SYSTEM MIRACLES FROM HARRISON'S METHODS IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL CLASSROOMS?

(The following are a few of the seeming miracles made possible by using System methods in elementary school classrooms. Click on http://hometown.aol.com/ALLANHARRI/index.html to see a basic and limited version of  System methods.)

Only a few examples with very skimpy details can be offered on this web site. However, if you need realism, Harrison's books truly portray problems and solutions as they actually occurred inside classrooms.

     1.  Problem:  Adults of the United States frequently don't vote in elections. Few really understand or appreciate the freedom and citizenship they enjoy as Americans!
     Solution:  Every Harrison System pupil permanently understands, values, and properly uses his or her classroom vote. Each student learns, later in the school year, that it's a great privilege to be born an American.
     For example: Pupils understand and help make classroom "laws" as well as a fines for every infraction. All know that they can impeach (with enough votes) any student-authority inside the classroom. Moreover, toward the end of the year, the class has "Row Representatives" and a "North and South Senator" as well as a classroom "Constitution" for inalienable rights which can't be transgressed even by the adult teacher (Points are lost for infractions). This builds risk-takers who overcome most obstacles whenever they know they are right and won't infringe upon the rights of others.
     As a further example, toward the end of the school year, the whole class suffers a "revolution" whereby they experience just how restrictive "Communism" can be. After the revolution, everything in the classroom becomes tightly controlled ("nationalized) - such as bank accounts, laws, & almost everything - by the few pupils in the "Party" who have been carefully selected by the adult teacher who is the natural enforcement arm (e.g. police, armed forces, etc.) inside the classroom. Then when the kids can stand it no more, the adult teacher (again the enforcement arm) helps the classroom "bully" become a "Dictator." Naturally, everything gets worse as all semblance of freedom then disappears.
     Finally, a last revolution takes place and a practical, working, democratic republic is born as indicated above. Without System tools, such learning experiences could never be as retentive or effective.
     When you add the "Justice Program" built into the System (with lawsuits, injunctions, properly awarded damages, etc.), System pupils are soon programed to live harmoniously forever as self accountable United States citizens who need a minimum of management.
     Mentioning the System's justice program brings to mind a BIG problem. Pupils in conventional classrooms have no sense of true American justice. They only experience classroom management methods whereby everything is controlled by an adult authority. Kids learn to become either slaves to authority or cunning rebels. In other words, it's perfect training for Nazi Germany or Communist Russia. Isn't this shameful for any young American's education?
     2.  Problem: Another shameful problem for America is the lack of "Free Enterprise" training. Education such as this should be automatically included in classrooms - daily - to assure the success of Americans in the modern "workaday" world. Past history has proven that a free enterprise attitude is the magic that makes and keeps Americans supreme in business. Moreover, the training should be accomplished in elementary schools where the learning is automatically easier and much more retentive. But the question is: How can this be done in the typically managed classroom? Logic proves that it can't!
     Solution:  Harrison System pupils become free enterprising entrepreneurs the moment they enter a System classroom. Kids in kindergarten through eighth grade operate their own businesses (bought at auction with hard earned academic "Points"). Lost pencils teach a proper lesson as the loser is forced to buy another (with Points) from the "Pencil Company." Saved Points earn interest with the student "Savings & Loan Company." The old "credit trap" awaits and even "bankruptcy" is available with too frequently borrowed funds or misbehavior. Even a drink of water and a trip to the bathroom are carefully weighed when it costs 5 to 10 Points during classtime versus recess, when it's free. Such decision making lies with the student alone (however teacher guidance is always available as it should be). Even "inflation" is constantly present for the unwary classroom. Believe it or not, any student desiring to do so can learn the profits and pitfalls of the "Stock Market" with the help of  the "Classroom Stock Broker." Student time or Points misspent become a lesson in profit and loss. Also, the interpersonal relationships in all business transactions provide learning impossible to achieve in any conventionally managed classroom, which brings us to another BIG problem.
     3.  Problem:  The interpersonal relationships involved in conventionally managed classrooms lack pupil to pupil self accountability.  Therefore, they are often cold and impersonal, despite the teacher's strenuous efforts to bring about the opposite. Only when the child seeks favoritism from the adult teacher is warmth observed and expressed (Then it's labeled "brown nosing"). Often, such managed students, being accountable only to the adult authority, quickly learn that misbehavior is a gamble worth taking, so long as the authority is unaware of it. So, cheating, violence, bullying, lying, etc. become rampant.
     The lack of pupil to pupil interpersonal relationships also provide little opportunity to promote proper race relationships. A management teacher can talk herself or himself hoarse without effecting much improvement in racial problems. Blacks gravitate toward blacks and whites toward whites. Teacher remedies tried often bring only chaos and frustration.
     But what is perhaps even worse, leadership training opportunities inside such a classroom are also usually nonexistent . Any attempt by the teacher to train student leaders results in chaos or obvious favoritism. So, the management teacher is constantly overworked, stressed, and feels inadequate or burned out.
     Solution: When System students know they that they and they alone are completely self accountable for mistakes, such pupils automatically come for advice. When the teacher knows that classroom misbehavior is no longer a reflection on his or her instruction, teacher's guilt disappears and mistakes become a never to be forgotten learning experience for students. Then and only then, proper interpersonal relationships between pupils can become a welcome sight every day.  Politeness and consideration for the rights of others become almost automatic. Soon, errors become less and less. Help for the needy turns friendly and is often rendered before it's asked.
