Subject: Systems Dynamics in the Classroom

Posted by Sharon Villines on 12/19/2009

Message:

I've been putting off writing this because I can't remember the name of the school and haven't had time to look it up but some of what they do is relevant to the discussion. Will try to find the name later -- its in Dutch.

The school in The Netherlands that is using sociocratic governance in the school and the classroom, emphasizes the classroom as a system. When there is a problem (or a possibility), the students (or the teacher) call a meeting to discuss the causes and the actions that might change the situation. The focus is on how the students, teacher, classroom arrangements, performance pressures, etc., have created the situation.

Then they discuss ways to change their system to improve or correct the situation. The approach is that we are all contributing to the situation; if we can create it, we can change it.

Individual responsibility is not ignored but a dispute between Harry and Sally is not viewed as a personality conflict or behavior problem. The problem is in the system. Each person as part of the system is equally responsible for bringing the system back to optimum functioning.

This practice is different than the modeling methods people have been discussing but it challenges students to apply systems thinking and dynamics in their daily, moment to moment lives.

Sharon