Howard Zinn on Democratic Education

by Howard Zinn, Donaldo Macedo

Perhaps no other historian has had a more profound and revolutionary impact on American education than Howard Zinn. This is the first book devoted to his views on education and its role in a democratic society. Howard Zinn on Democratic Education describes what is missing from school textbooks and in classrooms-and how we move beyond these deficiencies to improve student education. Critical skills of citizenship are insufficiently developed in schools, according to Zinn. Textbooks and curricula must be changed to transcend the recitation of received wisdom too common today in schools. In these respects, recent Bush Administration and educational policies of most previous US presidents have been on the wrong track in meeting educational needs. This book seeks to redefine national goals at a time when public debates over education have never been more polarised--nor higher in public visibility and contentious debate. Zinn's essays on education-many never before published--are framed in this book by a dialogue between Zinn and Donaldo Macedo, a distinguished critic of literacy and schooling, whose books with Paulo Freire, Noam Chomsky and other authors have received international acclaim.

Genres: Education, Politics, Nonfiction, History

220 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 2004

About the author

Howard Zinn was an American historian, playwright, philosopher, socialist intellectual and World War II veteran. He was chair of the history and social sciences department at Spelman College, and a political science professor at Boston University. Zinn wrote more than 20 books, including his best-selling and influential A People's History of the United States in 1980. In 2007, he published a version of it for younger readers, A Young People's History of the United States.

Zinn described himself as "something of an anarchist, something of a socialist. Maybe a democratic socialist." He wrote extensively about the civil rights movement, the anti-war movement and labor history of the United States. His memoir, You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train (Beacon Press, 1994), was also the title of a 2004 documentary about Zinn's life and work. Zinn died of a heart attack in 2010, at the age of 87.

Reviews

[Ryan Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

At first, the book seemed like two past-their-time progressives not saying much of anything new in a laid back interview that read more like a conversation by two people that felt exactly the same way (Donaldo Macedo and Howard Zinn). But, as the first section, consisting of this conversation began to dwindle down Zinn starts really digging into education and the different approaches that need to be taken. As I moved through more interviews, articles, and essays with/by Zinn, I found that he would often provide fantastic advice that put my questions and concerns about teaching into a new light. I would highly recommend the book and only encourage you to get through the first bit with the interview knowing that there is a promise of powerful and important arguments.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Again, a collections of (very good) essays and talks, rather than a stand-alone work on education. Zinn is always worth reading.

[erika lewy]

The final chapter focusing on pedagogy in high school and college history classrooms was the most interesting to me.

[Aidan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some of the essays were really interesting especially, "A People's History of the United States," "How Free if Higher Education" and, "Columbus and Western Civilization." The other essays I felt had little to do with education and more just political commentary. The only interview that I think is really worth it is, "Why Students Should Study History: An Interview," I used that interview in my thesis and felt that it is a great look at why we should value history more in education. Also a classic which I've read so many times before is "Growing Up Class Conscious," which is a chapter from Zinn's autobiography You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train.

[Judi Torneten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great book by Zinn. Starts out slow, then he kicks it into high engagement