Reviewed by Robert Rose for Readers' Favorite

Dr. M.R. Ussery’s book PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE ARCHAIC is book that would be excellent for a series of school in-services and parent meetings. It is a small book with a big message. From page one to twenty he analyzes what isn’t working in schools and offers healthy and practical solutions based on Robert F. Mager’s theories, books, and instructional materials. Designing and developing programs based on Mastery Learning or outcome-based learning would help any teacher become more effective.

The focus on self-paced learning, individualized instruction, individualized instruction modules, the conflict between time as a constant and learning as a variable, teaching theory and classroom reality, and then encouraging instructional systems approach are useful thoughts. This book would be a good beginning, but he doesn’t build on these ideas and each will have to be studied elsewhere.

Further, I part company with Dr.Ussery with how he would implement these changes. I have observed as one great idea after another is brought into the educational monolith and gradually changed or destroyed completely because it did not fit the control and regurgitate model that has been education since man told his dumber brother how to do things and what was important. Dr.Ussery talks about individualized instruction, but needs to see that it can be and is being done successfully by some teachers and schools now. The magazine, EDUTOPIA has examples each month.

After speaking with the good doctor I understand better that he is not trying to push these concepts on all teachers, but is encouraging charter schools or some type of special school in a public school system that is willing to learn about and use Dr.Robert F. Mager’s theories and materials.