A Study Of The "633 Academic System" In The United States (1888-1918)

Study of the formation process of the six three-three system is of great significance. This paper mainly studies the process of American school system from 1888 to 1918. The development of American school system can be primarily divided into three stages: discussion-- Discussion on the eight-four educational system and grade seven or eight courses(1888- 1899); next stage is that the educational system and curriculum was further discussed-- educational system reform theory and Practice(1900- 1909); the third stage is about the creation of junior high schools and the final establishment six three-three educational system.At the end of the nineteenth Century, the rapid development of American economy and society, industrialization and urbanization, put forward new requirements for school. However, the school adhered to the tradition, failed to adapt to the great changes of society, as a result, large numbers of students dropped out of school. At the same time, the rapid development of American psychology, led by G. Stanley Hall, launched the child study movement, requested that the school should pay attention to the different stages in the development of children and the different personality of children. Many educators advocated that schools should adapt to the children instead of children adapting to school. In 1888, Charles W. Eliot, Harvard University president, delivered a speech, called on schools to carry out reform, take this as the beginning, the school system is discussed, trialed and practiced for thirty years.1888-- 1899, the proposal to solve college entrance age problem gradually attracted the attention of the education community, and finally contributed to the discussion on the existing educational system. the result of the discussion is inclined to change the existing eight-four system, put forward the six-six division of the educational system, and reform the existing seven and eight year courses, banned redundancy, repeat content, increased the new curriculum, learned the secondary school curriculum in advance. However, this discussion is focused on the theoretical level, which is the first phase of this educational system.In the twentieth century, many committees continued the discussion on the reform of educational system. People reached a consensus that is the existing eight-four must be changed. In addition, the practice of primary schools in Kansas City attracted attention and discussion, more and more people tended to six-six division. Supported by the National Education Association, survey and investigation were carried out to put forward specific opinions and feasible schemes for system restructuring. It is worth noting that, in 1908, an education official put forward six three-three plans, people begin to pay close attention to the further division of secondary education. In this stage the educational system reform started to practice from discussing academic level.The early establishment of junior high school and the famous Berkeley plan and the Los Angeles plan made six three-three system from theory into reality. Junior high school movement spread rapidly set off a nationwide establishment of junior middle school. In the early junior high school, because of the lack of unified standards, the existence of a variety of forms, courses are different, which reflects the conflict of concepts at the beginning of junior high school. In 1918, the Cardinal Principles of Secondary Education issued by Commission on the Reorganization of Secondary Education defined junior high school from the authority sense, and then the six three-three system was finally established down.