In both essays, “Against school: How Public Education Cripples Our Kids, and Why” by John Taylor Gatto and “The Naked Source” written by Linda Simon, the problems with education system and how to reform it is demonstrated. They both declare that how courses curriculum ruins students’ curiosity and imagination by dividing them with test ratings. However, in order to make the best out of each person teachers must support student’s abilities. Talent development is essential in order to satisfy their infinite curiosity. Nowadays, obedient citizens are the product of obligatory schooling. Inevitably, It leads to mental exhaustion. When the reason of children’s boredom was asked by John, the students demanded to do “Something Real” rather than sitting…
In the essay “Against School” the author John Taylor, Gatto claims boredom has made a big impact in schooling systems all around the United States not only in Manhattan, New York. Gatto believes that boredom affects the capability of ones education and also states that boredom is a common condition not only in students but also in schoolteachers. Gatto is against schools all together, saying that our school system is to blame, a school system not designed by the United States but adapted from the Prussian culture.…
John Gatto is the last one would expect to be a retired school teacher, as he preaches the flawed ways of the public school system to anyone who will listen. In his 2003 essay, Against School, Gatto interprets six ideas from Alexander Inglis’s Principles of Secondary Education. These concepts were founded on the basis that with a large Prussian influence in American culture, an educational system was founded with the goal of rendering citizens less capable. Gatto witnesses this in the first of Ingis's purposes, titled “the adjustive/adaptive function.” The adjustive function describes how schools are designed to teach students to properly…
In the article,” Against School,” John Gatto stats that teacher are boring themselves, and that’s affecting children education. In addition children don’t care about what they learn they care what grade their getting. Gatto first presents the topic of boredom. School teachers and anyone else who stays in the class room for a long time tend to get bored, but the teachers are blaming the kids how their only their for the grade. Next Gatto writes that if school was necerary, not the education but school if it was important?…
Attempting to persuade his audience reading from this Article,John Taylor Gatto’s displays his points of view that he does not belive in our school system. He believes that the staying in the American schooling system for so long has supplied him with every reason to refer to it as a childish program. According to him, people may see the key problem of schooling as boredom. To clarify his point, Gatto asserts having education is not equal to taking schooling which is instead considered as “a daily routine in a factory of childishness in order to make sure children do not really grow up.” Gatto supports his views by enumerating a significant number of successful Americans who did not go through the schooling system but turned out to be productive, such as Abraham Lincoln. In this short story, “Against School”, Gatto tells his experiences with students that complained they were bored in school. Gatto said these students were not interested in what was being taught because they often said the work was stupid and that they already knew it. According to Gatto, these students were interested only in grades rather than learning the subject.…
In the article named “Report of the Massachusetts Board of Education” by Horace Mann, the author explains that school is an integral step to prepare for students to be aware of the responsibilities of becoming good citizens. On the other hand, the text “Against Schools” by John Taylor Gatto emphasizes that the role of the school system is not necessary in society since it forces students to go to school and sit around in classes for a certain amount of hours for twelve years, but many students feel useless and bored with the school curriculum. Although Mann makes a good point when he says school is important for student’s future, I must disagree with Mann and agree with Gatto because of my own educational…
Against schools “Against Schools” by John Gatto, speaks about how public education is crippling our kids. Gatto asks several school kids what they thought of school and found many believed school is boring due to not being challenging enough, too hard, or feeling like they are learning useless information. Gatto questions whether it is the structure of our school systems to blame, or the student’s or teachers. Boredom is to blame no one but yourself, therefore teachers nor students are not the main responsibility of the lagging school system.…
Such small concept such as boredom is ruining modern day schooling, according to Gatto. He starts off by how boredom overpowered the teachers and the students. Teachers are tired of students who are unwilling to learn, and students believe that teachers are unenthusiastic to teach. But Gatto believes that, mainly because he was influenced by his grandfather, that state of boredom has to be blamed on oneself, not others. And people who cannot handle the boredom are childish adults. This means that the way school is set up is already wrong. Unmotivated teacher and students in the school means failure to teach, meaning the function of the school is gone. “If we wanted to we could easily and inexpensively jettison the old, stupid structures and help kids take an education rather than merely receive a schooling … But we don’t do that.” He denounces the current system, and also knows what is needed to be done. It’s true. Many of the teachers are not motivated to teach; it seems that they are waiting for their payday. Students are not motivated also – countless repeats of same concept, set academics - it seems even weird to be motivated. Gatto only uses logic to persuade the audience. All the evidence seems logical, and it seems morally right. Then he asks, “Do we really need school? I don’t mean education, just forced schooling: six classes a…
