Meganize!: Empower Your Child with an 'Education for Life'

By Peter Jennings

MEganize addresses how and why the educational system is not enabling children to become as productive they have the potential to be, and outlines how to get there, giving a child the best education for life. This is a must read for all parents in order to understand motivation, career guidance, and increasing the probability of their child's success academically and emotionally. MEganize is a unique approach to learning and how to boost their IQ and EQ, to facilitate their learning capability for life. This is a challenge to our education system as a whole as well as a guide for the individual, looking at home-schooling a realistic option. MEganize is in part a complement to John Gattos Dumbing US Down.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jul 25, 2013
• ISBN: 9781483657448

Peter Jennings

Peter Jennings is competitive by nature. He is driven by the need to understand the ´simplicity beyond complexity´ and to improve continuously. He has breadth and depth to his background both in business and sport. He also dabbled in music. He was schooled at St. Peter’s Preparatory and St. Alban’s College where he excelled at all sports; playing soccer, rugby, cricket, hockey, and squash. After school he completed a grueling physical training program in the army to qualify as an instructor. He then studied accounting part-time while working under articles for an accounting firm, then Coopers & Lybrand. While studying, he played first-class cricket for about five years and ran a few marathons, including the Comrades Marathon (57 miles), before settling down to raise a family. After completing his Bachelors (Honors)degree he later earned his MBA via Thames Valley University in London, focusing on Organizational Behavior. Professionally, he held positions of VP of Finance and VP of Operations for a group of companies before changing direction into software solutions as a Business Analyst. So he has worked “in” a variety of business structures for around 15 years and “on” them for 10 years. He has chosen to home-school his children, starting with his daughter Megan, now 11. Home-schooling became an obvious choice when his family settled one of the worst-performing school areas in the US. He has refined his teaching approach over the last seven years, mindful of the challenges that lie ahead for his three children. He is committed to giving them the best education possible, which he has found to hardly ever translate into the most expensive option. By sharing in his experience and expertise, you will be at the forefront of the best principles and processes to educate your child. His other major interests are world issues and investing. MEganize has taken many years of research, giving context to our current problems by integrating a number of key facets to make sense of vertical disciplines.

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Copyright © 2013 by Peter Jennings.

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Rev. date: 07/22/2013

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Contents

Introduction

MEganize Overview

Part 1 ME, an Individual

Chapter 1 Understanding Our Needs

Chapter 2 Understanding People

Chapter 3 Know Your Weaknesses and Limitations

Part 2 Leverage Processes (MEganize)

Chapter 4 Decision-Making

Chapter 5 Learning

Chapter 6 Change

Chapter 7 MEganized Leverage

Part 3 Systemic Issues

Chapter 8 Structural Drivers

Chapter 9 Our Real Problems

Chapter 10 The Strategic Change Cycle

Chapter 11 Culture

Chapter 12 The Three Ps in Strategy

Part 4 Schools

Chapter 13 As Is Symptoms

Chapter 14 Optimum Structure

Chapter 15 Optimum Balance

Chapter 16 Ownership

Chapter 17 Strategic Learning Cycle

Part 5 Your Family and USA Today

Chapter 18 Defining Your Future

Chapter 19 Homeschooling

Chapter 20 Skills Focus

Chapter 21 Leadership

Chapter 22 Challenges

Chapter 23 Simplicity

Chapter 24 A Synopsis

Figures and Tables

References

Appendices

Introduction

It is a privilege to be able to publish this work that will hopefully change many lives for the better. It is written with a top-down perspective using my Christian faith as my wind, my education and experience as my sail, and a number of outstanding references as a rudder.

Perhaps you should know some facts about me. My background is strictly business and sport, though I dabbled in music. I was schooled at St. Peter’s Preparatory and St. Alban’s College. I was an all-rounder at school and played soccer, rugby, cricket, hockey, and squash. After that I spent a year as a physical training instructor in the army before going to university. I studied part-time while working under articles for an accounting firm, then Coopers & Lybrand. I completed my financial qualifications in accounting and later earned my MBA via Thames Valley University in London. Professionally, I worked as a VP of Finance and VP of Operations and then changed direction and moved into software solutions as a Business Analyst. So I have worked in a variety of business structures and on them. While studying, I played first-class cricket for about five years and ran a few marathons, including the Comrades Marathon (57 miles), before settling down to raise a family.

