If you have ever done an assignment just to get the grade, or if you’ve taught a lesson only because the material needed to be covered for a test, then you have played “the Game of School”. Robert L. Fried’s book might leave you wondering just how authentic your own education really was. He contends that students from kindergarten through graduate school are too often not truly engaged in learning but simply playing “the Game” of getting by and complying with the system. What’s more, No Child Left Behind Act requirements and high stakes testing only serve to further entrench students and teachers in the Game. The danger in this is the stifling of creativity and “the paralysis of intellect and meaningful inquiry”. Although both teachers and students participate in the Game, Fried’s intent is not to place blame, but rather to sound a call to action. Throughout the book, Fried includes interludes of real classrooms whose teachers exemplify passionate, authentic teaching.
Indoctrination into the Game begins as soon as children enter school when obedience and pleasing the teacher are rewarded. In middle school, conformity becomes top priority for most students, further jeopardizing self-motivated learning. Competition for grades and college admissions in high school too often replaces real enthusiasm for learning. Students (and their parents) seek out the “easy” teachers. Sadly, this trend continues on into college and even graduate school for many.
Too much of what children do in school is a waste of time, according to Fried. It is non-productive “work” rather than true learning. In order to be authentic learning, the student must be engaged in the activity, see the relevance of it, gain a deeper understanding from it, and be able to use that understanding. Fried’s ideal classroom is very much child-centered, where “knowledge and meaning have not been predetermined by teacher or textbook, but instead will emerge from their own efforts, guided and structured by their teacher” (p. 5). He cites an example of an eleventh grade class that studied the Bill of Rights, and connected it to the students’ lives by having them come up with two new “rights” while having to give up two of the original amendments. A lawyer or judge is then invited to speak to the class and discuss students’ ideas (p. 4). This is in contrast to the more traditional teacher-centered manner of delivering instruction.
Fried compares standardized testing and curricula to a “state religion” where “form has replaced the substance” (p. 79). When the ends (test scores) are more important than the means (real learning), students lose their propensity to explore new ideas. If every task is tied to a content standard or a test prep question, when is there the opportunity to “pursue the intriguing…to awaken to the new theory or pattern amid the cacophony of conventional thinking”? (p. 80).
In order to show how different students respond to the Game, Fried devised seven categories of learners. True-Blue Learners love learning, in and out of school. Almost all children begin their schooling in this category. To what extent they are affected by the Game determines where they go from there. Go-Getters are high achievers; they pursue the grades and honors. Students who work hard only in classes that interest them are Cherry-Pickers. Pluggers just try to get through the assignments, the semester, etc. Goof-offs or Rebels are often the class clowns, and for the Socializers/Hang-Outers the social aspects of school take precedent over academics. Finally, the Giver-Uppers are those who are so discouraged that they most likely drop out. Fried admits that most students don’t fit neatly into one category, but his purpose in delineating categories is to stimulate conversation. It is Fried’s belief that through authentic teaching, more kids will remain True-Blue Learners.
To be able to minimize the effects of the Game, educators need to humanize the school environment. Fried thoroughly examines six aspects of schooling and shows how each can either be skewed to further the Game or to promote authentic learning.
At the heart of authentic learning, though, are “passionate teachers”, as Fried calls them. They are excited about their subject, they read and research, and constantly analyze their work. Furthermore, passionate teachers do not work in isolation; they rely on support from colleagues. In an interlude, English teacher Randall Wisehart explains the importance of veteran teachers nurturing new teachers and sharing their successful teaching strategies with them.
The real value in this book is in the chapter entitled “Getting Stuck”, in which Fried challenges teachers who feel ineffective, uninspired or paralyzed by the culture in their school to take action to regain their passion and in doing so, teach authentically. He encourages honest reflection and gives suggestions for getting unstuck. Fried urges teachers to resist seeing themselves as victims in the system, and to transform their professional lives by seeking advice from supportive colleagues or mentors and reading widely in their field, including books about teaching and learning. A “Joy and Misery Index” helps teachers assess their feelings about their profession.
The Game of School is thought provoking, to be sure. Students, parents, and educators will benefit from examining their own attitudes about the ideas presented in the book. Since reading the book, I am asking my kids less about test scores and grades and more about whether or not they are enjoying their classes and what projects they are working on. In my adult basic education classes, I strive to engage students in meaningful learning activities, but I know I can do better. Although the Game is most likely here to stay, awareness is the first step to minimizing its detrimental effects. Remember, the real reward is not the grade, but the enthusiasm and desire to keep learning after the grade is given.
Pages: 248 Price: $24.95 ISBN: 0-7879-7437-5
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