In this course students discover why American education is what it is today. Examined are beliefs that people hold and have held about teaching, the focus of curriculum, the purposes of schools, and the roles of teachers. Differing values and issues in education are addressed, as are the philosophical, historical, and social forces that create the issues. Students will be challenged to investigate the historical and cultural antecedents of modern education, and to examine their own belief systems with regard to the institution of education and to the role and function of the teacher.