Systems Thinking from the Ground Up
Middle Schoolers in Cathy Favreau’s Performing and Creative Arts class spent last month exploring the concept of systems thinking, though they wouldn’t have used quite those terms to describe the class. Instead they would have told you in great detail about the process of shoemaking, from design to assembly, and proudly modeled their own finished products. However, along the way they did indeed begin to master the skills of breaking down a complex process into simpler components, brainstorming solutions, creating prototypes, and troubleshooting problems.
The class began by taking a look at the process of constructing a product, and what skills might be needed to achieve that goal.
“In the past, I usually relied on duct tape for projects in creative arts,” said Ms. Favreau. “But I decided to have the students practice both hand and machine sewing by having them make felt ‘creatures.’ By giving them more sophisticated tools to use, they were able to increase the complexity of the product. They also thought more deeply about the challenges their particular design presented, and how to solve the challenge by altering their approach, for instance, by switching from machine sewing to hand sewing to allow for finer detailing.”
Next, the students examined the design of a shoe, drawing the components and thinking about the relationship of each part to the whole. They then took their knowledge out into the real world, with a field trip to a fabric manufacturer in Haverhill called Dela, owned by Rivers alumnus and parent Charlie Abrams ’88, followed by a visit to the New Balance factory in Lawrence, which uses Dela fabrics in its footwear.
Back in the classroom, and with bolts of samples donated by Mr. Abrams, the students created patterns, chose fabrics, measured, cut, stitched, re-cut and re-stitched when necessary, added trim and buttons, and voilá, each student had a custom-designed pair of slip-ons. This was not a one-size fits all project, with sizes ranging from a petite 5 to a manly 12, and color and detail ranging from the utilitarian to the tropical. One visionary student even tackled a pair of high tops.
The project grew out of an online course entitled “Thinking and Learning in the Maker-Centered Classroom” that Favreau and fellow Middle School teachers Melissa Dolan (humanities), Diane DeVore (drama), Chris Love (art), and Rachel Costello (Spanish) enrolled in last summer.
Offered by the Harvard Graduate School of Education, the online sessions explored the concept of systems thinking and its implications for education. Systems thinking fulfills many goals of learning for the 21st century workplace, by teaching risk-taking, collaborative thinking, adaptability, and navigating uncertainty, among other skills.
“The online class gave me better language with which to have the students thoughtfully examine about how something is made and designed,” said Ms. Favreau, who also chairs the Language Department. “And the beauty of introducing sewing to the project is that it is a low-tech skill that they can use every day, and yet it enabled them to create more complex final products.”
The Rivers team of teachers also met on campus during the summer course to develop projects for their own classes, putting into practice the instructional framework that lies behind maker-centered learning.
“Each of us is implementing these concepts in a different way,” said Ms. Dolan recently. “In my Human Rights and Global Issues class, we began by using systems thinking to deconstruct the three branches of government in order to understand how they function. As the year progresses students will identify a human rights issue to research and use systems thinking to analyze and then find a solution to the problem—it’s a very effective way to study the cause and effect of global issues.”
“Each of us is implementing these concepts in a different way,” said Ms. Dolan recently. “In my Human Rights and Global Issues class, we began by using systems thinking to deconstruct the three branches of government in order to understand how they function. As the year progresses students will identify a human rights issue to research and use systems thinking to analyze and then find a solution to the problem—it’s a very effective way to study the cause and effect of global issues.”
“I participated in this class in order to explore more fully the makerspace movement which is taking a strong hold in libraries,” added Ms. DeVore. “Melissa and I are curious to talk about how our library could support a makerspace environment for Middle School students. I was struck that the researchers involved in this class pointed to libraries as ideal makerspaces in school environments because they belong to everyone, rather than to certain disciplines or departments.”
So, if you see a pair of fuzzy grey flip-flops, electric blue hightops, or neon-striped slip-ons on Middle School feet in the dining hall, know that you’re seeing systems thinking at work.
© 2021 The Rivers School. All Rights Reserved
Rivers admits academically qualified students and does not discriminate against students or families on the basis of race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, or ethnic or national origin in the administration of its educational programs, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, athletic programs, and other school-administered programs.