John Taylor Gatto’s Elite Boarding School Model

John Taylor Gatto Elite Boarding School Model for Cognitive Development

Excellence in Thought (Creative Imagination and Freedom of The Individual)

1. Complete understanding of God and the arrival at a personal code of standards (in production, behavior, and morality.)
2. Working theory of human nature by studying history, philosophy, theology, literature, and law
3. Skill in active literacy’s, speaking and writing
4. Responsibility as an utterly essential part of the curriculum; always to grab responsibility when it is offered and always to deliver more than asked for.
5. To have familiarity with and to be at ease with, the fine arts (cultural capital)
6. The power of accurate observation and recording. For example sharpen the perception by being able to draw accurately.
7. A complete theory of access to any place and any person
8. Insight into major institutional forms (courts, corporations, military, education)
9. Repeated exercises in the forms of good manners and politeness; based on the truth that politeness and civility are the foundation of all future relationships, all future alliances and access to places that you may want to go
10. Independent work
11. Energetic physical sports are not a luxury; they are absolutely the only way to confer grace on the human presence, and that that grace translates into power and money later on. Also, sports teach you practice handling pain, and in dealing with emergencies.
12. The ability to deal with challenges of all sorts.
13. A habit of caution in reasoning to conclusions.
14. The constant development and testing of prior judgments: you make judgments, you discriminate value, and then you follow-up and “keep your eye” on your predictions to see how far skewed, or how consistent your predictions were.

–John Taylor Gatto, Weapons of Mass Instruction, pg 64

On top of the aforementioned principles, The McCarthy Project has been influenced by the following philosophers:

1.  Jean-Jacque Rousseau, 18th century philosopher and educator known for his work Emile. His political philosophy influenced the French Revolution as well as the overall development of modern political, sociological, and educational thought.

2.  Johann Christoph Friedrich Guts Muths, 19th century educator, the father of physical education.   A teacher and educator in Germany, and is especially known for his role in the development of physical education.

3.  Pehr Henrik Ling, 19th century educator and coach, the father of medical based training and massage therapy.  A Swedish physical therapist, developer and teacher of medical-gymnastics.

4.  Erwan Lecorre, 21st century educator and developer of the training curriculum called MovNat or Moving naturally.

5.  Rex Russell, 21st century medical doctor who focused on prevention of disease and creating elite performance with nutrition and wellness.