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The End of Education by Neil Postman:

A Personal Response
Roberta Nauman
Administrator for Curriculum and S~ujfDevelopment ar Larkin
Admirlistration Center
Member of School District U-46 Instrucfiorial Council

'y initial reading of A serous investigation of gods are worthy ends for learn-
Postman occurred after learning is both a technical or ing, thus, he draws a distinction
.hearing him speak at engineering question-how between true and false gods. A
the College of DuPage while 1 should learning take place?-and true or worthy godnarrative
was actively i n ~ a l v c das a a metaphysical one--how can "tells of origins and envisions a
teacher of teachers and future learning be a transformative ex- future, a story that constructs
teachers. My second reading oc- perience for the learner and what ideals. prescribes rules of con-
curred after I had retired from type of transformation is desir- duct, provides a source of author-
active teaching and was seming able? Postman contends that ity, and above all, gives a sense
on the District Curriculum Over- way too much attention is paid to ofcontinuity and purpose. A
sight Council of a large urban the technical aspects and way too god, in the sense I a m using the
school dismct. Both readings little to the metaphysical aspects. word, is the name of a great nar-
had profound yet different im- rative, one that has sufficient
pacts; both readings gave me 3 credibility, complexity, and spm-
greater appreciation for my own bolic power to enable one to or-
education. I share wit11 ganize one's life around it " (pp.
The title of the book creates Postman the 5-6). Allhough he uses the lower
its interest from dual possibilities unshakable faith case g in god, his description rz-
of the meaning of end-the fi- minds the reader of many of the
nale and the purpose for which that a liberal great religions of the world and,
something is undertaken. Post- democracy offer$ indeed. his belief in the possibil-
man invites the reader to think of the best o ~ ~ o r t u n i t v ity of education spreading de-
;
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both ends and suggests that if mocracy and weaving the social
schools and the public which to build viable fabric r e n ~inded this reader of
necessarily must support then1 community and John Dewey.
cannot agree on one or more to realize Some of d ~ false
e gods Post-
compelling purposes for which man attempts to dethrone gave
the educational enterprise is un- lr uman potential me concern-not because I dis-
dertaken, then the finale will not agreed with what he said, but be-
be long in coming-"there is no cause they corrlmand so much
surer way to bring an end to Postman devotes much of his allegiance currently. Among the
schooling than for it to have no text to an exploration of the gods false gods or those that fa11to
end " (p. 4). In fact, he points to that serve and gods to serve, i.e., serve are: the god of ~narket
some disturbing trends which the reasons for learning, which econo~rlyand the related god of
may foreshadow that end. he contends are embedded in sto- consumership, the god of
ries or narratives. Not all these

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Thresholds in Education (May and August, 1999)


, ,
i ,
i econon~icutility, the god of tech- struggling to bring some order to Postman has much to say
!
i nology, the god of multicultural- K through 12 cunicula which about technology. I t was the
i ism. He makes a distinction be- varied considerably both within a subject of the speech to which I
[ tween multiculturalism, which
he-like Schlessinger-sees as
school and between schools in
the district. Now the h i t s of the
referred earlier and an entire
book which he has written.
divisive, and cultural diversity, Council's labor is evident as Again, Postman is not anti-
which he sees as part and parcel groups bring one proposal after technology. However, he does
of the American Creed. another to the Council for re- not believe technology should
Postman is unabashedly view. Writing teams come from drive the educational enterprise.
committed to the American several schools and proposals are Too often, important questions
Creed which he believes is one of tied to district and state goals and concerning technology's impact
L those compelling narratives often to some authoritative study on people, distribution of power,
meeting his criteria for a true god or report. I remark about how language, and institutions are ig-
above. In stating his allegiance knowledgeable and sophisticated nored. Technology is equatcd
to the Creed, he is not overlook- we have become. Yet why do with the number of computers
ing its flaws but believes that it these proposals seem lacking in and the amount of software
can serve as a guiding principle some fundamental way? available in a school. If educa-
for ideals yet to be realized. tors would be proactive, as
"The creatiori of the Constitution, Stephen Covey suggests, they
including the limitations of the and their students would not orlly
men who wrote it, is only an Education properly be learning how to use technul-
1
, early chapter of a two-hundred- conducted prepares one ogy but also how to study its ef-
I year-o ld narrative whose theme for livirrg, not just fects.
!
is the gradual and often painful Postman thinks rhat every
i expansion of the concepts of making a living. subject should be taught from an
i freedom and humanity." (p. 54).
The latter reminds me of the
historical perspective. It is con-
sistent with h s concern for con-
I! pain I experienced as a seven-
ken-year-old college freshman
I fear Postman is right-they
are more technical than rneta-
sidering where have we becn,
where are we now. where do we
reading My rdal's American Di- physical. Every proposal seems want to go, and why do we want
lemma. The fact that the reality concerned about preparing stu- to go there. He discusses a kind
dents for the world of work or
I did not square with the dream
was not a reason to abandon or
ridicule the dream but a reason to
the demands of higher education;
every proposal strives to include
the most advanced technology
of education, the Great Conver-
sation, initiated by Robert Hut-
chins at the University of Chi-
work harder to make the dream a cago. I was privileged as an un-
reaIity. I share with Postman the that can be brought to bear. dergraduate to participate in that
unshakable faith rhat a liberal Postman does not deny that "conversation," and it forever
democracy offers the best oppor- one day students will have to shaped my thinking about learn-
tunity to build a viable commu- take their places in the world of ing. Very few of us discussed
nity and to realize human poten- work nor that what has occurred what we intended to do after
tial. in their learning will affect what graduation. We did, however,
In my own recent experience, they bring to whatever career discuss Galileo and Newton,
I have returned to serve on a cur- they pursue. Yet he subscribes to Hobbes and Locke, and Bacon
riculum council at whose incep- the notion that education prop- and Kant. The curriculum had a
tion I served over thirty years erly conducted prepares one for shape, and each part was related
ago. Then the Council was living, not just making a living. to every other. Professors were
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Thresholds in Education (May and August, 1999)


