The Dehumanization of Education

For thinkers such as Makiguchi and Freire, the goal of education is not to force-feed facts, but rather to give students to tools that empower them in their own efforts for self-directed learning and discovery. The system of direct education at City Springs Schools stands in direct contrast to this idea, as memorization, school structure, obedience, and response in unison are the central tenets of its educational philosophy.

Although I am staunch opponent of rote learning, I began asking myself some questions toward the end of the film when it was explained that the students at City Spring actually made significant improvement during the year. One of the reasons that they may have gotten these results is that this was an elementary school. Learning about numbers, letters, and sounds does in fact involve memorization. Although the were able to learn the words to read the questions on the standardized test, I do not believe that students direct instruction could have any significant impact in terms of the next step of answering critical reading questions. While it may be possible to teach reading with this method, thinking critically about a passage is a skill that does not require the recollection of a memorized response, but rather, is based on the ability for a student to think for themselves.

For simple algebra and the reading of words, there is only one right answer. But when these students are asked questions that require critical thought, complex problems like those facing our global society today (that they will be forced to deal with), they will be left hopelessly inept. Creative, critical problem solving requires much more than factual recollection.

It would also be useful if the film were to provide some sort of details about the school beforehand. If direct instruction is better than the previous system, what exactly was the previous system like?

This school’s emphasis on the importance of obedience, compliance, and “following instructions” was frightening at times. At one point, the principal herself stated that she thought she belonged in the military because of her belief in such rigid system. Interestingly, her interactions with the teachers completely mirrored the teachers’ interactions with the students. The principal disciplined the teachers for not following instructions, and at 49:37, there is even a moment when all the teachers respond in unison to a question of hers, just as their students do. This is a system of dehumanized bureaucracy in which superiors threaten inferiors with punishment, fearing discipline from their own superiors. It resembles the structure of the military. And the principal isn’t the top dog. She looks down on the teachers because the gaze of government officials and their demand for results on standardized tests is looking down on her.