An Historical Introduction to American Education
Worth buying if: You study education history or teacher preparation.
Skip it if: You need a primary-source anthology or classroom-ready lesson plans.
Exact edition: Edition shown · ISBN-13 9780881335385. The Amazon link uses this ISBN, so the product page should open to the edition shown here.
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Summary
Gerald L. Gutek traces major institutions, movements, and debates shaping U.S. schooling across centuries, offering contextualized historical analysis aimed at general readers and students of education.
Why this book now
Readers and educators can use this established 1990 survey to contextualize contemporary debates about curriculum, policy, and the historical roots of American schooling.
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Best for readers who...
Good fit if you want...
- You study education history or teacher preparation.
- You want a single-volume historical survey from colonial to modern eras.
- You need a primary-source anthology or classroom-ready lesson plans.
- You expect a recent update past 1990 on policy and reform.
- You only want something with very current references and examples.
Decided it fits?
Exact edition: Edition shown · ISBN-13 9780881335385
Worth buying if: You study education history or teacher preparation.
Skip it if: You need a primary-source anthology or classroom-ready lesson plans.
Check Amazon for the current price and availability of this exact edition.
Reader guide
Cues to help you decide faster.
Reading commitment
Balanced Moderate time
At 351 pages, this Waveland Pr. paperback is a substantial but manageable historical survey best read in focused chapters rather than one sitting.
What stands out here
This 1990 Waveland Pr. edition presents Gerald L. Gutek’s long-form synthesis of American educational developments up to the late 20th century.
Best way to approach it
Approach it as a textbook-like narrative: read chapter-by-chapter, pause to note timelines and key figures, and cross-reference with contemporary sources for updates post-1990.
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Exact edition: ISBN-13 9780881335385
Check Amazon for the current price and availability of this exact edition.