Contemporary Issues (10 minutes)

●      Summary: Briefly summarize the key takeaways from the historical section, emphasizing that the struggles for professional status and control have deep roots.

●      Forward-Looking Statement: Conclude by previewing the next part of the chapter, which will explore how these historical trends continue to shape contemporary issues like teacher turnover, accountability, and the ongoing debate over the moral and technical aspects of teaching.

●      Assignment Preview: Remind students to read the rest of the chapter in preparation for the next class.