Deliberate Dumbing Down of America Public Education

240 goals, national averages or goals developed by textbook publishers might be helpful in formulating performance expectations, educators need to base desired performance levels on their knowledge of each child. The discrepancy that exists between current and desired student performance then serves as the focus of the school improvement plan.

A T THE S ECOND A NNUAL N ATIONAL O UTCOME -B ASED E DUCATION C ONFERENCE , HELD F EBRU ary 12–14, 1987 in Tempe, Arizona, a notebook was distributed which contained a flow chart describing how mastery learning works. The notebook contained materials generated by the following presenters: Part I, William Spady; Part II, Lawrence A. Rowe; Part III, Kathleen A. Fitzpatrick; and Part IV, Janet N. Barry. This writer has converted the flow chart which was in the notebook to written text in order to provide a graphic (rat maze) description of the behavior modification method behind mastery learning and direct instruction. The chart’s description follows: At the top of a circle is the word “TASK,” which has an arrow pointing towards LACK OF UNDERSTANDING, which has two parts: 1) change presentation and 2) use alternative ma terial. 2) has two arrows: one towards TASK COMPLETION SUCCESS and the other towards DIFFICULTY. DIFFICULTY has two parts: 1) peer tutoring and 2) shorten assignments. 2) has two arrows: one towards TASK COMPLETION SUCCESS and the other towards FAILURE. FAILURE has two parts: 1)change environment and 2) change curriculum. 2) has two arrows: one towards TASK COMPLETION/POSITIVE FEEDBACK, and the other towards NEGATIVE FEEDBACK. NEGATIVE FEEDBACK has two arrows: 1) use self-pacing, self-checking, and 2) group discussion of goals. 2) has two arrows: one towards ATTAINABLE GOAL/POSITIVE FEEDBACK, the other towards POOR SELF CONCEPT. POOR SELF CONCEPT has two ar rows: 1) provide successes and 2) positive feedback. 2) has two arrows: one toward RAISED SELF ESTEEM and the other LOW MOTIVATION. LOW MOTIVATION has three arrows: 1) provide choices, 2) choose relevant materials, and 3) utilize interests. 3) has two arrows: one towards HIGHER MOTIVATION/WILLINGNESS TO TRY and the other toward BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS (Task Avoidance). BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS has three arrows: 1) provide choices, 2) contracting, and 3) group goal setting. 3) has two arrows: one toward RECHANNELLED BEHAVIOR DIRECTED TOWARD SKILL ATTAINMENT and INADEQUATE SKILLS. INAD EQUATE SKILLS has two arrows: 1) prescriptive curriculum and 2) modified environment. 2) has two arrows: one towards SKILLS ATTAINED/NEW TASK ATTEMPTED, and the other back to start, “TASK.” MASTERY LEARNING BREAKS THE FAILURE CYCLE

E DUCATION D AILY OF M AY 21, 1987 COVERED THE C ARNEGIE F OUNDATION FOR THE A D vancement of Teaching’s award of $817,000 to Lee Shulman of Stanford University, formerly involved in Chicago’s Mastery Learning failure, for his forthcoming work on assessments for new teach ers.

K ATHY L. C OLLINS , LEGAL COUNSEL FOR THE I OWA D EPARTMENT OF E DUCATION , WROTE AN article entitled “Children Are Not Chattel” for the American Humanist Association’s journal Free