I have been placed in the unexpected position of having to homeschool my children, starting with my daughter Megan. Homeschooling became a no-brainer when we found ourselves in the USA, which now has a poor schooling record, and then in one of the worst-performing school areas in the country. After we had spoken to a few parents and teachers in the area who were very negative about the system in general, there was no real alternative. I have admittedly made a few mistakes along the way. You, in using this book, will hopefully reap the benefit of not making the same mistakes and thus minimize your learning curve. I am committed to giving my children the best education possible, which I have found hardly ever translates into the most expensive option. I am frugal by nature, but I believe in quality long-term investments. I am sharing my experience and more with you in this book to give you a heads-up, and a head start.

Over the years I have attended homeschooling talks and promotional conventions and done my share of research. We even experienced the private school encounter for a year, only to be more convinced that my approach was a more efficient and effective way of giving my children the opportunity of having the best life education that was possible.

Our education system, as with the government, is facing serious headwinds, offering only limited value added to comply with a deeply political agenda. The choice and opportunity for the individual to excel is fast disappearing in favor of a mediocre, dependent, and entitled society with no moral fiber. Low morals, cheating, and violence are becoming a way of school life, and the results show.

In order to truly understand what your children’s education requires, it is critical that the bigger picture is understood. Not only can you make an informed decision as to your choice of education for your children, but you can also have a clear picture of the situation we face. These are critical years. Our livelihood is becoming increasingly precarious in a global economy, with an out-of-control government in a twentieth-century mind-set. We cannot afford to be slack without paying a penalty.

For years we have been preaching work smarter, not harder, without any real change. In many ways we have been able to minimize the impact of our decline in productivity through technological advances, but those advances are now shared across the globe and are no longer exclusive. The key has to be change, to leverage our learning capabilities, and to optimize our intellectual capital.

I expect the public school system and tertiary education to change dramatically due to declining standards, lack of funding, and budget cuts. This will further place downward pressure on our system’s educational capability. Hopefully this book will equip you not only to equal but better any institutional education currently offered. Homeschooling will become a necessity in our time. So far it has an excellent record, outperforming both private and public schools. So you have probability in your favor should you choose this route.

We need to equip our children with better thinking skills, to leverage their learning capacity and brain power so that they can survive and prosper. We need to incorporate many of the skills that have been around for a while but have never been allowed into the controlled environment of our school system. These new skills are a change in mind-set, leveraging our capability, and are best mastered early on. This is the process I have called MEganizing.

MEganize is my life’s work in a book. If you study it, work the principles and processes suggested, it will take your thinking, your life, and the lives of your children to the next level.

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MEganize Overview

I believe in reports of the individual, the writings and words of great thinkers, and how these concur with reliable evidence and personal experience. These are the true reflections of reality.

MEganize is a new approach on how best to educate your child going forward. Based on the precepts that we underestimate their capacity to learn, it looks at introducing critical learning tools at an early age. It is a book for all parents to read, assuming that they want the best for their child’s education for life.

We need to pay attention to our public schools and understand what the fundamental issues are. Our scores on international tests show that we have lost our edge long ago. The system isn’t working, but they continue to test Einstein’s theory of insanity: more of the same. MEganize explains why this is and what we can do about it.

Taking a new approach to school, redefining our mission allows us to explore new ways of educating and new but proven processes to follow. MEganize is all about empowering our children to learn more efficiently and boost their overall intelligence. Although most of these concepts have been around and proven to work for many years, these leveraged skills have never been accepted into the rigid school structure. MEganize looks at defining a best approach with the objective of improving our children’s capability and skill sets.

For those who are intending to homeschool, and it may soon become a necessity for many, MEganize provides a fairly detailed plan from a top-down perspective of what to do and how to do it better. Without getting into the detail of syllabus, the fundamental structure is set out, together with weekly motivational charts, timetable guides, and reporting requirements.

Motivation and leadership style is essential in schooling. MEganize provides a guideline from which you can build the right platform to get the best out of your teaching time.

America is on a downward trend in virtually all aspects. This book will reveal why this is happening and how we can revitalize our heritage and protect our children.

"Metanoia is an ancient Greek term that translates as ‘repentance’ in theology, ‘correction’ rhetorically, and ‘the process of experiencing a psychotic break-down and subsequent positive psychological healing’ in psychology" (Wikipedia.org). We are rapidly approaching this phase in our education system, and government as a whole. We will need to be less dependent on our government, more independent on our own resources and specifically in regard to the future education of our children. This book will help you prepare.

Part 1

ME, an Individual

Everything starts with the individual. Individuals make up a family; some of them will get to lead society on a smaller or larger scale. Eventually individuals will lead our nation. If we get it wrong at the start, we will fail at the finish. So we will start at the beginning.

