Dumbing us Down

A few months back, I downloaded this book on my iPad and have been working my way through it at random times. A little at the gym, a little while waiting for my flight to San Jose over Memorial Day weekend, and a little more today. I didn't realize it, but I was actually pretty close to the end and finished it while nestled under a nice little blanket and sipping Chai Tea on my patio this afternoon. 

Per my usual poor reading comprehension, by the time I got to the end, I couldn't remember much of what I had read previously, but I enjoyed what I read today so much that I immediately went back to the table of contents and started re-reading some of the earlier chapters.

Although I don't support home schooling and non schooling to the extent that Gatto does, I do think he makes a lot of valid points about what is going wrong public schooling in the U.S. He taught for 30 years in New York's public schools and was named New York City's Teacher of the year for three consecutive years (1989-1991), so his claims are very much grounded in what he experienced in his work as a classroom teacher. 

Here are some of the passages/quotes that I highlighted as I read...

• As society rapidly changes, individuals will have to be able to function comfortably in a world that is always in flux. Knowledge will continue to increase at a dizzying rate. This means that a content-based curriculum, with a set body of information to be imparted to students, is entirely inappropriate as a means of preparing children for their adult roles (AMEN!)

• Conversation, the ultimate means of communication, must be a central part of a sound education (oh how I cringe thinking about how many times a day I ask my students to be quiet and listen...)

• When I'm at my best I plan lessons very carefully in order to produce this show of enthusiasm. But when the bell rings I insist they drop whatever it is we have been doing and proceed quickly to the next work station. They must turn on and off like a light switch (So true, especially when some of my lessons are 15 minutes long. There is never enough time and we are constantly hurrying to clean up one thing in order to squeeze in the next! And, yes, I do believe this is reflected in students' attention spans and diligence in their work)

• Successful children do the thinking I assign them with a minimum of resistance and a decent show of enthusiasm. Bad kids fight this. Curiosity has no place in my work, only conformity. (::hmmm:: This statement really makes me think about what is happening in my classroom and what actions/behaviors are being valued)

•  In their ability to think, children schooled at home seem to be five to ten years ahead of their formally trained peers (ok, yes there are some home schooling families out there that have as many children as I do students in my class (hello Duggars), but I think adult to child ratio has a big impact on student learning and our class sizes are only getting bigger....) 

• Schools are intended to produce, through the application of formulas, formulaic human beings whose behavior can be predicted and controlled. (where was this quote when I needed it for my core defense section on organization!)

• We need to rethink the fundamental premises of schooling and decide what it is we want all children to learn and why. 

• But no large-scale reform is ever going to work to repair our damaged children and our damaged society until we force open the idea of "school" to include family as the main engine of education (I think that family involvement is so important as well as honoring as best we can in the classroom what is valued by different families)

I found each one of these statements to be thought provoking, so I thought I would share them. If Sneaker Teacher has been less than teachery as of late, let's bring on some discussion and debate about the state of public education in the U.S.! (::hehe::)

(Seriously, please comment...I am in withdrawal from lack of education courses and weekly discussions with other educators who care deeply about these issues!) 

One of the points that Gatto made that I definitely agree with is the idea of having all students engage in community service. I remember being really impressed when I read Black Ants and Buddhists as Mary Cowhey talked about her class assembling together at school on a snow day because they had planned to deliver pies to a shelter for Thanksgiving. Despite the horrible weather, her children were eager to carry out the kindness they had planned. I am thinking about what I might be able to do with my kiddos next year to delve into this area of kindness and giving. 

When I was in 6th grade, my dad had to work on Thanksgiving (he is a firefighter and has to work one major holiday each year), and my mom, brother, and I went to serve Thanksgiving dinner at a homeless shelter with my brother's 7th grade English teacher. I will never forget that experience. When I was in college, a group of us drove to a shelter for women and children in Philadelphia every Thursday evening to do arts and crafts and games with the kids. I will never forget that experience either. 

Gatto stresses the importance of community and I really appreciated reading his perspective on education because, although I may not be able to change education on the grand scale, there are things I can do when I work with my students, that get at the heart of what Gatto thinks public schooling is lacking. 

One more thing to add to the 2011-2012 school year to do list. My idealistic summer self always has hopes of a school year to out do all other school years, so why not add a little of John Gatto into the mix...

Whew, are we in need of something light and fluffy after that?

Anyone seen Bad Teacher? 

Thoughts?

I heard someone say she was tired of media that puts teachers in a bad light, but I would still like to see it. It's got to be good for a few laughs and anything I can hear in English instead of German sounds great to me!!