My observation of "Against School: How Public Education Cripples our Kids, an Why"

I felt that John Gatto's narrative is mostly full of hog wash. I think his narrative is more of a rant, than Michael Moores "Idiot Nation". I disagree with Gatto's thought process, however there was only two paragraphs I truly appreciated, the talk between him and his grandfather, and the GOOD NEWS paragraph on pg. 5. But I continued to ask myself, how can someone argue the fundamentals of the importance of school? School is so important.

With this economy today, just having a high school education, a GED will not allow you to get a job to support your family. Like we mentioned today, it takes two people in the household to support a family. We don't have our mom or dad at home to teach us like it was when George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, etc. was in school. Shoot by the time they were of age 11 - 15 they were considered an adult. I can't even imagine children in today's society being that responsible. Times have changed.

Gatto mentioned in pg.1/ paragraph  3 that his grandfather gave him a talking to about Boredom. I do however agree with the grandfather, that if you are bored, it is your fault. There are so many things to do, and if you choose to be lazy, sleep, drink, eat your day away - then you have no one else to blame, but yourself.

At least Gatto tried to instill this into some of his students. If he had an attitude on education - like he does in the narrative throughout the paper on the what if of education, what does he expect people to think about him?

Gatto reminded me of Mr. Keating, when he stated to teach your own children to be leaders and adventures vs. employees and consumers. It is true, we do need to challenge our kids more to have them have a more meaningful life that they can have (pg. 5 / paragraph 3). If we don't prepare our children now for their higher educations, they will not have a future. As for Gatto and Moore they both focused on advertising.

I was a housewife for the last 7 years. In high school I majored in Intensive Business. Before marrying Kenny, I had a wonderful job working for an environmental service with WTI. When the office shut down, I had to take a min. wage job because everyone felt I was over qualified to work in the office. After losing my job this past January, I looked for employment in my trained field. Because I didn't have proper college education, I am back in school. I have returned to college for a degree, because if you don't have that GOLDEN TICKET, you will not get a job to build your future.

Class notes:

In Gatto essay we read about processes, funding, attitude, beliefs.

Thesis-driven Essay Paper III - Outline

     The educational system is a pathway to a students education, which is the importance of an individual being able to follow his or her dreams. Lately, one thing leads to another from the Country wide budget cuts, and we watch this disaster continue to spiral out of control. The public school systems self worth declines, and just like a domino effect, teachers are being laid off; classrooms are becoming overcrowded; teachers are overworked; disruptive starts with classroom curriculum; and frustrations mount between teachers, students, parents.

•      It is no hidden secret, the United States public school system is struggling to stay afloat. Major budget cuts occur and teachers continue to be laid off. This all leads to the teacher / student ratio problems and the classrooms become overcrowed. Teachers can not provide the one on one time with students, especially those who need that little extra push.

The effects on:
1. Teacher layoffs
2. Teachers providing a proper education to an overcrowded class
3. How having a overcrowded classroom effects the other students

•      Teachers already have very limited time in each subject with a normal class schedule. Now what was once two teachers jobs, is now the duties for a single teacher. Teachers eventually become overworked. 

Time & how it effects
1. Students
2. Overworks the Teachers
3. How the Parents end up picking up the slack of an overworked teacher.

•      A students normal class routine consists of reading, English, math, history, science, music and/or gym. Sometimes there may be a student (s) that struggles grasping a certain subject. The student (s) are then pulled out of the classroom during normal class curriculum and being placed in a LAP program. Then the disruption begins.

Special Education and the disruptions
1. Students missed out on subjects to attend LAP classes
2. Teachers

•  Teachers start becoming frustrated from being overworked and having class disruption then leads to the students, teachers and parents frustrated from the lack of the class receiving a proper education.

Frustrations of
1. Teacher
2. Students
3. Parents