not purveyors of knowledge but lustrate the problems that have and emotional needs, so they
framers of questions. A question arisen when individuals or may free themselves for
posed to a professor would most groups have assumed they know participation in family and soci-
likely elicit a question in return. The Truth or have aspired to ab- ety." We accomplish this mis-
It was lively, sometimes uncom- solute authority. The journey sion by creating an environment
fortable, yet ultimately transfor- toward truth using error as a which is structured. protective,
mative. One left a different per- teacher can inspire a process in and therapeutic and by providing
son. which students and teachers are services which enhance an indi-
I believe that there are places co-learners imbued with a lively vidual's intellectual, emotional,
where teachers and students sense of purpose. vocational, physical, and spiritual
share an excitement about learn- All of the above are possible capabilities." However, on the
ing and important reasons for its and do guide education and edu- individual treatment plan for
undertaking. Yet having been in cational discourse here and there. each client, we list the goal for
many classrooms over a period But, as Americans. we no longer education as preparing the stu-
of years, I am aware that there is have a consensus about what our dent to return to public school.
a lot of complacency, boredom, schools should be about. and this When I have questioned the
avoidance, and aimlessness in lack may prove our undoing. lack of depth in this goal and m y
both teachers and students. We concerns about things we do in
have recently become aware of service of the goal, I am told that
the presence and danger of alien- it is dictated by those who send
ation, resentment, and outright As Americarls, we no us their behaviorally disturbcd
hostility in schools. How wc got lotrger have a consensus children to treat. 1 am told that
to this juncture has been end- about what our schools the reason our clients are not in
lessly debated. Whether we can public school is because of their
pull back from the brink is not at should be about, behavior; therefore. we need first
all certain. But try we must. and this lack may and foremost to get them to be-
In his elaboration of gods that prove our undoing. have. Behavior management
serve or could serve education by takes priority over Learning, iI
providing a reason for learning, compliance over responsibility. I
Postman suggests that there is Because all teachers are expected
This response to Postman has
hope. The American Creed, with to teach all subjects, I am told not
been written over a period of
its sometimes contradictory pur- to question that 1 see little sci-
months, rather than days or
poses of acculturation and the ence being taught in many class-
hours. In addition to continuing
creation of critical and independ- rooms, very little cooperative
on the Curriculum Council of a
ent thinkers, is still very viable. learning, very little awareness of
large economically and culturally
The Spaceship Earth, embodying multiple modes of learning and
diverse city, I have accepted a
concerns for the creation of multiple intelligences, and too
posi tjon guiding the educational
communities in which the respect little use of students' developing
program for an agency serving
for the environment and respect cognitive abilities in making
at-risk children, many of whom
for persons shape the narrative. choices and solving problen~s.
have been abused and neglected.
can provide a worthy reason for Whenever I have the oppor-
A day does not go by in my work
learning. tunity, I initiate discussion of our
that I do not think of Postman.
The Fallen Angel as a narra- mission as an agency and how
In our lobby and on our litera-
tive would tackle the desire for we can both pursue that mission
ture, the Agency says we exist
absolutes in an imperfect world. even as we prepare kids to return
"to nurture and challenge indi-
Again, history can be used to il- to public school. In the current
viduals with special behavioral

