Dumbing Us Down: The 7 Lesson School Teacher

 

 I

Unit: Arts Education

Theme: Compulsory Education

 

Introduction

Today we will discuss compulsory education, which refers to a period of education that is required of all people and is imposed by the government. This education may take place at a registered school or at other places. Compulsory school attendance or compulsory schooling means that parents are obliged to send their children to a certain school. All children who have attained the age of 6 years or who will have attained the age of 6 years by February 1 of any school year or who are older than 6 years of age but who have not attained the age of 16 years, except as otherwise provided, are required to attend school regularly during the entire school term.

 Art education is, on the other hand, the set of instructions on how to use the language of art. People understand the world and assign a meaning to it using art. It is not required nor forced on people as part of the frame created by compulsory education.

 

II

Learning Objectives

 

• Understand the disconnection between compulsory education and art education. 
• Explain how compulsory education affects children's creativity
  
•  Gather an awareness of the role of the teacher in changing the current state of the educational system
• Experience what it would be like to design a different educational system based on art education

III

Main Lesson

1

Ice-breaker

Question 1

Watch the video and share what you think is the message behind it.

 

 

 

2

 WARM UP

Let us begin with music and warm up. Let us get on our feet, get away from our desks and follow the isolation warm up. 

Let us add conscious breathing at the end of the warm up,  self-affirmations and meditation.

 Question 2

Is this warm up useful? Post your answer on Discussion Board.

 

 

 

 3

Read the research on art education by clicking on the link below.

Concept Education by Art Education 

 Question 3

  Go to the conclusion of this research (p.694) . What is the main observation made by the researcher?

4

 

BOOK REVIEW 

 Today we will introduce Jon Taylor Gato's work on education. Please, watch the video below and move the discussion forward by answering to  the following question:

 Question 4

 

What do you think about Gato's ideas as expressed  in this review?

 

 

 

 

 5

Read the 7 Lesson School Teacher and Psychopathic School

Dumbings Us Down by John Taylor Gatto

 

Question 5

What is Gatto's main concern?

 

IV

A Note to Remember

Compulsory education does not facilitate arts education, on the contrary, it may obstruct it development.

 

V

Case Study

 Jon Taylor Gato

 John Taylor Gatto (1935 - 2018) was an American author and school teacher. After teaching for nearly 30 years he authored several books on modern education, criticizing its ideology, history, and consequences. He wrote the following books:

Dumbing Us Down

1991

Weapons of Mass Instruction: A Schoolteacher's Journey Through the Dark World of Compulsory Schooling

2008

The Underground History of American Education

2000

A Different Kind of Teacher

2000

 

Question 6

Write your reflection on Gato's words in this interview. Discuss it with your peers.

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VI

Activity

Gather in groups (7 groups). Each group will discuss one of the 7 lessons to share with the group the main points developed by the group. Write the main points on Discussion Board and offer the potential solution to the lessons using art education, specifically the conceptual art ideas explored in class.

 

VII

Journaling

 

 

VIII

 

Glossary

 

Compulsory schooling: Compulsory school attendance or compulsory schooling means that parents are obliged to send their children to a certain school. 

 Art education: Art Ed. is, on the other hand, the set of instructions on how to use the language of art. 

IX

 

Sources

Abaci, Oya (n.d). Concept Education by Art Education and an Investigation on the Opinions of Teacher Candidates about the different concepts. https://pdf.sciencedirectassets.com

The 7 Lesson School Teacher 

https://www.google.com/books/edition/Dumbing_Us_Down/IF8f0SsGXnwC?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=inauthor:%22John+Taylor+Gatto%22&printsec=frontcover

X

 Students' Work

 

 Confusion

Lesson 1: Nia, Carlota, Sebastian, Ajay, Logan

In his book "Dumbing Us Down", John Taylor Gatto highlights seven lessons that he uses in his teaching. Confusion refers to how in education there is an air of confusion because there is no explanation of why children are learning what they're learning and there's no connection between the topics. We think that this can be fixed by giving more thought to how the things that are being taught are sequenced so that there is a natural flow of knowledge and ideas. Further, teachers can try to find a way to make the topics feel relevant to the students. This can be done through the arts by using pictures and music to help make connections to what children already know and understand.

