Dumbing Us Down

02The Seven Harmful Lessons Taught in Schools

What if the most important lessons you learned in school were not academic, but rather, lessons that shaped your attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions? This is the premise of John Taylor Gatto's book, "Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling," where he identifies seven harmful lessons taught in schools. The first lesson is confusion. Picture a jigsaw puzzle with missing pieces. You're trying to put it together, but the image never quite forms. This is how Gatto describes the teaching of confusion in schools. Subjects are taught without context, and students are left to piece together the disjointed information. This can lead to a lack of understanding and a disinterest in learning. The second lesson is class position. Schools, according to Gatto, teach students their place in society. This lesson discourages critical thinking about social and economic inequalities. It's like being told you're a pawn in a chess game, with little chance of becoming a queen or king. This can lead to a sense of powerlessness and acceptance of the status quo. The third lesson is indifference. Imagine being engrossed in a book, only to be interrupted every few minutes. This is how Gatto describes the teaching of indifference in schools. The constant interruptions, from bells to announcements, can lead to a lack of passion and interest in learning. Over time, this can result in students who are disengaged and apathetic. The fourth lesson is emotional dependency. Schools, Gatto argues, teach students to rely on external validation and approval. This can hinder the development of self-motivation and personal responsibility. It's like always needing someone else to tell you that you're doing a good job, instead of being able to recognize and celebrate your own achievements. The fifth lesson is intellectual dependency. Picture a baby bird that relies on its mother for food. This is how Gatto describes the teaching of intellectual dependency in schools. Students are taught to rely on teachers for knowledge, rather than being encouraged to think independently and critically. This can lead to a lack of curiosity and a reluctance to question and explore. The sixth lesson is provisional self-esteem. Schools, according to Gatto, teach students that their self-worth is contingent on external factors, such as grades and praise from teachers. This can lead to a lack of self-confidence and self-belief. It's like building a house on sand, it can easily collapse when the tide comes in. The final lesson is that one can't hide. Schools teach students that they are constantly under surveillance and that they cannot hide from authority. This can lead to a sense of powerlessness and a lack of privacy. It's like living in a fishbowl, always being watched and judged. In conclusion, these seven harmful lessons - confusion, class position, indifference, emotional dependency, intellectual dependency, provisional self-esteem, and the inability to hide - can have profound impacts on students. They can shape attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions, often in negative ways. But what if we could change the way we teach our children? What if we could create an education system that fosters curiosity, critical thinking, and a love of learning? It's a thought-provoking question, and one that we should all be asking.

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