24.3.10

to school or not to school.

so, I've been reading maybe a bit too much of this guy named John Taylor Gatto.  He is a former NY state teacher of the year who decided to give up his career because he came to the conclusion that schooling is actually doing more harm than good.  In conclusion of his work, he claims that the lessons he actually taught were confusion, class position, indifference, emotional dependency, intellectual dependency, provisional self-esteem, and finally.....ONE CAN'T HIDE.  and though they all hit home with me in one way or another, it's that final one that I fear the most for my kids.  Being under constant surveillance, not having enough private time or space....the meaning being that no one can be trusted and that privacy is not legitimate.  I want my daughters to grow up marching to the beat of their own drummer.  and it seems to me that's kind of hard to do when everyone else is always telling you what to learn, watch, hear....and especially when there's a blaring bell signaling you to march from one room to the next, or else.  Or else, what?  Follow their lead....provide the materials and opportunities for them to embark on their own journey.  With freedom from time restraints, potentially discriminating educators and media absorbed peers. With freedom to find their own perfect learning environment, that will most certainly not be enclosed within four walls, a floor and a ceiling.

2 comments:

paige said...

very compelling...... so glad you are pioneering this for me.

tia said...

at times, i have considered home-schooling. i can't say i've done this SERIOUSLY - but there is something to be said about the fact that children are in a structured learning environment from such a young age in this country and there is also something to be said for having the freedom to be children. i do think that charter schools are making it possible for certain healthier agendas to be acknowledged in schools. the school we're planning to have Silo start in the fall is a charter Montessori elementary school (k-6 eventually) which at least allows them to learn at their own pace instead of constantly being forced/compared to every other student at the same time. I sometimes wonder if I am just a bit afraid of letting him go out into the world already... I know that he knows and understands so much about himself and the world and the social environment of school has the potential to open his world-up even more - in a way that I can't neccessarily provide for him. I don't know.... I usually learn best by having to actually go through it, so i'll let you know how it goes later this year. :)