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…
In the story “Against school: How public education cripples our kids, and why” the author, John Taylor Gatto, establishes the idea of how public education can lead to a negative impact on students. School train kids, “[to become] employees and consumers…” (Gatto 231) instead of teaching kids how to deal with certain situations that my come across in life. The story was directed to parents with kids in elementary school.…
A system built under the Christian doctrine, the foundation of his Report. Moral education, is understood to mean, as explained by Ryerson, “the proper discipline of the dispositions and affections of the mind, by which a reverence for the Supreme Being, a love of justice of benevolence….and the conscience are enlightened and invigorated, must have its basis deeply and surely laid in childhood.9 Ryerson understood the omission of Christianity “in respect to both schools and the character and qualifications of teachers” was a frightening thought.10 He describes Christianity as a necessity that which “the full effects of such an omission—such an abuse of that which should be the primary element of Education, without which there can be no Christian Education; and without a Christian Education, there will not long be a Christian Country.”11 Once again, Christianity is deemed most important, as well as described to be embedded in the education of morality. Furthermore, this quote is quite indicative of the theme of conversion to Christianity, but that investigation requires another analysis. Ryerson vehemently expresses that a Christian education is so “vitally important”, as it establishes the very principles of the future character and social state of the…
Cited: John Taylor Gatto. “Against School.” Copyright 2003 by Harper’s magazine. All rights reserved. Reproduced from the September issue by special permission.…
Dr. Martin Luther King wrote “The Purpose of Education” and one of his most important statement was that the true goal of education is “intelligence plus character”. I completely agree with this statement because I believe that talent without ambition or goals to follow thru is useless talent. A lot of people during Dr. King’s time were very-well educated but did not have the best intentions at heart. For example, Eugene Talmadge;…
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 purpose of public schools has never been to create thinking, analyzing, intellectual citizens, charges John Taylor Gatto, a 30-year New York City public school teacher and New York State Teacher of the Year in 1991. (www.asbj.com) Schools are products of 19th century industrialists, whose purpose was to prepare people to be good employees – docile, productive, and addicted consumers. And if that’s what the public wants, says Gatto, using the Socratic Method to teach children to analyze great works and question the way things are is a hazard to society.…
Ethically speaking, the movie “The Bronx Tale” is a great example of one’s moral development. In the movie we watch the lead character, Colagero grow up in the Bronx and gradually form moral judgment with help from his father and instructor, Sonny. Though Sonny is a local mafia boss, he plays a key role in Colagero’s mental and moral development. Colagero’s story illustrates Kohlberg’s theory of moral development and it’s various stages.…
Leppien-Christensen, in Rebeca Clay’s “Everyday heroes” article explains the importance of teaching his son a lesson: “’I really wanted my son to see that it’s a social obligation to intervene when we can’” (Clay 5). This fortunate young boy’s father began teaching his son, heroic qualities from a young age in order to instill in him the power to change the world. If he had simply ignored the biker, his son would have been falsely under the impression he should not bother himself to check on someone hurt on the side of the road. No matter the age of a child, the lesson of what is right and wrong should always be taught. The philosophy teacher, Scott LaBarge, believes that, “it is our job to tell the stories. Tell your students what a difference people of courage and nobility and genius have made to the world” (LaBarge 9). Without valuable lessons of genuine behavior, the world would be consumed with many horrible, inconsiderate people lacking a higher moral code. The value of learning to be a selfless and caring person should be as important and easy as learning basic life skills. However, mankind often fails to teach their children to stand up, resulting in citizens who remain hushed in difficult…
This story has been put on the National Education Association’s list of titles receiving the most complaints from private organizations in 1968, and 4 of 5 students in one classroom said that the book is hard to read and comprehend. It also ranks at number 21 of 100 books most frequently challenged of 2000-2009. This has happened because people don’t understand the academic value of this book, let alone the moral value, which they definitely don’t see. Parents see words that they don’t want their kids to repeat and automatically don’t want them to read it, no matter how great the book is otherwise.…
Among Schoolchildren, by Tracy Kidder, could not be summed up by describing a fifth grade classroom in Holyoke, Massachusetts. Kidder has underlying messages about education that is placed in the characters experiences throughout the book. The author does not only show how the teacher interacts with the students, but how she reacts to different situations she encounters throughout the school year. Whether the encounters are horrible or joyful, Mrs. Zajac, the fifth grade school teacher, comes in everyday ready to teach her students. Although Kidder did not write this book to say what should or what should not be implicated into public schools, but readers can understand that he is devising questions about public education and what it does and does not accomplish. Year-round schooling is an important factor in an elementary school child’s success. Choosing year-round schooling for students can increase individual achievement, but also promotes stability in a child’s life, allows for remediation when called for, and increases retention rates.…
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.…
I Read a paper that had some interesting points, concerning a change that’s needed beginning with the parents. The problem is that Public Schools not ethical (Kozol, 2013). School seems like the obvious place to teach children how to behave in a "moral” and "ethical" manner. If America’s public schools were ethical institutions, and if they had…
Berkowitz, M., & Grych, J. (1998). Fostering goodness: Teaching parents to facilitate children’s moral development. Journal of Moral Education, 27(3), 371-391.…
Young adolescents are extremely vulnerable and susceptible to outside influences. Often environment and media define acceptable behaviors for students and provide a basis for their moral constructions. Since all students are subject to unpredictable and diverse experiences, not all of the moral constructions students make are well informed. This is why it essential that I, as an educator, take responsibility for the moral development of students. I should provide students with opportunities to discuss moral issues through advisor/ advisee programs. I must also deliver curriculum in a way that objectively educates students in order to help them form positive moral…
