The Game of School - Wrap-up

I’ve had a lot of fun these past ten days posting quotes from Robert Fried’s The Game of School. I think Fried does a fabulous job of highlighting how schools as institutions have largely moved away from many of our desired ends for students and their learning. Not always, not for every kid, but mostly… And, as I hope you have seen for the past 10 days, he’s also eminently quotable.

Here’s a quick list of all of the posts:

• Passive acceptance of student boredom
• Wasting our children’s time
• When it’s time to worry
• The game that demoralizes even when we win
• Our temples of knowledge are lost opportunities
• Learning and power
• Test score burrito
• Complicit in the atrophy of our children’s learning spirit
• When teachers get stuck
• Are we willing to roll up our sleeves?

I also have Fried’s books, The Passionate Learner and The Passionate Teacher, sitting on my shelf. I’m looking forward to digging into those as well.

For those of you who noted that you were inspired to go out and get a copy of The Game of School, I hope that you enjoy the book as much as I did. Happy reading!

I give this one 5 highlighters.

Comments

[Charlie A. Roy]

1.

I have a few pages to go and should finish tonight. I've really enjoyed this book.

[[email protected]]

2.

I love Passionate Learner and have about 50 sticky notes in it marking passages that resonated with me.

Fried is right on, in so many ways. I look forward to browsing back through your posts.

[Scott McLeod]

3.

Carolyn, if you recommend Passionate Learner, I know I'm going to like it...

It just moved up on my To Read list!

[Dave Keane]

4.

I can't say I disagree with much the book The Game of School included. I see Fried as being brilliant in his explanation of why school is the way it is.
I think that his next step would be to write a book explaining just what he thinks a school should look like. He should include chapters about specific examples of units of instruction built to engage learners and spark their curiosity. He should outline the steps we will need to take to get to this new paradigm.
I have read book after book about what is wrong with our schools and why they got to be this way. I would like to read a few proposing a vision for new schools and specifics on how to get there. We have the sense of urgency now, who will provide us a vision of the school of the future. Who will provide us the leadership and take us there. I have met with many who are making great strides towards new and innovative shifts in the paradigm (or game if you wish) of school.
Don't get me wrong, I liked the book. What I don't like is that educational researchers adn writers are providing plenty of reasons for people to lose faith in our public schools and more or less lumping all schools and all teachers together. I would like to see someone come along with a more positive outlook/attitude and propose a method for change.

[Skip Olsen]

5.

I think you are right. I think it was Susan Scott in Fierce Conversations that said most people are very clear about what they don't want--few have a clue about what they do want. And I think creating that vision--no, those visions--is the rolling up of the sleeves he is talking about and which we have steadfastly chosen not to do--mostly.

[Bryan McDonald]

6.

I have ordered my copy from Amazon and cannot wait until Wednesday when it arrives.