This One Quality Alone Can Repair Our Schools And Everyone’s Sanity
Why a "no more fun" approach doesn't work
What is the biggest problem with schools today? In a word, fear. I have seen it first-hand. But why it is such a problem? And what simple change can we make to turn the tides and reclaim our schools?
First let me take you on a familiar journey. The more familiar it is, the more tragic for you I am afraid.
PROBLEM: Each night Isabelle worries sick about her son, Jonny. He has done badly on his last round of tests. At parents evening, Isabelle listens to how Jonny is sometimes away with the fairies. He could do with concentrating 100% of the time. He has also missed a few homeworks.
RESPONSE: Isabelle resolves to take all distractions away from Jonny until he improves. No sports, no friends, no nothing until he starts hitting his targets. Above all no fun. She sends an email expressing her concern to the head of department, copying in the classroom teacher. If he fails his exams, he will not get a good job and then what will become of him.
PROBLEM: Meanwhile, Alex is Jonny’s maths teacher. He has other students in the class not hitting their target. He is warned by his head of department this is not good enough. He then faces parents, suggesting improvements, while batting away accusatory looks. If he could only control the class better? Or teach more efficiently? Or give more time to my Jonny… it goes on.
RESPONSE: Alex resolves to tighten up the classroom. No more fun. As soon as the students arrive there will be a task on the board. Students are to enter in silence, put equipment out and work independently for 5 minutes. They will then get straight into the lesson, where every minute is accounted for.
PROBLEM: Outside of this merry dance, the head teacher has looked at results. The year-group is under-performing in Maths. If things continue on this trajectory, there will be a 5% decrease in passes. This is unacceptable. The governors will be outraged and Ofsted will be next.
RESPONSE: The head teacher calls the head of department into their office. Things need to improve and fast. There is not a second to lose. No more fun. Jonny is taken out of Drama and PE to focus on his maths skills. In total a group of 25 in each year group will do the same. Books will be marked every week by teachers and checked meticoulously by line managers.
Now, before we go on, let’s all agree that every person described above wants the best for Jonny. They want him to do better in maths so he can do better in his life. They want him to “switch on” so that he can see the benefits of the GCSE fully and have more choices later in life. There are thousands of Jonnys, Isabelles and Alexs in this world. Sadly, they are all are scared shitless and acting out of fear, oblivious to how Jonny feels.
As well-meaning as these motives are, they are not helping. As we all know, the most dangerous people in the world are those who think their doing good. Much like people who spread “God’s work”, will stop at no lengths to make sure they succeed, a lot of teachers, parents and headteachers fall into a similar category.
For the purposes of the story Jonny is 13 years old but he could just as easily be between the ages of 10 to 18, such is the toxicity with which exams pervade. Such is the fear.
We as teachers, parents, headteachers, managers and politicians need to be brave. Otherwise, the same tired tropes and anxieties will continue to make everyone’s lives a misery.
All of this leads to the major point of this article. We as teachers, parents, headteachers, managers and politicians need to be brave. Otherwise, the same tired tropes and anxieties will continue to make everyone’s lives a misery.
It is not right to take sports or creative subjects away from Jonny. He needs balance to cope with the pressures of modern-day schooling. Taking these things away will affect his mental and physical health. They also lead to an under-current of resentment which will likely backfire in the classroom and on the parents, making the situation worse not better.
We must admit changes designed to help one thing often have a broader impact than we expect. We must ask questions of ourselves as well as Jonny.
For example, it is not always right to chastise Jonny for not being 100% focused all the time. Why do we expect Jonny to track his teachers every movement every second of the day? God forbid he is daydreaming or thinking about something else for a brief period. Maybe Jonny is overwhelmed and cannot concentrate because something has happened. He is not putting two fingers up to the system but taking a moment to compose himself.
Is it possible that students like Jonny should never learn high level algebra and geometry? Is is possible Jonny could be using his time in a more fulfilling manner. A way that would improve his and everyone’s life for years to come? Could he dare I say it, get involved in the community?
Most of all we need to agree that exams aren’t that important and nor is Ofsted. The difference between a “strong” and an “exceptional” pass is not that great. Especially at GCSE level. We need to admit that some students need not learn algebra and a system that fails 30% of students every year, without exception, is fundamentally flawed.
It is not worth throwing accusations around in a vicious game of hot potato. Teachers are good at their jobs and we need to trust that.
We also need to ask ourselves what these exam results are really for. It’s not good enough that it gives us a feeling of (false) security. We must think of the student and of society. Is our exam system still fit for purpose?
The truth is a lot of what we are hyper-focused on is not as important as we think. It is certainly not worth the countless sleepless nights we collectively spend anxiety riddled. Think of what we could achieve if we used that energy productively. Think of the challenges we face as a society.
There is a lot good about the school system but zoom out for a second. What are we as parents, educators and industry leaders searching for? What does success look like? Somewhere along the line we have lost track.
For me, success is a young adult who can take responsibility for themselves, has an excitable glint in the eye and places to go, people to meet. I would also add a love of reading and a basic understanding of maths. This is only so far as they can think for themselves and not be tricked by politicians or salespeople and do their accounts. Things like Pythagoras’s theorem and trigonometry need not be compulsory but studied for their inherent beauty. Finally, a sense of humour and humility wouldn’t go a miss.
Maybe I am wrong though. My goal with this page is to get people talking.
If teachers, parents and industry leaders can agree on what is important, I believe we can transform schools for the better. To me, a sea change is not that far away if we can just talk. From my experience, there are certainly enough talented, good willing people in schools to make this a reality.
Let’s be brave.
What do you think? What does success look like? Do we need to be braver? I would love to know what you think!
Its funny, when I make friends with somebody now or indeed over the last decade, someboodys maths results has never once come up.
On a serious note, I agree the system is flawed it reminds me of business lowering their prices to win the market. What happens is competiors lowwer their prices to be able to compete. Now everyone in the market is the same as they were before but everyone is making less money. A lose lose senario. Marks in exams are the same, the more everyone works hard, the harder the hardest workers have to work and forgo everyting else in their lives to keep up. Would it not be better to have a pass mark where everybody could pass rather than having 30% that have to fail?