How Can Schools Use Design and Futures Thinking in This Unique Moment? Part 4

Letter Four — This is the fourth letter in a series between two educators, Ariel Raz, a designer at the Stanford d.school, and Richard Boerner, superintendent of Graded — The American School of São Paulo. Read Letter 1, Letter 2 and Letter 3

Ariel,

We, as educators, have long spouted a “less is more” or “depth over breadth” approach to better schooling. Yet, many times we are just paying lip service to this construct. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced us to reexamine educational delivery — now as a matter of pragmatism. Distance learning has required our teachers to move slower, cover less, and pause to ensure students are grasping content and concepts. It has forced us to assess in new ways. What is becoming more and more apparent to me, to our faculty and, most excitingly, to our students, is that just maybe we won’t ever return to some of our former ways.

The constraints this crisis has placed on educational delivery and assessment have spurred a reconceptualization of “content coverage.” How much “stuff” is enough to learn? Schools must challenge their conventional thinking. How many war battles and dates should one memorize in 10th grade history to ensure understanding of cause and effect of conflict?

Seminal moments like the one in which we are living challenge our frameworks. They should awaken us and make leaders consider what really matters. These are moments of deep introspection and serve as opportunities to pivot one’s actions.

What are the “things” we want students to know and be able to do? I’m not talking about dates, times, or formulas, but rather those deep, enduring learning experiences that can be transferred. The learning that sticks. Cognitive scientists suggest that only learning that is deep, enduring, and transferable — the content that is accessible over time — is worthy of being taught. So, why, in schools, do we spend so much time on things that don’t adhere to what we know works best? Don’t get me wrong, content matters. However, content without purpose and meaning does little beyond the immediate moment of recall.

Before COVID-19 swept from continent to continent, teachers at Graded were implementing these science of learning principles. They focused on challenging themselves to first understand and assess the needs of every learner in their care. Now in the midst of the pandemic, our work continues.

Most recently, in July, when leading our faculty pre-service training, Dr. Kevin Mattingly, professor of science of learning at Columbia University, challenged our faculty by asking them to ensure that all of their students could answer the following questions with a resounding “yes.”

• I belong to this academic community.
• My ability grows with effective effort.
• I can succeed at this.
• This work has value to me.

Learning is an experience held by the student and fostered by the teacher. Dr. Mattingly calls this “inside-out teaching.” By starting with the learner, we begin to deconstruct what they already know, what they care about, and what they want before we teach them anything. Ultimately if done well, we can ensure the learning can be used in their lived lives.

Now, we find ourselves living within a new reality. The medium in which we teach, be it in-person, at-a-distance, or blended, does not change the need for this most important work to continue. In fact, it necessitates its acceleration to ensure learning is equitable to every child no matter the way in which learning is accessed.

In order to offer service to the faculty and students in my care, I must be courageous. I must not allow this moment to prevent us from the real reform we need both in my school and within the education space at large.

Ariel, your questions have challenged me! They will hold me accountable for my actions today and in the future. This is the true power of thought partnership. Your personal journey, shared in your last letter, resonates so deeply within me. It speaks to the educator you knew you should be in the moment, but were restricted from being. We must, as leaders, allow our teachers the space, know-how, and time to be the true artists they were meant to be. This takes courage for them and for me.

Thank you for reminding me of this most important truth.

Be well my friend and let’s march on — bravely!