How might we understand the parts and the whole of a system?
Mr. Usher asked the Children to measure off a square on the ground that measured six feet on a side and to mark the square with the string they had found in the toolbox. When the yellow strong was measured out and stretched on the ground, and two of the Children had wisely put large stones on the string to keep it in place, Mr. Usher asked the Children to sit around the square on the ground.
“Now, Children,” Mr. Usher began, “we’re going to learn a very important skill today, more important than how to throw a baseball or how to make peanut butter sandwiches, and almost as important as how to read or write or do addition and subtraction. I want you to look at the square we’ve marked out, and I want you to write down everything that’s in the square, or is happening in the square, or is part of the square, or makes something happen in the square. Everything. Work together and come up with a list. Tell me when you’re finished.” And with that, Mr. Usher sat down with his back to a thick young oak tree, pulled his hat down over his eyes, and looked as if he had decided to take a little nap.
This passage comes from Grant Lichtman’s chapter in The Falconer entitled, “Step 3: Understanding the System.” Our schools are systems. How do we understand these systems? How might we understand them better?
Grant’s #EdJourney road trip is in the second week. Grant is studying the systems. What is he finding within the yellow string that he is setting in place with large stones…