John Gatto’s “Against School” is a persuasive essay arguing both the ineffectiveness and negative outcomes of today’s public school system. Not only does Gatto provide credibility with his experience as a teacher, but he also presents historical evidence that suggests that the public school system is an outdated structure, originally meant to dumb down students as well as program them to be obedient pawns in society. Fact and authority alone do not supplement his argument. Gatto also uses emotional appeals, such as fear and doubt, to tear down the reader’s trust in the schooling system. Although it may seem to be so, Gatto’s argument is not one sided. He also offers suggestions to make the educational system more efficient at the hands of positive reinforcement and the employment of more motivated teachers. Through the effective application of ethos, logos, and pathos, John Gatto provides a well-rounded argument against the public school system that would cause any reader to question the goals of modern schooling.…
The essay by Mike Rose made me really think about the purpose of education schools have to offer us. He talks about how a basic exam can determine your whole life; it made me really think about how accurate these tests really are. The purpose of this essay seemed to be how he feels students failures isn’t because of us, its because of the school system overall. He shares how the vocational track is basically portrayed as students who are not motivated to learn. The question he makes us think about is, why are these students so unmotivated to learn? He states how for the most part the teachers are the ones who are not motivated enough to teach them. Basically the teachers have to be there because it’s their job, and from the moment of the student’s first grade the teachers automatically think that they’re UN teachable. Students believe whatever the teacher says so they start believing that their stupid and so they wont try. Later on in the book, Rose talks about Jack MacFarland. He descries him as a unique person, because even though he’s a teacher he puts work to make students understand that all teachers are not the same.…
School is a place where the youth of America goes to become educated to achieve their potential, and to further their knowledge of life. People often criticize our school system by saying it’s a place where kids learn to be “book smart” and not “street smart.” Others say that students need to spend more time outside of the classroom to gain further knowledge about the world. These two ideas about education are the main ideas that that authors John Gatto, and Dave Eggers have. John Gatto, a teacher in the Manhattan school system for thirty years wrote, “Against School: How Public Education Cripples Our Kids, and Why.” Gatto claims to have taught in some of the worst conditions, and some of the best. Teacher of the year in New York for multiple years, Gatto claims to have seen it all. Just like Gatto, Eggers sees that the school system should be run in a different way. Eggers, the author of, “Serve or fail” developed a successful nonprofit organization that helps teach kids necessary writing skills. He sees that volunteer work plays an important role in growing up. He argues that it should be mandatory to do volunteer work while in college and that it will make students become better people. Both authors have their own different view on how they think the school systems should work. Both have strong views about why the school systems need to change. From students having too much spare time on their hands to boring classrooms, it’s the way we incorporate different learning environments that will make us be successful in our everyday life.…
After reading the "Do it Better" handout in class my views on how anyone can improve in school and life have changed drastically. With my experiences in life my mindset in how important school education is changed how I view learning. Getting an education to me is very important because I think people who are educated do better in life and are more wealthy. Some people need someone or something to help them build confidence in many aspects of life. For example, when I was in high school my parents reminded me that getting a high school diploma is very important and I was determined to graduate. Many things can make an impact on how your life can…
John Taylor Gatto in his essay “Against School” begins explaining of how boring school is to students. He also explains the damage that the system makes to the teacher and the student by not making the material interesting in class. Furthermore, he explains how the students used to look at him as an incompetent teacher who lacks of knowledge. In addition, he shows the dark side of a school system that intends to brainwash and destroy the ideas from kids. He addresses the main goal of the educational system to convert juveniles into the next docile and manageable generation. Also, he proposes how an educational system should be structured. In addition, he demonstrates how a person can become successful without going to a school…
In America, a child normally goes through at least twelve years of public school to be prepared and knowledgeable for college and the real world. However, a question about the schools is being raised –– are students truly learning in the education system? The system seems to be straying from its purpose. Nowadays, students aren’t enjoying the journey to learn and only goes through the motions of being a student. This takes away from them by not having in-depth learning, making them not as prepared and not as ready to master new challenges as they should be. To allow students to have true, deep learning, schools should grant students time to explore passions, lessen competition between peers, and give opportunities to experiment to find best…
In “Against School” by John Taylor Gatto, he bonds boredom, the common condition of having low energy, to schools in the U.S. schooling system. Gatto was a teacher in Manhattan where he taught for thirty years. He retired from teaching in 1991. During his journey as a teacher he was named New York Teacher of the Year for three consecutive years (1989-1991), and honored as New York State Teacher of the Year in 1991. In this short story, “Against School”, Gatto tells his experiences with students that complained they were bored in school. Gatto said these students were not interested in what was being taught because they often said the work was stupid and that they already knew it. According to Gatto, these students were interested only in grades rather than learning the subject.…