THE SECRET TO "SUPERKIDS!" In three
words: "Change Childrens attitudes!"
Without stress or much work, create self accountable pupils who hate
to make a mistake because they know that they and they alone will pay
for the error - not the teacher nor the parents. And, finally, try to base
all of the children's actions upon the "rule of law" rather than the rule
of authority. Anyone not understanding exactly how this is done at
school or home should return to our "Home Site" and click on the link to
either our first or second article at the bottom of the site or else click
on the link to:
http://members.aol.com/ALLANHARRI/index.html
Assuming that you now understand how the "Harrison
System" works let's have some fun and make a short visit to a "System"
6th grade classroom composed of 15 girls and 15 boys. Let's imagine
you are one of five adult visitors (some of this portrayal comes from the
Harrison's "Successful Children Almost Effortlessly" book , some from Harrison's
past experience, and some from logic).
WELCOME TO THE "HARRISON SYSTEM" AT SCHOOL!
Stan Martin, the teacher, was a tall, thin man whose body seemed
to glide among the thirty desks occupied by busy students taking a test.
The pupils paid no attention to the quiet newcomers (you are among
them) entering by the back door. Stan had a smile on his face as he
approached the five visitors.
VIOLENCE, CRIME, AND PUNISHMENT!
"Please have a seat in the chairs provided and I'd like
to have you meet Bob Washington who will relate some of the misbehavior problems
he had last year and compare them with our System now."
Stan moved to a desk in the middle of the room and motioned
for a boy to follow him to the back of the room. Bob was a large, muscular
black boy who seemed to radiate happiness with a constant grin, as if all
of life was funny. Stan asked him to relate some of his personal views
on misbehavior and punishment last year versus the System today.
"Well!" Bob looked shyly upward trying to collect
his thoughts. "Before the System, I always got into fights and now I don't.
Last year you had to beat up everybody just to show 'um who's boss,
and now you don't. Now it's the height of stupidity to even hit 'em
back and destroy your remedy for suing 'em. In fact, I now sometimes
find myself wishing some stupid clod would hit me so I could sue 'em. But,
I know nobody will!" His grin got a little wider as the visitors
laughed.
"What I'm really trying to say is that I've now learned
to rely on the 'Law' rather than my fists. People are stupid who don't. It
took me a while to realize it . My Bank Account became a 'Goose Egg.'
My freedom went 'Bye Bye.' And I watched my hard earned money - excuse
me - 'Points' build every one else's bank account.
"Last year, I annoyed Mr. John, our Principal, something
awful. And stressed Mrs. Apple, my teacher, out of her mind. At the
time it was the only entertainment I had. At least I got some attention.
I felt this way: What could anybody really do to me? But I could
do lots to them." For the first time the grin disappeared from Bob's
face.
"Everything changed this year. Mr. Martin really
feels sorry for me when I 'foul-up' and get 'fined' or 'sued' but that doesn't
stop him from removing the Points from my bank account. Each time I
try to talk him out of it, but, I know he really has no choice. The rest
of the kids in this classroom wouldn't stand for me to have unearned Points
at 'Auction Time' and be able to outbid them. That's not justice!
"It's the same with cheating, stealing, and lying. If
I cheat, steal or lie, in this classroom, I am only hurting my classmates
at auction time - and they won't stand for it. Now I can't even hurt
the teacher or my parents as I did last year. If I fail to cleanup
my area I get fined by the 'Cleanup Company.' If I dirty the restroom
and Mr. Martin doesn't know who did it, he collects taxes from every person
in the classroom to pay the Cleanup Company, just like our government does
from adult taxpayers."
Bob now looked down as if examining his hands. "With
all the kids helping to make our laws, I now understand why each one is needed.
If I break one I realize I'm not just pitting myself against
the teacher, as I did last year, but, instead, I'm up against the whole class.
No kid can buck that!"
Stan thanked Bob and asked another student called Larry
to come and meet the room's five visitors. But, before Larry arrived,
Stan tried to quickly fill them in on the lad's past.
"Larry is our classroom clown and loves attention.
It's a costly obsession with him. I truly believe he'd sooner
spend his money acting up and entertaining the class than at an auction.
All I can do is oblige him with fines."
"Larry," Stan began, with his usual smile. "It
looks to me like you enjoy 'bankruptcy.' Is this possible?" Stan's
blue eyes bored into Larry's brown ones searching for an answer.
"Looks can be deceiving!" Larry smiled. "I
had heard about the Harrison System before I entered your class, and I'd
made up my mind I could beat it. I'd just wear you down eventually,
as I've done all teachers in the past. But it doesn't work that way
with you! I'm getting ready to throw in the towel today.
"The 'Bankruptcy Company' is what got me. It can't
be beat. The student owner hopes I do act up and break the Law.
This makes me poorer and him richer since he supervises the extra credit
homework I'm required to produce as a Bankruptee and gets paid a percentage
of the money I earn. As a result Mr. Martin doesn't have to spend
any time with me. I'm getting the best education in the room and I'm
the one paying for it. It took me all this time to figure that out.
