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2004

APRIL 2003

We are living in tumultuous and historic times. With the outbreak of war, Education Update decided to look at military education, offered in military run schools both on the high school and college level or subcontracted by the military in regular schools.

Let’s Boost Achievement Levels in Schools!
by Thomas K. Connellan

Here’s a startling finding from various studies and reports about education: students in military-run schools regularly outperform their private school and public school peers. Their students score almost 60 percent higher than the national average in reading. Military schools boast an astonishing 97 percent high school graduation rate.

Yet a higher percentage of their students are black and Hispanic, half live at the poverty line, and they have a 35 percent annual mobility rate. Additionally, their parents have less education and higher rates of alcoholism and domestic abuse than private school kids. This seems to fly in the face of everything that’s commonly thought to lead to student success. How do you explain it? Consider this three-part explanation.

Accountability

Children who grow up with permissive, overindulgent parents lack accountability. A military culture, however, is culture of accountability. Everyone is taught to face mistakes without fearing blame or repercussions, and to view missteps as learning opportunities. As a result, behaviors and bad habits such as passing the buck are unlearned or never learned at all. Accountability is one of three environmental factors I’ve identified that all successful organizations have in common. The other two are high expectations and feedback.


High Expectations

High expectations also run through the military. A strong sense of confidence prevails. It’s that “can do!” mindset that can overcome the fear, uncertainty, or doubt present in so many situations.

When a leader—in business, education, parenting, coaching, or military—creates a belief in someone that they can succeed, they usually

do. Henry Ford said, “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re probably right.” That statement should be posted on the wall in every school in the country.


Feedback

Feedback? You can’t learn without feedback. If you get feedback once a year, you can only learn once a year. Get feedback once a month and you can learn once a month. Get it once a week and you can learn once a week. The more frequently you get feedback, the more rapidly you can learn.

The military thrives on feedback. I remember feedback from commanding officers that was quite explicit. You probably do, too. Children likewise need feedback. Different style. Different content. More supportive in nature. But feedback all the same.

How do you boost feedback levels with a student (or anyone else)? Well, who’s always with a student? The student. 24/7. If someone knows what he or she is accountable for, they can give themselves their own feedback. Every day, all the time. Then their learning takes a quantum leap. Feedback from others still plays a role, but self-feedback accelerates learning.


Three Messages

DOD-run schools, not surprisingly, have all three factors working in their favor—accountability, high expectations, and feedback. Moreover, these factors create a close working relationship between parents and schools—much closer than exists in many public or private schools. Everyone is singing from the same sheet of music.

Want to boost achievement levels in schools? Three messages for educators and parents regarding the kids: hold them accountable, believe in them, and provide supportive feedback.#

 

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All material is copyrighted and may not be printed without express consent of the publisher. © 2004.