Customer Reviews

Insult to Intelligence: The Bureaucratic Invasion of Our Classrooms

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Teachers are the gasket between two opposing forces. On one side, crushing teachers into pressure performance situations, is the top-down reform that has jinxed State Legislative bodies, pressing for accountability from teachers(when were teachers NOT accountable? I want to know) and giving them the tests to measure it, and on the otherside are the parents in the community who want the best for less. Everyone is fighting over the heads and minds of students, a large, mostly voiceless class.

Smith's book provides an excellent account of the step-by-step disintegration of our schools from the integration of organized testing. Take note of the chapter on SAT testing, and the new arsenal of state sponsored testing. The new discrimination comes from white-collared bureaucrats using statistics and bell curves to establish their own Meritocracy.

Now the chapter on computers is already a little dated, but don't let that dissuade you. Read it and then pass in on to someone else. This is a must read for anyone who cares even a little about education today. It should be on the same shelf with Neil Postman and Alfie Kohn's books.

This Book was first published in 1986. Frank Smith argues that Teachers are not trusted to do what they are trained to do - Teach! It sets out clearly all those agencies who work to straight-jacket teachers:some with commercial gain in mind, some with religious paths to traverse and some who just hate the power that teachers have to get learners excited about learning.

It had a huge influence on me as a Teacher and Adviser to Teachers in New Zealand in the 1980's and 1990's.Now that I have retired,it has the same impact on me at a time when I am analysing what has happened to Education and the minimisation of the support to Teachers in New Zealand since that time.

The book still has the power to explain why the people who believe that learners are all unique and should have those differences nurtured have lost the battle to the above mentioned groups, who are busy now blaming Teachers for the failings of others to trust them!

This Edition by Heinnemann is a poor copy of the earlier edition that I used in the 1980's. It is obviouslly geared to the academic stream of users and does not have the clear layout, excellent highlighting of key arguements that the first edition had. Another example of commercial needs over user needs.

Tony Fisher, FNZEI. Past President of the Advisers to Schools of New Zealand. 2011.

I agree with Frank Smith. Teachers, schools, students are inundated with programming materials, etc.

I also liked his suggestion of making assignments meaningful and developing an apprenticeship atmosphere.

However, as an educational consultant and former teacher, I was seeking practical solutions. This book was heavy on the problems and light on the solutions.