Customer Reviews

Instead of Education: Ways to Help People do Things Better

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It's the sixth book of Holt I have read so far and probably the most syntetic; he outlines not only the problems but also the solutions. He has no mercy for knowing-better educators, T-eachers working not FOR, but ON students, S-chools full of fear and anxiety and humiliation, coercion, mindlessness, forced learning, carrot-and-stick attitude; and great appreciation for sensitive, competent t-eachers that are models themselves, self-directed do-ers and s-chools that are not compulsory and help their students to thing better on their own terms. Holt's radical vision is very clear, very understandable; his solutions so natural that they seem to be inevitable and not radical at all. His ability to deconstruct the mechanisms of human learning and expose the hidden curriculum of public schools and social system we live in is outstanding. The book is worth every minute you spend on reading.

I have read a lot of Holt's books, but this is one of the best. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in schooling, education, and providing children and teens with quality experience. As a public school teacher, I can say every word in this rings with sheer brilliance. I disagree that school can cause injury or damage, but I do agree that the hours, years in school could be spent much more fruitfully, authentically, and enjoyably.

Instead Of Education: Ways To Help People Do Things Better by alternative education advocate John Holt (author of the 1964 book How Children Fail) is an iconoclastic and seminal work presenting a persuasively argued case for "un-schooling" from traditional classroom structures and curriculum fare, to innovative, self-directed learning as the basis for a truly creative life. A direct challenge to the complacency of today's educational status quo (even in this political age of "no child left behind" and school voucher proposals), Instead Of Education should be required reading in every Teacher's College, District School Board, and governmental education policy development office whether it be federal, state, or local. Instead Of Education is a significant and seminal contribution to education policy discussions and commended to the attention of education reform activists at all levels and from all perspectives.

Another amazing work by John Holt- great for anyone questioning the public education system or considering homeschooling or unschooling. SO worth the money- a lifechanger!

A great eye opener on education. All those that are convinced that compulsory education is a solution open your mind and read this book.

This book by John Holt is one of the more idealistic works on education in the last 50 years or so. He accurately represents the problems facing modern education and has harsh words for its supporters. But his solutions for solving the problems seem very naive. It places a lot of trust in humanity's thirst for learning.

The truth is, we are naturally inquisitive, but also naturally lazy. Even Augustine, one of the greatest thinkers of the ancient world, admits in his Confessions that he would rather have been playing sports and chasing girls than learning. Also, having taught the great books to middle and high schoolers, I found that you can try to create the most open learning environment possible, but if the home environment these students are coming from is adversarial to learning, you will always have an uphill battle.

Finally, I disagree somewhat with his overall purpose of education. He states that it is to help us do things better. Huh? I don't know about you, but efficiency is not at the root of my love for learning. So the subtitle of the book just does not resonate with me.

All in all, this was an inspiring, idealistic book on education. I think it deserves a prominent place in the school reform dialogue. It helped me tremendously when I did research for my podcast, Chrisian With A Brain. In an episode titled, Why Do We Value Education?, Holt's perspective gave me much fodder for discussion.

John Holt puts to the read a new perspective on what education really involves. He talks about a self-directed learning process that makes a lot of sense.