The class enjoys my misbehavior and I pay for it. It's a lose
- lose situation for me. When the class is out to play old Larry is slaving
away on extra credit trying to improve my sick bank account. And I've
got nobody to blame but myself.
"I think I've finally absorbed what Mr. Martin tries
to pound into everybody's head. Think for yourself! If you don't want
to make a mistake and then pay for it, come for advice - or else expect
lots of management!"
"Glad to hear that!" Stan smiled his approval and
waved Larry back to his seat before addressing his five
visitors.
GOVERNMENT VERSUS SELF-GOVERNMENT
"One of the most shameful things in grade-school education
today, at a time when minds are so receptive, is our failure to allow American
students to experience or even learn any real
democratic government or self-government.
Instead, we teach pupils how to perform in a 'closed society' such
as Nazi Germany or Communist Russia. I'd like to explain what I mean
and show you the remedy.
"Conventional classrooms today run on an authoritarian
basis. The adult teacher controls almost everything. And when he or
she can't control things, the principal or parents must be utilized. The
pupils can't even go to the bathroom without approval. Now this is
normal and natural if an instructor uses management methods since the public
then holds the teacher responsible rather than the student.
"So, as the stress and work of management build, fewer
pupils per teacher are demanded, in spite of a '1971 Rand Report for the
President's Commission' proving this to be ineffective - except
for raised educational costs. Just look at SAT scores for proof.
"In the process, students quickly learn to either 'brown
nose' or defy the teacher, depending upon what was successful for them in
the past. This leads to no academic improvement and improper attitudes
for a free society. Soon, all of society wrings its hands in disgust
and decides a lot more tax money is needed. Thus the educational empire
builds - much to the delight of education's managers.
"What's different in my classroom, you may well ask?
I'd like to show you rather than tell you by asking my students
some questions." With this said, Stan moved to the front of the class and
addressed his pupils.
"I have told our visitors that a few of you would be
able to explain the difference between what you learned or experienced
last year in school and this year. Who would like to be first?"
Hands were raised all over the room.
"OK! Joe! You got the floor!" Stan
smiled his assent.
"There's a huge difference!" Joe, an overweight
kid, spoke with a small amount of anger in his voice. "Kids, last year,
used to make me feel terrible when they teased me because I'm too fat.
But, nobody," Joe looked around the room with a smug smile on
his face, "dares to do it today. They know they'll get
sued." The class and the visitors laughed at this.
Stan recognized another student's waving hand with a
nod. "Yes, Earl! What have you got to say?"
"I really like the feeling I'm in control of myself and
the situation around me. If I foul up, I pay for it - and expect to.
If I want to change things, I speak to my 'Row Representative' and
he proposes and votes for a new Classroom Law. If he doesn't do this,
he knows I can vote to impeach him.
"When I want a drink of water or want to go to the
bathroom, I merely go sign that 'Company's' sign-up sheet and my bank account
gets debited. Nobody cares how often I do this -
except me at auction
time."
Again, the class laughed.
Stan pointed at another pupil with her hand in
the air. "Doris?"
"I like the feeling of equality or even superiority the
System gives me. As a black girl, last year, I never felt equal to
any boy, or for that matter any white girl. The black boys could fight
for equality if they needed to. Girls seldom have that chance. Now,
the Points and the Law make everyone equal if they try hard and behave
themselves.
"Last year the teacher couldn't protect you even when
she tried. The kids knew there was little she could do to them, except for
a shameful scolding. This year, 'Lawsuits' are expensive for
everyone."
Stan thanked her and called on little Mary.
"I like the business aspects of the System. It
gives me a good feeling to own and operate the 'Pencil Company' and the 'Finance
Company,' and to watch my Bank Account rise. I never understood
why a company needed to make a profit. I do now, after paying too much
for a business at the auction.
"I now also understand why citizens need to keep the
'Government,' meaning Mr. Martin in here, from meddling in my business. Of
course, I've also had to learn to operate in such a way that the Government
doesn't need to interfere."
Stan pointed at another student. "What have you
got to say, Del." "My folks like the way you allowed
us to learn about the evils of what you called a 'closed society' like Hitler's
and Stalin's. But the class hated it. Everybody got angry when
all bank accounts were confiscated." The students all nodded their
head in agreement.
"You said a revolution had taken place in this classroom,
and, as the 'Classroom Police Force,' you had the right and power to name
five pupils as the 'Communist Party' in control. When things finally became
so bad in here, you said that only a 'Dictatorship' could solve our problems.
So, you selected our classroom 'Bully' for the job.
"Everything then quickly became chaos. All
freedom was gone and everybody was angry and ready for the democratic government
you then established. Every student now enjoys and appreciates having
a 'Constitution,' a 'North and South Senator' and a 'Row Representative'
to help make our Classroom Laws."
Stan thanked the class for its participation and returned
to his guests at the back of the room.
"Well, ladies and gentlemen! Have you seen and
heard enough to believe 'Superkids' can help teachers and themselves - and
America?"
All nodded their head, shook hands, and promised to return
another day for another lesson in Harrison System capabilities.
The Results of "Harrison System" Implementation are
Nothing Less Than Astonishing! See
For Yourself! Watch for more forthcoming articles! OR YOU
CAN:
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