The MEganize argument for change is based on a number of levels. These are some of them:
Still using a factory-based system
Our existing school structure, a factory-based model introduced by a Prussian in the 1850’s is what we still use today. How this form of teaching has withstood various outside pressures is a confirmation of how a control structure reinforces itself. For the last 30 years we have acknowledged that a problem exists, but the apparent solution has always been a political one from within a control paradigm. As explained in my book, a control structure invariably looks at symptoms, not fundamental causes. Peter Senge, author of The 5th Discipline and one of the most influential writers of the last century, explains how symptomatic solutions only ‘shift the burden’ or kick the can down the road. The change is always overcome by the paradigm, and the output is much the same.
The Power of Recognition
American business schools have led the world in their thinking, adapting to best practices to lead the world in management. Thanks to one catalyst ‘In Search of Excellence’, Tom Peters changed the concept of treating people as ‘things’, explaining how motivation and recognition offer far greater rewards. In the 90’s Reicheld’s ‘Loyalty Effect’ served to prove that gaining peoples’ loyalty was a profitable driver. Slowly organizations have come to accept this paradox, where now the leaders of the best companies talk about team decision-making and collaboration. This is nothing new to Japan, where Toyota and Honda have dominated the auto industry, but it has taken us many years to change our thinking.
Schools are still resisting this concept under the control of the Federal Government, where the main goal is to proliferate political nonsense at the expense of the individuals, and ultimately the performance of our country. The ‘Common Core’ initiative is just the most recent example. This is also why there has been no real change to the process of teaching despite a plethora of new technology and discovery. Only now are SOME states introducing computers into the schools, and even fewer teaching programming, a new common language of the world. Furthermore the best practices and principles proven by our business world and intellectual gurus are largely ignored.
The factory model is dead, as is political centralized control. We need what is BEST for our children. That requires competition, value-added focus, and best practices.
Underperforming School System
“In a first world country, the only means for growth is through productivity and innovation.” (Deming) These should be foremost in the minds of our educators, but the system cares little for student productivity, or individual learning styles, or excellence. Around 75% of high school graduates never go to college or get a degree. Any work skills gained at school are negligible, hence their difficulty to find work. College students (best school pupils) are generally not considered college-ready. So for what should be prime objectives for schools, the results are euphemistically below standard. Our international PISA test scores indicate further that we are the worst performers of the first world countries. Our highest cost school system offers only marginal returns. Something is radically wrong.
World Economy
We face a world where automation continues to replace jobs, where products and profits are becoming so small it becomes difficult to survive in a commodity driven market. This is the reason for the high unemployment rate in the west. Increased anxiety and depression are by products of a failing system producing ‘learned helplessness’. It is the ‘great leveling’ that is taking place where China produces goods at amazing value, capturing the world’s production, and wealth. What can we do?
Time for a Change
There have been numerous educational advancements, outside of the mainstream, in recent years. Most of them acknowledge the need for an individual track, and many are now seeing that computers need to be part of education. Nothing surprising there. What we need is a quantum leap to challenge all of our assumptions that are based on what we have done and been told in the past. Many business leaders recognize the problems of our school system. Perhaps they understand that something is wrong, but they fail to provide a solution. The science, research and business applications used in the MEganize Program have all been proven. This is the way forward.
This is why we need to MEganize.
MEganize takes the education paradigm to a different level on 3 fronts, (and includes all the other new practices):
The Brain’s Power
Einstein once said that we only use a small fraction of our brain power. This power has been proven by individuals under abnormal circumstances, like Kim Peek, Leslie Lemke, Gottfried Mind, Alonso Clemens and many others. The question remains, why do we not believe this is possible for us?
Science now recognizes the brain’s ‘plasticity’ and the fact that it adapts to given stimuli to make sense of the world. Its core capability is developed in the early years, when the brain decides how to ‘translate’ or interpret the world. MEganize recognizes the potential of optimizing this brain training period to develop strong neurological pathways to cope with challenging tasks. As these exercises are practiced these skills or decisions that normally function in area t44, where short-term decisions are made along with the hippocampus, are then transferred to the ‘automatic response’ section of the brain. Our core intelligence is thus hard-wired at an early age. We can increase our IQ and EQ, previously believed to be defined at birth! This is supported by a number of scientific studies. Music and ‘the Mozart Effect’ is commonly known to enhance the brain’s functionality. The MEganize Program encompasses these and other processes and exercises that develop core capabilities to enhance overall intelligence, while also learning essential core competencies.
Early development
The second challenge to existing paradigms is that our young children are capable of much more than we give them credit. We assume that ‘learning’ means intellectual understanding, however much of the raw data or structure of advanced courses can be memorized at a time when their memory function is at a peak. We can acquire skills before intellectual understanding. In fact, this is how we learn best. The practicing of memory early on also develops their overall memory IQ. Again, if integrated with the exercises above, this structural information is embedded as a foundation for future application and deeper understanding. There is a growing awareness on this fact, but how long will it take to filter into something worth any value for your child?
Best Practices
The common conception that ‘real school’ starts much later is flawed. Lasting habits and perceptions are developed early on and become the defining foundation for later success, or failure. By conducting children into positive, integrated ‘learning for life’ habits, the child is programmed for later success. This balanced approach is generally neglected and no common structural thread is taught or used throughout. School should be a platform for learning best principles and processes that can be applied throughout life. These should be taught from the start to build in this intelligence.
MEganize is a program personally developed over the last 20 years to optimize brain development, increase overall capability, develop best learning habits, and give insight to personal learning and career preferences. This is explained in brief in ‘What is MEganize?’, further detailed in the MEganize book, and the Canvas Courses.
The fact that schools have not really changed for the last 150 years is astounding (except for politically motivated changes). Only recently have some of us woken up to the need for real change. Based on many of our foremost business leaders and authors, MEganize uses scientific proof, proven principles and practices that are available and commonly applied in the best organizations today, to offer an integrated process that accomplishes amazing results.
MEganize is a revolution in thinking and educational approach. We can choose to take responsibility for our learning, believing in Science and challenging our current methods, or continue doing the same things and expect different results.
The focus must be on developing skills, not learning unnecessary facts. Give your child the edge. Simple leveraged changes can make a huge difference to overall output. Properly designed and instructed, imagine what you could develop in 12 years of study!
Believe in your child’s God given unique abilities. Help to mold them to their fullest capability. Empower your child. MEganize!