Both Emerson and Kozol give principled approaches to education in Urban Public schools. Despite his focus on the structure of learning rather than the facts of knowledge, it is evident that Kozol makes excellent use of Emerson’s principles in educating the primary and secondary students. In his article, Kozol stresses more reality of urban schools and isolation of their students. Johnathan Kozol also brings in the truth of the unequal attention granted to the urban and the suburban schools. The overview of the article is that Kozol reflects explicitly the intuitional discrimination and the inability to address the specific needs of the minority students. On that fact, it is clear that Kozol adopted Emerson’s central principle to create a more formal system in school that maximizes student choice (Kozol 608). Emerson had the idea that students have the option in their studies since the education setting based on the instructions tended to fail in igniting the student’s passion. Whereas Kozol and Emerson may use different approaches towards matters of education in public schools, they feel that education is damaged and therefore introduces the ideal methods of teaching.
Kozol’s use of Emerson’s principles
Emerson’s central philosophy used by Kozol is a sense of shared nationalism through educational approaches to for self-reliance among students. After reading the two essays, Emerson’s idea is that t teaching should reinforce a sense of shared sympathy more than instructions to children (Emerson 5). Johnathan Kozol describes how “it makes sense without education than to have education without common sense” (Kozol 610). Therefore, progressive education requires that school curriculum with education talk’s sense. For instance, Kozol notes the presence of over segregation and how it affects the society. In his views, Kozol blames the forces that control the public school as similar to those that perpetuate inequality and suffering to the rest of the community (Kozol 612). That is, styles and approaches may change, but the baseline factors remain the same; Selective information, desensitization, and predetermined indoctrination.
Kozol is a proponent of Emerson’s idea to use common sense in the education curriculum. Inequality is a real condition that places a man into different social groups; the minorities and the majorities (Kozol, 614). Emerson thought that the education system was likely to ignore a student’s genius or unique gifts if the teacher does not allow the student to do whatever is in this or her mind. Emerson states that education relies on the kind the respect offered to the student because each student has a distinctive character, exceptional ability and personal curiosity which teachers ought to respect on an individual level. The most significant aspect is the importance to recognize the student’s natural skills, but the teacher has the role to stop the student’s uproar to enable them to maintain peace in the classroom and not to run wild (Emerson 3). Kozol adopts Emerson’s drill principle which he emphasizes on the necessity of good learning and good instructions. In fact, Kozol uses an example of the Black poor who hopelessly concentrate in the failing urban schools unlike the whites and the flourishing middle class. The US Schools are more of functionally segregated than never before, most schools named after the civil rights activists have classrooms 97% of the black and Hispanics while the neigh hoods predominantly occupied by the whites(Kozol 619). Emerson in his essay insisted that the teachers should not choose what students should know because it is one way to deny them the ability to distinguish reality and fallacy. Kozol adequately includes the principle in his philosophical analysis. For example, Schools deny students’ knowledge “an ugly little secrete” that diversity no longer exists in all schools across the country. In fact, schools comprise of the total population of students from one race and it illogical the way school systems force students to believe that they are willing to address the needs of students from diverse backgrounds (Kozol 610). Kozol also feels that the teaching system lies to the children by the leaving the false impressions uncorrected.
It is a vital issue that teachers have failed to manage students in classrooms. Kozol notes that teachers have the right and courage to speak out all the injustices they experience their children undergo. The argument supports Emerson’s reasoning that a teacher has the sole responsibility to create a classroom environment in the reflection of their childhood experiences and cultural influences (Emerson 7). This approach would stir how they taught in school and took control of the right ways to organize issues by doing what they believe is rightful. In Kozol’s description, it is evident that most people are hesitant to admit that America schools are far from diversity. A few students that occupy 1% of a different race stand out odd in these schools and therefore feel uncomfortable to be part of the school (Kozol 612). With that thought, diversity is essential to make students feel more secure and get the opportunity to learn about the multicultural perspectives. The nation has a lot of people arising from diverse historical backgrounds, bringing them together will fuel equality and harmony among all. The problems and issues discussed by authors show the nation’s concern on the elementary and secondary schools given millions of children segregated on the basis of social and economic well-being.
Kozol and Emerson’s overriding moral issues in schools
While Kozol justifies that teachers take part in the deception of their students by denying them the truth that they take attend segregated schools. It is not essential for teachers to inform their students about this issues because all students and their parents are very much aware of the condition of the particular schools they enrolled in and they knew it. Therefore it is their choice to believe in what they know, for instance, telling a six-year-old about issues of racial discrimination is not appropriate (Kozol 611). Emerson believes that allowing students to choose what they want to do will shape the modern classrooms. Students can decide on how they would solve problems or group work as it would offer a positive experience in learning (Emerson 2).
Kozol thinks that with diversity in schools, students would become more prepared for the real world after school. That is when they get employed they will understand the bests manner in which associate with different groups of workers in various situations (Kozol, 614). Despite that everyone is entitled to equal opportunity to get an education, not everyone is an entitled success in school since other students work harder than other creating chances to get to college. Colleges admit students that get higher grades or those that are better athletes as compared to those that do not perform well in academics. Emerson in his thoughts felt the importance of patience when it comes to school. He believed it was useful for the teacher to have patience with their students (Emerson 7). It is because students learn at various speeds, some faster while others slower. For instance, students at the 2nd
and 3rd grade learn how to read, and each one of them gains the reading momentum at a different speed, and it requires the teacher’s patience to allow the students that are slower to increase to the high levels of reading.
Kozol proposes that diversity in school systems will help kids to gain a more understanding of the new perspective of the children with diverse backgrounds (Kozol 613). Diversity is its nature grants the students an enhanced experience in school as they can see more than the standard environment where they grow. In the same way, all students will have the opportunities to gain equal access to education. Besides, Kozol considers diversity in schools a chance to drive a democratic nation because everyone else will feel part of the national progress. It mean that student who accesses quality education will have the upper hand to control the environment in which they grew up because they may get good paying jobs. If you go through Emerson’s ideas, letting all students learn new concepts and allow them to control the class would call for a chaotic environment, and very little learning would probably take place. The way Emerson describes the students in his time that they were obedient. Today, many students are not well disciplined and when allowed to do what they want, then teach will not get time to speak their mind freely. He wished that students should use their thoughts and no one to hinder them from expressing it.
Conclusion
Kozol makes use of Emerson’s principle of equality to suggest that everyone has the right to access equal education and treated with respect. The education system pays attention to the brightest and bests in sports leaving the rest of the students to fall through the cracks. It is thus essential to select Emerson’s thoughts to give all students’ academic motivation to help them realize their hidden abilities and skills. Public schools do not have money to compete for the private ones. Specifically, schools in the U.S urban areas are particularly stratified especially for the colored and the whites. It is an obvious issue that all students can observe, but the curriculum still makes teachers lie to the young generation in the presence of diversity in public schools. The country’s history is more linked to the South where civil rights protests dominated and led to the high intercultural divisions. The authors through their essays feel that the government has failed in its responsibility to change the education system because the current one limits family and school bonds. Children have the risk factors to generate the antisocial behaviors even when they get employed. Most of them grow up with low esteem about their schools and are likely to misbehave outside the school.
Works Cited
Jonathan Kozol’s. The uses of “Diversity,” pp.608-616
Emerson Waldo Ralph. On Education, pp. 1-11.
