Education: Improving System Success

It's not the fault of the teachers.

It's not the fault of the parents.

It's not the students ...

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You can always tell when a system is in trouble when blaming exceeds problem-solving.

Let's stop blaming and get on with the work of solving.

For many children, the public school system works just fine.  For some, the curriculum speed moves to slowly; for others, it moves too quickly.

To solve this, how about if we match curriculum speed to each student's unique learning speed?

Students should be able to gain 90%+ mastery on every single learning unit from kindergarten on before seeing the next learning unit.

Children who move forward with less than 90% mastery have ever increasing learning gaps accumulating as they move through the grades. Can they get away with 80% mastery?  Yes, but it's not a preferred outcome.  Can students get away with 70% mastery?  Every now and then, but if kids are chronic B-C-D students, while moving forward in the grades, they are developing ever expanding learning gaps making academic and emotional failure more and more likely.

We should shoot for at least 90% mastery on every single learning unit to ensure that all students - every single one -- understands each learning unit complete, that each has achieved mastery.

No, this does not mean holding fast learners back. Fast learners can be given the next learning unit as soon as they gain 90% mastery on the current unit.  Fast learners can zoom ahead, as quickly and as far as they desire -- to infinity and beyond!

Does this harm slower learners?  No, not at all.  They will be able to achieve 90%+ mastery on every single learning unit, something that they never have the chance to achieve in the current educational paradigm.

We cluster children according to their chronological age.  Chronological age is the least relevant criteria for clustering children into educational environments, while subject specific neurological readiness is the most important.
 
We know this, but still cluster children according to age and expect some to scurry along desperately trying to keep up, while simultaneously holding fast learners back; and then scratch our heads when children lose interest and under-perform.
 
Why we do this is a mind boggling mystery. 
 
Curriculum speed needs to consider specific student factors, including family factors.
 
I do not blame teachers.  I understand that teachers are trapped in the exact same system students are trapped in, and that teacher performance is also negatively impacted by the system within which they are trapped. 

Kenneth H. Little, MA / 603-726-1006 / KenLittle-NH.com