Education vs. Schooling
In his brief article in the Harper’s magazine published in 2003, John Taylor Gatto seeks the attention of young adults to make them aware of the faulty school system that the present generation is going through. He starts off by showing how the school is a place where both, students and teacher, are bored and they blame each other for this situation. While the students feel their work made no sense, the teachers were uninterested in teaching people who were rude and just wanted grades. Explaining the ambiguity on who to be blamed for this situation, he firmly says that “We all are”. If a person is bored, it is his fault and no one else. He strongly feels that if we wanted to, we could change the system to make sure kids “take an education” rather than “receive schooling”. But we don’t do that, and that maybe because the system does not allow children to grow up and think. Raising the question if we really need 12 year forced schooling, he gives various examples of famous and respected people who never had formal schooling emphasizing that they were unschooled but were definitely educated. The idea of mass schooling started in the United States between 1905 and 1915 and had three basic aims: to make good people, good citizens and help people reach their personal best. Although people believe it, Gatto feels it’s far from truth. Explaining that our education system actually belongs to the method of the military state of Prussia, he gives examples of people who have proved that. Calling our system as mass production market, he refers to Dr. Inglis’ six basic functions of modern schooling. The school system has resulted in people not thinking at all, turned “children into children”. He finally concludes by saying that this is a wakeup call for this present generation. It is our responsibility to become leaders, adventurers and make the best use of our school system while not falling in its traps. That is the only way a child can have a meaningful life.
I felt that his was an excellent article by a well renowned person in the field of education, to talk about the education system in the United States. Although I might not agree with all of his ideas, I feel that his initial argument, that overcoming boredom is one’s own responsibility, is a true fact. He makes this education system feel like it’s the worst, but I feel it has a lot of positive side to it. Having many students at one place provides a ground for competition and motivation to strive harder. Also, I feel that it’s the teacher’s responsibility to create, in the students, an interest in education and learning at least in the initial stages of schooling. Having created that, and taking advantage of every opportunity that is available in this system, I truly feel that one can reach his highest potential or beyond.
In his brief article in the Harper’s magazine published in 2003, John Taylor Gatto seeks the attention of young adults to make them aware of the faulty school system that the present generation is going through. He starts off by showing how the school is a place where both, students and teacher, are bored and they blame each other for this situation. While the students feel their work made no sense, the teachers were uninterested in teaching people who were rude and just wanted grades. Explaining the ambiguity on who to be blamed for this situation, he firmly says that “We all are”. If a person is bored, it is his fault and no one else. He strongly feels that if we wanted to, we could change the system to make sure kids “take an education” rather than “receive schooling”. But we don’t do that, and that maybe because the system does not allow children to grow up and think. Raising the question if we really need 12 year forced schooling, he gives various examples of famous and respected people who never had formal schooling emphasizing that they were unschooled but were definitely educated. The idea of mass schooling started in the United States between 1905 and 1915 and had three basic aims: to make good people, good citizens and help people reach their personal best. Although people believe it, Gatto feels it’s far from truth. Explaining that our education system actually belongs to the method of the military state of Prussia, he gives examples of people who have proved that. Calling our system as mass production market, he refers to Dr. Inglis’ six basic functions of modern schooling. The school system has resulted in people not thinking at all, turned “children into children”. He finally concludes by saying that this is a wakeup call for this present generation. It is our responsibility to become leaders, adventurers and make the best use of our school system while not falling in its traps. That is the only way a child can have a meaningful life.
I felt that his was an excellent article by a well renowned person in the field of education, to talk about the education system in the United States. Although I might not agree with all of his ideas, I feel that his initial argument, that overcoming boredom is one’s own responsibility, is a true fact. He makes this education system feel like it’s the worst, but I feel it has a lot of positive side to it. Having many students at one place provides a ground for competition and motivation to strive harder. Also, I feel that it’s the teacher’s responsibility to create, in the students, an interest in education and learning at least in the initial stages of schooling. Having created that, and taking advantage of every opportunity that is available in this system, I truly feel that one can reach his highest potential or beyond.
RSS Feed