Cultural Reporter Introduction: Sarah Nelson

from pbs.org

            Culture can be defined in many ways, one of which is shared mindsets or common behaviors of a group of individuals, (Martin & Nakayama, 2013).  School is a type of subculture because it is where people “learn and share group-related perceptions,” (Martin & Nakayama, 2013, p 91).   My experience of going through private education kindergarten through high school puts me in a marginal subculture.  Experiencing that type of schooling gave me specific mindsets and behaviors that may differ from those with history in the public schools. Even though public education is an integral part of the majority of the population, there are facets of it that are unknown to me. I plan on learning about and collecting data from those who attend or have attended public schools. Specifically, I will be looking at their experiences in school compared to mine as well as their transition into college.

            Horace Mann was the first to propose that students should learn in a “common” school for standardization in the 1840’s, (School: The Story of American Public Education). Public education has come a long way since then, and has been greatly influenced by legislative and legal actions like Title IX and Plessy v. Ferguson.  Today, public education is marked by curriculum standards, standardized testing, and a booming of technology in the classrooms, (American Public Education: An Origin Story).  In Nebraska, there are many school districts and many school sizes. Each are held to state standards and participate in Nebraska State Accountability testing, (Nebraska Department of Education). 

            Learning about the constructs of Nebraska public education will not be difficult for me to accomplish. I am currently in a practicum where I observe and interact with students in a Lincoln Public School. This gives me an outlet to see them at tasks, how they interact with each other, and what mindsets and behaviors are being presented to the youth.  Considering my future as an educator, I will also speak with teachers in public schools and ask them about their experiences. Finally, I will survey people who have attending public schools and see how their experiences differ from my own and how that has impacted them moving forward.

           

References

American Public Education: An Origin Story. (16 April 2013).  Education News.  Retrieved from http://www.educationnews.org/education-policy-and-politics/american-public-education-an-origin-story/.

           

Martin, J.N., & Nakayama, T.K. (2013). Intercultural communication in contexts (6th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.

Nebraska Department of Education.  (2014). NDE. Retrieved from http://www.education.ne.gov/index.html.

School: The Story of American History. (2001). PBS: Roundtable, Inc. Retrieved from http://www.pbs.org/kcet/publicschool/index.html.