Mark Twain once observed that a cat that jumps on a hot stove, it will learn a valuable lesson and in the future will not jump on hot stoves. Twain wryly points out that the cat will not also jump on cold stoves, either. The lesson it learned - -just as humans learn - - rather than make informed distinctions, it becomes easier to simply avoid the situation altogether. In John Taylor Gatto’s article, “From the Land of Frankenstein,” the former award winning teacher condemns the integrity of the American public education system, asserting it. In actuality, focuses more on training students for obedience rather than attempting to develop each individual’s talents and abilities. The American public education system destroys individual initiative in order for students to become more manageable parts in the overall social order in the country accomplishing this goal by rewarding compliance and discouraging individuality and ensuring dependant and obedient response to authority through curricula enforces students to respond passively to governing entities, and finally punishing those individuals who resist or refuse to assimilate the lessons with escalating levels of negative reinforcement. How much more evidence is necessary? Good schools don’t need more money or a longer year; they need real free-market choices, variety that speaks to every need and runs risks. We don’t need a national curriculum, or national testing either. Both initiatives arise from ignorance of how people learn, or deliberate indifference to it.” Our schools need to teach the values of free speech and individualism. Why do they continue to provide teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, or Abraham Lincoln who were big on freedom for mankind? But contradict by not allowing our kids express themselves openly. Dr. King once said “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” Our children need to be taught the values of being able to make right choices and to be an…
It is clear that changes in society, whether they are political or economical, always make a difference in the way education is viewed and taught. Chapter 6 talks about how the goals of education are linked to the questions of who controls American education and who decides what knowledge is of most value to teach to students. The first sections talks about should knowledge being taught be left up to federal government, state government, local school boards or parents. It all comes down to control. We exercise control over public schools in many ways like voting representatives to the local school boards and the parents having the power to select the school their children go to.…
In the essay, Against School, John Taylor Gatto, expresses his strong belief in middle diction of how students in the typical public schooling system are conformed to low-standard education in order to benefit the society much more than the student themselves; causing schooling to be unnecessary as opposed to education . He believes that children and teachers are caught in extreme boredom as a result of repeated material. This boredom also causes a lack of maturity and independence in the students. Gatto wrote this essay in 2003 which appeared in Harper’s magazine. He gathered these observations during his 30 years of teaching in the best and worst schools of New York City. In 1991, he was named the New York City Teacher of the Year and later on New York State Teacher of the Year. He has written many publications on his experience with being an educator including Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling (1992) and The Underground History of American Education (2001). This essay was most likely written to inform any American reader (student, parent, and teacher) of the reality of our modern schooling, based on Gatto’s use of modes of development and formal diction.…
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…
Many people of all ages have different views on education. In the following essay I will compare two authors’ ideas on the educational system in America. I will share my thoughts from the essays titled “Against School” by John Gatto and “I Just Wanna Be Average” by Mike Rose and how they relate to my experiences and schools today.…
American schools have the responsibility to create better human beings, and they are expected to do it consistently over the years for all young people. Currently, anyone can observe the differences between the school system today and 10 years ago. The academic rigor and behavioral expectations of American education have declined. The efforts to make students more competitive worldwide and ready to embrace the demanding workforce have not borne out. The Schools are failing our children because of low standards and poor discipline policies.…
Today's society greatly impacts the way our children learn. The main reasons behind this is State Standards, Unfocused Children, and School Boards. In this satirical cartoon, the author Horsey uses a serious tone. This can be seen by looking at the unhappy children and how the teacher has a conversation with the student. The target in this cartoon is American Schooling and how they are teaching our children. The purpose of this cartoon is to show people how we are learning in schools and why students are not doing so well. This is how State Standards, School Boards, and Children themselves are affecting their learning capabilities…
The educational systems purpose is to prepare people with the necessary skills and knowledge so that they can excel and function properly in today’s society. John T. Gatto challenges that idea and begs the question is 12 compulsory years of standard schooling consisting of six classes a day, five days a week, nine months a year needed? Gatto refers to George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln as they were not formally schooled and yet were very successful. According to Gatto’s, there are three main purposes to formal schooling, “1) To make good people, 2) To make good citizens, and 3) to make each person his or her best.” (Gatto 3) Gatto believes that the current educational system actually contradicts these three ideals. He claims that there are six basic yet specific functions that intend to hold back and limit the progress and overall success of a student. Of the six functions there are three serve specifically to limit and hinder a students progress. The diagnostic and directive functions, the differentiating function, and the propaedeutic function all seemingly serve to cripple a students success but when analyzed some do hold some truth but in the end they are merely irrational and ridiculous accusations made by Gatto.…
