Subject: Stocks and Flows

Posted by Kim Jinnett on 3/3/2004
In Reply To:Stocks and Flows Posted by Richard Turnock on 3/2/2004

Message:

I would also be keenly interested in hearing more about how you help folks understand the distinctions between stocks and flows and why that really matters. I’m particularly interested in how administrators, principals and superintendents, and others working in leadership roles (teacher leaders, heads of curriculum, etc.) can begin to use SD concepts in how they approach their own work….in addition to teaching and learning for children. I’d appreciate the most basic nuts and bolts examples of how to walk adults through an explanation of stocks and flows….or how to draw that out. I find the bathtub example actually works really well descriptively. People get what’s a stock and a flow in that example. But, they have trouble caring about it. The more abstract examples seem to cause withdrawal as others on this list have mentioned. I’m struggling with finding some really good basic descriptions that will resonate for school administrators…perhaps teachers and teaching or principals and leadership. I know that some members of this list have written papers using SD to explore human resource management and training. Those papers are often written for an SD-familiar audience. Anyone know of some good examples on subjects highly relevant to school administration (flows of money based on learning needs?, etc.)



Thanks much in advance,



Kim



Kimberly Jinnett, Ph.D.

Senior Evaluation Officer

Wallace Foundation

212-251-9763