Alice Miel

Alice Miel (February 21, 1906 – January 31, 1998) was an American educator and author of The Shortchanged Children of Suburbia, a study that has been characterized as a “groundbreaking” study in its publicized stress on what suburban schools failed to teach about human differences and cultural diversity. She was also greatly known as a social educator and curriculum development scholar.

Life and career

Miel was born in Six Lakes, Michigan, where she grew up. In 1928, she graduated from the University of Michigan. Three years following her graduation she received her master's. From that point in her life, she went on the get her doctorate in education at Teachers College, Columbia University in 1944.

Miel focused on the democratic social learning environment of children in schools. She supported democratic ideals and the development of democratic behavior as the ultimate goal of schooling. She was one of the first to apply social learning theories, democratic principles, and processes to various areas of curriculum development and school administration. Miel believed social learning should be taught throughout the day not just one subject area. She also believed the teacher was the most important factor in curriculum change and reform would fail if all the people carrying them out were not included. Miel believed it was important to include social issues in the curriculum and was interested in issues of equity and diversity.