3-GORBACHEV+Pye,+Joey

Gorbachev Education Reforms Before Gorbachev became premier, public schools were laced with propaganda. Rather than a force to teach students how to innovate and achieve, schools were thought of as breeding grounds for young communists. This pretext was held above all others, that, in the words of Lenin, “the entire purpose of training, educating, and teaching the youth of today should be to imbue them with communist ethics”.
 * // What was the situation for that group/institution before Gorbachev became Premier? //**
 * // How did that group/institution interpret the application of those policies to it? //**

As far as the actual method of teaching, the education system went through cycles throughout the 20th century. Therefore, Gorbachev’s reformations did not necessarily change the way in which curriculum was taught. However, the new concept of openness did inform education for those teaching under the rule of Gorbachev. The new system would allow for election, so students would need to know how to think critically, a skill overlooked previously in the Soviet Union. Despite the slightly more democratic views being introduced to children, it was done so under the pretext of atheism. This pretext indoctrinated and brainwashed children despite the concurrent cultural advancements. There was a significant problem when Gorbachev took office with a generation that did not know how to entrepreneur or think for themselves. Acknowledging critical thinking was necessary for the advancement of the economy, Gorbachev instituted Glasnost into the schools, expecting them to learn to question everything and become leaders in every part of society. Gorbachev was forced to risk losing an entire generation of communists, but he was willing to risk it to get people who would strengthen the economy. Glasnost and Perestroika were meant to liberate the education system from the government just enough to create leaders, however the effect was that communism lost a lot of ground, especially in the younger generation.
 * // How did the Soviet state apply those policies to that group/institution, and what were the effects? //**
 * // What was the significance of Gorbachev’s reforms as it pertained to that group/institution? //**

Gorbachev’s reformations in education could have arguably been responsible for the elimination of most hardcore communist ideologies that were extremely popular at a previous time in soviet history. In the long run, his reforms did strengthen and improve the state of soviet education, emulating the successful education systems of the western countries that focused on individual achievement rather than for the good of everyone. As westernization was occurring in culture, so was it occurring in education. Communism had started at education and with Gorbachev would slowly end at education as a new generation was taught to think selfishly and independently.

Bibliography: Long, Delbert H. //Continuity and Change in Soviet Education under Gorbachev//.//American Educational// // Research Journal //. 3rd ed. Vol. 27. N.p.: American Educational Research Association, n.d. 403-23. Autumn 1990. //JSTOR//. Web. 3 Mar. 2013. .