What makes up the individual? There are four parts to our psyche, which all require to be met in order for us to function properly. These are our spiritual, mental, physical, and social needs. This is the basis for creating a balance within our lives.

Our education should similarly try to meet these needs, not just by default, but by design. Understanding the contributing aspects will evolve throughout this book.

What is important to note is that neglect in any one of these parts will result in a breakdown of functioning.

We need to understand our weaknesses and our preferences as well so that we have insight into what makes us and our children tick. By knowing our options, we have more control to reflect objectively and make the right choices in how to facilitate their education.

A Parable

Luke was born with meconium poisoning. Luckily, it was detected and diagnosed correctly; but he spent the first two weeks of his life in ICU, and the next month on amoxicillin. A rough start to life for anyone. He recovered normally after that, although the toxins left in his body affected the skin on his scalp like a really bad dose of dandruff or psoriasis. After exhaustive doctor’s visits, specialists’ visits and medication, we could not solve the problem. Dr. John Pagano, a natural healing specialist for psoriasis, helped us cure this through diet—within days! He did this without a physical examination too. Quite amazing.

As a toddler, Luke was always very independent, demanding, and otherwise. This translates into a difficult child. Aren’t all kids (boys) a real handful from two to four? Anything goes. Stones are left in the tumble dryer, your watch in the washing machine. Your car keys put who knows where. Anyway, to that add Luke. This of course got him into a lot of trouble as he was always disobedient. By the time he was four, I realized that I was losing him. The more I scolded him, the more aggressive he became. In frustration, I read Better Dads, Stronger Sons. This opened my mind to the possibility that I was the problem. He didn’t want anything from me. So I backed off, read The Kazdin Method on how to manage rebellious children, and saw the light. It helped me to realize that it was my behavior that he was learning and reflecting back on me. My style was all wrong. I then decided that as a leader, father, and friend, I had to earn his love. I had to change. I had got into a negative cycle. This did not mean that he got his way, but it meant that I had to show him that I care. This was not my strong point.

My background was old school. My parents, although very loving and kind, never told me that they loved me. That was not in their heritage either, as they were both orphans in some way. I don’t recall being hugged by them. I never felt unloved, but this Victorian mode was transferred. To this day I find it very hard to say I love you or express my true feelings. My wonderful wife, who says it often, has taught me and changed me a bit. Anyway, I had to conquer this inhibition with my children. I started telling Luke that I loved him, that he was my most precious boy, and that I was proud of his achievements. I made up Noddy stories at night, which he loved, and played a bit with him, though not much as he was still young. But we did play. The change was like night and day. Today I am much wiser, and he often tells me that he loves me. He still gets into trouble and is punished, but the way I do it is different. He has mellowed as well and turned out a really sweet, happy, sensitive boy.

In order to lead, we must first serve. An important lesson for Dads, this is.

There are a number of insights from this story, but an obvious note is that we all have some kinks from our childhood, but as a parent these become irrelevant. We need to work it out and change to meet our child’s needs. We need to conquer self. The ability to adapt and grow is a sign of intelligence.

First and foremost, we must understand our child’s needs.

Chapter 1

Understanding Our Needs

Only when we see the interrelatedness of our needs do we become empowered to fulfill them in a way that creates true inner balance, deep human fulfillment, and joy. Work has meaning, relationships have depth and growth, health becomes a resource to accomplish worthwhile purposes. (S. Covey)

What is life? It is about meeting each other’s needs. We learn so that one day we can add value to society so that we can then qualify for our partner for life, get married and have children and raise them well in relative comfort, and hopefully leave a legacy. That’s the recipe for the cake, no matter how you want to garnish it. Meeting these needs is core to our motivation. There are so many distractions in our age of information overload that it is easy to get lost in arbitrary detail, not pay attention to the main issues, or try to change the recipe. This is where it all goes wrong. It’s time to get back to the basics and refocus.

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Fig. 1. Central Need Factor

This diagram is an adaptation of Clayton Alderfer’s modified Maslow’s need hierarchy. This was combined with certain factors quoted by Dr. D. Huysamen regarding motives listed from H. A. Murray’s book Explorations in Personality as well as an exhibit from Harvard Business Review by Fredrick Herzberg displayed in Organizational Behavior (1987).

In order to get to fundamentals, our needs must be simplified into the lowest common generic terms. These are generative in that all of our needs evolve from these basic drivers, with the central need of recognition at the core.

If we don’t get input or feedback, this need is incomplete.

Recognition

Recognition is a core driver to fulfilling our needs and thus our prime motivator.

