Patter drill
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Patter drills are a drilling method used in courses in the Church of Scientology which were added to many Church courses in mid-1996, by David Miscavige. These drills have created some controversy, as there is no reference written by Scientology's founder, L. Ron Hubbard which authorizes them.
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[edit] Description of "patter drills"
In order to perform patter drills, students are instructed to read sections of course material to a wall.[1] A student sits facing a wall, and repeats a section of course material until it can be done without reference to the written material. The student's accuracy is then checked by a fellow student or a course supervisor.
[edit] History of patter drills
The installation of the drills began in mid-1995 when David Miscavige announced the findings of an evaluation he made of education in the Church of Scientology: He stated that "the blind are leading the blind." After that announcement, patter drills were put on most courses.[2] [3]
[edit] Controversies regarding patter drills
[edit] Authenticity of patter drills as Scientology doctrine
Various critics allege that patter drills are a post-Hubbard innovation that, by encouraging rote memorization, actually contradicts Hubbard's instructions.
Hubbard defined "practical" in Scientology's Technical Dictionary, saying:
"the drills which permit the student to associate and coordinate theory with the actual items and objects to which the theory applies. Practical is application of what one knows to what one is being taught to understand, handle or control."
[4] Hubbard spelled out specific practical drills in HCO Policy Letter 16 April 1965 Issue II "Drills, Allowed", and that policy letter disallows any other practical drills. "NO other practical drills of any kind will be permitted. ... I did not develop or authorize these drills and have now seen that they teach alter-is of easy processes."[5]
But, if they were theory drills, the drills would then violate HCO Policy Letter 13 May 1972, "Chinese School". Others have contended that the patter drills are done in accordance with TR-101, which is a drill to improve a student auditor's ability to give auditing commands. The preamble paragraph to that drill from page 380 of Dianetics Today states: "The most common errors made by student auditors are forgetting the commands during session and misusing command sequence or procedure or doing odd things because they get nervous. The following drills are designed to handle this. The drills must be thoroughly done."
[edit] Retaliation against critics of patter drills
According to an article in the St. Petersburg Times, at least one Scientologist has been declared a suppressive person for objecting to patter drills as being inconsistent with Hubbard's teachings.[1]
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b Farley, Robert. "SP Profiles", St. Petersburg Times, 2006-06-25, p. 15A. Retrieved on 2006-06-26.
- ^ Patter drills article
- ^ Explanation of the implementation of non-LRH patter drills
- ^ Dianetics and Scientology Technical Dictionary Pubs Organization, Los Angeles, CA ISBN 0-88404-037-2
- ^ "Tech Alterations"
