The 7 Lesson School Teacher
Link to purchaseCornell Notes
Main Notes
- The author, John Taylor Gatto, was a schoolteacher for 30 years and won awards for his teaching.
- Gatto claims he doesn't teach English, but rather 'school' - a set of seven universal lessons.
- The seven lessons Gatto teaches are: confusion, class position, indifference, emotional dependency, intellectual dependency, provisional self-esteem, and the idea that one can't hide.
- Confusion: Teaching disconnected facts and subjects without context or relation.
- Class Position: Teaching students to stay in their assigned social class.
- Indifference: Teaching students not to care too deeply about anything through constant interruptions and unfinished work.
- Emotional Dependency: Teaching students to surrender their will to the authority figure.
- Intellectual Dependency: Teaching students to wait for an expert to tell them what to think and do.
- Provisional Self-Esteem: Teaching students that their self-worth depends on an expert's opinion.
- One Can't Hide: Teaching students that they are under constant surveillance with no privacy.
- Gatto argues that these lessons are the real content of schooling, regardless of the official curriculum.
- He suggests that this form of schooling is designed to maintain social control and create a compliant workforce.
- Gatto contrasts modern schooling with earlier forms of education in America, which he claims produced more independent and capable individuals.
- He argues that compulsory schooling became necessary after the Civil War to maintain a centrally controlled society.
- Gatto suggests that many social problems (drug use, suicide, violence) are products of this dehumanizing educational system.
- He proposes a return to more diverse, community-based forms of education, including family schools, entrepreneurial schools, and self-education.
- Gatto argues that global economic competition is largely a myth used to justify the current educational system.
- He suggests that meaningful life is found in family, community, nature, and simple human interactions, not in the 'good life' as defined by global economics.
- Gatto traces the origins of modern schooling to fears of revolution among the industrial poor and cultural conflicts with immigrants in the 19th century.
- He argues that schooling has expanded beyond its original purpose of regulating the poor to now affect the middle class as well.
- Gatto claims that young people today struggle with concentration, sense of time, intimacy, and are prone to materialism and violence due to schooling.
- He suggests that schooling prevents effective personality development through its hidden curriculum.
- Gatto proposes a free-market system in public schooling as a potential solution.
- He argues that the method of mass schooling is its only real content, more important than curriculum, equipment, or teachers.
- Gatto concludes that school is a '12-year jail sentence where bad habits are the only curriculum truly learned.'
Cue Column
- How does Gatto's view of education differ from conventional wisdom about schooling?
- What evidence does Gatto provide to support his claims about the 'seven lessons'?
- How might education look different if it weren't designed to teach these seven lessons?
- What are the potential societal implications of an education system that teaches these lessons?
- How does Gatto's historical analysis of education in America challenge common narratives about progress in education?
- What are the potential drawbacks of the free-market education system Gatto proposes?
- How might technology and social changes since Gatto wrote this affect his arguments?
- What role does economic ideology play in shaping education systems, according to Gatto?
- How does Gatto's critique of schooling relate to broader critiques of modern society and institutions?
- What alternatives to traditional schooling exist today, and how do they address Gatto's concerns?
- How might educators who agree with Gatto's critique work to change the system from within?
- What are the potential psychological effects of the educational approach Gatto describes?
- How does Gatto's view of childhood and human development inform his critique of schooling?
- What role does the concept of 'hidden curriculum' play in Gatto's analysis?
- How might different stakeholders (parents, teachers, policymakers) respond to Gatto's arguments?
Summary
John Taylor Gatto, a former schoolteacher, presents a scathing critique of the modern compulsory education system in America. He argues that schools primarily teach seven 'hidden' lessons: confusion, class position, indifference, emotional and intellectual dependency, provisional self-esteem, and constant surveillance. These lessons, Gatto contends, are more fundamental to the schooling experience than any official curriculum.
Gatto traces the origins of this system to the post-Civil War era, arguing that it was designed to maintain social control and create a compliant workforce for an increasingly centralized, industrial society. He contrasts this with earlier forms of education in America, which he claims produced more independent, capable, and fully human individuals.
The author suggests that many contemporary social problems, including drug use, violence, and the erosion of community life, are direct results of this dehumanizing educational system. He argues that schooling prevents effective personality development and alienates children from their families and communities.
Gatto challenges the notion of a 'global economic competition' that necessitates this form of education, arguing instead for a return to more diverse, community-based forms of learning. He advocates for a free-market system in public schooling, including family schools, entrepreneurial schools, and self-education.
Throughout the text, Gatto emphasizes the idea that the method of mass schooling is its primary content, more important than any specific curriculum or teaching technique. He concludes with the stark assertion that school is a '12-year jail sentence where bad habits are the only curriculum truly learned.'
This critique raises fundamental questions about the purpose of education, the nature of childhood and human development, and the relationship between schooling and broader social and economic systems. It challenges readers to reconsider deeply held assumptions about the value and function of compulsory schooling in modern society.