He expresses that “Of course, teachers are themselves products of the same twelve-year compulsory school programs that so thoroughly bore their students, and as school personnel they are trapped inside structures… The obligation to amuse and instruct myself was entirely my own, and people who didn't know that were childish people, to be avoided if possible.”(1) Gatto learned that being bored was an action that he was only responsible for. He learned that it was his responsibility to learn and entertain himself. That is how he began using that lesson to entertain his students. Gatto believes that schools are not allowing students to reach their own potential to gown as individuals. Gatto
His unorthodox methods not only taught the boys to think for themselves, but they also awoke the boys’ inner desires and dreams. This movie does an excellent job of portraying the school’s four pillars (tradition, honor, discipline, and excellence) and the four I’s (individualism, innocence, intuition, and imagination) through members of the Dead Poets Society, specifically Todd Anderson and Charlie “Nuwanda” Dalton. Todd Anderson showed the best understanding of the philosophies of transcendentalism, notably Ralph Waldo Emerson’s. Todd failed to follow Emerson’s philosophy of “Imitation is suicide” until the very last minute of the movie, when he daringly stood up on his desk and called out “Oh Captain, my Captain!” to Mr. Keating. He could not hold in his guilt anymore because he felt bad for conforming, or imitating, what the other members of the Dead Poets Society had done in Mr. Nolan’s office.
Just ask Kyoko Mori. She went through both Japanese and American educational system. The Japanese system is much worse because not only does it have the same flaws as the American system, but it adds on to their mistakes by not allowing students to question the teacher. When students cannot question the teacher, they are not able to think for themselves and it further proves my point regarding us becoming robots. The largest flaw in this school system is entitled “reward.” This reward that students receive makes them study not for expanding their minds, but for some colorful sash that they will on graduation and a pointless title to put on your application.
This scene is very ironic, because the whole purpose of the event is to bring everyone together, but a tragedy happens that tears everyone apart. Malik learns the most from the event, because he finally realizes he was stereotyping and holding things against races because of one persons actions. There is a scene in which he runs into the professor and there is pure silence, but it is and understood notion confirming he understand he cannot be angry and get far in life. Higher Learning is a great film that depicts stereotypes within every race and gender. While I only covered a few, the film really delves into the importance of “unlearning” the stigma's that society places in everyone's mind.
Growing up involves challenges, but also rewards as it is a process different for everyone. The concept of growing up is explored in the film, 'Dead Poets Societs, directored by Peter Weir, and the related text, 'Flight From Fear', by Joanne Feddler. The film demonstrates the concept of growing up through the experiences of one of the antagonists, Neil Perry. In the film, 'Dead Poets Society', Neil Perry is an easily influenced young man who has a strong desire for achievement, he is a natural leader and admired by all of his friends. However, Neil's strong drive for achievement is cut short by his father who has an overbearing influence and control over Neil's life.
Schools cannot beat the entertainment industry at its own game. What they have to offer students is the chance for intellectual freedom, the power to think for themselves…(Ravitch 163). In school, students are always taught to have an open-mind, how can they have an open-mind when they are being censored? Schools only offer boring, bland topics and cause students to lose interest. Students are so highly influenced by the media that if they aren’t hearing about violence, death, sex or lies, then they have the “don’t care” mentality.
The second reason I picked Einstein was because he hated school, something most kids can relate to. He was always in trouble with his teachers because his mind wandered and he had a bad memory. What do you expect? He had his mind on more important things. Like Einstein said, “imagination is more important than knowledge.” When he was young, teaching in Germany was all done by drill.
Alex was the main subject of these experiments and was forced to change his behavior or else suffer the consequence of excruciating pain. Self-concept comes into play when you look at Alex and how he changes opinions about himself throughout the film. At first, he identified himself as the leader of the Droogs, a school student, and a rebellious teen living life to the fullest. After getting caught by the authorities and beginning the Ludovico technique, he decided that he wanted to become a better person and make everyone he knew proud of who he could be. This was a case where he perceived his
Demi L. Steward English 243 Professor Brian Flynn 1 November 2013 Good versus Evil: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde “Both sides of me were in dead earnest; I was no more myself when I laid aside restraint and plunged in shame, than when I laboured, in the eye of day, at the furtherance of knowledge or the relief of sorrow and suffering.” Good vs. Evil, the ultimate conflict of life. We’re taught at an early age to do well, be the best person that we could possibly be. However, some form of evil still lies festering within everyone. We—people as a whole, have become so obsessed by suppressing these natural compulsions of evil that we’ve almost become a slave to it.
John Taylor Gatto in his article “Against School” addresses his belief that schools are laboratories, turning young, fresh-minded students into stationary consumers who are all alike. The students are bored as well as the teachers, so “who, then, is to blame?” “We all are.” (300-301) It is our duty to push and challenge ourselves instead of waiting on someone else to make that happen. The government will continue to use the few students they believe are capable to continue on their tradition, while letting the majority fall into meaningless stereotypes and groups. We have the ability to change the prospect and goals of public education, and we can bring out the genius in every single student. 1.