Author Description

Much of society is dysfunctional. It no longer works. Every special interest group uses bullying tactics to make others submit to their agenda. It leaves many people with no voice. To have an effective society, we need effective organizations. To have equality for all, we need to hear everyone's voice, and not just those who scream the loudest, or have the most money, or control the information flow. No one should be allowed to speak over others, hog the floor, or not allow all sides to be heard. Democracy is for everyone, including children. Children should be taught the fundamental rules of order in the democratic process. This guide is designed specifically to teach children from Kindergarten through 5th Grade how to conduct orderly meetings where everyone gets a chance to speak. It's designed so that even the youngest child can participate in the process. Established rules of order are useful anywhere people make decisions, including within the family structure. Even professional educators and businesspeople find it difficult to hold meetings without a set of guidelines that everyone abides by. Brigadier General Robert, the mastermind behind Robert's Rules of Order, got the inspiration to write down "the rules" for conducting orderly meetings, after sitting through a 14-hour meeting. He realized the lack of order made it difficult to accomplish tasks quickly. It led to chaos and fighting over things not related to the task at hand. His book, first published in 1876, is still so popular today that it has been revised repeatedly and is now in its 11th edition. Over the years, It has been modernized to reflect societal trends, such as, how to properly send meeting minutes electronically (by email). Robert's Rules of Order is as relevant today as it was when it was first written. Some schools have attempted to develop a curriculum designed to transform students into fully participating members of the democratic process, but most are missing the key element that ties