Prison Yard

In yesterday's post on Inverting the Core I used the throwaway term - "Prison Yard". I woke up in the middle of the night - not something I usually do - and couldn't get this idea out of my head.

In my post I'd been suggesting that the current core of traditional subjects taught in classrooms and within a highly structured timetable were akin to a prison yard, i.e. we - the teachers - had to stand over them from the watchtowers, keep them in line, and ensure that they follow our schedule. For their part many learners endure this regime but are desperate to escape to do the things that they want to do - that have some personal meaning. Yet within the prison yard regime some learners just keep their head down and do their time, others fight against the system, whilst others learn what is required of them in the system and do their best to conform. In all cases the system doesn't properly prepare them for life "outside".

Now I know some people will be reading this and thinking - oh here we go Don just wants a laissez faire, liberal, anything goes learning environment. But that's not what I'm proposing, instead I'm suggesting we give learners more ownership of their learning - what, when and how. But in an environment where schools will still have their place - in fact an even more important place than they are have at present - one where we focus on the core values which underpin citizenship, community and personal development. Yet the role of teachers, the way in which we teach and the way in which we approach learning will have to dramatically change.

Is it too idealistic to think that we could create schools where children were excited to come to - not just to meet their friends but because they are excited about the learning process? A place where children have access to people with an expertise in the learning process and knowledge about how to access, interpret and use information? A place where pupils of all ages are coming into school with things they have encountered in the outside the school - and where the school helps them to understand and make sense of that information in a connected and coherent manner?

Last point - by suggesting that we invert the core does not mean that I am suggesting that the current core activities such numeracy, literacy, etc. are any less important - only that we need to find ways in which they have more meaning to children's lives - where children develop a desire to master these basic skills - and where we extend their value outwith the immediate school environment.