16 Thresholds in Education (May and August, 1999) b


climate ofaccountability, the Education Program (I.E.P.) but agencies can and in some impor-
public will to provide funds for as a whole human being whose tant respects do support.
public education and for alterna- many strengths and limitations Even my public school district
tive schooling for those in need will shape the journey toward cuniculum council has taken the
I
I
of more intensive services will fulfillment of our mission for that opportunity to dialog about sub-
i not persist if the young persons individual. stantive issues in the lull before
we are supposed to be serving the onslaught of new proposals
emerge ill prepared for the chal- for the next academic year.
lenges they face. For years I have awaited the
In this Agency situation, Be'1avior management doomsday clock on the cover of
there is a rayof hope. ~ o of s ~ takes priority over The Bulletin of Atomic Scientists
the staff are individuals who leamirtg, ~0ritpliaitce to learn how d o s e the experts
could earn considerably more thought the world was to nuclear
elsewhere. They continue be- over responsibility. catastrophe. To my knowledge,
cause they care about the stu- there is no comparable clock for
dents they serve, and they believe public education in America.
they are doing important work. In a sense, we are in a better Yet, I suspect if there were,
My challenge is to build on this position than the public schools Postman would be one of those
foundation an educational pro- in that we have a mission to to consult as to how far the min-
gram which is truly "mission- which staff, students, parents1 ute hand should be from
based'-for which the individual guardians, and our client midnight.
child is seen not as an Individual

i References
Posman, N. (1996). The end of
education: Redefining the value of
school.
- - New York: Random.

A A ? >

" " " "

"What is philosophy if not a way ofreflecting, not so much


on what is true and what is false, as on our relationship to
truth?. .. The movement by which, not without effort and
uncertainty, dreams and illusions, one detaches oneself
from what is accepted as true and seeks other rules - that is
philosophy. The displacement and transformation of
frameworks of thinking, the changing of received values
and all that work that has been done to think otherwise, to
do something else, to become other than what one is - that
too is philosophy."

Michael Foucault. "The Masked Philosopher," Ethics: Sub-iectivit~


and Truth, ed. Paul Rabinow. (NY:The New Press, 1997), p.327.

Thresholds in Education (May and August, 1999) 17


Autumn Classic

I'd like to think E taught you the one lesson


I knew well. In your dangling racquet, sweat-chapped
eyes, the silent tantrum of your shrug, you were discovering grace
in defeat. It was my first semester in the part-time English game,
a pack and a half habit I could neither quit nor survive, a family
to feed -- everybody's blues. But twice a week, September to December,
we skinned out of our boring teacher's clothes and problems, draped ourselves
in filthy shorts and tees, and burst our hearts on court nine.
Between you demolishing me fifteen-seven, fifteen-four, we would breathe
together about students working the system, poems too numb to crawl
from our heads, the poverty we were contracted to. Once I said, "I don't even know
what I'm martyring myself for." but the echo said "murder1'and I'm not sure
you knew the difference.

In October, my streak began when T swept you three games on a Tuesday


and two-of-three on Thursday. Low and behind me, high right down the wall,
my serve, for once. low and blurred. I began to feel magnanimous
-- big because I could win without dancing, wise because I held my advice.
Granted, victory was often thin, coming from behind and stretching you out seventeen-
fifteen, twenty-eighteen. But I was beginning to believe I might be a clutch player,
a guy who could come back, late in the semester, and show everyone that I could catch I
I

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Thresholds in Education (May and August, 1999)
I n class, I stopped giving second chances, made them believe that an essay
should have more than a head, body and feet -- that it had to have blood and liver,
something like agility. And at home, my wife and I had sex more often, my daughter
was learning to talk.

My streak didn't last. One night, my own s m e pokked off the wall and hit me in the eye.
After that, my body rattled, there was a wince in my knee, 1 couldn't hold enough air.
You said. "I am definitely in Love7'and went on to sweep all three on aces.
From that day on, you'd take two sets for my every one. You had found a corner
I couldn't get to, and you planned to stay there till you caught me. I decided
to quit and move to Kansas, where I had friends nearby and a day job if I wanted it.
My center-court serve grew flabby and pale, my bullet down the right wall plopped
in your lap. I had to steal your comer shot to score. My classes collided,
great continental plates grinding together, pushing up mountains of paper, destroying
the landscape, I lost my patience with Tabitha and Brianna. In late November you swept
again. W e were tied.

Days before I announced I was trading Black Swamp for sky,weeks


before we went to Ann Arbor to shop for rings, rehearsing your proposal, two months
before you helped me stuff our furniture in a rented truck, we broke the tie.
One game apiece, deep into the third, I was out of air, weak and red.
Anyone could see that I had fallen to one knee, that I was breathing too hard,
but I'd like to think I was teaching a lesson, my last shot, hollow and untouchable,
a wisp of smoke you could almost see.

Scott Coykendall
Writer-al-Large

Thresholds in Education (May and August, 1999) 19

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