Tok Article Analysis, Children's Boredom in School
September 13, 2011
The author of this article talks about the school system in North America and tries to reveal to us the tricks and traps. The author—Gatto—is a teacher in New York and is stating that he does not favor our schooling system. The article deals with the problems of boredom, is there necessity of it, the real purpose of school, and what schooling is doing to create addicts and ‘older children’. However, Gatto does not only show us the problems of our school system, but also reveals us to his solution. This article was made to show that school is not necessary, but education is still needed.
Boredom is clearly in our school systems. Many kids are bored in class, many already know what they are learning but some are bored for the opposite reason, it made no sense. This also had to do with the classroom setting; some kids were bored because all the learning took place while static and the kids thought they weren’t doing anything that was considered ‘real’ in their opinion. Teachers blame students because they are interested only in grades and not what they are learning. However, those of an older generation blame each of us. If we cannot keep ourselves entertained, then it is us who is the problem. Not only amusement though, it is also said that we are the problem because it is our own obligation to instruct ourselves. The author states that rather than taking an education away from secondary school, we are being given schooling and we are not encouraging qualities like curiosity. However, I am confused on how us being bored in school has made us become more childlike, that we do not ‘grow up’. I’m unsure of how school is a way to manipulate all of humanity.
Gatto questions ‘do we really need school?’ He questions the routine of school. In order to prove that the system of schooling is not needed, he uses the names of notable Americans who did not go through the system. However, this piece of evidence may not be a good source because all the
The author of this article talks about the school system in North America and tries to reveal to us the tricks and traps. The author—Gatto—is a teacher in New York and is stating that he does not favor our schooling system. The article deals with the problems of boredom, is there necessity of it, the real purpose of school, and what schooling is doing to create addicts and ‘older children’. However, Gatto does not only show us the problems of our school system, but also reveals us to his solution. This article was made to show that school is not necessary, but education is still needed.
Boredom is clearly in our school systems. Many kids are bored in class, many already know what they are learning but some are bored for the opposite reason, it made no sense. This also had to do with the classroom setting; some kids were bored because all the learning took place while static and the kids thought they weren’t doing anything that was considered ‘real’ in their opinion. Teachers blame students because they are interested only in grades and not what they are learning. However, those of an older generation blame each of us. If we cannot keep ourselves entertained, then it is us who is the problem. Not only amusement though, it is also said that we are the problem because it is our own obligation to instruct ourselves. The author states that rather than taking an education away from secondary school, we are being given schooling and we are not encouraging qualities like curiosity. However, I am confused on how us being bored in school has made us become more childlike, that we do not ‘grow up’. I’m unsure of how school is a way to manipulate all of humanity.
Gatto questions ‘do we really need school?’ He questions the routine of school. In order to prove that the system of schooling is not needed, he uses the names of notable Americans who did not go through the system. However, this piece of evidence may not be a good source because all the