The name of this essay describes the content precisely; "Against School" by John Taylor Gatto rips apart the school system in the United States. He discusses bored teachers and the problems with the "twelve-year compulsory school programs" that encourage boredom. These programs being set up to create mindless drones to enter society.
I was not so fond of this essay. I feel that the accusation that all teachers are bored is false. I have had many teachers that truly loved their job and you could tell by the way they conducted their classrooms. To say that a grumbling teacher is simply bored is a terrible assumption. Everyone has a bad day, anyone that says otherwise is a liar...sometimes you just need a break and to vent a little.
I also have taken many classes about child development, to deprive a kid of their childhood would be detrimental to their development. Gatto states, "Don't let your own have their childhoods extended, not even for a day." As someone who has been in education for 30 years, he should have a better understanding of the developmental process of children. He encourages your child to have a great deal of solitary time, at no point does he say when that should be. It is also important to spend time with your children to foster the bond so they are not too detached. This essay was not one I enjoyed, but just as he pointed out, we do live in the land of the free and entitled to our own opinions.
Strike In Geology
1 year ago
I liked your response to Gatto's writing. Like you, I have also had some great teachers who loved their jobs and taught me a lot about learning and living. I have had a lot of teachers who were bored, as Gatto states they all are, but I agree with you that it is unfair to group all teachers together that way. I think that the best thing about our education system are grades 1-5. They are no doubt very important to development and are the only grades that I feel challeng us till college. We have to learn to read and write, do basic math, and solve basic problems. I don't think I learned anything more usefull than that in 6-12th grade. I liked that you brought up Gatto saying don't let your children have their childhoods extended. Childhood and the lessons learned there are very important, not to mention it is a lot of fun to be a kid. I think the educational system in general does a horrible job of letting kids be kids. I think what Gatto was referring to though was not to let children be "intellectually" childlike any longer than they have to. I have met people my age, 27, who are about as mature as a 13 year old should be. Some of this is becasue they have been allowed to be kids for far too long. I enjoyed reading your response. See you in Class.
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