Inquiry Inventory - 07/13/22
Here at The Human School, a big part of what brought us together is a deep love of reading and learning. We commit, as part of our learning journey, to sharing our week’s reading with you and what influences our thinking and learning.
Each week, you will see a post with what we’re reading, a quote, and an insight from that reading that leads us to deeper thinking.
To learn more about what we are reading, please take a look at our Connection Catalog.
Coconut Thinking Podcast - Instruction is Overvalued - featuring Gary Stager with host Benjamin Freud
"I think that we’ve oversold the value of instruction. And a lot of people want to say…you mean good instruction vs bad instruction? No, no…actual instruction. We overvalue the idea that people learn by being taught."
Gary is one of those educators that has the ability to put into words what a lot of us feel. He’s one of my favorite objectors because of his ability to create the conditions for us to think deeply about a vision for learning.
“Schools have an obligation to introduce children to things they don’t yet know they love.”
Gary shares his insights on his blog, his books and on social media.
—Randy
How to Design a Learning Commons
Randy Fielding
“In recent years, a learner-centered model of education has become increasingly popular. As a result, we at Fielding International see an emerging trend in the vision statements of many schools: there is an emphasis on multiple pathways toward excellence and achievement for all students. These statements often go on to call out specific student characteristics and skills such as holistic well-being, critical thinking, creative problem solving, technological and media literacy, communication, and collaboration. At the same time, most educators have begun to acknowledge that the physical learning environment is a key factor in supporting their educational vision – the environment can catalyze, or hinder, desired competencies.”
I remember growing up my parents, both with artist backgrounds, reiterated regularly that “form follows function.” While a simple and seemingly art-only context, I find that it applies more and more. I see it everywhere - in classroom design, lesson design, school design, in parenting, my work, etc. It all comes down to design - function first, form second. When it comes to space, I often wonder the function of classrooms. Why do we have them? Are they just a relic? Is there a way to create their form based on the function we choose?
In the above article, Fielding discusses the importance of space and design of that space for learning. As learning becomes more collaborative and yet also learner-centered, the classroom and the school need to become more flexible in their forms. But that can only FOLLOW function - we have to determine what is our function? What do we want for schooling? For learning? What do our learners want? Only then will all of that form and design be successful.
-- Rachel
“This is a toolbox for anyone who wants to do things more creatively and collaboratively in their team or organization. It’s a collection of methods and activities, based on Hyper Island’s methodology, that you can start using today
Hyper Island has always used a unique approach to learning that focuses on collaboration, creativity, and learning-by-doing. We’ve seen over and over again, that this approach builds competence and confidence, helps teams grow, and leads to better outcomes.”
It may feel somewhat misplaced to share a “toolbox” of protocols but as I work with teams of people in my day to day, the more I realize that intentionality matters. As we continue to uncover ways of thinking that create space for new ideas to emerge, the tension that is revealed is that we can actually DESIGN for that emergence. Using protocols, like the ones found at Hyper Island can unleash an individual and a team’s creativity. It can create the kind of space to have more human centered conversations and design, which is at the heart of our work here at the Human School. Whether it be through Inventing, Curating, or Storytelling, there is a structure or protocol to help us along the way.
-Chad
