Class reaction #2- Hailey Hughes

After reading Tyack and Cuban's "Progress or Regress?" along with listening to the class' response, I would like to express my point of view of "is the educational utopia in sight?" (pg. 12). Is it true that "better schooling would guarantee a better society?" (pg. 14). I do agree that better schooling does guarantee a better society. How do people in society become doctors, lawyers, technicians, or any other successful profession? Well, through teachers of course! As educators, it is our job to teach students valuable morals/values as well as informative knowledge to help them to overcome the challenges of society and find success in a career.
Another question that Tyack and Cuban asked was "Does schooling make a difference?" (pg. 29). My answer to this is MOST DEFINITELY! Whether or not you realize it as a teacher, you do make a difference in the lives of your students. They may not remember the equations you taught them or the geographic features they labeled, but they will always remember the time and energy you gave them throughout the year. They may remember the support you gave them, and they may remember the realization that they do matter and are important. They may remember the discovery of their talent in your classroom, or they may even remember the advice you gave them to help them become what they are today.
I believe I can sum up my ideas with the statement, "The intensity of both optimism and pessimism about the state of schooling reflects a continuing conviction that good education is critical both for the individual and for the society" (pg. 39). Without education, society would consist of chaos and instability. With education, we can form a society with knowledgeable and trained individuals that promote success and improvement among themselves and people around them.