Introduction to Education, Second Edition is written for students beginning their study in education. As the school population increasingly reflects the diversity of America's population, many prospective teachers, typically from the middle classes, will be unprepared for the diverse classrooms they will inevitably encounter. This text helps students prepare to be teachers in a pluralistic society whose classrooms represent an increasingly varied set of cultural histories and values. Introduction to Education, Second Edition identifies and examines key educational topics and issues: A history of Education that goes beyond the standard Puritan background and begins instead with indigenous Americans and the influence of the Spanish., Surveys of a broad spectrum of children's backgrounds, including experiences with drugs, poverty, and lack of access to vital cultural currency like the Internet., And provides numerous pedagogical aides:, Reflective in-text questions that challenge students to think beyond their own cultural backgrounds and to develop an appreciation for a variety of different cultures, Student Web materials including supplemental readings involving issues in contemporary American education, in-text case studies, An issues-based guide to websites on hot topics like vouchers and the No Child Left Behind Act, Instructor's Manual with Test Bank (still under construction
About the Author: Dr. William E. Segall is professor of social foundations in the College of Education and professor in the School of International Studies at Oklahoma State University. His professional experiences range from teaching vocational students work skills in Canada to being a principal of a Japanese university preparatory school in the United States. Dr Segall is passionate about helping college students become teachers who are prepared to excel in America's diverse classrooms. Dr. Anna V. Wilson is an Assistant Professor in the School of Education at Chapman University, in Orange, CA. She has also taught criminal justice, focusing on domestic violence and juvenile justice; served as assistant principal of an alternative high school; and worked at a nontraditional magnet school developing collaborative processes. Dr. Wilson's research and teaching focuses on race/ethnicity, class, gender, and sexual orientation. She is committed to facilitating a richer understanding of the multiplicity of issues facing both teachers and students in our schools in the framework of Social Justice.