At the beginning of the academic year and intending students, together with their parents, where appropriate should convene. Mapping and evaluation of student skills & preferred learning styles should take place. The proposed learning program for the year should be developed in collaboration between students, parents and educational guides. The semester program should include target dates for completion of segments, study mode, and evaluation mode. Tentative long term goals for each student should be drawn up in the framework that these are flexible and not prescriptive.

Where possible the home environment should be recognized as part of the learning process.

Once the student learning and personality profile has been established the next step should be to assemble the program and evaluate the available facilities.

Where for instance the student is a high introvert with a style oriented towards computerized or programmed instruction if the facilities are not available in the home, or the local community then the "school" should have the facilities available. From this it is clear that it becomes unimportant at what time of day the learning takes place or on which days as long as the agreed timeframes are being met.

General Aims overall should be agreed to.

The next stage is to set the Specific Magerian type Objectives that is:

1. make the statement : At the end of this segment the student should be able to……….
2. State the act to be performed
3. The conditions under which the act will be performed
4. The acceptable level of performance

In the evaluation process the student has the responsibility to genuinely try to achieve the agreed objectives. This is likely to be the case where the student understands and agrees the value and or satisfaction to be gained.

In the evaluation it a major questions should be

has there been the right match between the programme and the learning style.

does the programme need modification for this combination ?

should another programme be tried?

is the element a fundamental or key element?

is the student not yet ready for this element or chain? If this is the decision suggest re-presentation programmme

The staff of any educational unit must be considered as amongst the top professionals in any community. They have a major responsibility for our future. The top professional should be regarded as cicerone or guides.

There are those who are excellent at stimulating and motivating students in the traditional classroom. If they are doing a good job and enjoying it leave them alone and don’t overload them. Just give them the students or situations to match.

There are those who are excellent at dealing with students in small groups but hopeless when the groups get larger. Please remove them from situations where all side are going to struggle and suffer.

At this point I should comment that apart from motivational or special presentations no learning group should exceed 25 and the ideal generally is between 15 and 20 for most normal situations

There are some who are excellent at one to one basis again their special skills should be recognized and utilized. They become extremely valuable dealing with the individuals who are having difficulties in the computerized learning programmes or who have struck blockages in understanding. It may also be that they have opened up a lateral path and are displaying innovative thinking which needs encouragement.

There are also those who are academically excellent but who do not have developed suitable communication skills. Their skills at writing learning programs, monitoring student progress, task analysis should also be recognized and utilized

As should be evident from the above it is a question of not beating anyone over the head it is a matter of recognizing the contributions that each can make and of having the particular shaped pegs in their appropriate holes. What I hope would be a win win situation

Several sorts of environment are now needed to cater for the needs of out learners (both students and staff) for the academic chaining

I would suggest that the students can roughly be divided into three groups.

At one end of the spectrum are those who will for a number of reasons opted for computerized or other programmed learning materials the majority will prefer to learn either in the home or at community centres where there are computer facilities. For those who do not have access to a computer there the education still needs to provide the facilities

At the other end of the spectrum will be the high extroverts who will need to be provided with the high personal involvement activities. They will need priority access to the classroom and its facilities. It should be noted that the class size should not be smaller due to the high introverts no longer needing the access.

The third group are those who can generally work in either way with equal facility.

The other segment of the educational programme is the socialization of the learners.

I would contend that in the traditional classroom the prime concern of the educator is most commonly the need to exercise control and usually this involves the suppression of individual exuberance and enthusiam.
Such classrooms are not experiences in socialization as they are often claimed to be. Indeed for the majority they are an exercise in aversion therapy. If socialization is to take place and indeed it should take place it should then it should be in the proper environment and ethos. If the experience is to be worthwhile then it should take place in situations in which the prime objective is just socialization. It should take place under the guidance of people skilled in that area. I would suggest that there is a great need for education in the areas of social skills and what used to be termed graces. These skills are the oil which over centuries which has developed to reduce friction within communities and to increase pleasurable interaction. There is great need to reduce cultural clash and increase understanding and tolerance. It is not good enough to just put peoples together and hope for the best, the result is more often the worst. The skill of listening and reading body language should be part of this chaining. Communications charts like that provided at whistleblowerassist.com.au should be understood and practiced.

The educational programmes can be scheduled during parts of the day intended to meet the leaning style needs of the learners.

The physical real estate resources have involved a heavy capital expenditure and therefore should be utilized to the full. The community should not be locked out and denied access. The community should be encouraged to participate and fell involved. After all they are their children and their facilites.

The schools and their grounds should be renamed cultural palaces and should be regarded as such. The recognized prime function should of servicing the educational needs but the rest of the time it should be utilized and maintained by the community as fully as possible.

Many staff members will possibly feel disturbed by the concept of multiple use. This however can be allayed through the development of movable wall or compactus type units. Where there is still a problem then of course the educational needs must take precedence.

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Last modified: November 26, 2006

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Disclaimer: This publication and its associated sites is intended to inform the public and whistleblowers. Nothing contained in this website is to be taken to be a substitute for legal or professional advice. The author expressly disclaims liability to any person or entity for the consequences of anything done or omitted to be done in reliance in whole or in part of the contents of these publications.  The material contained herein is the result of observations and experience.