The most difficult aspect of fighting the restructuring of America’s
schools from basic academics to psychologically-driven
behavior-modification programs is the language. The education
establishment has learned to use words that have double meanings or have
no known definition in the English language. Consequently, moms and dads
who stand in the arena, ready for battle are often disarmed by what seems
to be a foreign language.
So in order to even the playing field, lets give all the players a
peek at the same dictionary and cut through some of the double-speak.
Shall we?
GLOBAL EDUCATION: the preparation of students to be globally
interdependent citizens who have developed the proper attitudes about
multiculturalism, eradicating nationalism, denouncing allegiance to one’s
nation while pledging allegiance to the world community.
This has nothing to do with making the United States a leader in
academic achievement.
EDUCATE: to teach children to be flexible and adaptable to group
situations and challenges. No Absolutes.
And you thought it meant to teach children to read and write.
TEACHER: see "facilitator."
FACILITATOR: non-directive, non-judgmental classroom leader. A
change agent or technical assistant who chairs hand-picked committees,
groups or classrooms to guide the reaching of preconceived conclusions or
consensus. The process is referred to as "managed change"
according to Clyde Hall’s book, "How to Implement Change."
Facilitator – the title now given to teachers.
LIFE ROLE COMPETENCIES, LIFE SKILLS, LIFE MANAGEMENT SKILLS: the
preparation for life, for all life roles – total development of the
child’s body, mind and spirit. What the education system considers to be
"relevant" in regards to the student’s attitudes, values and
beliefs.
GENDER NORMING: the relationship of gender to achievement. Students
are not graded on merit alone, rather on subjective gender expectations by
the school staff, coupled with class performance.
If the boys perform better that’s because the girls have been
oppressed and are afraid to show their true skills.
OUTCOME-BASED EDUCATION/MASTERY LEARNING: A behavior-modification
process designed to assess and catalog student attitudes, values and
beliefs.
Once the profile is completed, a process is put into place to change or
eliminate any ideas or loyalties the child has that don’t fit into a
pre-designed, predetermined set of values and ideas. OBE is not a
curriculum. It is an anti-intellectual, highly politicized, psychological
process designed to create students who are accepting of and susceptible
to control by selected authorities. Successful OBE programs produce
students who reject individual goals and achievements in deference to the
needs and goals of a group. Student acceptance of individual
competitiveness, parental authority and traditional societal structures
are seen as barriers to achieving a successful education process.
Assessment tests and national standards are established to determine if a
student is accepting the new set of attitudes, values and beliefs.
Concerns for academic achievement are never considered in the OBE
process.
LEARNING: a change in behavior which persists. Under the OBE
behavior-modification system, a child is said to be learning when
assessment tests show that he/she has begun to succumb to and accept the
predetermined set of values and outcomes prescribed and preset in the OBE
process.
Where once a student answered "white," but now says
"gray," the OBE process says he/she is beginning to learn. Soon
he/she will answer "black" and the education establishment will
declare that the student has "mastered" his/her "core
subjects," ready to add to the "Goals 2000" 90% graduation
statistic to prove how the new education process is working.
MODEL SCHOOLS: a school in the process of restructuring to the OBE
system.
- There you have it – the beginners guide to education double-speak.
Share this list with your elected officials – they desperately need
this guide.
