Historical Perspectives

Entry #1
In my opinion the innovators are the people that want what's best for educational reform, all students, and teachers. Horace Mann to me seems to be the best choice as a leading innovator. He is sometimes called "the father of education". He wanted free public education for all and established free libraries, helped double teacher's salaries, and established teacher training schools. Horace Mann seemed to be a selfless human being choosing educational reform over politics on numerous occasions in his career. This is the problem with education now. So many politicians say they want what's best for education when they are trying to win an election but once in office they chose to further their careers rather than do what is best for schools. I feel the innovators are the people that would want character education, values, and morals taught in the classrooms. The innovators are the people that would help teachers collective bargain for important issues. They want to teach children to become good citizens. The innovators feel by improving our schools, our teachers, and improving instructional materials we will be educating our children in a way that will be very productive to our world in the future. Horace Mann was a great innovator that established educational reform.
The makers on the other hand seem to be selfish, corporate, powerful individuals that are money hungry sharks in the business world. These makers want what's best for them and their companies not what's best for education overall. They are controlling, leaders in their industry, and make it hard for small businesses to compete and make a living. The makers would be dictators in the schools. They wouldn't want to know what works for you in your classroom or how they could help. They would tell you exactly what to do, when to do it, and how often they want it done. There would be no collaborative meetings to discuss how to better our schools. The makers want to raise children up to do as they are told, learn basic skills, and come to work for their company and help make them another million. I feel John D. Rockefeller is a prime example of a maker. He was selfish, extremely rich, controlling in his industry, unfair, and looked out for himself. Granted these makers were very ambitious and hard working. I'm just a softy and not a shark. This is why I will never make millions and I am a school teacher.
http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agexed/aee501/mann.html

http://www.notablebiographies.com/Pu-Ro/Rockefeller-John-D.html