FIRST: What Not To
Do!
When Allan Harrison was hired as a sixth-grade public
school teacher he knew next to nothing about instructing elementary school
age children. So he visited various classrooms to see what others were
doing. He was first shocked, then disappointed, and finally angry.
The teachers he observed unwittingly created pupils who
needed more and more management. No one taught kids to exercise any
semblance of self-management. In each classroom, persuasion was first tried,
then coercion, and finally fear when nothing else worked. All resources to
help the teacher were utilized, such as parents, principal, etc. This
resulted in great stress and work for everyone and very little productive
change.
One 5th grade teacher, drew a circle on the blackboard
and required the misbehaving child to place and keep his nose in it for 15
minutes. Another marched the rascal to the principal's office by hanging
onto the hair of his head. All made valiant efforts to shame the problem
child into proper behavior. In other words, authoritarianism such as
would delight Hitler, Stalin, Mao, etc. was firmly cemented into children's
minds, attitudes, and character.
When asked how this could possibly help America to remain
a "free" and productive nation, the answers were always the same: "But
what else can we do? As teachers we are pressured, just as our pupils
are, to produce educated youngsters with only the money taxpayers grudgingly
supply. Give is more money" many teachers said, "to make us better
managers and to reduce the classrooms' size. Then,
we can do a much better job!
"Great Balls of Fire!" Harrison thought.
"Do a better job of what? Bankrupting taxpayers! Creating future
citizens who can't wipe their nose (or anything else) without a bureaucratic
government telling them how, where, when, etc?" Teaching methods such
as he saw merely constructed attitudes in children designed to either
"brown-nose" the teacher or try to defeat and defy the authority. If
he was to remain a teacher, he must devise very different
instructional methods.
On the off chance that his conscientious principal might
have a suggestion, Harrison asked him. This in essence is what he said.
"Become a better purveyor of knowledge and a better manager in the
classroom!" Such an answer should have been expected from even the
best manager. After all, principals, superintendents, etc. want to
keep their management jobs. So self-management automatically becomes
a "NO! NO!" for pupils, teachers, and everyone else in the educational empire.
Harrison decided he was on his own. He would either innovate
a self-management program or else not become a teacher.
SECOND: What MUST Be Done?
But how do you, or even how can you,
teach self-management, self
responsibility, self motivation, self discipline, self-reliance or any other
attitude relating to self-control? These are characteristic a child
must learn on his or her own - through experience.
Suddenly the light went on! Kids do
and can learn such things by experiencing them inside a classroom. What
was needed was a program that duplicates our adult world
on a level that the child could personally develop, use, and
understand.
THIRD: How To Do It?
Like
our adult world (with money), the classroom must have
a valuable (to the age-level-child-involved) scorekeeper. Then base
all important actions inside the schoolroom upon the "rule of law" rather
than the rule of authority. This simple formula performs all the magic
required to create "Superkids" who possess perfect attitudes - without the
stress or work involved in managing them. Logic should tell anyone
that when kids believe they are self accountable (paying with a valuable
scorekeeper for their own mistakes), they MUST come for advice. The
results need little management from adults.
FOURTH: Doing It Requires Only Changed
Attitudes!
So, the secret to building
"Superkids" lies with making them believe that THEY (not the
teacher or parent) are forever self accountable. It is accomplished by executing
what follows:
1st.
Eliminate letter grades (except on
report card for parents) and then substitute numbers
(called "Points" or "Scholar Dollars") for test scores, extra credit work,
etc. (e.g. A=100, B=90, etc.).
2nd. Provide a loose leaf
notebook (with a sheet for each pupil) for crediting or debiting the scorekeeper
(call it the "Bank Book"). Appoint a "Top Student"
each month as "Banker" to record scores daily with a hand held calculator.
Do the same for the "Teachers Grade Book"
for report card purposes. Keep grades separate from bank points.
3rd.
Make the scorekeeper valuable to the child
involved. Do this by auctioning off monthly (or weekly for the little
ones) some of the following suggestions:
A. The right to move a
desk next to a friend.
B. King or Queen for a
1/2 day (advises teacher)
C. Teaching contracts
(instructs whole class on a subject).
D. Right to put up a bulletin
board on an approved subject.
E. Extra credit
projects.
F. Donated white elephant
items no longer needed at home.
G. Several 1/2 day vacations
(taken inside the classroom).
H. Six seats in the teacher's
car for a two hour after-school outing (e.g. museum, bowling, park, etc.).
Great way to to teach recreation!
I.
Classroom "Companies." These
are motivational to pupils and help the teacher (e.g. Bathroom Co.; Water
Works; Pencil Co.; Finance Co.; Service Co.; Cleanup Co; etc.).
J. First, second, or third
in line at dismissal or lunch.
K. Free
"vouchers" offered by merchants (e.g. hamburgers, toys,).
L. After school employment
(offered to older pupils).
M. Computer time in the
classroom.
N. AND, the list could
go on and on.
4th.
Create "Classroom Laws" (and "point"
penalties for each) which the pupils have voted into existence with the help
of the teacher. This removes the need for much management. At the same
time, create a "Constitution" for inalienable pupil rights.
5th. Now create a
"Justice System!" The adult teacher becomes
the "Judge and Jury" since he or she is the only
disinterested person. One child can sue another and collect Points for damages.
These things must be present for a "Lawsuit:"
a. Assessable damage; b. "Clean Hands" (not have caused the Lawsuit);
c. and Proof.
6th. Finally, reduce the
teachers workload and provide "instant learning"
by allowing pupils to earn "Student Teacherships"
in each major academic subject. This is accomplished as follows: a.
Suppose you have a 30 pupil classroom. The top 5 pupils become
"teachers" to the remaining 25 (with a ratio of 1 teacher to 5 students);
b. Each "teacher" is paid a "bonus" (by the adult teacher) of 10% of
whatever his or her pupils earn at test time. So, the adult teacher
teaches the concept, turns the pupils loose in their 5 groups for reinforcement,
and then enjoys freedom impossible under management methods. Moreover,
the top students are learning to be leaders and their pupils have eager and
instant help at the time it's needed.
FIFTH: The Results of "Harrison System" Implementation are Nothing
Less Than Astonishing! See For Yourself!
Go back to our main web site and click on the links to our other sites!
OR
YOU CAN:
Buy our books! The books are not expensive and they're fun to read!
Two for teachers @ $32; Two for Parents @ $24; or Three if you
are a parent and teacher @ $42. Add an additional $5 S&H charge
plus 8% tax for Californians. Send a personal check (10 day clearance
wait) or money (U.S Money only) order to: Allan E. Harrison, 21863
Brill Rd., Moreno Valley, CA. 92553