What systems promote optimal teaching/learning communities?
Who are the thinkers and who are the doers in an organization?
My reading and research continually points me in the direction of flattening the hierarchy in schools while also synthesizing the roles of thinker and doer. From what I've read and what I've experienced, it's essential that educators are both thinkers and doers--they need to be the ones who research, read, analyze, create, and embed best practice to teach well.
My reading and research point me towards the belief that too tight hierarchical structures in education stagnate innovation and obstruct optimal teaching and learning. When the hierarchical structure obstructs educators' time to analyze, collaborate, and make decisions, innovation too is obstructed.
Not everyone agrees with my premise and still today many teaching/learning communities are tightly organized around hierarchical structures that prevent educators from decision making, leadership, and good collaborative analysis and share to innovate in ways that matter.
Also I wonder if the top-down, tight hierarchical structure remains in education because it's easy to replicate rather than positive to the learning and teaching? Does efficiency outweigh value? Do top-down hierarchies alleviate some from owning the work and decision making down at various levels? Is the reason these tight structures remain more about convenience than good, deep learning and teaching?
I will continue to think about the thinker-doer equation in education, and I welcome your thoughts and feedback on the issue?
