John T. Gatto’s best advice
Hello there!
I’m listening to John Taylor Gatto’s audiobook Weapons of Mass Instruction: A Schoolteacher’s Journey Through the Dark World of Compulsory Schooling at the moment and what I heard the narrator say yesterday is something I wanted to share with you…
John transcribed a letter he had sent to his granddaughter:
‘‘…schools can paralyze your ability to think for yourself. They also can get in the way of learning what you want to learn. If you want docile people who are told what to think and how to think you probably invent something like the schools we have. ‘‘
His advice for her and what he considered of utmost importance was the following:
1. Self-Knowledge – Do you know your own character?
2. Observation – Are your powers of observation razor-sharp? Can you evaluate primary documents without having someone else tell you what they mean?
3. Feedback – Can you accept criticism and evaluate its worth?
4. Analysis – Can you break a problem into its elements and see their relationships?
5. Mirroring – Are you trapped in your own tight skin or can you fit into any group or situation?
6. Expression – Can you speak and write with clarity, style, and force?
7. Judgement – Can you evaluate dispassionately? Can you see through an attractive personality?
8. Adding Value – Do you add value at every encounter?
John Taylor Gatto's advice to his granddaughter is a powerful reminder of the importance of fostering true intellectual independence, a concept that resonates deeply with the principles of unschooling and A Place To Be. His focus on self-knowledge, critical thinking, and the development of key life skills aligns with our unschooling way, which prioritizes the natural, self-directed growth of each child rather than the rigid, one-size-fits-all approach of traditional schooling.
Children are naturally curious and capable learners. Gatto's emphasis on self-knowledge and observation encourages young people to explore who they are and understand the world around them on their own terms—something that will naturally be given at APTB. By stepping away from the conventional schooling model, unschooling allows children the freedom to pursue their interests, develop their unique talents, and build a deep understanding of themselves and the world.
Implementing Gatto's Words in Unschooling
Self-Knowledge: As unschooling parents, we can support our children in discovering their own character by giving them the space and time to explore their interests without pressure or judgment. This might involve allowing them to experiment with different activities, encouraging self-reflection, and modeling self-awareness in our own lives.
Observation: Encouraging children to observe and analyze the world around them is central to unschooling. We can foster sharp observational skills by engaging in open-ended discussions, exploring diverse sources of information, and allowing our children to interpret their experiences without imposing our own conclusions.
Feedback: In the unschooling environment, feedback is more organic and less hierarchical than in traditional schooling. We can teach our children to value constructive criticism by offering gentle, honest feedback ourselves and encouraging them to reflect on it. This process helps them learn to assess the worth of criticism and grow from it. Also, letting other people, including kids, give our children feedback rather than stepping in when there is conflict, helps children understand the consequences of their actions in a more profound way.
Analysis: Unschooling naturally promotes analytical thinking because children are often involved in hands-on learning experiences. We can encourage this by helping them break down problems, ask questions, and explore relationships between ideas in a way that feels relevant to their lives.
Mirroring: To help children adapt to various social situations, we can expose them to a wide range of people, cultures, and environments, something that APTB offers. This diversity helps them develop empathy and flexibility, enabling them to understand and relate to others without losing their own sense of self.
Expression: Unschooling allows children to develop their communication skills at their own pace. We can support this by providing opportunities for them to express themselves through writing, speaking, art, and other mediums. Encouraging them to share their ideas and feelings openly can build clarity and confidence in their expression.
Judgment: Teaching children to evaluate situations and people dispassionately is an ongoing process. In unschooling, we can encourage critical thinking by discussing real-life situations, exploring different perspectives, and helping them discern beyond surface appearances. Unschooling offers way more opportunity to do this than sitting in a class room, I can tell you this out of first hand experience with muy daughters.
Adding Value: Finally, we can instill the idea of adding value by encouraging children to think about how their actions impact others. Whether through collaborative projects, community involvement, or simply helping out at home, children learn that their contributions matter and can make a positive difference.
Additional Lessons from Gatto
Gatto's critique of the traditional schooling system highlights the importance of creating a learning environment that values individuality and critical thinking over conformity and obedience - an environment like APTB. As unschooling parents, we can take this to heart by:
Fostering Independence: Encourage your children to take ownership of their learning and decisions, reinforcing their confidence in their abilities.
Promoting Lifelong Learning: Show that learning is not confined to a classroom or a set time. Help your children see that learning happens everywhere, all the time. This should be easily seen and experienced by your children if you unschool but with the amount of schooled people and information in books and media, even unschooled children need a reminder sometimes that what they are doing while playing, exporing, buileding etc, means learning on a very profound level.
Challenging Authority: Teach your children to question authority and the status quo thoughtfully and respectfully. This can be done by exploring historical and contemporary examples where questioning norms led to positive change.
By embracing Gatto’s advice and integrating these principles into our unschooling practices, we not only empower our children to become thoughtful, independent individuals but also help them develop the skills necessary to navigate the complexities of the world with confidence and integrity.
