21st century, century of hopes, aspirations, breakthroughs or in short the dawn of the new era are the words that go through one’s mind when asked to describe it. One with right skills and education can have a bright and a successful future. This recipe seems very simple and no-brainer and almost everyone follows it to achieve success. The key ingredient of that recipe is education. One spends twelve years at school to procure that ingredient. But to stand against cut-throat competition and not just live from paycheck to paycheck one has to go further on this quest to make sure he has enough of that ingredient for his recipe. That’s what 66.2% of American high school graduates did in 2012 to stand out against fellow competitors and make sure they are on the right track for so called “success (www.bls.gov). Many scholarly articles have been published on education and schooling and how it is impacting todays’ youth. Imparting critical thinking should be the main purpose of education and the term success should not be measured by the paycheck but by the passion with which one springs out of bed every morning.
Gatto and Zinsser are both American authors who have written several articles on American Education system and how it is impacting our future policy-makers. They both offer their own views which show constructive and destructive interference. While Gatto claims that, compulsory schooling cripples our kids and if possible, it should be avoided and kids should be imparted education through different medium, Zinsser looks at schooling from a different perspective and claims a new system should be formulated that reduces the pressure on young minds and prepare them for a better future. Both of their claims directly address educat...
... middle of paper ...
...r labs as if they were going to the dentist” (42). He clearly and subtly implies that follow your heart, do something that gives you joy and above all satisfaction.
At the end I would just like to make your passion your profession, and work will become a game. Choose something that makes you get up out of bed every morning. Don’t follow success, pursue excellence in your profession and success will come running towards you.
Works Cited
"College Enrollment and Work Activity of 2012 High School Graduates." U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 17 Apr. 2013. Web. 02 Nov. 2013.
Gatto, John Taylor. "Against School: How Public Education Cripples Our Kids, and Why." Harper's Magazine 1 Sept. 2003: 21-28. Print.
Zinsser, William. “College Pressures.” Blair & Ketchum’s Country Journal. Vol. 6.no. 4, 4 Apr. 1979 39-46. Print.
As American’s we place a high level of importance on attending school and receiving a certain level of education. Across the world, the recommendations for attending school vastly differ based on the culture of the society. In America, we require our children to attend school until they are almost of legal age, push high school graduates to attend college and we constantly emphasize structured learning. Many children in today’s world lack many skills that would allow them to “teach” themselves outside of school leading to an increased interest in televisions, computers, and phones. Technology has taken away society’s attention away from independent learning such as reading, writing, and outside experiences. John Taylor Gatto’s emotional voice in his writing “Against School” has allowed me reveal my psychological voice regarding the educational system.
Botstein once argued in his book Jefferson’s Children that “the American high school are obsolete”. In detail, the dissemination that the current method of education has entirely strangled the scheme is an important issue which has to be scrutinized critically.
Many Americans do not question the credibility of the education system within the country because they believe it forms good citizens and creates a stepping-stone to success. John Taylor Gatto is an American teacher who has experience in the classroom for thirty years and has now devoted his life to critiquing American schools exploiting his own experiences. In his essay “Against School”, he argues that the 12-year system of school may not be necessary, due to its curriculum, and that it may be a tactic of manipulation from the government to promote obedience. I agree with his argument because there are many paths to individual success outside of public education, such as homeschooling or vocational school.
In the text, The Death and Life of the Great American School System, author Diane Ravitch explores her ideological shift on school reform and the empirical evidence that caused this shift. Once a proponent and contributor of testing, accountability, choice, and market reforms, Ravitch’s support began to diminish as she realized that these current reforms were not viable options. She came to realize that the new school reforms focused entirely on structural and managerial adjustments and that no focus was given to actual learning.
Neill, Monty. "The No Child Left Behind Act Is Not Improving Education." Education: Opposing Viewpoints. New York: Greenhaven, 2005. 162-68. Print.
Kaufman, Daniel. "Notes from Hell: The Public Schools Need Discipline and Respect for Learning. That's All." National Review 30 Sept. 1996: 46. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 3 Mar. 2014.
