The Game of SchoolThe Game of Schoolby: Robert friedby: Robert friedA Summary of the work of Robert Fried A Summary of the work of Robert Fried

ContextContext

• Author: Robert FriedAuthor: Robert Fried

• Publication DatePublication Date

• Other WorksOther Works

Themes ExploredThemes Explored

• School ReformSchool Reform

• Authentic LearningAuthentic Learning

• Call to ChangeCall to Change

PreludePrelude

• Essential ProblemEssential Problem• EngagementEngagement• Compliance at expense of learningCompliance at expense of learning• Lack of MeaningLack of Meaning

• The DilemmaThe Dilemma• NCLB vs. Progressive ReformNCLB vs. Progressive Reform

• "There's a world of difference between the "There's a world of difference between the student whose straight A's are a reflection of student whose straight A's are a reflection of engaged thoughtful and creative learning and engaged thoughtful and creative learning and the student who has "psyched out" his the student who has "psyched out" his teacher and agreed to do whatever it takes to teacher and agreed to do whatever it takes to get all A's.  As is true of any child who get all A's.  As is true of any child who becomes obsessed with pleasing adults in an becomes obsessed with pleasing adults in an uncritical manner, too much is lost of the uncritical manner, too much is lost of the child's sense of who he is.” child's sense of who he is.”

Chapter 1: wasting timeChapter 1: wasting time

• The Current State of SchoolThe Current State of School

• Some examples of the alternativeSome examples of the alternative• 88thth Grade grave yard project Grade grave yard project• Poverty with 5Poverty with 5thth graders graders• Bill of Rights ActivityBill of Rights Activity

• Attacks on LearningAttacks on Learning• Time is the enemyTime is the enemy

InterludeInterlude

• An example of following a student through An example of following a student through schoolschool• ElementaryElementary• 55thth Grade Grade• Junior HighJunior High• High SchoolHigh School• CollegeCollege

Chapter 2: The Game Chapter 2: The Game Through the GradesThrough the Grades

• Early ElementaryEarly Elementary• Love and passionLove and passion

• Third GradeThird Grade• Grade and the gamesGrade and the games

• Junior HighJunior High• 2 games (school and social)2 games (school and social)• Land of losers beginsLand of losers begins

• High SchoolHigh School

Interlude: Heidi ThomasInterlude: Heidi Thomas

• First Grade TeacherFirst Grade Teacher

• ChoiceChoice• Example bathroomExample bathroom• Reading groupsReading groups

• Structure vs. ControlStructure vs. Control

Chapter 3: being curious and Chapter 3: being curious and feeling powerfulfeeling powerful

• Designed to learnDesigned to learn

• Curiosity should drive instructionCuriosity should drive instruction

• "We have opted not to create schools as "We have opted not to create schools as places where children's curiosity, sensory places where children's curiosity, sensory awareness, power and communication can awareness, power and communication can flourish, but rather to erect temples of flourish, but rather to erect temples of knowledge where we sit them down, tell them knowledge where we sit them down, tell them a lot of stuff we think is important, try to a lot of stuff we think is important, try to control their restless curiosity, and test them control their restless curiosity, and test them to see how well they've listened to us."to see how well they've listened to us."

Examples of engagementExamples of engagement

• OthelloOthello• PassagePassage• GroupsGroups

• O. HenryO. Henry• 77thth Graders Graders• Book Club ModelBook Club Model

Thinking then takes placeThinking then takes place

Chapter 4: Contemplating Chapter 4: Contemplating the state religionthe state religion

• NCLB and Standards driven reformNCLB and Standards driven reform

• Progress replaces learningProgress replaces learning

• "We become so confused, so conflicted, so fearful "We become so confused, so conflicted, so fearful that unless we keep our children's minds "on task" that unless we keep our children's minds "on task" aiming for the honor roll, the advanced placement aiming for the honor roll, the advanced placement courses, the grade-point average of life, we will courses, the grade-point average of life, we will damage their chances to access the next set of damage their chances to access the next set of elite learning venues, be they they elementary elite learning venues, be they they elementary school's gifted and talented program, the high school's gifted and talented program, the high school's honors classes, an Ivy League college, or a school's honors classes, an Ivy League college, or a top ranked graduate program.  Such pressures can top ranked graduate program.  Such pressures can easily thwart our desire to see the children in our easily thwart our desire to see the children in our lives as happy, curious, confident, and enthusiastic lives as happy, curious, confident, and enthusiastic learners.  We see the contrast between how our learners.  We see the contrast between how our children respond to the things they love to learn children respond to the things they love to learn and how they resist or rebel against the boredom and how they resist or rebel against the boredom and inanity of much of their schoolwork.  But we bit and inanity of much of their schoolwork.  But we bit our tongues and (still confused) become complicit our tongues and (still confused) become complicit in the atrophy of our children's learning spirit in in the atrophy of our children's learning spirit in furtherance of their academic careers."  furtherance of their academic careers."  

