Learning in school is not rocket science. Any child born with normal mental ability, as the very, very most are, can gain the highest marks in a class and top grades in any examination if, and only if, they keep up with the steady build up of rules upon which the information of school works.

The book you are about to read was constructed through 40 years of understanding the real purpose of school and a realization of why it must change. This Introduction will give ‘the essence’ of all you are about to read in greater detail. This greater detail is important, so please continue reading throughout the book, because it is only by understanding the details that we can know how to correct these and overcome the consequences they make.

The general topic here appears to be why children fail to gain the highest marks in their class. However, beyond this, we must consider why school does not teach its students how to think and how to reason, because it is only by their education in these that our children will have the better means to survive in the A.I. world they must move into. This is to be a world that may have far more dangers than most realise. To continue with our Introduction, then, would be to say that …..

School learning is gained through a never ending series of rules. Rules to define when to sit and when to move, to teach the child how to keep order in the class so they behave and concentrate in their lessons. Rules in mathematics to know how to transpose numbers about. Rules in grammar to know how to spell words, create sentences and to know how to construct a story so the child can compose an answer efficiently. Rules to create memory networks to recall facts to be learnt. If the child/student pays attention and learns and practices each rule they are presented with, they understand how to think when negotiating through a learning task and feel confident to apply their learning to other areas and develop critical thinking through their confidence and curiosity.

When they miss a rule, which the very, very most do, because they were distracted by some concern or more attracted to another thought or simply bored, they do not know how to move correctly through a learning task. Fearful of being laughed at for asking the teacher for help or unable to gain a satisfactory understanding from the teacher if they did ask, they guess how to proceed. Invariably, they will guess wrongly and move into a series of errors not understanding why they are wrong. The lesser mark they gain from the teacher for their effort disillusions them and they lose confidence to believe they can master the subject, which leads to disinterest then lack of effort in it.