Dear Diane Ravitch

March 2, 2013

I have been following you on Twitter and reading your blog. Excellent, high quality research and writing. Thank you.

The current effort to reform public education is being criticized by you for the use of standardized testing, privatization of education and politicians making decisions about pedagogy.

The solution is not to develop better tests, but to tear down the No Child Left Behind Law high-stakes standardized testing regime, and use authentic assessments that are organic to the process of real teaching and learning. I believe System Dynamics is the process that meets this requirement. I believe System Dynamics is an inquiry based learning and teaching environment that is also a process for assessing both teachers and students.

I first studied System Dynamics one summer with teachers at a workshop lead by Diana Fisher and her colleagues at Wilson High School in Portland, Oregon. In 1997, I joined the effort to teach teachers and infect the public school system with our processes. That was when I had to really learn System Dynamics in order to teach teachers how to present dynamic modeling to their students. Since then I have spent many hours studying the pedagogy of System Dynamics.

As you have said, the attempt by politicians to quantify learning and teaching in a standardized manner is extremely expensive; takes up weeks and months of time in school; narrows the curriculum; undermines the intrinsic joy of learning; leads to a culture of corruption and cheating; and supports the privatization of public education. As a measure of student learning, standardized tests are a limited instrument. As a measure of teacher effectiveness, they are flawed.

Today, students are tested on what they know from the past and the skills for how to use what they know. System Dynamics enables us to understand why systems work they way they do and develop foresight about the future. I wrote a blog post titled “Why System Dynamics?” that describes a way of reasoning about why System Dynamics is important to public education (see hyperlink below). This article was published in the Creative Learning Exchange newsletter, Winter 2013 ( http://clexchange.org/ftp/newsletter/CLEx22.1.pdf ) pages 2 and 12.

We need a way to think, learn and communicate about the future. The current public school system does not meet that need when using standardized testing. System Dynamics has a pedagogy and testing regime that meets the needs of teaching and learning as a way to think, learn and communicate about the present and future of systems. Replacing standardized testing by developing an assessment of teaching and learning for teachers and students using System Dynamics would be a key step in the right direction.

From an economic, efficiency, ethical, logical and pedagogy perspective, System Dynamics makes common sense as an improvement to public education. However, the current education reform process does not support using System Dynamics.

What is it going to take to get System Dynamics in K12 Education?

Teachers are beginning to resist giving students standardized tests. States are opting out of the NCLB law. Charter schools are failing.

You are making visible the profit motivated, union busting, misinformation campaign by corporations. There might be an opportunity ahead for System Dynamics to step in and support public education by replacing the standardized test with inquiry based assessments of teachers and students using System Dynamics.

blog: Why System Dynamics?

Dear President Obama

An example of a double bind:
A teacher invites a student for a cup of tea. The student sits down in a chair front of a cup of tea on a table. The teacher says, “I will hit you with this stick if you reach for the cup and I will hit you with the stick if you do not reach for the cup. What are you going to do?”

The first step in resolving this dilemma is to become aware of the pattern. We need to step back from the detail of the issues and the specific words.

Republicans, Tea Party members and conservatives, verbally and by voting, hit you with their stick every chance they get. Whether the topic is guns, taxes, spending, jobs or climate change, they are ready to say you are wrong, no matter what you say or do. When you state your messages to the people, they criticize you as if you were not communicating with Congress. When you respond to any criticism by giving more details, using logic or ethical reasoning, by their words and actions Republicans say indirectly or imply that you and the Democratic Party members are lying.

This binding of progressive ideas, so that as a country we can not move forward and resolve the many issues before us, leaves us in a perpetual crisis. This is very stressful for everyone. We can not leave and we can not physically fight. Over time, not being able to deal with our natural “fight or flight” response to stress causes anxiety attacks. The country is experiencing anxiety attacks. As the pressure continues to build, as our anxiety gets worse over time, we might have panic attacks. 

The debt ceiling crisis, the fiscal cliff crisis and now the sequester crisis are all examples of Republicans binding the progressive agenda and causing anxiety attacks for the country and each of us as citizens. The stress is building and the anxiety attacks are coming more frequently. The future might lead to panic attacks.

How to Resolve the Double Bind?

The key to getting out of the double bind dilemma is to take the stick away from the teacher. Using this metaphor and applying this pattern to the Republicans requires insight into the dynamics of the power struggle. What Democrats need to do is alter the pattern. Do something unexpected - stop negotiating with the Republicans and use your executive powers to continue to take action on climate change in a more dramatic way than you have been doing.

