Paul A. Zoch

Paul Zoch's Doomed to Fail has a solid theme -- i.e. that US kids are little layabouts coddled by self-aggrandizing teachers/educationists who take all responsibility for 'making learning happen' -- but Zoch's tour through Dewey and his progressivist followers is repetitious and a bit narrow.

I do recommend this book to people who believe that if only American schools could have nice new teachers, then all would be well. The problems are rooted much more deeply. Some of the fault does indeed lie with the education establishment: the progressivist/Deweyian obsession that learning must be 'natural' and 'fun' has led to absurd practices and expectations (or lack of them) coming to dominate American schools.

Ed schools are the worst offenders in pushing this poisonous simulacrum of real education, of course, but Zoch is too quick to let teachers themselves off the hook. Far too many teachers really do believe in the progressivist vision, and both implement and defend it willingly.… (mais)