Horace Mann's Theory Of Opportunity

“At the beginning of all growth, everything imitates. All of us, when we were children, also only imitated. But children grow up and begin their own development.” once stated by Pramoedya Ananta Toer. Starting from growth it is natural for children to learn how to do certain things by their biological needs and reactions to developing. But as we evolve and grow it is essential that we be nourished with the proper ingredients to do so. The father of the American School System, Horace Mann implemented theories in which still exist today which may or may not be controversial but play a pivotal roles in society as well as our educational system. Horace Mann whom was the father of the American School System once stated, “Education, then, beyond all other devices of …show more content…
Opportunity, which is defined as a favorable combination of circumstance, time and places, seems to be one of the biggest drawbacks in today’s society, because there is no “equal” opportunity. While Mann stressed that education was the “great equalizer of opportunity”, the lack of, is something that greatly effected not only the way we function within our educational system but societies as well. Mann belief that education was a ‘right’ and something that was passed down from generation to generation, in a sense saying we need to ‘acquire’ this in order to do that was an interesting perspective but just as unjust as it was; it still continues to be in todays society. In my personal educational experiences I’ve ecperienced many “unequalled” opportunities whether it be the difference between an AP or college level course in high school or a student teaching opportunity that I was just never presented with the lack of opportunities and open doors never really called for an urge or desire to reach or stretch for