What are the assumptions that the Republicans are making to support their words and actions? What are the assumptions that the student is making that keeps him at the table?  We need to peel back the layers of the dilemma by continuing to ask questions about the hidden assumptions, threats and sources of fear in order to alter the pattern.

I can not give you the answers to these questions. You and other Democrats will have to use your insight and figure out what the stick represents in the real world and how to take the stick away from the Republicans. There might be a different stick for each major issue. There might be one giant stick that they use in different ways.

One way to take the stick away from them, that you have already used, is to have VP Binden carry your message to the Senate and have them pass legislation even though the House might not pass it. Keeping your team together and “on message” is difficult but helps in the long run. But these are things you already know about and do.

Validate what you are going to do by creating a double reward situation. No matter what the Republicans and conservatives say or do, Democrats and progressives take a stand on moral principles that is right. Supporting the Voting Rights Act is an example.

What key thing can you and other Democrats do to take the stick away from the Republicans? Who would the Republicans least expect to rise up and disagree with them? Who has not voiced their support for your agenda and, surprisingly, has the power to counter the suppression techniques used by the Republicans?

Republicans use all of the “Five Master Suppression Techniques”:

• Making Invisible
• Ridicule
• Withholding Information
• Double Bind
• Shame and Guilt

By ignoring your positive messages, your facts, your details and denying you have any power, Republicans are attempting to make you and the progressive agenda invisible to the public. Your public messages, speaking directly to the people and using social media, are all examples of how to deal with this attempt to make you invisible. Keep taking up the media space, keep yourself involved. Keep making yourself visible to the people.

By their body language and implications, by name calling and descriptions, Republicans continue to ridicule Democratic politicians, their progressive agenda and you. The counter message is to question what they said and ask them if they really meant what they said. You can validate your questions by making sure that you are asking them to behave in a respectful manner. No drama Obama!

The Republicans withhold information, deny facts, ignore cause and effect, and manipulate information to support their agenda. The way to counter this suppression technique is to put all the cards on the table. Keep informing politicians and the people of the details of your plans. Transparency about guns, climate change, taxes, spending, and many other issues counters their mis-information campaign. This is one of the strongest weapons Republicans and conservatives use that creates confusion and delay.

The Double Bind was discussed in detail above.

Shame and guilt are feelings we all have at one time or another. Some of us are more sensitive to feelings of shame and guilt. Republican words and actions are designed to cause people to feel shame and guilt for not agreeing with them, by blaming you for something that you did not cause. For example, by not reducing taxes on the “job creators” you are denying people jobs and unemployment will not go down. You are suppose to feel shame and guilt about this and every other major issue on their agenda. Republicans blame you for unemployment, the debt and the deficit and other issues even though these are not your fault.

This is the most difficult suppression technique to counter. Blame and shame can be described as the total sum of all the preceding suppression techniques.  Shame and guilt are thrown at us externally while the feelings are experienced internally.

The first step is to be aware of these feelings people have, that they are being applied by someone else and it is not our fault. You need to state this in public to the people. You need to state that you are breaking the pattern of the past and we are not going back to the way things were.

Second, you need to be clear about your expectation of positive and healthy relationships based on respect. Keep repeating this message.

Third, you need to set reasonable standards and boundaries. These might be physical boundaries or abstract boundaries. Standards of behavior and standards of honesty.  For example, you might have an issue where you take action on your own, as President, and use your executive powers to direct government actions. The Republicans would then have to cross a clear boundary of separation of powers and everyone would be able to see this.

You are fighting a battle for all of us that has been repeated for hundreds of years. The rich and powerful want to suppress any opposition that would change things for the better for everyone else. The rich and powerful conservatives in America have been using these techniques with more force, as minorities have become the majority, and the white male voters are now a minority.  I am a white male voter, but I am a liberal with beliefs aligned with a progressive agenda that will benefit everyone.

Take Care
Sincerely,

Richard Turnock

Summary of Five Master Suppression Techniques

Domination Technique	Counter strategy	Validation Technique
Invisible	Taking up space	Visible
Ridiculing	Questioning	Respecting
Withholding	Cards on Table	Informing
Double Bind	Alter The Pattern	Double Reward
Guilt & shame	Manage Self-Talk	Setting Reasonable Standards

A New Mental Model of Teaching and Learning

This is my attempt to avoid criticizing the many hours of useful work on an assessment methodology that I agree is needed.  For several years, I taught elementary and high school teachers how to integrate systems thinking and dynamic modeling into their curriculum. We were using the infection model to get teachers to adopt systems tools and skills however this approach has not succeeded.  By infection model, I mean our mental model of how to integrate systems concepts into the education system.

