The Game of School by: Robert fried A Summary of the work of Robert Fried

Context Author: Robert Fried Publication Date Other Works

Author: Robert Fried

Publication Date

Other Works

Themes Explored School Reform Authentic Learning Call to Change

School Reform

Authentic Learning

Call to Change

Prelude Essential Problem Engagement Compliance at expense of learning Lack of Meaning The Dilemma NCLB vs. Progressive Reform

Essential Problem

Engagement

Compliance at expense of learning

Lack of Meaning

The Dilemma

NCLB vs. Progressive Reform

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

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

Chapter 1: wasting time The Current State of School Some examples of the alternative 8 th Grade grave yard project Poverty with 5 th graders Bill of Rights Activity Attacks on Learning Time is the enemy

The Current State of School

Some examples of the alternative

8 th Grade grave yard project

Poverty with 5 th graders

Bill of Rights Activity

Attacks on Learning

Time is the enemy

Interlude An example of following a student through school Elementary 5 th Grade Junior High High School College

An example of following a student through school

Elementary

5 th Grade

Junior High

High School

College

Chapter 2: The Game Through the Grades Early Elementary Love and passion Third Grade Grade and the games Junior High 2 games (school and social) Land of losers begins High School

Early Elementary

Love and passion

Third Grade

Grade and the games

Junior High

2 games (school and social)

Land of losers begins

High School

Interlude: Heidi Thomas First Grade Teacher Choice Example bathroom Reading groups Structure vs. Control

First Grade Teacher

Choice

Example bathroom

Reading groups

Structure vs. Control

Chapter 3: being curious and feeling powerful Designed to learn Curiosity should drive instruction

Designed to learn

Curiosity should drive instruction

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

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

Examples of engagement Othello Passage Groups O. Henry 7 th Graders Book Club Model Thinking then takes place

Othello

Passage

Groups

O. Henry

7 th Graders

Book Club Model

Thinking then takes place

Chapter 4: Contemplating the state religion NCLB and Standards driven reform Progress replaces learning

NCLB and Standards driven reform

Progress replaces learning

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

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

7 Categories of learning True Blue Learners Go Getters Cherry Pickers Pluggers Goof Offs Socializers Give Uppers

True Blue Learners

Go Getters

Cherry Pickers

Pluggers

Goof Offs

Socializers

Give Uppers

Chapter 5: Humanizing School Classroom Management and Climate Curriculum Quality of Instruction Quality of Assessment Parent Involvement

Classroom Management and Climate

Curriculum

Quality of Instruction

Quality of Assessment

Parent Involvement

Student Mangement Control vs. productive learning context Need for management –vs. need to learn Essential control – vs. mutual respect Most want to learn – vs. all want to learn Rewards / punishments vs. engaged and authentic

Control vs. productive learning context

Need for management –vs. need to learn

Essential control – vs. mutual respect

Most want to learn – vs. all want to learn

Rewards / punishments vs. engaged and authentic

Curriculum Above vs. local Rigid tightly sequenced vs. wide goals Required vs. essential to learn Focused on skills vs. relevant to life Avoid complicated vs. teacher lifelong learner

Above vs. local

Rigid tightly sequenced vs. wide goals

Required vs. essential to learn

Focused on skills vs. relevant to life

Avoid complicated vs. teacher lifelong learner

Instruction Teacher telling vs. guided learning Sedentary vs. all learners Boredom inevitable vs. engaged tasks Proctor vs. guide Grades from objective vs. excellence mastery Summative vs. self reflective assessment

Teacher telling vs. guided learning

Sedentary vs. all learners

Boredom inevitable vs. engaged tasks

Proctor vs. guide

Grades from objective vs. excellence mastery

Summative vs. self reflective assessment

Chapter 6: getting stuck Instruction View of Students Lazy vs. want to learn View of Teachers Cliquish vs. professional colleagues View of Administrators Us/ Them vs. fellow professionals with other duties Subject Area Curriculum fixex vs ongoing Future Same vs. grow

Instruction

View of Students

Lazy vs. want to learn

View of Teachers

Cliquish vs. professional colleagues

View of Administrators

Us/ Them vs. fellow professionals with other duties

Subject Area

Curriculum fixex vs ongoing

Future

Same vs. grow

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

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

To Get Unstuck Professional Reading Assessment Review Realize and Dialogue about Change

Professional Reading

Assessment Review

Realize and Dialogue about Change

Chapter 7: No Time to Waste Get rid of “Us vs. Them” Reflect on Best Practice "Whenever our insecurities or our habitual reflexes lead us to define our students as indolent or the unwilling or inept, we slide into a stance that pushes aside the questions that begin this chapter."

Get rid of “Us vs. Them”

Reflect on Best Practice

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

Further reading Deborah Meier “In Schools We Trust” Frank Smith “The Book of Learning and Forgetting” Symour Sarason “ And What do you Mean by Learning”

Deborah Meier “In Schools We Trust”

Frank Smith “The Book of Learning and Forgetting”

Symour Sarason “ And What do you Mean by Learning”