John Taylor Gatto's "Weapons of Mass Instruction", now available in paperback, focuses on mechanisms of traditional education which cripple imagination, discourage critical thinking, and create a false view of learning as a by-product of rote-memorisation drills. Gatto's earlier book, "Dumbing Us Down" introduced the now-famous expression of the title into the common vernacular. This book adds another chilling metaphor to the brief against conventional schooling. Gatto demonstrates that the harm school inflicts is rational and deliberate. The real function of pedagogy, he argues, is to render the common population manageable. To that end, young people must be conditioned to rely upon experts, to remain divided from natural alliances and to accept disconnections from their own lived experiences. They must at all costs be discouraged from developing self-reliance and independence. Escaping this trap requires a strategy Gatto calls "open source learning" which imposes no artificial divisions between learning and life. Through this alternative approach our children can avoid being indoctrinated-only then can they achieve self-knowledge, good judgement, and courage.
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About the Author
John Gatto was a teacher in New York City's public schools for over 30 years and is a recipient of the New York State Teacher of the Year award. A much-sought after speaker on education throughout the United States, his other books include A Different Kind of Teacher (Berkeley Hills Books, 2001) and The Underground History of American Education (Oxford Village Press, 2000).
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I disagree with the other reviewer; this book has much of the historical references found in Gatto's previous book, "The Underground History of American Education," in a condensed version - that book is near 300,000 words I think. In that respect, it is more useful than Gatto's first book on schooling, "Dumbing Us Down," well over 15 years old now. All his books are excellent, and numerous websites contain many other essays and recordings of speeches he has made over his long retirement from school teaching. I loved this book!
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
By N. R. Chance
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This was the first time I had read anything by this author and it will go down as one of those seminal moments in my life. We all have books we come across which challenge our views and ideas in a way we had not considered previously - and this was one of them.
I'm aware other reviews revere other works by Gatto, but this book for me was excellent. Clearly an intelligent man with a real passion for what he is writing about, his challenge to the dogmatic, bland and conformist stance of education is loud and impressive.
Essential reading if you're involved in education in any way.
I'm aware other reviews revere other works by Gatto, but this book for me was excellent. Clearly an intelligent man with a real passion for what he is writing about, his challenge to the dogmatic, bland and conformist stance of education is loud and impressive.
Essential reading if you're involved in education in any way.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
John Taylor Gatto has written a book that would seep readily into any educated person's head. It questions formal schooling while reminding the reader of what an education should look like. It challenges the reader to look back at their own schooling. I believe that I was quite lucky in having a liberal education but now feel locked-out of the labour market because I'm not wholly obedient. Who else feels the same way I do? Thank you Mr John Taylor Gatto. Keep fighting them!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Weapons of Mass Instruction: A Schoolteacher's Journey Through the...
If you've ever thought that something was not quite right about your education that you experienced in your childhood, you should read this book!!
Published 3 months ago by I. P. Cheneour
3.0 out of 5 stars
Worth Reading but....
This is definitely a book you should read (especially if you are from, or live in, the USA), but don't just let it roll you along. It is OK to think for yourself. Read more
Published 4 months ago by Gordon Ramel
5.0 out of 5 stars
Blown away once again by Taylor Gatto
Once again a fantastic read by John Taylor Gatto. He cuts right to the heart of the waste of time and damage done every day right across the world - the biggest social engineering... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Henternet
5.0 out of 5 stars
A life changing book
There aren't many books that you read and can honestly say that they will change your life, however this is one such book.
It is truly eye-opening. Read more
It is truly eye-opening. Read more
Published 19 months ago by N Burman
5.0 out of 5 stars
AWESOME !!!!!!!!
One of the best books I have read ever!!! Wonderfully written! Reveals so much about the dark sides of contemporary schooling. Read more
Published on 24 Feb 2011 by Maggie
2.0 out of 5 stars
Weapns of Mass Instructions
This book was recommended to me by a friend, which together the attractive title encouraged me to buy it. Read more
Published on 15 Jun 2010 by Dr. Suleiman Sharkh
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