Systems Theory in Education
Systems Theory - fostering educational success
A systems approach is important to schools in accomplishing their mission of all children learning. First, successful learning on the part of students requires a coherent and concerted effort on the part of the adults. For example, academic success requires high expectations and purposeful support within a caring environment. All three "characteristics” - high expectations, purposeful support, and caring environment -- require that everyone in the school community be on board promoting all three.
Second, issues of accountability challenge the entire community. We understand that no one educator can do it alone. Multiple staff members, including paras, help students learn. Accountability thus rests will all staff. Since many people impact the learning, we need to include everyone responsible in discussions about how to make that learning happen. Everyone’s efforts working in the same clear direction is vital.
Third, taking a systems perspective of the school can identify supports and barriers to good learning. Any institution, such as a school, puts procedures and structures in place so that it can operate. Over time these procedures and structures become accepted as "always having been there" and are not questioned. Yet these very same procedures could actually be a barrier to learning. For example, many schools have moved to a 90-minute block schedule and away from the traditional 45-minute eight period day. They found that the shorter time periods did not give most students the time they needed to understand a topic in one sitting.
The three reasons above point to the value of a systems approach for the learning mission of schools. Yet there is another value for schools. The way the group functions within a systems approach is democratic in nature. Group processes and interactions are key elements of a democratic structure. If schools are not democratic spaces in and of themselves, how do we begin to foster opportunities for democracy to be practiced? Providing an opportunity for staff to engage in group processes and systems thinking increases their ability to understand how to provide such a possibility for students.
Purpose of School Activity
One of the basic premises of a successful systems approach is a common purpose. Members of a school community generally assume that everyone has the same goal in mind - successful learners. Yet different people define that success differently or design the path to that end differently. Those differences are rarely discussed because there is an assumption made by most people that everyone else has the same understanding. The understanding that would develop from a discussion of everyone's views becomes a missed opportunity, and the coherence that would develop from articulating a common purpose is lost. Take the time to answer the following for yourself, and then share with others.
1) Describe what the ideal student would be able to do and know when he or she leaves your school (or class or grade).
2) What are the key skills and important knowledge that every person should
have?
Where will they specifically learn that knowledge and those skills?
Please note that while this activity is important to a whole school community, it is also important for small groups within the larger school. Any group that believes it has a common purpose would benefit from this activity to be sure everyone is on the same page. Tools for guiding the conversation (protocols) can be found on the Resources page of the IPSP website.
IPSP
Module Series