Dumbing Us Down

[PotterWatch]

I am currently reading Dumbing Us Down; The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling by John Taylor Gatto. I would love to hear from other people who have read it, especially some teachers. What do you think of the book and how it portrays traditional school? What do you think is accurate and what do you think is inaccurate? Have you read any of his other books and what did you think of them?

 

[onthespot]

Everybody's too dumb to answer!

 

[tdgill]

LMAO
havent read it

 

[Q9]

Hmmm... Haven't read it, but it sounds great! I might have to see if that's at our library. I'm homeschooled, myself. It's stupid that you have to pay tax dollars to support a method and message that you don't support. I have, while being homeschooled, discovered that economics is fun, made tons of friends, and learned a whole lot about, well, a whole lot! Still am. Being homeschooled with the Classical method, I have also learned to educate myself. I routinely read history and economics for fun. In my four years of public school, I had three (3) good friends, and two were from church. I felt the way most kids do, that learning, especially history, is boring. EVERY Thanksgiving we heard the SAME FREAKING story of the Mayflower, made as boring as possible. I thought all history was like that.

Okay, sorry, didn't mean to go on a rant.

That's just my experience.

I'll finish off with this: Benjamin Franklin dropped out of school at ten and educated himself.

 

[PotterWatch]

Well, it was initially published in 1991 so it's not the hot new book on the subject anymore. I'm finding it very interesting if not somewhat harsh. Anyone else read it?

 

[chickens4me]

I have read it. I have discussed it with my two older children & they said that they found much~~if not all~~of what he points out is true. One of my children begged me to homeschool her this year for 9th grade. (She was a "charter school student" in a "top" public school here.) She says she is shocked how much she is able to learn now without having to wait for other students to "catch up" or having to wait for a teacher to decide how much and when she is "allowed" to learn. She does not miss ps whatsoever. She feels like she has freedom now in so many ways. And I am thrilled to teach her.

I personally believe it is a shocking and eye-opening book. My daughter did have some good teachers at times, but often their "hands were tied" by exactly what Mr. Gatto points out.

This is just from our own family's personal experience.

 

[LA~Poulet]

I think we see a lot of what he warned about in society today.

 

[StupidBird]

the movie "Idiocracy" was scary enough, do I have to read the book too?

I'm just being sarcastic about people, not trying to make fun of this topic. I really am concerned about the future...

 

[deb1]

I've wanted to read this book. Maybe I will finally order it.

 

[warmfuzzies]

I am reading he book The Underground History of American Education, By the same author. It is somewhat deep, and a little difficult to get into. If you stick it out past the prologe it is very interesting.

Highly recommended, and here is a link to a free on-line version!

http://www.campaignforliberty.com/edu/education-freedom.php