Are schools more like factories, prisons, gardens or fairgrounds?
I was late for an appointment at the weekend, and needing to get to 27th floor quickly, I found myself pressing the lift button again and again, harder and harder. ?My wife, ever-patient, gently put her hand on my arm, tilted her head and raised her eyebrows; not a word was uttered. We both knew that’s not how lifts work, but I had somehow forgotten.
That rather common (and embarrassing) example exposes something interesting and important about the way we think; that we rely on mental models of how things work, especially when we want to change them. ?Here, I was thinking in an analogue way; as if the lift button were like a water tap where the further you turn it, the faster the water flows. ?But the lift button works differently - and the lift didn’t come any faster, no matter what I did to the button. ?I was applying the wrong model.
It turns out that the principle here can have real and damaging, even dangerous consequences. Designer David Norman gives the example of turning the thermostat of an oven to a maximum temperature, to get it to the correct cooking temperature as fast as possible. ?This is the same ?mistake as in the lift example, based on a false model of the way ovens work - and if the person wanders off or forgets, this can cause a fire. ??Similarly, when a driver unaccustomed to anti-lock brakes, skids, he may mistake the vibration for brakes failing and take his foot off the pedal - leading to an accident.
I am wondering if we can apply this thinking to education. ?In our efforts to improve student learning, what are our underlying models of learning, and of schools in general?
One model for learning is that it’s like a staircase - a steady ascent. ??If that’s your model then it can be hard to understand why a once-easy subject has become hard; or why assessment grades can fall. ?But if your model is, for example, the stock market - which rises steadily over the long-term but which can have its ups and downs - then it’s easier to take a more measured view.
Furthermore, the staircase model suggests that there is one single direction of travel. ?In reality, learning has several dimensions (for example knowing something, understanding something, or being able to do something are all quite different) and different student take different paths (progress in the arts looks quite different to that in the sciences, which are again different to languages). ?So the staircase model is limited and we need alternatives to complement it.
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That need for multiple models extends more widely too - in the whole conception of schools. ?This is a well-trodden path in the literature; and I offer a few models in the table below. ?When we are talking about the school buses or canteen, the factory model is probably most helpful - but if we extend it to the classroom then we’ll be shoehorning a diverse student population into a single mould. ?While the race model may work for a sports competition, taken too far it will create a hostile and intimidating environment. ?The garden model supports individuality but misses that there are common standards to which to aspire and adhere. ????
It's a really interesting exercise to look at each line and imagine what it would mean to view school through the lens of that metaphor. These are not abstract matters; and in conversing with students, teachers, parents it often becomes apparent that differences of opinion are less about specific matters than underlying conceptions of schools. ?Should we allow students to listen to music in class? ?How often should we give tests? How should we deal with disciplinary matters? ?Should we enforce uniform rigidly? ?How far should we go in allowing students to experience failure? Should students call teachers by their first names? Can we be flexible with deadlines? ?Should we calculate and publish average grades and rankings? How do we allocate resources to support struggling students? ?The answers to all these and a million other questions depend on which models you choose. ?Of course the deeper question about how do you decide which model to choose? immediately pops up; and that’s a topic for another post - I guess for now one can simply observe that there’s often a tension between a core identity and pragmatic pressure. ?The ability to navigate those deftly is perhaps the best mark of a successful leader.
My takeaway here is the simple observation that it’s good to have a range of models up one’s sleeve, under one’s jumper, in one’s pocket, or even better, in one’s mind. ?And also to have the self-awareness to consider which may be the best one to use. ?It may even prevent some embarrassing moments in lift lobbies.
References
Passionate about cultivating curiosity and critical engagement with the World
2 个月What a good opportunity to reflect on our own values and thinking both whole school and in the classroom. I find myself realizing the model I gravitate to changes depending on what part of the school I am thinking about, or what stage of learning a student might be in
A Level Biology and IGCSE Science Teacher
2 个月I'd add in the ecosystem (class) model and the diversity of organisms (students and teacher) in addition to the physical environment (class layout, resources and environment). Ecosystems that are diverse often tend to be highly successful as each individual occupies a unique niche which ultimately conjures up a sentiment of interdependency in the real and figurative sense. This analogy/model can easily be extended to the classroom environment and lots of insights can be drawn if you really think about it!
IBDP Coordinator; Acting Assistant Principal; Language and Literature, Literature and TOK Teacher; IBEN Educator
2 个月This is another reminder that the map is most certainly not the territory, and that when we construct and impose rigid models, we run the risk of losing sight of the at times unpredictable, always original, and breathtakingly vibrant young people who entrust us with their growth and learning every day.
Passionate about education
2 个月You know that the lift close door button doesn't actually work. You press it and despite the illusion of choice and control the system works to its own plan. Hmm sounds like a metaphor. ??
Multi-Classroom Leader Preschool/ Early Years Teacher na Australian International School, Singapore
2 个月Another very thought provoking article. Thanks for sharing. From an early years perspective I believe that schools should be like homes in the sense of ensuring that our young learners are not only taught but also deeply cared for. In their foundation years, it’s so important for children to experience a sense of belonging and emotional security, which allows them to explore, grow, and develop in an environment that truly feels like an extension of home. It’s our commitment as educators to create nurturing spaces that prioritize relationships and the overall well-being of each child under our care.