One of the biggest philosophical tensions I have felt in leading a kura towards a vision as 'he puna auaha a centre of creative excellence' is what on the surface is the apparent conflict between our rules based culture and creativity. When creativity apparently demands the ability to think outside the square, to break the rules, it seems odd then (maybe even implausible) that we can do so when schools have so many 'rules'. It is a regular kōrero with some students .. 'why do I have to follow these rules, XXX (insert appropriate issue here) doesn't affect my learning'.
Perhaps it's all about the 'rules of the game'.
This has played on my mind. I have managed to come up with two arguments that reconcile these tensions. The first had been founded in what might turn out to be an 'urban myth', but I am still left wondering about the validity of the sentiment anyway. The story went like this.
I have had conversations with quite a few young people over the years in which I retold this story, making the point that for a group of hunter gatherer people to do this, there must have been some tacit agreement about how they would cooperate to 'feed the passenger', someone who was unable to do their share of hunting or gathering to feed themselves. Now there is a good argument to say that this story about Margaret Mead never happened. I'll go with that, but I still think there is some validity in the sentiment, and I would suggest that no group can be successful unless there is some tacit agreement about the rules that are necessary to ensure success. Regardless of the nature of the group - armed offenders squad, motorcycle gang, army platoon, school - I would posit that all groups need rules that are generally agreed upon and upheld if they are to be successful. If we then take the broader view of our purpose as schools, if we allow young people to walk out of our gates not understanding this need to follow a prescribed set of rules for success, then we have failed in a very profound way. We have not equipped those young people to take their place in society. Maybe the devil is in the detail about exactly what the rules should be, and how we agree upon and enforce them?
There is another argument that I rehearse in my mind that reconciles a rules based culture in support of creativity.
If we accept that creativity is founded on deep knowledge of a particular 'discipline', implicit in that deep knowledge must be an understanding of the rules of the discipline. What's more, if we intend to break the rules in a specific discipline in order to develop creative solutions, there is an argument that we need to know what those rules are. I'm less convinced by that last statement, but think that it is worth considering.
This takes me back to the latter years when I was teaching economics to senior students. I had fallen out of love with my discipline. I saw so many examples in which the theory and models I taught failed to match the real world. In order to continue to teach this material (required in NCEA standards) I would explain to students that the world needed them to challenge the orthodoxy, to challenge the rules, but in order to do so they needed to understand what those rules were in the first place. They needed deep knowledge of the theory and the models before they could critique them in any meaningful way (not that such a requirement seems to apply to journalists and politicians these days). It helped me, anyway.
So, where does this leave us? In my own mind I have been able to reconcile the rules based nature of kura as organisations and communities, with a vision that values and seeks to develop and grow creativity and creative thinking. Maybe I'm fooling myself?
An interesting kōrero Robin.
ReplyDeleteI am interested and heartened by the words of Margaret Mead. The feeling of Whanaungatanga and no one being left behind gives hope to the thoughts that we can be our own person with the creativity and vision we have the heart to pursue but at the same time have the mana, aroha and compassion to be aware of others and their rights within society.
This is turn gives sense to rules to ensure the the rights of others and responsibilities of ourselves.
Great reflection, Robyn. For me, this comes down to something akin to the old 'form follows function' argument - where it's a case of examining why the rules are there in the first place. In effect, the reason we've constructed 'rules' in our society is as a way of codifying the behaviours we regard as important for all to ascribe to in the interests of maintaining what is 'good' for everyone. In other words, rules follow 'being civilised' in this case. A civilised culture will be identified by the ways it cares for all, the sense of synergy in all actions and the sense of 'order' that ensures the safety of all and maintains their ability to contribute in ways that are unique to them. Once we allow the rules to dominate and determine our ways of being and behaving, instead of viewing them as a framework of agreed social norms, then we inevitably squash creativity or innovation, and instead value conformity and compliance.
ReplyDeleteI frequently come back to the notion of our road code (rules) which are simply a codified expression of what we, as a society, have agreed will enable each of us to be able to drive safely on the road, choosing our own destination and vehicle we travel in, and through keeping to the principles of the road code, allowing others to enjoy the same freedoms and levels of safety.
Thanks Robin for your thought provoking reflection. I often have similar thoughts with regards to the intermediate aged students I work with. In many cases, schools rules that are in place historically served a purpose and were perhaps in response to a set of values that existed at the time the rules were introduced. My feeling is that now, in 2022, some, or if not many, of our school rules may no longer align with the societal values that our students bring with them into our schools. If current rules no longer serve the purpose they were originally intended for or if they can be amended and made more 'fit for purpose', I think we can create a win-win situation for all involved. Especially if we work with our students and allow them to help drive some of the changes that resonate with and impact them.
ReplyDeleteYou get both a rules based culture that is driven from a place of creativity and that reflects the values and aspirations of the key stakeholders.
Exciting times!!!