Prelude to Chaos

About the Book

This book characterizes what we already know, have observed, and identified as real problems with our educational system; relates the identified problems to more in-depth causes; delves further into these causes; and proposes fundamentally different and unique solutions to the problems with our schools and our society. The chapter units of this book are highly interrelated. Chapter 1 discusses the theory related to the neurosis caused by unfulfilled needs leading to disruptive students. Chapter 2 explains, in greater detail, how the developed neurosis affects our students, our schools and our society. The resulting accelerating degenerative effects on teachers and administrators; all resulting in our ineffective schools are explained in chapters 3 and 4. A unique solution to our dilemma is presented in chapter 5 while Chapter 7 presents ideas on how to execute the solution. And several factors which may help with the funding of our schools are discussed in Chapter 6.

About the Author

John V. Patrick was born in Galveston Texas, the fifth of six children born to Ollie and Virginia Patrick. He attended a segregated high school and college, receiving a BS degree in chemistry, minor in mathematics, and a commission in the U.S. Army from Prairie View A&M University. His interest in teaching children begin while serving in the army where he gained special recognition for his contribution in producing the company with the highest proficiency score ever for an advanced infantry basic training company. After the army, he taught mathematics and science at a regional New Jersey Junior and Senior high School. After a short stint, the lure of money led him to an extensive career as a research chemist in industry where he rose through senior chemist, technical director, and manager of manufacturing. While working in industry, he developed his skills from graduate courses in management, finance, psychology, experimental design, and analysis of variance. He later became a Rhode Island certified teacher of chemistry where he practiced for twelve years before retiring. His interest in education was jolted when he returned to teaching from industry after a thirty-five-year hiatus and noticed the quality of education had changed and was being hampered by an agglomeration of issues. Using his background in research and development, coupled with his background with young people in the military in the classroom thirty-five years ago in manufacturing and, more recently, again in the classroom—he rapidly developed theories and, more importantly, new rationale about the big dilemma of failing schools—their causes and solutions.