7 Categories of learning7 Categories of learning

1.1. True Blue LearnersTrue Blue Learners

2.2. Go GettersGo Getters

3.3. Cherry PickersCherry Pickers

4.4. PluggersPluggers

5.5. Goof OffsGoof Offs

6.6. SocializersSocializers

7.7. Give UppersGive Uppers

Chapter 5: Humanizing Chapter 5: Humanizing SchoolSchool

• Classroom Management and ClimateClassroom Management and Climate

• CurriculumCurriculum

• Quality of InstructionQuality of Instruction

• Quality of AssessmentQuality of Assessment

• Parent Involvement Parent Involvement

Student MangementStudent Mangement

• Control vs. productive learning contextControl vs. productive learning context

• Need for management –vs. need to learnNeed for management –vs. need to learn

• Essential control – vs. mutual respectEssential control – vs. mutual respect

• Most want to learn – vs. all want to learnMost want to learn – vs. all want to learn

• Rewards / punishments vs. engaged and Rewards / punishments vs. engaged and authenticauthentic

CurriculumCurriculum

• Above vs. localAbove vs. local

• Rigid tightly sequenced vs. wide goalsRigid tightly sequenced vs. wide goals

• Required vs. essential to learnRequired vs. essential to learn

• Focused on skills vs. relevant to lifeFocused on skills vs. relevant to life

• Avoid complicated vs. teacher lifelong learnerAvoid complicated vs. teacher lifelong learner

InstructionInstruction

• Teacher telling vs. guided learningTeacher telling vs. guided learning

• Sedentary vs. all learnersSedentary vs. all learners

• Boredom inevitable vs. engaged tasksBoredom inevitable vs. engaged tasks

• Proctor vs. guideProctor vs. guide

• Grades from objective vs. excellence masteryGrades from objective vs. excellence mastery

• Summative vs. self reflective assessmentSummative vs. self reflective assessment

Chapter 6: getting stuckChapter 6: getting stuck

• InstructionInstruction

• View of StudentsView of Students• Lazy vs. want to learnLazy vs. want to learn

• View of TeachersView of Teachers• Cliquish vs. professional colleaguesCliquish vs. professional colleagues

• View of AdministratorsView of Administrators• Us/ Them vs. fellow professionals with other dutiesUs/ Them vs. fellow professionals with other duties

• Subject AreaSubject Area• Curriculum fixex vs ongoingCurriculum fixex vs ongoing

• FutureFuture• Same vs. growSame vs. grow

Stuck?Stuck?

• "My impression in such cases is of a group of adults who "My impression in such cases is of a group of adults who have over time been set back a full developmental stage by have over time been set back a full developmental stage by their school environment.  They look like adults, but they their school environment.  They look like adults, but they react like adolescents: toughly, easily offended, cliquish, react like adolescents: toughly, easily offended, cliquish, pouting at their inability to get their way, defensive about pouting at their inability to get their way, defensive about threats real or imagine to their prerrogatives, obsessed by threats real or imagine to their prerrogatives, obsessed by their routines and petty comforts, tough skinned yet their routines and petty comforts, tough skinned yet strangely vulnerable, isolated within their rooms.  This strangely vulnerable, isolated within their rooms.  This situation is not their fault.  These people truly are victims of situation is not their fault.  These people truly are victims of a system where power in schools has traditionally been a system where power in schools has traditionally been allocated in a manifestly undemocratic manner and where allocated in a manifestly undemocratic manner and where teachers are often treated more like subjects of a monarchy teachers are often treated more like subjects of a monarchy than as intellectual workers in a free society.  Unless there is than as intellectual workers in a free society.  Unless there is change in the culture, such infantilized adults will continue change in the culture, such infantilized adults will continue to play their versions of the Game of School largely to play their versions of the Game of School largely characterized by the universal teenage response to characterized by the universal teenage response to overpowering adults: "Whatever!"."overpowering adults: "Whatever!"."

To Get UnstuckTo Get Unstuck

• Professional ReadingProfessional Reading

• Assessment ReviewAssessment Review

• Realize and Dialogue about ChangeRealize and Dialogue about Change

Chapter 7: No Time to WasteChapter 7: No Time to Waste

• Get rid of “Us vs. Them”Get rid of “Us vs. Them”

• Reflect on Best PracticeReflect on Best Practice

• "Whenever our insecurities or our habitual "Whenever our insecurities or our habitual reflexes lead us to define our students as reflexes lead us to define our students as indolent or the unwilling or inept, we slide indolent or the unwilling or inept, we slide into a stance that pushes aside the questions into a stance that pushes aside the questions that begin this chapter."that begin this chapter."

Further readingFurther reading

• Deborah Meier “In Schools We Trust”Deborah Meier “In Schools We Trust”

• Frank Smith “The Book of Learning and Frank Smith “The Book of Learning and Forgetting”Forgetting”

• Symour Sarason “ And What do you Mean by Symour Sarason “ And What do you Mean by Learning”Learning”