Sep 21-23, 2007
We will investigate the strange institution of compulsive schooling — where it came from, what its purposes are, why it is so difficult to change, what its effects are on individuals and the economy, and what can be done about it. Learn the differences between schooling and education, the purposes of mass schooling and what it delivers to the social order, and the price you pay. There are grassroots political ways to sidestep the straitjacket of mass schooling and tangible benefits when you do.
Expect to be surprised by the things “children” are capable of doing if the cloak of schooling can be lifted. Is there even such a thing as “childhood” past the age of seven or so, or is childhood a cultural construct? We will consider what is innate in the young if the worst effects of “developmental theory” can be set aside. We will explore the (secret) history, sociology, psychology, and politics of forced schooling.
Before the workshop you will be invited to write a statement of your needs and desires, which John will use as a jumping off point to design exercises that will tap into the collective wisdom. Hopefully, we will weld those who come into a community, and our time together may be turned into a book of ideas to be mailed to you after the retreat. When you register you will learn more. If you’re undecided whether to spend a weekend in this way, please read parts of Underground History at www.johntaylorgatto.com to help you make up your mind. John wants you to know he is neither a guru nor a magician and the value of this retreat, and of your life, largely depends on you.
John Taylor Gatto taught in the New York City public schools for 30 years, concluding his service in 1991 as the official New York State Teacher of the Year. On four prior occasions, he had either been named Teacher of the Year by the Encyclopedia Brittanica or New York City Teacher of the Year by various organizations. He announced his resignation on the Op Ed Page of the Wall Street Journal, saying that he couldn’t hurt children any longer. Since then he’s written four books: Dumbing Us Down: The Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling, which put the expression in the language; The Exhausted School; a Different Kind of Teacher; and the monumental Underground History of American Education. He has given lectures and workshops in every American state and ten countries and is writing his fifth book, Weapons of Mass Instruction.