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Dumbing Us down - 25th Anniversary Edition : The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling by John Taylor Gatto

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Dumbing Us down - 25th Anniversary Edition : The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling by John Taylor Gatto

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This book offers a variety of solutions to address issues in the public schools, such as competitive learning environments, teacher pay, and the two-wage family. However, some of the solutions are not ideal and the author does not address the multitide of other factors that need to be addressed if true educational reforms are to take place. Additionally, the author does not address the issue of family separation and the need for a community-based approach to education. Despite these issues, the book offers a variety of solutions to address issues in the public schools.

Throw off the shackles of formal schooling and embark upon a rich journey of self-directed, life-long learning After over 100 years of mandatory schooling in the U.S., literacy rates have dropped, families are fragmented, learning "disabilities" are skyrocketing, and children and youth are increasingly disaffected. Thirty years of teaching in the p…

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Throw off the shackles of formal schooling and embark upon a rich journey of self-directed, life-long learning After over 100 years of mandatory schooling in the U.S., literacy rates have dropped, families are fragmented, learning "disabilities" are skyrocketing, and children and youth are increasingly disaffected. Thirty years of teaching in the public school system led John Taylor Gatto to the sad conclusion that compulsory governmental schooling is to blame, accomplishing little but to teach young people to follow orders like cogs in an industrial machine. He became a fierce advocate of families and young people taking back education and learning, arguing that "genius is as common as dirt," but that conventional schooling is driving out the natural curiosity and problem-solving skills we're born with, replacing it with rule-following, fragmented time, and disillusionment. Gatto's radical treatise on public education, a New Society Publishers bestseller for 25 years, continues to bang the drum for an unshackling of children and learning from formal schooling. Now, in an ever-more-rapidly changing world with an explosion of alternative routes to learning, it's poised to continue to shake the world of institutional education for many more years. Featuring a new foreword from Zachary Slayback, an Ivy League dropout and cofounder of tech start-up career foundry Praxis, this 25th anniversary edition will inspire new generations of parents and students to take control of learning and kickstart an empowered society of self-directed lifetime-learners.

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Review summary

AI-generated content

This book offers a variety of solutions to address issues in the public schools, such as competitive learning environments, teacher pay, and the two-wage family. However, some of the solutions are not ideal and the author does not address the multitide of other factors that need to be addressed if true educational reforms are to take place. Additionally, the author does not address the issue of family separation and the need for a community-based approach to education. Despite these issues, the book offers a variety of solutions to address issues in the public schools.

Pros

Provides valuable insights
Addresses various educational issues
Inspiring and thought-provoking
Addresses various aspects of education

Cons

Misses some important issues
Lacks concrete solutions
Potentially biased viewpoint

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Description

Throw off the shackles of formal schooling and embark upon a rich journey of self-directed, life-long learning After over 100 years of mandatory schooling in the U.S., literacy rates have dropped, families are fragmented, learning "disabilities" are skyrocketing, and children and youth are increasingly disaffected. Thirty years of teaching in the public school system led John Taylor Gatto to the sad conclusion that compulsory governmental schooling is to blame, accomplishing little but to teach young people to follow orders like cogs in an industrial machine. He became a fierce advocate of families and young people taking back education and learning, arguing that "genius is as common as dirt," but that conventional schooling is driving out the natural curiosity and problem-solving skills we're born with, replacing it with rule-following, fragmented time, and disillusionment. Gatto's radical treatise on public education, a New Society Publishers bestseller for 25 years, continues to bang the drum for an unshackling of children and learning from formal schooling. Now, in an ever-more-rapidly changing world with an explosion of alternative routes to learning, it's poised to continue to shake the world of institutional education for many more years. Featuring a new foreword from Zachary Slayback, an Ivy League dropout and cofounder of tech start-up career foundry Praxis, this 25th anniversary edition will inspire new generations of parents and students to take control of learning and kickstart an empowered society of self-directed lifetime-learners.