Decentralization: Why Good and Bad Schools

[keirsey]

BookTV, just the most important television channel in the world, has a video that makes things clear. This particular video fits in nicely to my theory of how the world works. Of course, and unfortunately, I am the only one that understands why.

Maybe later..

The Secret of TSL: The Revolutionary Discovery That Raises School Performance

I was intrigued by the video because it features William Ouchi. A name that I recognized from my reading a long time ago, on Theory Z, a book in my library. Clearly a brilliant man.

But this hour program made things very clear to why the American schools are descending into chaos, except in special situations where decentralization is happening. What I noted was the 10 percent number that was talked about in passing. I immediately thought about Jack Welch's 10 percent. Yes, it can be viewed as brutal -- politically incorrect -- but hey it "works" and "exists" in certain situations. For old healthy systems, "destructive" competition needs to be done. Ten percent of the schools, the worst performing, need to be eliminated, replaced with new schools. Reforming a really bad school is not a option in a healthy system.

[shytiger]

BookTV, just the most important television channel in the world, has yet to have the video posted that makes things clear. I hope they do because this particular video fits in nicely to my theory of how the world works. Of course, and unfortunately, I am the only one that understands why.

Maybe later..

The Secret of TSL: The Revolutionary Discovery That Raises School Performance

I was intrigued by the video because it features William Ouchi. A name that I recognized from my reading a long time ago, on Theory Z, a book in my library. Clearly a brilliant man.

But this hour program made things very clear to why the American schools are descending into chaos, except in special situations where decentralization is happening. What I noted was the 10 percent number that was talked about in passing. I immediately thought about Jack Welch's 10 percent. Yes, it can be viewed as brutal -- politically incorrect -- but hey it "works" and "exists" in certain situations. For an old healthy systems, "destructive" competition needs to be done. Ten percent of the schools, the worst performing, need to be eliminated, replaced with new schools. Reforming a really bad school is not a option in a healthy system.

Let me get this straight David, you not only watch BookTV but think it's the most important television channel in the world? Wow. That gives me such a view into the Architect mind; I am blown away.

There's a lot wrong with schools I think, and decentralization doesn't just need to happen in administration but also in the classroom which is where Montessori got it right.

[stellarrenegade]

There's a lot wrong with schools I think, and decentralization doesn't just need to happen in administration but also in the classroom which is where Montessori got it right.

I agree! Let the students run the school! Just kidding, of course.

But that's so true, school was hell for me and I've heard it's only become worse since I graduated. There needs to be way more freedom and flexibility with education.

[keirsey]

There's a lot wrong with schools I think, and decentralization doesn't just need to happen in administration but also in the classroom which is where Montessori got it right.

One of the comments in the hour program, which to me was extremely important, was essentially the observation in "the best schools" EVERYBODY of those engaged with that school taught in that school at least a certain amount of time. The important rhetorical question on that observation was, "how can one contribute positively to a situation where you don't know what is going on?"

[Goodrum]

I think I would like booktv.

Private schools, like private hospitals serve a purpose for us, (well, here in Australia), they do take the pressure off public schooling (and public hospital system), for what it's worth.

Private schooling actually gets some funding from the government, it's in the government's interest to at least contribute, "something". Without the mix of private and public, whatever your views of it, it would be detrimental to educating the masses. And much bigger education budget allocation. Our schooling is funded State by State, with Uni's funded by Federal gov't.

[shytiger]

When my graduate institution began its campaign to become an elite school, the first thing the new President did was double the tuition. If it's expensive, it's gotta be good.

Part of the approach is purely psychological because many of these universities charge this enormous tuition but because of financial "aid" the tuition is much less. Still huge, but manageable. It's like cash back. It keeps the nominal price up for anybody shopping but that's not what you're really paying.

Shytigress and I have been discussing Shycub1's future education. The plan has always been to home school him once he completes the Montessori program. I think if he went to school, any school with a standard education program, he might be labeled ADHD.

[jwetmore]

Since there are so few Guardians contributing to these forums I will venture a guess that most people here have some complaints with the current U.S. educational system. I think it is useful to recognize that different temperaments result in different learning styles and different teaching styles. A centeralized system operated and regulated by government officials and union leaders, where attendance is compulsary, is not likely to serve the needs of the students very well. The public school system is so busy serving the needs of the teachers, administrators, and politicians there is no way it can also serve the needs of students and parents.

Shytiger wants to make personal choices for the education of Shycub. I think that's key. Tiger and Tigress know, and care, more about the needs of cub than Ted Kennedy George Bush did. The average cost per year per student at a public school is about $10,000 in the U.S. Is there another product or service that we spend so much money on that we spend as little effort choosing and have so few choices?

I wouldn't put much faith in TSL or any other single method, but I do believe in choices and a competetive market for schooling. Thanks to lowering transportation and communication costs the arguments for monopoly education provision are getting weaker.

[Quinta]

DMK wrote:

the observation in "the best schools" EVERYBODY of those engaged with that school taught in that school at least a certain amount of time. The important rhetorical question on that observation was, "how can one contribute positively to a situation where you don't know what is going on?"

Essential.

[christina]

Yes, it can be viewed as brutal -- politically incorrect -- but hey it "works" and "exists" in certain situations. For old healthy systems, "destructive" competition needs to be done. Ten percent of the schools, the worst performing, need to be eliminated, replaced with new schools. Reforming a really bad school is not a option in a healthy system.

I don't understand why it's politically incorrect. The last two years of high school I attended a rural high school (in a state other than NY) and only ~30% of kids passed the standarized chemistry exam (I hear the those scores have improved, however, since a new teacher took over). There seemed to be so many things wrong at that institution, it becomes pointless to name them all (it becomes messy). That's not a situation you can fix. It's monster that will always limp.

[keirsey]

Established Teachers, Administrators, and Voters do not want change. Mistakes were made, but not by me. Change is scary to those who have vested interest in the status quo, who benefit from the current system.

The institutions of education do not want to hear the Darwinian message. Established institutions like education and government want to preserve their power and their control -- anything threatening that, is evil, in their eyes. It is the nature of things. Death only comes in crisis, because the whole structure no longer serves enough of the original function. Until then you have decay.