I think that the approach the author has taken to collaborate with the students on their education is definitely the best way to educate because it gives the student a chance to discover their own learning potential and set reasonable goals. For example, Mr. Lamar was a teacher
Gatto’s ethos is rather strong, considering that he worked in the school system “for thirty years.” He has won many awards, as teacher of the year, both in New York City, in 1989, 1990, and 1991, and the entire state of New York, in 1991. He has many published works that were published in the years 1992, 2000, 2001, and 2008. His essay entitled Against School, was actually published in Harper’s magazine in the year 2003. During Gatto’s thirty years, he had taught in some of the “worst schools in Manhattan, and in some of the
In the attempt to persuade his readers in “Against School: How public education cripples our kids, and why”, John Gatto relied on his passion for education to express his thoughts. Having a bad experience as a teacher in our current school system, he believes that our system isn’t what it should be. He believes that our kids aren’t being educated. With the use of frequent rhetorical questions, personal experiences, and an appeal to ethos using other respectable men’s work, Gatto clarified his points about our schools in the America.
In the essay, Against School, John Taylor Gatto, expresses his strong belief in middle diction of how students in the typical public schooling system are conformed to low-standard education in order to benefit the society much more than the student themselves; causing schooling to be unnecessary as opposed to education . He believes that children and teachers are caught in extreme boredom as a result of repeated material. This boredom also causes a lack of maturity and independence in the students. Gatto wrote this essay in 2003 which appeared in Harper’s magazine. He gathered these observations during his 30 years of teaching in the best and worst schools of New York City. In 1991, he was named the
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his experience as a teacher, but he also presents historical evidence that suggests that the public school system is an outdated structure, originally meant to dumb down students as well as program them to be obedient pawns in society.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
The essay ‘Against the school’ by John Taylor Gatto draws our attention on to all the cons of attending twelve years of high-school. Gatto has experience in teaching profession for twenty-six years in schools of Manhattan, he shares from his experience that he majored in boredom and could see that everywhere around him. He also points out the initial reason why schools came into existence and what the purpose it fulfils now. He also educates us on the fact that all the great discoverers never attended school and were self-educated.The main idea Gatto addresses in his article are that public schooling is doing the youth an injustice.He implies that the purpose of schooling, now is to turn children into good employes and someone who follows orders.
Answer: Gatto thinks school is boring because the teachers and students are bored with material. The students say they already know the material. I can compare my school experience to Gatto’s depiction of school. My experience in elementary was a breeze and easy. Then I entered secondary school and was shocked. I was shocked that I had nobody to hold my hand and tell me what to do. I was given assignments and dues dates. It was up to me to get them done in time. My teacher’s taught me with their opinion, I really
In an oppressive society, a group of individuals are expected to adapt and be controlled by a more powerful group without question. Similar to a “banking concept” of education, at times it seems the student is not expected to think for themselves. They listen to what the teacher “deposits” into their mind, and they adapt. I strongly agree that this limits comprehension and creativity and forces you to adapt to thinking like a robot. He makes a strong case with his analogy, “Four times four is sixteen……The student records, memorizes, and repeats these phrases without perceiving what four times four really means.” It’s easy to get discouraged in school when it feels like information is being thrown at you without much encouragement to fully grasp it. It’s nearly impossible to truly understand a concept when you’re forced to memorize it immediately for a test. In conclusion, teachers with this mindset should understand that to be a true educator is to encourage the student to take the time to comprehend the material
First, Gatto who taught in the school system for thirty years uses his personal experience, and the rhetorical strategy ethos to show that he believes that being in the public-school system for twelve years is not good or helping the children in their lives outside of school. Gatto says “I’ve come slowly to understand what it is I really teach: A curriculum of confusion, class position, arbitrary justice, vulgarity, rudeness, disrespect for privacy, indifference to quality, and utter dependency” (607). In this quote Gatto is saying that when children are in the school system they are not learning things they will need in life. They are getting used to repeating the same process over and over again. They are also learning to be dependent on an instructor to tell them when where and how to do things and not relying on themselves for anything. Kids in the system become dependent on being around others and a lot of time do not know how to handle themselves. The author states, “well-schooled people are conditioned to dread being alone, and they seek constant companionship through the TV, the computer, the cell phone, and through shallow friendships quickly acquired and quickly abandoned” (615). In this quote Gatto is saying that people in the system get accustomed to being around a group of people and they cannot stand to be by themselves. The author is also saying that when the kids in the system are not around a group of people they fill the gap by watching television, being on a computer, and/or on a cell phone.
