What Is Wrong With Our Schools? The ideology impoverishing education in America and how we can do better for our students

The book "Flawed Ideas" argues that flawed ideas about instruction, curriculum, and human nature are the root cause of American schooling's dysfunction and proposes a traditionalist approach to education for the future.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 232 pages
Publication date: 14 November 2022
Publisher: John Catt Educational Ltd

The question of what is wrong with our schools has become a prevalent concern, often expressed through loud screams. Standard answers often point to various factors such as school funding, unions, bureaucracies, and more. In his book, Daniel Buck offers a different perspective: he argues that flawed ideas, particularly those related to instruction, curriculum, and human nature, are the root cause of the dysfunction in American schooling.

Buck draws from philosophy, contemporary educational studies, cognitive science, and his own classroom experience to make his case. He challenges the progressive education that is prevalent in our schools and advocates for a traditionalist approach, emphasizing classic literature, direct instruction, sequenced curricula, clear rules, and consequences.

Buck believes that as long as our system is built on incorrect first principles, all other reforms will be futile. He suggests that we need to return to the values and methods that have proven successful in the past, such as the teaching of literature, the emphasis on basic skills, and the establishment of clear expectations and consequences.

Buck's book offers a thought-provoking analysis of the current state of American schooling and provides a roadmap for reform. He challenges readers to consider the underlying ideas that shape our education system and to advocate for a change that prioritizes the development of critical thinking, moral character, and a love for learning.

Weight: 300g
Dimension: 208 x 146 x 14 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781915261533