Schooling is seen as a necessary part of life in America for generations, needed to transform the children of the nation into happy and productive individuals. Unfortunately, there seems to be a problem with overall performance. According to the Program for International Student Assessment survey administered by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development in 2012, the United States ranks 27th in math, 17th in reading, and 20th in science. According to the OECD the US spends more on education than most countries with an average of $115,000 per student (PISA, 1). Unfortunately, that level of spending has not equaled an improvement in education. We have tried to improve our schools with more money, better teachers, and legislation such as No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. What if the true problem with schooling is not the components of the system, but the system itself? In the article “Against School” John Taylor Gatto present several causes for the failing of the American public school system. One of the main causes he puts forth is the institution of compulsory schooling in a system designed to repress the working class, keeping the classes…
Educational programs demand effort and dedication to be successful. Barber expresses his concern for the lack of literacy in America. In Barbers essay, he states, “As America’s educational system crumbles, the pundits, instead of looking for solutions, search busily for scapegoats” (Barber, 2014, pp.210). America’s government takes minimal actions toward the educational crisis. The situation resembles a hole in the wall that needs fixed, but instead of fixing it America’s society hangs a picture over the hole. The lack of educational reforms causes the America’s youth to fall behind other countries youth in literacy. The lack of effort from the government, from schools, parents, teachers, and students put a strain on learning. Some American citizens proclaim that they want a change in the school systems, but nothing results from it. Barber states, “With all the goodwill in the world, it is still hard to know how schools can cure the ills that stem from the failure of so many other institutions. Saying we want education to come first won’t put it first” (Barber, 2014, pp.217). Society labels schools as “prisons,” and sadly, some are less safe than actual prisons. The lack of safety forces students to focus on their own safety rather than learning. Not all schools provide safe environments for students; The result of this problem is conflicts and disinterest for learning. The lack of effort put forth by America’s society and government is only one factor in this multitude of…
Albert Einstein once said, "It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge." How, though, may teachers follow these wise words, when they must constantly worry about educating their students so they can pass just one of the many standardized tests thrust upon them? John Dewey, an American philosopher, also said, "The real process of education should be the process of learning to think through the application of real problems." How, though, can students possibly learn critical thinking if they are forced to learn through relentless memorization and worksheets in order for them to pass one test upon which their futures so highly depend? This phenomenon of accountability testing and holding teachers accountable for scores has swept across the country, creating a negative approach to educating the youth of America. Due to the lack of validity of these tests and the negative effects on teachers and students, standardized testing is ruining the public education system.…
Education is essential for the advancement of our nation as well as our children. Learning gives children the ability to succeed physically, intellectually, and emotionally. Education opens the door to opportunity for the future. If an individual receives an education, he/she is more likely to be offered better employment. Opinions often differ in regards to our educational system, but I am deeply concerned with the inconsistency of educational standards.…
The miseducation of young children is today’s norm. Throughout schools across the country, curriculum is being implemented in classrooms…
United States Government wants to keep the national school systems together but as a result it is making schools much more stressful for everyone and the point of being a teacher completely different than what it used to be. Children’s intelligence should not be determined by a test, nor should it determine a teacher’s skill. This problem has gotten much bigger over time and needs to be brought to more people's attention, as well as other methods to move forward without so much testing.…
First and foremost, schools should be learning communities where teacher improvement comes from a plethora of sources. Generally speaking, teachers often focus on the content, materials needed, and the activities necessary for the lesson. As I walked in Ms. Franklin’s classroom I was greeted by the classroom Ambassador. Observing Ms. Franklin’s class she had everything mapped out on her board. Her board consisted of the agenda, a time frame of the agenda that needed to be completed in that particular class period, notes, classwork, homework, and an objective. She continually circulated the room as she was teaching. When students were seemingly off task, she used proximity to keep students on task. The students who understood the assignment were to make sure others in their group understood what they were doing as well. Ms. Franklin addressed a group and individual students who were off task. When students were taking notes, she circulated the room to make sure they were taking notes accurately. For the group activity, she assigned roles for the students. She also had material managers’ report to her to get supplies. She met with the time keepers to instruct them as to when the groups should be finished with their assignment. Ms. Franklin could have considered making the assignment more rigorous for the students. It was a great idea to have students work together on completing the function rule and displaying on a piece of chart paper. Perhaps providing a question that will push their thinking slightly further would lend to conversations that you will want to have in a group. She could also consider that once students get into their groups, allow a least a minute for them to decide on their groups roles and write names on their sheets. Overall Ms. Franklin has meet any standard that I expected of her. It was a pleasure of sitting and observing her classroom skills and teaching skills. I would definitely use her as a guidance of teaching…