Parker J. Palmer described the decades-long situation in teaching and learning: "Our dominant mental models of teaching and learning are individualistic and competitive…they are derived from models [based on objectivism] of reality and of knowing".  In this environment, "teaching and learning will mean delivering data to students" regurgitating it on tests to compete for scarce grades(1).

At a K12 conference(2), Peter Senge asked 150 educators, "In the absence of a major crisis, how many of you would expect to see a major change in the structure of the education system?" A few people raised their hands. Then he asked, "Given a real crisis in the operation of the education system, how many people think major changes would be implemented?" This time a few more people raised their hands. However, this was not the response Senge expected. In a business setting everyone raises their hand in response to the second question. Finally, an educator in the audience said, "The educational system will not change, even in the face of a major crisis!" and everyone laughed.  Now Senge understood what educators think about educational reform imposed by legislators and the impact of technology on the education system. This view of making changes to the educational system is also supported by J. R. Llanes using a system dynamics model(3).

Experiments in using technology in the classroom deal primarily with the techniques of teaching and learning without considering the mental models teachers have of teaching and learning. Our current mental model of knowledge is of a solitary individual, a knower, who uses their senses and intellect to gather data and interpret objects of knowledge. To understand a new model of teaching and learning, we need to reconsider our theory of how we know things.

By representing knowing as a system of interaction using feedback, we can test a new mental model as a foundation for a better way of teaching and learning.  What is going to hinder our effort to get people to learn a new mental model?  Well, what hinders learning?

• Cause and effect separated in time and space
• Misperception of feedback
• Poor interpersonal and organizational inquiry skills
• Insufficient time for reflection.

Implementing a new mental model for integrating teaching and learning theory with technology requires teaching teachers how to create a system of interaction using feedback.  However the current higher education system does not teach this skill to teachers and K12 schools do not assess students or teachers to find out if they understand systems concepts.

How can we define the problem so that we can see the educational system from an endogenous point of view as defined by George Richardson?  How can we change the educational system so that a new mental model of teaching and learning is implemented?

¹ Palmer, Parker J. “To Know As We Are Known, Education as a Spiritual Journey,” HarperCollins Paperback, 1993.  Preface, page xvi.
² Anecdote from Ed Gallaher.
³ Llanes, J. R. (January-April 1996). Researching Quality: The Continuous Improvement Process (CIP). International Journal: Continuous Improvement Monitor, 1:1. Edinburg, TX, The University of Texas-Pan American, Center for Applied Research in Education.

The Second Amendment

The faith community has clear convictions. The war in Vietnam was morally wrong. The war in Iraq was morally wrong. Christian judgments of war run a narrow spectrum -- from the peacemaking ethic of Jesus that rejects war, to the just war theology of Augustine and Aquinas. But even in the just war tradition, conflicts have to pass a number of moral tests and be the option of "last resort." The burden of proof is always on those who support violence to justify the taking of life.

The Second Amendment to the US Constitution has been interpreted to allow 1,280 people to die from gun violence since the Newtown, Connecticut in December 2012. The burden of proof is on those who support the Second Amendment to justify this taking of life on a daily basis. None of the 1,280 deaths pass a number of moral judgements in the Christian tradition. Owning guns should be the option of "last resort" for Christians.

Mind-Body System

Mindfulness

The ancient purpose of yoga was to prepare the body for meditation. Yoga conditioned the body to relax so that the mind did not trigger adrenaline. Yoga conditioned the mind to not trigger adrenaline when using muscles.

After practicing yoga, the ancient purpose of meditation was to practice techniques to (1) condition the mind to not trigger adrenaline caused by thoughts and (2) condition the body to relax so that the mind did not trigger adrenaline caused by physical sensations.

Meditation techniques include focusing on each breath, focusing on patterned breathing, counting breaths, speaking or thinking a mantra or chant and other mental concentration methods. Meditation can be done while sitting, walking, swimming, driving or doing many activities. Meditation is the practice of conditioning the mind to stay calm and not trigger adrenaline.

The mind-body system uses feedback loops. If we sense danger then our mind triggers adrenaline so we can run, or stay and fight (the fight or flight syndrome). This is a reinforcing feedback loop in the sense that continued stress over time continues to trigger adrenaline. However in our modern society, we can neither run nor fight when we encounter stressful situations at work or in relationships. Our mind triggers the adrenaline and our muscles respond. Our heart rate increases, our blood pressure goes up, our stomach stops processing, our immune system is suppressed and we have other body chemistry changes. But we can not run or fight.

When this happens over time, the balancing feedback loops in our brain begin to loose their reservoir of neurotransmitters to calm the mind and stop the adrenaline. We start having physical symptoms that appear to be a medical condition but really our mind is triggering adrenaline and stimulating our muscles.

