Please! No More Mantras!

If there’s one thing that really bugs me it’s people coming out with stuff with no thought whatsoever, but which they assume is profound. I’ve been to some conferences where a couple of speakers recited such mantras as “guide on the side”, “emails are for old people” and “no more computer labs”. Why do I call phrases like this “mantras”? A mantra is a sound without meaning. The idea is that you keep repeating the sound over and over again so that it can bring you to a deeper and higher plane of existence, without getting sidetracked by the actual meaning of the sound. What better description for phrases like the ones I’ve just mentioned?

Guide on the side

The premise here is that pupils learn by doing and collaborating, not by merely listening. And certainly not by listening to the “sage on the stage”, the teacher. In fact, I was horrified when one teacher replied, in answer to my question “What of a pupil doesn’t understand or know something? How do they find out?”, “Oh they ask each other”. In other words, her classroom is like a live version of Wikipedia: there’s no immediately verifiable authority behind the words.

If a teacher only adopts a guide on the side approach, what are they actually being paid for? Apparently not their expertise. After all, you could get anyone, including another pupil, to organise the class into groups. If I were a parent of a child at the school, I’d want my child taught – not only “guided” but taught – by an expert. We’re constantly reminded by research of something we already know -- that the quality of the teacher is the most important single factor in a learning situation, yet we merely nod sagely when someone on a platform (ie the sage on the stage) intones the mantra “guide on the side good, sage on the stage bad”.

It’s time we started questioning whether that is always true in every circumstance, and challenging speakers who come out with such nonsense. The fact of the matter is that a skilled and expert teacher will have a sort of toolkit of techniques and repertoires which can be deployed appropriately. We know we should be suspicious of snake oil salesmen; people who tell us that only one approach to teaching is the correct one are a modern form of snake oil salesmen, but the product is an idea. It’s not even a new one, but it seems to be often thought to be – and there’s an implicit assumption that anything new is better than anything old.

Emails are for old people

Which brings me nicely on to the next point. I keep hearing people say things like: “My 10 year old son told me that email is for old people.” My response is:

• So what?
• If you must cite young people as if they have divine wisdom, at least do some proper research; a decent sample size would be a nice start.
• When your son is working, ask him again what he thinks of email for exchanging information such as files. I’ve tried email, instant messaging and other types of application, but email is by far the best for everyday working.

Everything is good in the right place: age has nothing to do with it.

No more computer labs

My opinion is that we should be designing spaces that facilitate learning, and as there are different types of learning, there should be different types of spaces. Why would we wish to preclude computer labs, especially if they are set out thoughtfully, with areas to write or mull things over, and pleasantly furnished? Again, what we use should be dictated by what’s appropriate for a given situation, not by an unthinking subservience to modernism.

On balance, I think we need more thought and fewer mantras – which unfortunately sounds like a mantra in itself!

Comments

[Doug Woods]

An interesting article, Terry, and to some point I agree with your plea against Mantras. However, I fear you may be missing the point slightly, let's take the case of 'no more computer labs' (something to which I must admit some involvement). The idea behind this mantra (if you will) is to get people to think differently. The problem has been, as I see it, that schools have been driven blindly perhaps into installing computer suites. There was a period of time when all schools (secondary and primary) saw a computer suite as being the only way to deliver technology into their school. By having a 'mantra', all we are doing, or trying to do, is to get schools to realise there may be alternatives.

To my mind, the ICT suite became a 'one-size fits all' solution, something we both agree doesn't work in schools, by getting people to think about alternatives, hopefully, we can start breaking down the 'one-size' thinking.

So, yes, there may be a place and a role for the computer suite in schools but; in every school?

It is your final comment that I am really in agreement with; we need more thought and fewer mantra.

[Sean]

I appreciate your point, to a point. Mantras are not inherently bad, but a bad mantra is inherently bad, and blind acceptance of mantras is even worse. However, mantras are derived from thoughts, and many reflect extremely good thought. The "no more computer labs" mantra is a reflection of very good thinking regarding a movement away from "sit and get" computing skills like keyboarding in classes that were taught as teacher-led skill acquisition-based tutorials. We're past that. Computing in school is becoming more ubiquitous and natural; we are using the technology tools more creatively and pragmatically.
What I appreciate about your post is the nudge it provides toward not accepting mantras, or any other form of statement as automatically righteous and scholarly. Everyone has an opinion, and these should be liberally shared after qualifying them as what they are... but facts are harder to come by these days, and if we're going to state them, we better be able to back them up.

[Jeff Thomas]

I agree wholeheartedly with every point in your post. I often think of the fictitious "Kingsfield" of Paper Chase fame and how he would be viewed by today's educational gurus. Having taught in a private school for a good portion of my career, I would feel that I am cheating the students if I was not an expert in my field. The parents are paying obscene amounts of money for a guide? I am not saying that students should not help, collaborate, etc. But, I would hope that the teacher has considerably more knowledge than any student in their class. As usual, the answer in my opinion, is a mix of a little bit of everything. A teacher should be an expert, a guide, a collaborator, etc. Why we always have to go to extremes is beyond me.

Finally, on the issue of computer labs, I fear that they will disappear because of these misguided mantras. There are many reasons for a well thought-out lab. First and foremost is the use of the lab for video editing. Video editing needs powerful computers that are not necessarily needed in a classroom setting. However, another mantra that I have a lot of trouble with is the "why buy software when you can get something equivalent for free." Then they rattle off things like Jaycut as a web-based alternative to a consumer-level editing program. The key word is "equivalent." In this case, there is no doubt that Jaycut is not equivalent to Cyberlink PowerDirector, Corel Videostudio, etc.

Great post! Keep them coming!

[Terry Freedman, Educational ICT Consultant]

@Doug Thanks, Doug. Yes, as regards ICT suites, I think we both have the same motivation for our beliefs, but will no doubt have to agree to differ! At least we're both agreed that unthinking adherence to a creed is not the most desirable state of affairs!

[Terry Freedman, Educational ICT Consultant]

@sean thx. I especially like your "facts are harder to come by these days, and if we're going to state them, we better be able to back them up." But I wonder if the real issue isn't not so much the lack of facts, but the availablity of any facts you need to back up your opinion.

[Terry Freedman, Educational ICT Consultant]

@Jeff thx. I agree with "A teacher should be an expert, a guide, a collaborator, etc. Why we always have to go to extremes is beyond me." Exactly. I like your pint about video-editing too. I'd forgotten you'd said that in my article on computer labs (http://www.ictineducation.org/home-page/2010/12/11/the-sledgehammer-as-a-tool-for-innovation.html) but will rectify that right now.