As children, all we want is for our parents to watch us, to listen to us, and to appreciate us. Even when we are in our last days, we hope that our parents would be proud of what we have done. This is a deep-seated need in our souls and applies generally to our lives. People want recognition. This can come in many forms; but at home, a simple Thank you, I’m sorry, I love you, and Well done are the foundation words for life.

Recognition is not about awards or slaps on the back. That’s overcompensating and can be insincere. It’s also not about giving the child all that he wants, or walking around behind him as if he is a superstar, taking pics at every opportunity. That’s overindulgence and the worst thing you could do, especially in the first few years! It’s about acknowledgment of each other’s worth, contribution, and acceptance where it counts. This is a subtle thing that most husbands forget. I know I did. We fail to recognize all the work that happens at home while we are out scoring goals. The thing about running a household is that it must all get done in a demanding and chaotic environment. This is why women have grown to have good organizational skills.

Also, we often fail to recognize that we are all different but still try to relate everything through our perspective. People have different needs that they need to have met. Often we look to meeting the needs of our spouse, and even think that we’re doing okay, but use our own frame. Men (S types) especially make this mistake. Then we wonder why it all went wrong. It is important to find out what expectations and needs your wife has of you, and vice versa. I make this point as I believe that this miscommunication is a source of many marital problems—and children thrive in a happy family. It merely requires an objective process by which you honestly share with each other what’s important to you and then get to work. I believe that we will all try to make the right decision as we see the situation. We just need to understand the criteria and process so that we can look at it objectively. Don’t make assumptions or react emotionally.

Similarly, we need to show recognition to our children by looking at them in the same objective way. This does not mean unloving. In fact, it helps to understand their personality and it will help you to grow closer. This simple concept can be life changing. Seek first to understand.

As parents, teachers, and role models (you are all of these), these simple acts need to be expanded in terms of the time and attention you give to your children’s schoolwork. If you try to fob them off, they will quickly try to fob off the work. If you spend time with them, they will strive (and be obliged) to achieve your recognition for good work. This, the fact that you are their main source of wanted attention or recognition, is the distinctive advantage homeschooling has over any school, and should more than compensate if you lack proper education and teaching skills. If your children are at a school, don’t abdicate yourself from facilitating their education for life.

These are our four basic needs that all depend on recognition:

1. Independence (Power of Choice)

When faced with similar circumstances, we all tend to make the same choices. My conviction is that generally children will choose to make the right choice if provided with the right values and structure early on. They just need to understand their options first and which is the right way.

One of the obstacles we face in teaching our children is their inclination for independence and freedom of choice, and their reluctance to take orders. Parents have the pleasure of having to face the rebellion of their two-year-olds as they explore everything whether or not you allow them to. This is the start of their spirit of independence, something that is natural and good. Often as parents, we see our little ones do all sorts of crazy things. We try to protect them from themselves. The problem is that this control feels good, and then this becomes a behavioral habit. This is unnatural and will over time frustrate your children to the point of total rebellion. It is critical that you allow them to experiment and discover. This way they will learn responsibility and risk, and they will ultimately be ready to face the world responsibly and make their own decisions.

This must be foremost in your mind when educating your children. Your goal should be that they take ownership for their learning. This is discussed in part 2 in detail. As their leader, you provide the structure, the vision, and the desired output. They must make it happen. This is one of the fundamental issues to learning. If you talk to them all day, they will switch off. They cannot engage in a passive environment. This is how universities have run for centuries, but it is totally inefficient. Teaching is not about talking all the time. Let them explore within your structured guidelines. As they get older, give them more leeway. Allow them to undertake projects of their own. Just make them define a desired output and make sure it adds value to their mission of life-learning.

As we consider how much freedom of choice we have and pursue the principles and processes behind them, it becomes obvious that we have many options open to us. Part of the MEganizing process is that we think, then do. We need to think along educated lines so that we can make the right choices. Choices should not be reactions. Our behavior with our children is often a negative reaction. By understanding our options, our perspectives will change, and so will our reactions. This is true learning, and it starts with you.

2. Control (Self-Actualization, Mastery)

We all dislike change, especially young children. The reason for this is that it threatens our control or comfort zone in a situation. We, as herd animals, like to be settled and move along according to our plans and expectations. Children love to feel in control and dislike it when they are controlled. However, they like and need structure and leadership. These are different mind-sets. We all learn from our leaders or role models and love them for it. Hopefully, you are worthy of that title.

As parent, teacher, and role model, our behavior needs to be more supportive than directive as they get older. We need to work toward giving our children sufficient skills so that they ultimately feel in control in their lives. This translates into self-mastery, which is a fulfillment of the conquer self maxim. So often we look at those who have achieved high levels of skill in