Against School / I Just Wanna Be Average

This weeks reading assignment was to use rhetoric in these two pieces from Rereading America. Gatto is writing a pieces on the overall effectivness of our nations schools. He starts off with his own lifetime experinces and what he has made witness to. His over all purpose of these article is to really look deep into ouor nations schools and see if they are really providing what our students need. His writing uses alot of fact, to which has actually witnessed. Gatto actually poses the question "do we really need school?". Of course we need schooling but at whose expense? The students or the governements? This is where is emotion takes over and wants to drive home the point that we are not really educating our young people today but merely providing a place for them in society till the grow up.

Rose's artical I Just Wanna Be Average is an interesting piece. Rose look at the schooling he recieved as a young child. He is in a vocational education school in California and it seems to be a place for misfits and kids who have a hard time learning in a regular classroom. I really like the statement he made " Students will float to the mark you set." A really bold remark aimed at students, teachers and adminastration alike. He is very passionate about his relationships he has with his classmates and also is very respectful of his teachers. Gatto also pin pointed out the teachers who were good teachers as well as the bad or lazy ones. He says some were prepared and some were just there and didn't know how to engage the minds of the children who were scuttling at the bottom of the pond. I really like this article the most because he is remembering a childhood that made him who is today, an edcuations that took a kid floundering to a well rounded student.

Michael Moore's "Idiot Nation"

Before reading this chapter, I had my reservations. Not a fan at all of this man and I do not think I will ever be one. However I was quite intrigued in his knowledge and factual intellect. He is a very smart man and has credible information. Michael is an incredible genius and so much to offer our country.

In his chapter the Idiot Nation I was very alarmed at the percentages and statistics he rambled off on how the education system is a bunch of crap and those who run it are a bunch of crap to. How our government is a mirror of our education system. And yes I feel pretty much the same way. The only best advice he gave out of the whole chapter was how we should respect our teachers for the efforts and sacrifices they endure to take care and educate the young people of this country. Contrary to this was the statement he made at the end of the chapter on "How to Be a Student Subversive Instead of a Student Subservient". it would be nice if the young people he were influencing in this manner were to go about following this outline by the rules but as I can see it as a smokescreen for disruptive behavior.

Like I said Michael Moore, I am not a big fan. Take your ramblings, name calling and disruptive behavior and turn it into something better than a drama filled reality TV show.