Gintis, Herbert. "Chapter 1 Beyond the Educational Frontier: The Great American Dream Freeze." Schooling in Capitalist America: Educational Reform and the Contradictions of Economic Life. By Samuel Bowles. New York: Basic, 1976. N. pag. Print.
John Taylor Gatto in his essay “Against School” explains the lack of motivation that students have to the educational system of the USA. He also explains the damage that the system makes to both, students and teachers, by the non-interesting topics they are taught in class. Furthermore, he enlightens the indifference of students towards the teacher, seem as incompetent and unprepared. In addition, he also highlights the dark side of the school system which intends to brainwash and rescind the ideas from students. He addresses a main goal of the educational system; convert juveniles into the next docile and manageable generation. Wherefore, he proposes an educational system that should be structured and not controlled. In addition, he demonstrates
If an individual is provided resources and surrounded by people who believe they are capable of goal achievement, said individual is more likely to experienced increases in determination and subsequent improvement in performance and well-being. For example, research has shown that students enrolled in positive learning environments where teachers incorporate strategies meant to meet students' motivational needs are more likely to become responsible learners who display a determination to succeed. In the essay "College Pressures" by William Zinsser, the pressures faced by college students at Yale are studied. The pressures include the need to develop time management and study skills appropriate for college work, the desire for good grades, the desire to meet parents' expectations, and the need to find employment in a competitive job market after
Zinsser, William. “College Pressure.” The Norton Reader. 13th ed. Ed. Linda H. Peterson. New York: Norton, 2013. 380-388. Print
Within the walls of our educational system lie many adverse problems. Is there a solution to such problems? If so, what is the solution? As we take a look at two different essays by two different authors’ John Gatto and Alfie Kohn, both highlight what’s wrong within our educational system in today’s society. As John Gatto explores the concept if schools are really as necessary as they’re made out to be; Alfie Kohn analyzes the non-importance of letter grades within our schools. Although both essays are fairly different, they still pose some similarities in relation to the educational system in today’s society.
John Taylor Gatto, in his essay “Against School: How Public Education Cripples our Kids, and why”, argues that the contemporary purpose of education in public schools is to produce “harmless electorate,” “a servile labor force,” and “mindless consumers” (28). According to Gatto, he is blaming public schools by explain that the purpose of education is to shape students to certain expectations and habits without their interests. He argues that students “want to be doing something real” (Gatto 23). Also, He explains that they produce a manageable working class and “mindless consumers” (27-28). His point is that students want to learn something new that help them in their life better than actual books from school which don’t apply their interests and their experience (23). So he recommends home-schooling as option to schools (24). Gatto claims that contemporary schools “adopted one of the very worst aspect...
People, in this case boys, with ant-social behaviors persistently disregard and violate the rights of others (Comer, 2014). Their future is bleak, if not treated, with many ending up with substance abuse problems and incarceration. So while treatment is difficult and often unsuccessful (Comer, 2014), I feel there is hope if they can come to believe in a positive, productive, future self. Brainstorming could be a way to bring about the motivation that will be needed for them to obtain an expanded view of the future and themselves.
Choosing which career path to follow is one of the most important decision people take in their lifetime. Considering that this decision will affect the entire future life, it is very important to be sure that it is the right one. It is one of the most important steps in order to successfully find a job that would satisfy personality needs and guarantee a steady income. If he or she is passionate about their job, hard work is simplified and high salary helps to concentrate on results. The key about being successful at work is to be in love with it.
A time approaches in every person’s life when they must come to learn new things. Speaking on behalf of all those who have attended school at some point in their life, I must say that most do not like it for its educational significance. Today’s youth undervalue the worth of America’s public school system to the point of shame. Hard-working, underpaid teachers and professors prepare to educate these ingrates as their living, and it’s exasperating for the students to not even care. I must be fair though and call attention to the fact that not everyone shares this loathe for education and schooling.