The Fate of Liberal Arts in Today's Schools and Colleges [Hardcover]

It is the purpose of this book to examine the ever-changing meaning of the term liberal arts and to trace its development from antiquity to the present. In doing so, the text will compare and contrast the values of such an education with the other important objective of schools and colleges, which is to prepare students with appropriate occupational training. The book will highlight the arguments of both points of view. In doing so, attention will be paid to the contributions to society of those who have been exposed to a variety of educational curricula. As part of the study, the impact of the community college will be considered, along with the impact of recent initiatives such as the Nation at Risk Report, No Child Left Behind, Race to the Top, and the Common Core. Finally, the text will conclude with an attempt to suggest the direction that will determine the fate of liberal arts in schools and colleges.William Hayes has been a high school social studies teacher, assistant principal, high school principal, superintendent of schools, adjunct professor, associate professor, and chairman of the Teacher Education Division at Roberts Wesleyan College in Rochester, NY. He is the father of three children and the grandfather of two.

The current climate of political influence on education has had a devastating impact on teaching the whole child. With increased focus and accountability on utilizing student assessment results in teacher evaluation, we have created a hostile environment were only the tested contents receive attention and others are set aside. Ironically, a movement that was meant to improve the education of our young people will have a devastating and lasting impact on the future of our country. Mr. Hayes is eloquent in the manner that he presents a framework to challenge our thinking on what is truly right for our students. This book stimulates reflection and real soul searching for todays educator. Casey Kosiorek, Superintendent of School , Byron-lÓ7