A Classroom At An American Public School - 3091 Words

A typical classroom in an American public school holds a group of students with a myriad of diverse learning needs. Each class is likely to consist of some visual learners, some auditory learners, and some hands-on learners. Some students may work best in groups, while others work best independently. Some students may do well with mathematics and logic but poorly with visual-spatial skills, or any combination of the multiple intelligences. It seems to be common knowledge among teachers that these needs must be met, and in turn teachers write and teach a wide variety of lessons to accommodate all of their students, and there are a wide variety of resources available to teachers to help them do so. It is important to note, however, that†¦show more content†¦Whether these students are spending a small portion of the day or the entire day in the classroom, teachers should take care to address the needs of these students as best they can. While there is always room for impr ovement with how these students are included in the class, the American public school system has come a long way. In order to best understand inclusion of students with significant learning needs in a public school classroom and the progress that has been made, it is important to have a solid understanding of the history of public education in the United States, and the progress that has been made. The history of public education in America starts with the Puritans in the 1600s in New England. At this time, the primary goal of education was to teach children to read and understand the Bible in order to ward off Satan. The first act that mandated education was the Massachusetts Act of 1642 that required parents to be sure that their children knew the principles of religion and the capital laws of the commonwealth (Matzat, 2009). A notable point about this act is that it did not really address school at all, only stating that parents were responsible for the education of their children. The idea behind this was that if all citizens understood laws and scripture, they would in turn abide by those laws. In 1647, the Old Deluder Satan Act was established, creating the foundation of public education as we know it today (Matzat, 2009). This act required