When the mind-body system has a balancing feedback loop that is not working properly then we start having physical symptoms that our mind misunderstands and that triggers more adrenaline. This causes more physical symptoms and triggers more adrenaline. This downward spiral leads to what we call anxiety attacks and panic attacks. We experience moods that swing above and below what is therapeutic. Our behavior changes and we get angry more easily, we feel exhausted and another downward spiral starts to take place that can lead to depression.

Being aware of how our mind-body system uses feedback is the first step in transforming our dilemma. The second step is to take action to practice calming the mind and body. Yoga and mediation are two methods, and there are several techniques within each method, to condition the mind and body to not trigger adrenaline.

Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) is a combination of yoga and meditation to calm the mind-body system. This method has been shown to reduce the sensation of pain in cancer patients, and improve physical and emotional well-being (1).

Serotonin and SSRIs

The neurotransmitter in the brain that is the key part of the balancing feedback loop is serotonin. About one millionth of the neurotransmitters in the brain are serotonin. This neurotransmitter supports a multi-billion dollar drug industry producing Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) commonly called antidepressants. The drug based therapy (for anxiety, panic attacks and depression) is to prescribe an SSRI drug. Over time, the SSRI drug increases the reservoir of serotonin in the brain by blocking the receptors that take serotonin out of circulation.

Serotonin is the key part of the feedback loop between the mind and the body because this is how information is passed between the brain and the spinal cord in the central nervous system. As stress over time causes the level of serotonin to fall below a threshold, the mind misunderstands the information about sensations coming through the spinal cord from the body. The brain triggers adrenaline and the body experiences sensations from the rush of adrenaline. The information, about these additional sensations, is misunderstood by the mind and the brain triggers more adrenaline. The balancing feedback loop has stopped working when serotonin falls below a threshold and the reinforcing feedback loop takes over causing a downward spiral in behavior and mental stability.

SSRI drugs increase the reservoir of serotonin in the brain so that the mind begins to understand the information from the body and not react with more adrenaline. However, without conditioning the mind and body to stay calm, the old habits will return when the patient stops taking the SSRI drug. This can cause a meta-cycle of taking an SSRI and then not taking the drug only to experience symptoms of depression and anxiety again, and returning to taking the SSRI. This causes problems because these are psychotropic drugs that have side effects when ramping up or getting off the drugs.

1. For more information on Mindfulness, go to Wikipedia ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mindfulness-based_stress_reduction ) and the Center for Mindfulness ( http://www.umassmed.edu/cfm/index.aspx ).

Climate Change Double Bind

The Republicans are expert verbal communicators. If Democratic politicians propose economic, environmental or energy policies related to climate change then the Republicans say the policies will have disastrous impacts on our economic competitiveness. If Democratic politicians believe our government can not impact climate change and that China and India will not harm their economies then the consequences of climate change will have a disastrous impact on our economy.

Republicans verbally create double bind arguments to make the Democratic politicians appear to be wrong no matter what they say or do. The way to deal with this behavior is to first become aware of when they are constructing a double bind argument and make the construct visible to them and the general public. State that the Republicans are saying that no matter what government does, government is wrong. That no matter what the Democratic politicians do, they are wrong.

Do not argue with them. Do not debate with them over details. Do not negotiate with them. Do not get mad at them. Do get angry. Do not threaten them.

Second, to make positive statements like Senator John Kerry did in his confirmation hearings when he said: “You want to do business and do it well in America, we gotta get into the energy race. … I’ll be a passionate advocate, but not based on ideology, based on fact, based on science. This $6 trillion market is worth millions of American jobs and we better go get it.” (www.politico.com)

Third, promote transformation of the dilemma to go beyond right and wrong to include other options, possibilities and opportunities. The assumptions behind the Republican dialogue are two fold. First, they assume they have the authority to decide what is right and wrong for the country. Second, they assume that loyalty to America is how to decide what is right and wrong, and any deal on climate change or global energy policy is being disloyal to America.

You have to take the verbal stick away from the Republicans. They are verbally hitting Democrats who are always wrong no matter what they say or do.  The way to deal with them is the three step process described above. Tell the public about the dilemma, make positive statements and transform the dilemma into actions with options, possibilities and opportunities.

Climate Change as Double Bind

A double bind is when you are wrong no matter what you do. As a learned behavior, the double bind is a common problem in families and politics.

If America shuts down the fossil fuel industry then the US economy is threatened with collapse.
If America does not shut down the fossil fuel industry then the consequences of Climate Change will cause the US economy to collapse.