By Dr. Robert Beebe
Although New Hope School aspires to be the character education school of the North Jersey area, we do not overlook the importance of a core curriculum. There is significant knowledge that students must learn from kindergarten through middle school.
The Core Knowledge Foundation was established by Professor E. D. Hirsch. In a book published by Hirsch, The Schools We Need (1996), he explains how "(t)he institution of the common school, proposed by Jefferson and fostered by Horace Mann, had the goal of giving all children the shared intellectual and social capital [knowledge] that would enable them to participate as autonomous citizens in the economy and policy of the nation."
In studying the work of the Core Knowledge Foundation, it became clear to me that the curriculum of New Hope School must provide all students with a coherent foundation of knowledge in all major subjects. Students learn on the basis of what they know, not on a romantic concept that they will naturally evolve at each stage of development as problem solvers and valuable citizens.
So, for example, in our middle school World History class we use a text published by the Core Knowledge Foundation. It covers a range of subjects that students need to be familiar with if they are to succeed in high school and college: Greek and Roman Civilization, the major religions, European civilization, the medieval Christian Church, Latin American, African, and Asian civilization.
Obviously, the text can only introduce students to these topics, but over the 180 days of the school year a framework of knowledge will help students with further study. Imagine if none of this was taught. It would be difficult for students in high school to understand the impact of classical civilization on the United States.
In our survey of American civilization we use texts to cover the founding of our nation, the colonial period, the national period, the Civil War, the industrialization of America, and so forth, leading to the contribution of many cultures to the making of America.
We try to provide students with the knowledge of the best of America, as well as how we have often failed to live up to our ideals.
We want students to love their country so they can see themselves as contributing to the best of what America represents. We want them to be patriots. When we send our students on to further their education, they need to see the importance of what they learn so that they can dedicate their lives and their work in building a better America.
Dr. Beebe is Principal of New Hope School