About The book

About The book

The Great Illusion

Why Education Is Not Working

The Great Illusion: Why Education Isn’t Working pulls back the curtain on a broken system many accept as normal. It challenges everything we think we know about education and reveals why schools struggle to prepare students for today’s fast-changing world. This book is a wake-up call for anyone who cares about the future of learning.

Read More

But it’s not just criticism, it’s a bold blueprint for transformation. Through fresh ideas and forward-thinking solutions, it reimagines education as a dynamic, relevant experience that truly empowers students. This book inspires educators, parents, and innovators to break free from outdated models and build a system that fits the demands of the 21st century.

Buy Now

The Great Illusion

Why Education Is Not Working

The Great Illusion: Why Education Isn’t Working challenges everything we think we know about schooling. It reveals how outdated systems have left students unprepared for today’s fast-paced world, exposing the cracks beneath the surface of public education. This book invites readers to see education not as a broken machine but as an opportunity for bold reinvention.

More than just a critique, it offers a visionary roadmap for creating a fresh, dynamic system tailored to the 21st century. Packed with innovative ideas and practical solutions, it inspires educators, parents, and policymakers to rethink learning, transforming it into an empowering journey that truly prepares students for the future.

Some issues seem to defy practical solutions. These issues include:

1. Lack of a unified system. Each school largely operates within its own district. The U.S. Department of Education literally has no say in curriculum materials, methodology, or hiring.

Buy Now

Chapters Inside The
book

Chapter 05
Chapter 01
The School Year and School Day Calendars

Why do our children have a 180-day school year? Why is each academic year separated by a long summer break that researchers now worry leads to a learning loss? Now that we have air conditioning, history tells us there isn’t a good reason atall for this schedule. The 180-day calendar year evolved when America was an agrarian society. The idea was that a long summer would allow schoolchildren to help with the family farm during the harvesting season. Since then, there has been little desire to change the system. Why the resistance to change? Perhaps it’s because teachers would want more pay for more work, politicians are reluctant to keep increasing funding to pay for more schooling, and students and parents are not calling for more education.

Want To Read More? Buy Book
Chapter 02
Chapter 02
The School Year and School Day Calendars

Why do our children have a 180-day school year? Why is each academic year separated by a long summer break that researchers now worry leads to a learning loss? Now that we have air conditioning, history tells us there isn’t a good reason atall for this schedule. The 180-day calendar year evolved when America was an agrarian society. The idea was that a long summer would allow schoolchildren to help with the family farm during the harvesting season. Since then, there has been little desire to change the system. Why the resistance to change? Perhaps it’s because teachers would want more pay for more work, politicians are reluctant to keep increasing funding to pay for more schooling, and students and parents are not calling for more education.

Want To Read More? Buy Book
Chapter 03
Chapter 03
The School Year and School Day Calendars

Why do our children have a 180-day school year? Why is each academic year separated by a long summer break that researchers now worry leads to a learning loss? Now that we have air conditioning, history tells us there isn’t a good reason atall for this schedule. The 180-day calendar year evolved when America was an agrarian society. The idea was that a long summer would allow schoolchildren to help with the family farm during the harvesting season. Since then, there has been little desire to change the system. Why the resistance to change? Perhaps it’s because teachers would want more pay for more work, politicians are reluctant to keep increasing funding to pay for more schooling, and students and parents are not calling for more education.

Want To Read More? Buy Book
Chapter 04
Chapter 04
The School Year and School Day Calendars

Why do our children have a 180-day school year? Why is each academic year separated by a long summer break that researchers now worry leads to a learning loss? Now that we have air conditioning, history tells us there isn’t a good reason atall for this schedule. The 180-day calendar year evolved when America was an agrarian society. The idea was that a long summer would allow schoolchildren to help with the family farm during the harvesting season. Since then, there has been little desire to change the system. Why the resistance to change? Perhaps it’s because teachers would want more pay for more work, politicians are reluctant to keep increasing funding to pay for more schooling, and students and parents are not calling for more education.

Want To Read More? Buy Book
Chapter 05
Chapter 05
The School Year and School Day Calendars

Why do our children have a 180-day school year? Why is each academic year separated by a long summer break that researchers now worry leads to a learning loss? Now that we have air conditioning, history tells us there isn’t a good reason atall for this schedule. The 180-day calendar year evolved when America was an agrarian society. The idea was that a long summer would allow schoolchildren to help with the family farm during the harvesting season. Since then, there has been little desire to change the system. Why the resistance to change? Perhaps it’s because teachers would want more pay for more work, politicians are reluctant to keep increasing funding to pay for more schooling, and students and parents are not calling for more education.

Want To Read More? Buy Book
Chapter 05
Chapter 01
How Did We Get Here?
This chapter traces the roots of public education in America, highlighting its initial focus on basic literacy and religious teaching. It explores how industrialization created a push for compulsory education and addresses early criticisms and limited access.
Chapter 02
Chapter 02
Historical Timeline of American Education

The chapter outlines key developments in American public education from the 1500s to today. It covers significant legislation, evolving curricula, and the gradual expansion of educational access, setting the stage for current educational challenges and debates
Chapter 03
Chapter 03
Government Interference and Overreach

This chapter examines how layers of federal, state, and local bureaucracy hamper effective education. It argues that centralized decision-making and political agendas overshadow genuine learning, while massive administrative costs burden the system without improving outcomes.
Chapter 04
Chapter 04
Standardized Testing and Core Curriculum

It critiques standardized testing as an inadequate measure of educational quality. The author highlights how an overemphasis on testing stifles creativity, favors rote memorization, and fails to address individual learning differences, leading to overall educational stagnation.
Chapter 05
Chapter 05
The School Year and School Day Calendars

This chapter questions the 180-day calendar’s agricultural roots and examines why modern schooling hasn’t adapted. It explores alternative schedules like year-round schooling to combat summer learning loss, advocating for modern, student-focused models that encourage consistency and retention.

Chapters Inside The book

Chapter 01
Chapter 01
How Did We Get Here?

This chapter traces the roots of public education in America, highlighting its initial focus on basic literacy and religious teaching. It explores how industrialization created a push for compulsory education and addresses early criticisms and limited access.
Chapter 02
Chapter 02
Historical Timeline of American Education

The chapter outlines key developments in American public education from the 1500s to today. It covers significant legislation, evolving curricula, and the gradual expansion of educational access, setting the stage for current educational challenges and debates
Chapter 03
Chapter 03
Government Interference and Overreach

This chapter examines how layers of federal, state, and local bureaucracy hamper effective education. It argues that centralized decision-making and political agendas overshadow genuine learning, while massive administrative costs burden the system without improving outcomes.
Chapter 04
Chapter 04
Standardized Testing and Core Curriculum

It critiques standardized testing as an inadequate measure of educational quality. The author highlights how an overemphasis on testing stifles creativity, favors rote memorization, and fails to address individual learning differences, leading to overall educational stagnation.
Chapter 05
Chapter 05
The School Year and School Day Calendars

This chapter questions the 180-day calendar’s agricultural roots and examines why modern schooling hasn’t adapted. It explores alternative schedules like year-round schooling to combat summer learning loss, advocating for modern, student-focused models that encourage consistency and retention.

Dr. James Rodkey is an experienced educator and musician dedicated to transforming education through innovative teaching and lifelong learning.

Facebook-f X-twitter Instagram

QUICK LINKS

CONTACT INFO

© Copyrights 2025 All Rights Reserved BY James Rodkey