     When you add the concept of "Student Teachers," who earn their position by standing among the top 20% in each individual subject, improved classroom interpersonal relationships in a System classroom may seem like miracles to any casual visitor. You can watch as blacks appreciate and receive help from whites and vice versa. Such individual pupil assistance provides reinforcement learning at the moment it's needed for each Student Teacher's five pupils. Yet, leadership training occurs at the same time. The Student Teacher learns how to lead. Those that don't, watch their pupils' test scores decline which means that their 10% instructional bonus also recedes. And, all of this is done without any prodding or managing from the adult teacher. If this seems unacceptable to some "dyed in the wool" teachers who feel the need to be the authority and run everything, read what follows.
     Some management instructors, after having been trained in our colleges of education to be THE authority in the classroom, may feel that a "token economy system" is just too extrinsic. They would prefer that the child be taught by the teacher to "do the right thing because it is right, not because of its earning potential." Well, believe it or not, The Harrisons would like to think the same way! However, until we all reach "Heaven" (where everything is perfect), System methods should be advocated and utilized unless one doesn't mind lots of work, stress, guilt, and failures. Those who are still unconvinced should ask for the opinion of any "Ghetto Teacher" who has tons of problems motivating pupils to do anything.
     4.  Problem:  All teachers using management methods have constant problems motivating pupils to learn. Huge amounts of time are spent on trying to devise ways to accomplish this. Drills for basic education become a teacher's nightmare and a pupil's despair. Most of the time the effort is wasted and the teacher feels frustrated and sometimes even guilty.
     Solution:  The Harrison System creates self motivated pupils almost automatically. The key to its great success requires "Points" which are VALUABLE to the age-level child involved (just like dollars are valuable to adults). Click on the ALLANHARRI link above to see examples.
     Pupils can be induced to learn almost any subject with sufficiently valuable Points. Often, believe it or not, intrinsic motivation ("love of learning") takes over. For example:  Repetitious drill, such as the times tables, phonics, grammar, etc., can be encouraged by a sought after "Company" (bought at auction) which has a waiting list of pupils eager to perform for prizes. Such competitive performers beg the adult teacher for more time to practice their basic skills with the Company's help.
     All kinds of academic games are available (when Harrison's books are utilized). There is space on this web site to name only a few. For example:  "Sink the Submarines," "Race Cars," "Double or Nothing," "Treasure Trail," "Go Raiding," "Go to Market," "Play Cards," "Run Rabbit Run (or shoot the rabbit)," "Football," "Battlefleet," "Baseball," "Hanky-Panky," and "Big Business (similar to Monopoly)." The games listed usually have names somewhat descriptive of their contents. Some are quite simple and others are complicated. Harrison's book details how each is played. The importance of each lies with the great academic motivation generated by every game. Moreover, every game or motivational technique can be applied to learning any subject matter desired by the adult teacher.
     Social studies and geography can be taught with an imaginary trip through a country with students earning a stated amount for each hidden object or item discovered. Science can be learned by eagerly purchased extra credit projects suggested by the adult teacher. Grammar is easily taught when pupils earn a stated amount for all pronouns, adjectives, etc. the student finds on a printed page. Workbooks and library books completed earn a stated amount. And, the list is almost endless.
     All games are "fun-education" and self motivation at its best. Pupils look forward to "Game Days" with great academic preparation and anticipation. Pupil self learning is emphasized rather than teacher teaching.
     Pupils can even buy at auction a teaching contract; make out a miniature lesson plan; teach the whole class; and give and correct an approved test in return for a stated amount of Points. Moreover, the scheduled time for teaching and supervision is engineered by the "Teaching Company." The adult teacher merely supervises (if desired) or else completes the always over-abundant paperwork he or she has at this time.
     5.  Problem:  Conventional management teaching methods generate a great many emotional problems for students, teachers, and parents which can be easily and (in some cases) automatically eliminated by using System methods.
     Solution:  System pupils, parents, and teachers feel no guilt for the following reasons: The teacher must put an education out there. Pupils automatically use it (one way or the other). And, parents know it's proper for their child because it's life as we Americans should live it.
     To illustrate:  Miss Apple, a 5th grade teacher, teaches the whole class a concept in math (let's say how to divide fractions). She then turns them loose for reinforcement learning in groups of six (a Student Teacher with 5 pupils each). Every pupil has all of the help he needs to learn the concept. Student Teachers have the adult teacher available for what they don't understand and pupils have their Student teacher instantly available.  If the child decides to be lazy, the youngster still gets a proper education. Points needed to purchase a valuable item at auction are lost. Instead, others who learned the concept buy and enjoy that item.
     For the "love of learning teacher:"  No System method prevents the additional and customary verbal approval by teachers and parents. However, verbal approval isn't so critically needed nor can guilt be a major weapon for constant use as it is in a managed classroom.
     Visit any System classroom and discover a startling lack of pressure as compared to the managed classroom. Face it, learning decisions can be safely left in the hands of self accountable children. When the kids alone pay for mistakes, few are made (and even these provide a learning experience). So, advice is automatically sought and management unnecessary.
     IN CONCLUSION:  If any reader feels that so many extra curricular learning opportunities may take time away from learning the basics, please think again!  The System automatically offers lots of extra time for teachers and pupils whenever students are self motivated, self disciplined, self responsible, self-managed, etc.  Still don't believe it?  Try it and see for yourself!