An Early Manifesto on Education

Educational Manifestos

Educational manifestos are documents proposing a change or changes to a current education system[1]. They can be written by governing bodies, organizations, or individuals involved in education as parents, student, administrators, or other stakeholders[2]. The writer or writers are positioned as a minority group,with manifestos aimed at a majority group.  Educational manifestos include personal or group beliefs about what is important or right in education, make statements about the current state of education, differentiate common terms in education, and make suggestions for changing current education systems[3].

Education manifestos often include observations about society and whether or not students are prepared to participate fully in it when they are finished with mandatory schooling[4]. These observations can include a perceived misalignment between mandatory school and society, an unjust, unfair, or right aspect of education, or perceived lack of personalization in learning. Other topics that are frequently addressed in educational manifestos include curriculum, funding, personalization, class size, teacher burnout, and standardized testing, among others[4].

Educational manifestos often offer a reflection or rethinking of some aspect of education or teaching and learning[5]. These may include personal stories, quotes, anecdotes, or experiences in the classroom or administration. The reflection or rethinking serves to illustrate how or why an aspect of an educational system requires change[6]. These reflections often remind readers of the importance of positive, consistent teacher-student relationships in a good education system[4].

Digital Humanities Education Manifesto

Educational manifestos call for reflection or ‘rethinking' on the part of the majority in education, offer a reason to hope for change, and make recommendations to put change into action[5]. Reasons for hope can include anecdotes from students, teachers, or parents, or a callback to what motivates teachers and students to teach and learn together. Manifestos written by individuals frequently conclude by sharing techniques, tactics, or philosophies that the writer has found helpful in their own teaching or administrative practice[7]. Those written by groups or organizations include recommendations for initiating or continuing change in appropriate areas.

  1. ^ Edwards, Mark (2017-05-20). "Manifesto summaries: what do they say about education? | The Key". The Key. Retrieved 2018-04-15.
  2. ^ "Better Education for better Democracies". Education. Retrieved 2018-04-15.
  3. ^ "A Teaching Manifesto - DAVIN EBANKS". DAVIN EBANKS. Retrieved 2018-04-15.
  4. ^ a b c "Radical Hope: A Teaching Manifesto". The Tattooed Professor. 2016-07-06. Retrieved 2018-04-15.
  5. ^ a b "manifesto for education | A movement from status to value". Claire Boonstra. 2012-11-05. Retrieved 2018-04-15.
  6. ^ RSA. "Education Manifestos 2017 – Testing, Testing, 123… - RSA". www.thersa.org. Retrieved 2018-04-15.
  7. ^ "A Teaching Manifesto | Tomorrow's Professor Postings". tomprof.stanford.edu. Retrieved 2018-04-15.