 

 Class Position

 Lesson 2: Garrett, Benny, Nick, Alessandra

We think that the idea of class positions is valid in our modern day society. We do not necessarily view this as a problem. Based on our experiences, there a students who work faster or slower than others and to put them in the same class would not be fair. This would make the class too easy for the student who moves to fast and the class too hard for the student who may need extra help. This will allow students to be able to work at their own pace. This "box" that students are put in are not permeated, you can move up or down the totem pole as your intelligence changes over time.

 

Indifference

 Lesson 3: Abigail Gendell, Ella Li, Alex Fishbone

Not to be a passive learner and be involved. When you are doing something you should be all into it and when the time is up don't stress about it.

We think it's important to teach the students that when something is important they should finish it before moving onto something. There are some things in life you can't just drop and forget about it.

Solution: allow students to explore creative processes in the classroom and to try their best.

 

 

Emotional Dependency

 

 

Lesson 4 - Lana N, Olivia M, Grace L, Jaleel S.

Our lesson is Emotional Dependency. The author explains how schools lack rights and free will. Students depend on the validation of the teacher, and it is up to the teacher on what behavior is rewarded and what is punished. There is no individuality, and students feel they must follow what is deemed accepted by the school rather than expressing their true selves. To find individuality, students find themselves sneaking  off to do so, such as going to the bathroom or getting water when they do not really need to just to have a moment of freedom. 

 Intellectual Dependency

Lesson 5:  Ryan, Alex T, Rudy, Lucas

Gatto's section is about in an educational setting, students always wait for the teacher or expert to tell them what to do, what to study, instead of acting on their own. Gatto is saying that we are trained to obey and listen to people of power and that in return leads to successful performance. In order to resolve the issue of bad listeners, we test children to make sure they are listening and following direction and the curriculum provided. An idea of what could be done is that we can allow children to have an area of their own interest in the school system, to engage their own passions and make them want to learn. 

 Provisional Self-Esteem

 Lesson 6 : Allie, Duke, Jake, Meghan, and Xinyi Nong

In John Taylor Gatto's Dumbing Us Down, Gatto states that students are constantly judged, which causes them to focus solely on getting good grades and pleasing their teachers. To fix this, teachers should allow their students to feel confident before assessing their competency. The arts can be beneficial in accomplishing this goal because with the arts, there is not a right answer and a wrong answer... Therefore, each student's opinion will be valued, allowing them to feel confident.

 

One Can't Hide

  Lesson 7 - Ethan, Antonio, Albion

Gatto tells us about how school life becomes the student's life as a whole. They're taught to report everything to the school, including affairs in the home. Homework is a mean of bringing school to home for everyone, deterring students from being able to explore and do other things. One method of solution directly to the homework problem, is to incorporate assignments that have full meaning and that does not take away too much time, 15 mins at max with points of creativity.

 

Make Up

 

Rudolph Stonisch

Rather than being a passive learner, it's important to be actively involved. Fully immerse yourself in what you're doing, and when the time comes to wrap up, don't dwell on it excessively.

Teaching students the importance of finishing crucial tasks before shifting their focus is key. Some elements of life require dedication and can't be just left aside.

Treat the classroom as a space where students can delve into creative exploration and inspire them to put forth their utmost effort.

 

Nydia Kyriakopoulos

His extended techniques could be considered atypical. The string piano is a good example of this. He goes beyond conventional methods in. his work. Even the title itself is very expressive and could be considered atypical. His innovative techniques stand out. 

Ellie Karofsky

Gatto's main concern is that students are constantly judged for what they are doing, for example being graded on exams, homework or anything they may submit to a teacher. This makes the focus of students towards their grades and pleasing their teachers rather than the process of doing the work and actively learning. Teachers should allow for students to be able to do their work without the fear of being judged on it which may in tern result in a much better performance of the students. 

 

Joel Keller

 

 Gatto's primary worry is that students are continuously evaluated for their actions, such as when they turn in assignments, tests, or other types of work to their teachers. This causes students to place more emphasis on getting good scores and winning over teachers than on really performing the work and learning. When placing such an emphasis on the wrong aspect of learning it can cause students to burn out or lose the will to succeed because they are constantly competing with others instead of striving for the best that they can do.  Instructors should provide students the freedom to do their work without worrying about receiving negative feedback, as this could ultimately lead to improved student performance.