A key point I determined on how is how education is a continuous process that can come with a lot of challenges. Regardless of the challenges, the process is continuous, and it does not have limits. The essay supports this idea because one of the lessons that David learned is that one can learn at any age as long as he/she has a passion. In the article, the teacher
Mandatory, enforced schooling is common all over the world, and is generally seen as a public good, and a privilege of first world countries. However, author and teacher John Gatto argues that mandatory schooling destroys your ability to be free thinkers and therefore should not exist, in his piece “Against School”. Despite his effective use of ethos, Gatto’s argument fails to be convincing due to logical fallacies, and a lack of evidence or first hand experience.
My interest for the Attorney Advisor position with the United States Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) arises from my longstanding commitment to constantly improve myself. I have always enjoyed legal research, writing, and the complexities of intellectual property. I have no doubt that my enthusiasm to research, my eagerness to learn, and my strong ability to communicate clearly, work efficiently, accurately, and quickly, will make me an invaluable asset to the USPTO. I believe these traits combined with my unique skillset, developed as a result of experiences working for the Arizona Diamondbacks of Major League Baseball (Diamondbacks), Nike Inc. (Nike), and the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, Liability Management Department (AG Office)
School, everyone summons different thoughts and connotations whenever they hear that word. Although people range in their opinions of school, many can agree that schools all have the same goal: to educate their students. This is proving to be false; John Taylor Gatto provides evidence of this in his essay, “Against School.” Within this text he explains how schools are not educating students to be the best they can be, instead teachers are teaching them to become role players in today’s society and to be desensitized from their natural creativity. Gatto, a three time New York Teacher of the Year, has had his fair share of teaching. Gatto provides evidence to the audience that they have been wrong all along about the way a school functions. His ideals prove that the schooling systems in today’s society are not what they seem; schools are thought to develop and help a student unlock their full potential but through the evidence that Gatto provides us he shows that the education system does anything but that. He shows us this by appealing to the audience’s logos and pathos or their logical and emotional natures.
My interest to participate in the summer immersion program comes from the passion that I have for caring for the vulnerable populations and my inheriting love for helping others. From the beginning of my nursing education, providing healthcare to vulnerable populations in different settings healthcare has always been important to me. I believe access to quality healthcare is a right that every person should have. My belief of healthcare for everyone has been my motivation for pursuing a career as a nurse practitioner (NP). I would like the opportunity to fulfill healthcare needs in people who do not have access to healthcare in low in come communities and countries by providing them
Gatto is concern to society that the contemporary schooling system is trying to get rid of students’ personality by turning them into obedient students that are easy to have power over (control). Therefore, the system will produce uneducated voters that are easy to be misled by higher powers. In addition, students are not given the freedom of choosing what they want. He is saying that public schools are not the only way to success; also, unschooled people don’t mean that they are uneducated. Moreover, Gatto encourages home-school system than public school as option because home-school system has more independence but it’s not a solution for the US. I disagree to his solution because he is supporting examples from old generation such as Edison and Ben Franklin; however, our generation is different than before. It needs school environment like sharing our ideas in class and helping each other to solve problems. Therefore, homeschool is not the solution to success. It is a combination of the students’ skills, intelligence, and effort that makes up their success.