Teacher in America

Jacques Barzun's TEACHER IN AMERICA is a classic commentary on actual learning as opposed to "fun and games" in the classroom. He knows what is important in learning and what is cosmetic and false. Barzun not only gives a careful diagnosis of what good teaching and actual learning means, but he is aware that modern "methods" do not work, and he knows why. Barzun, as other reviewers note, wrote this book in the 1940s when the disasters in public schools were only incubating. He clearly saw what was going to occur as long and teaching and learning are tied to politics. Barzun is clear that the "academic bafflegab" that passes for expertise is pure nonsense even though it sounds good and popular. Jacques Barzun was not trying to be popular with the educational establishemnt. Yet Barzun's writing style is not harsh or too severe. Barzun writes well and engages his readers in a lucid assessment of what authenic teaching and learning are. One thing that Barzun does is inform the reader that there is a cause-and-effect realtionship between teaching and learning. He does not waste his time nor that of his readers in presenting useless statistics based on phony polls and questionnaires. Rather than relying on useless statistics, Barzun relies on reason and honesty as if truth mattered. This is far removed from the current "experts" who think phony statistical assessments are somehow a substitute for solid learning and difficult but useful solutions. The chapter titled "Getting the Classics off the Shelf" is probably the best chapter of the book. Barzun knew what some currently know which is the fact that The Classics have much to teach us. The Classics expose students to excellent writing, reading, and serious thinking. If students are well armed with the ability to read well, think critically, and write coherently, they are prepared to learn so much on their own without the babified pablum offered by teachers of useless "education courses." Barzun's book has much more meaning currently than when he first wrote it. The so-called "experts" think they are going to use childish methods and useless classes to solve problems of mass illiteracy when in fact their programs and babified methods make a bad situation worse. These same "experts" are the same ones who offered the previous canned nonsense that did not work. Barzun hints at the fact that this is a perpetual problem of failures that no one wants to admit. When current students are told that "wellness" classes and learing to fill some benefit form or other bureaucratic set of paperwork are more important than actually learning to read well and think, the current disaster needs no explanation. When very didicated teachers are told they are responsible for criminal behavior and teenage pregnancy which are well beyond their control, there is no wonder why young, intelligent teachers vacate the teaching profession. Barzun knew that students had to learn to take their place as adults. Y

Jacques Barzun's TEACHER IN AMERICA is a classic commentary on actual learning as opposed to "fun and games" in the classroom. He knows what is important in learning and what is cosmetic and false. Barzun not gives a careful diagnosis of what good teaching and actual learning means, but he is aware that modern "methods" do not work, and he knows why. Barzun, as other reviewers note, wrote this book in the 1940s when the disasters in public schools were only incubating. He clearly saw what was going to occur as long and teaching and learning are tied to politics. Barzun is clear that the "academic bafflegab" that passes for expertise is pure nonsense even though it sounds good and popular. Jacques Barzun was not trying to be popular with the educational establishemnt. Yet Barzun's writing style is not harsh or too severe. Barzun writes well and engages his readers in a lucid assessment of what authenic teaching and learning are. One thing that Barzun does is inform the reader that there is a cause-and-effect realtionship between teaching and learning. He does not waste his time nor that of his readers in presenting useless statistics based on phony polls and questionnaires. Rather than relying on useless statistics, Barzun relies on reason and honesty as if truth mattered. This is far removed from the current "experts" who think phony statistical assessments are somehow a substitute for solid learning and difficult but useful solutions. The chapter titled "Getting the Classics off the Shelf" is probably the best chapter of the book. Barzun knew what some currently know which is the fact that The Classics have much to teach us. The Classics expose students to excellent writing, reading, and serious thinking. If students are well armed with the ability to read well, think critically, and write coherently, they are prepared to learn so much on their own without the babified pablum offered by teachers of useless "education courses." Barzun's book has much more meaning currently than when he first wrote it. The so-called "experts" think they are going to use childish methods and useless classes to solve problems of mass illiteracy when in fact their programs and babified methods make a bad situation worse. These same "experts" are the same ones who offered the previous canned nonsense that did not work. Barzun hints at the fact that this is a perpetual problem of failures that no one wants to admit. When current students are told that "wellness" classes and learing to fill some benefit form or other bureaucratic set of paperwork are more important than actually learning to read well and think, the current disaster needs no explanation. When very didicated teachers are told they are responsible for criminal behavior and teenage pregnancy which are well beyond their control, there is no wonder why young, intelligent teachers vacate the teaching profession. Barzun knew that students had to learn to take their place as adults. Yet, c

Jacques Barzun is in his nineties today and still one of the best thinkers of our time. Forty years ago both my wife and I ran across this book as we were taking wearisome ed courses in teachers college to acquire certification to teach in New York public schools. Our professors did not like Barzun then, and I am sure they don't like him today. He is down-to-earth, full of common sense, and brilliantly lucid. This was our handbook, along with Gilbert Highet's The Art of Teaching, which they didn't like either. Everything we heard in those classes was shown to be false after we began teaching, but Barzun's observations were unfailingly accurate. Any teacher who goes by this book cannot utterly fail, even in this ridiculous system which has persecuted American children for a half century.

The hardest yet most refreshing part about reading this book is that I am 25. One can easily pick up the urgency in Barzun's words and doubtless he was critiquing the educational modifications of the time- originally published in the 40's. Since that time, every school has become the 'progressive' school that Barzun warns against- A furthering of Deweyan principles of 'It's not learning if it ain't fun' and 'true understanding is in the heart, not the head.' In an effort to make education fun and push students through at all costs, we've lost any sense of the teacher's true goal- to instruct. I should not give the false impression that Barzun is a hard nosed, humorless curmudgeon who would turn back the clock to monotanous recitation and rote-memorization. The truth is that he is somewhere in the middle. Before the job can be done correctly, the teacher needs to gain the students willful attention and her trust. At that point though, the student NEEDS to be challenged- the student will be pushed to learn (yes, memorization may be involved), grades will be imposed and the student will- it's true-come out the better for it. The best part is that while Barzun jabs at administrators and theorists (can't we all relate) he writes with obvious love for teachers and students, always keeping their interests in mind. While Barzun can come off as a sourpuss when poking fun at the circular Ph.D system and standardized testing, he is easily forgiven when discoursing on how and how not to teach mathematics, history, arts, literature, the sciences and writing. I only wish he would've been one of my instructors. The only other thing I can say is that while for teachers, this book is a MUST HAVE, for students (of all ages and abilities) this book is a hidden treasure. Barzun, while giving advice to teachers and administrators, inadvertently (?) gives us tips on how to learn and more saliently, how to think. I'm confident that I will reread this many times throughout my lifetime. Bravo!!!

This is one of those timless books that remain relevent year after year. Originally written in the 40's it remains one of the best commentairies on the American educational system. Absolutely required reading for anyone interested in how are children are taught, or not. This book along with Leon Bostein's recent book "Jeffersons Children" could serve as guidebooks for improving the quality of instruction in todays schools. Both these authors are quite clear about one thing and that is intstruction and/or teaching are one thing, and that education and "educators" are another. Both of them favor the elimination of the Education Departments from colleges and universities. These are both well written books, from two articulate intellects without an agenda other than the quality of instruction in todays schools.