Who invented teaching and where did it come from? These are questions that a student must have asked themselves at some point in their academic life. Other similar questions include who was the first teacher, were there schools back when teaching started, and what means were used to teach long ago.
These weird questions that students seek to know about have had them believe that someone who invented teaching probably must be as influential as other inventors in the medieval ages.
This article offers a proper understanding of all your questions on the history of teaching.
Also Read: Can Teachers Join the Military: Armed Forces Teaching Jobs
Who Taught the First Teacher?
It only makes sense that everyone learned from someone. It is common knowledge among students that the first teacher must have been taught by someone.
Even the greatest philosophers earned from someone. For example, Aristotle learned from Plato, Plato was taught by Socrates, and Socrates learned from a man known as Prodikos.
Even Prodikos himself must have been taught by another unknown Greek philosopher.
If everyone was taught by someone then who is the first teacher? We all have to agree that the person who taught the first teacher must have been self-taught and learned.
He then must have passed his knowledge to people who taught other people about it. Also, we have to assume that those who were taught had great minds and the ability to shamble together a proto-curriculum that was passed to learners.
As per Greek mythology, it is believed that the first teacher was the god Chiron who was known for his ability to impart knowledge. He passed knowledge to a human teacher who was a powerful figure named Hippocrates.
Chiron was known to have empathy, a virtue he passed to Hippocrates who went on to be known as the father of medicine. Other myths have it that the first teacher was also not human.
According to a Harvard University study, dolphins have characteristics similar to humans. Some of them include having complex emotional lives and strong social connections with one another.
Therefore, it is considered that dolphins were the first teachers of humans.
Summary of the History of Teaching
Over the years, teaching has transformed from a simple educational function to a complex activity and profession.
The main purpose of teaching is to equip learners with knowledge about something they were not familiar with before.
Also, through teaching the minds of children and adults are prepared to ensure that they become worthwhile citizens in society.
Teaching is said to have begun in Greece according to the mythology in which a god known as Chiron taught the first teacher known as Hippocrates.
The first famous teacher known as Confucious and the first the history of teaching can be traced back to 561BC.
Also, in ancient Greek, private teachers were hired to teach children. Teaching continued to develop and in the Middle ages learning institutions were put in place and teachers were required to have training.
The history of teaching can be summarized in the following stages:
Teaching Back in the Colonial Days
In the colonial days, ministers and housewives used to teach. The first public school was formed in 1635 by the pilgrims. These were then followed by dame schools which primarily were meant for women.
Also, there were Latin grammar schools that were set up to offer education for boys. During these times two states, Massachusetts and Virginia passed laws that required an elementary school to be set for every 50 families and a Latin grammar school for every 100 families.
In these schools, teachers specialized in teaching reading, writing, and religion. Students were required to memorize the subjects that they were taught.
Teaching During the 19th Century
There were a lot of changes in the teaching world during the 1800s. States required that towns with more than 500 families have a set up high school for all students.
Henry Bernard and Horace Mann in the 1840s helped create school systems with increased teachers’ training and pay. This was mainly in the states of Connecticut and Massachusetts where teachers were supposed to take a test for certification that licensed them to teach.
The first union of teachers in America, the National Teachers Union, was formed in 1857 and was the largest labor union. The main purpose of this party was to fight for the right of teachers and improve the conditions of the profession.
Also Read: Can You Study for the IQ test: Tips to Prepare and Practice
Teaching in the 20th Century
During this period, teaching started to become a more desired profession among American citizens. The groundwork that had been done by the National Teachers Union ensured that the conditions for teachers and teaching improved.
The focus in this period was directed at improving teaching methods and making sure that teaching adapted to the educational needs of a society that was swiftly changing.
The highlight of this century came in 1954 during the case of Brown vs Board of Education where the U.S Supreme Court ruled that separate but equal schools were inherently unequal.
As a result, the court ordered the integration of public schools all over the United States of America. During this period, students ranged from the age of 5 to the age of 20. At the start of the 1900s only 11% of children aged between the ages of fourteen and seventeen were enrolled in high school from which only a few graduated.
This number continued to increase as the years rolled on.
In the 1980s the concern in America was about the quality of education. There was evidence of poor performances in different subjects among students.
The urge to improve the quality of education also included the fact that in the 1970s education in schools was viewed as incapable of making a difference.
For example, the high school curricula were packed with courses such as moral education, values education, consumer education, drug education, death education, and driver education which failed to emphasize academic skills.
Many parents and politicians were angered by the state of education and pointed fingers at teachers. This was also contributed by the lesser teaching hours in schools which have since then changed.
Teaching in the 21st Century
In the world today, teaching has advanced. The advances are in the computer and television age which have changed the emphasis on teaching. The internet particularly has opened new educational possibilities.
With the increase in the number of immigrants in America over the years, English teaching as the second language in America has increased. President George W. Bush emphasized that no child should be left behind.
He challenged and expected teachers to enforce basic skills in the classroom. Also, Teachers were held accountable for results through standardized testing among students.
The emphasis on teaching today is on preparing students for their careers through technical education. However, there are some challenges in the teaching profession with a mass exodus of educators being experienced.
This has led to the public schools reporting vacancies that have been made available through the resignation of teachers.
Also Read: Do Professors Check Email During Summer, Holiday, or Cold Emails
The Future of Teaching
Teaching is a profession that is growing fast in cities and rural areas. This growth is not expected to slow down any time soon according to the United States Bureau of Labour and Statistics.
However, there will still be problems that prevent this growth because challenges will keep coming and going. For example, many students are getting enrolled in schools that cannot handle them all causing overcrowding.
As a result, funds that are released to support education become limited. Also, teachers will continue to demand that their salaries increase with their workload increasing every day.
