Kakonomics Theory and Mediocrity in American Education

Problems with teaching are well-established, but often solutions are not applied. The theory of kakonomics may help educators understand why not.

When compared with many other nations U.S. students lag far behind on various measures of academic excellence.John Merrow has created lots of discussion about mediocrity in American education. Much of what he describes seems related to kakonomics, a little known theory coined by Gloria Iriggi that involves mutual, implicit agreement to accept low quality in exchange for low quality. Specific problems of education have been identified long ago, but many schools continue to to settle for mediocrity.

Schools Are not Consistent Regarding How Things Get Done

There are teaching methods and beliefs that are widely accepted across the nation. Teachers overwhelmingly accept the need for classroom management, setting high standards for achievement, assessment of student progress, and communicating with parents. Yet even within these accepted there are inconsistencies in how these practices are defined and implemented.

There are other factors not under the control of teachers that interfere with, for example, classroom management. These might include:

• Class size
• Classroom comfort
• School rules
• Support of the administration
• Student personalities

There are additional problems with consistent management that arise from the differences among teacher management styles in a school. For example:

• Strict vs. flexible
• Rewards or no rewards
• Composed vs. threatening
• Few rules vs. numerous rules

Students have to learn the individual expectations of each teacher. How students and teachers adapt to has much to do with how well students learn and how effectively teachers instruct.

Mediocrity Is Encouraged by Failure to Manage Obvious Problems

When school systems cannot or will not address issues that are clearly known to interfere with education, then apathy and mediocrity may result. Examples of issues that educators and legislators know well include:

• Overcrowded classes
• Dilapidated schools
• Disruptive students
• Poverty
• Lack of support personnel
• Over-worked teachers
• Poorly qualified teachers

The list could be expanded, but the aforementioned make the point. Sadly, some schools are confronted with all of the issues listed above — and more. When barriers are allowed to exist, then morale suffers. In the face of intractable obstacles teachers are unable to offer quality instruction but they do the best they can. Unfortunately, "the best" is compromised, and students reciprocate by delivering learning of lower quality, which teachers accept without complaint. Students and teachers are involved in an unspoken agreement with students based on lowered expectations.

Kakonomics and Low Expectations

There is even a name for the process described above — the kakonomics theory, or the mutual acceptance of a low quality product that satisfies the participants in the exchange because the product is validated as high quality by the accepting party. The producer is satisfied by the positive appraisal even though he realizes it was not his best work. The deal reduces stress for both parties.

Teachers' meetings tend to center around the dispersal of information from inane to imperative. Bad news and good news are on the agenda, but bad news dealing with low student performance can be made acceptable by finding appropriate places to place blame. Everyone feels better and the meeting ends with accepting the issue of student performance as the best possible result. This positive outlook is predicted by the kakonomics theory.

There may be a number of "elephants in the room" which conveniently maintain their invisibility. For example, if one elephant is poor leadership from a lazy, but lax principal no none is likely to speak up and say, "We could raise tests scores if we had a new principal!" To do so would violate the implied agreement to accept lower standards and create stress and uncertainty by objecting to the tacit low quality agreement between the faculty and principal.

Low Expectations for Students Are Real

Kakonomics is not universally accepted as a legitimate theory. Nevertheless, low expectations for students do exist and do have a negative effect on learning. Teacher expectations and their relationship to student achievement have been widely studied, and they indicate how expectations play a major role in student achievement.

The so-called Pygmalion Effect resulted from a landmark study of teacher expectations and student achievement. The fundamental result was that teacher expectations about students could be manipulated by information given to teachers regarding student ability even when the information was incorrect.

Solutions to "low expectation exchanges" will occur when people recognize the implication of kakonomics in education. Mediocrity can be discouraged by knowledge of the process and courage to break the silent rules.

American schools are frequently attacked for offering mediocre education. Statistics are frequently cited showing the nation's students lagging behind when compared with other countries. That problems exist in U.S. schools is clear. Underpaid teachers face overcrowding, low funding, inconsistent policies and procedures, and other factors that can contribute to low morale. The little known theory of kakonomics may add understanding to how teachers and students can implicitly agree to exchange lower teacher expectations for low-quality learning. The theory offers hope by creating an awareness of how mediocrity sneaks in silently.

Sources:

Merrow, John. Below C Level: How American Education Encourages Mediocrity - and What We can Do about it. Seattle. CreateSpac.
"U.S. Schools Pressured by International Comparisons," https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2012/01/12/16overview.h31.html
"The Failure of American Schools," https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2011/06/the-failure-of-american-schools/308497/
"Kakonomics. Or, the Strange Preference for Low-Quality Outcomes," http://gloriaoriggi.blogspot.com/2011/01/kakonomics-or-strange-preference-for.html
"Let's Change the World… On Second Thought, Let's Just Get Some Chips," https://lazybutrighteous.wordpress.com/2011/04/07/lets-change-the-world-on-second-thought-lets-just-get-some-chips/
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