Wading through all the mumbo jumbo to just get back to basics

I am finding my way in a new place of work, ploughing through years of documents and files, and I am reminded of a hilarious but serious book, How Mumbo Jumbo Conquered the World, in which Francis Wheen explores the rise of nonsense, lies and fake news in modern society. Wheen argues that the world has become increasingly dominated by empty rhetoric, meaningless buzz­words and false information.

The documents I am going through record so much of the administrative and curricular changes that education has undergone in the province. I would argue that some of the changes have been worthwhile, but much of it has been either bureaucratic mumbo jumbo, legal mumbo jumbo or religious mumbo jumbo, couched in overly technical language or full of deliberately confusing regulations.

Understanding educational challenges in an impoverished school takes on a different look when it comes to achieving 21st-century goals – goals that seem like mumbo jumbo when the school library is defunct and the computer centre isn’t operational.

Tackling the many basics

How do you sift through the mumbo jumbo? I have heard experts say that “you must get the basics right in schools and then everything will be fine”. But what are the basics? Some people refer to the foundational elements of education that are essential for effective learning and development, while others refer to key curriculum content.

Julie Dawjee, a seasoned school development specialist, refers to foundational principles and practices essential for effective teaching and learning. She argues that the basics are crucial for creating an environment in which students can thrive academically and personally. She says, “You must create a positive learning atmosphere for student engagement and motivation.” She goes on to explain that teachers must provide clear instruction and use appropriate examples to help students grasp complex concepts. Most importantly, students must be actively engaged in the learning process through discussions, problem-solving and hands-on activities that promote deeper understanding and retention.

Dawjee says that encouraging self-directed learning and intrinsic motivation is crucial for success. She also argues that providing constructive feedback helps students understand their progress and how they can improve. Promoting teamwork and cooperative learning also helps build social skills and shared understanding among students.

From my experience, schools need to be secured and made safer on a practical level. Fences and gates need to be fixed and access controlled. Care for premises is both practical and symbolic of a broader climate of care, and in this regard, litter and old school furniture need to be cleared away, the classroom swept, cracked windows replaced and broken doors and handles repaired.

If the prevalence of drugs and weapons is a serious problem at a school, then regular, unannounced searches should be conducted. Adults must supervise students at school, and they need to be visible in high-risk areas. Most importantly, teachers must model respectful behaviour to students, in how they themselves act as well as how they treat their students.

Research I have been part of over the years shows that at the heart of a good school is a focus on teaching and learning. Purposeful leadership, a shared vision, a positive learning environment and high expectations are also central. Consistency among teachers, intellectually challenging lessons and rich communication between teachers and students create the conditions under which all children can thrive.

A good school has a leadership team that is visible and instructionally focused, building a culture of shared accountability. Teachers are seen as collaborative professionals, aligned around common goals and high expectations for every student.

In our Schools that Work ministerial report, written together with Professor Pam Christie and Dr Dawn Butler, we found highly motivated schools with dedicated staff and busy students, using additional time before and after school, on Saturdays and in holidays, celebrating achievements to motivate themselves further. Crucially, these were mainstream, not elite schools, demonstrating that socioeconomic adversity need not be the only determinant.

Good schools are learning organisations that reflect, adapt and grow. But above all, they are places where every child is cared for, believed in and given every opportunity to succeed.

Critical thinking is key

I agree with global education expert Andreas Schleicher: “In a world where the kind of things that are easy to teach and test have also become easy to digitise and automate, it will be our imagination, our awareness and our sense of responsibility that will enable us to harness the opportunities of the 21st century to shape the world for the better.”

It isn’t just simply delivering facts and content knowledge. Students should learn how to apply knowledge in real-world situations and use their learning to make a difference in their communities. This involves moving away from lecture-based teaching and focusing more on student engagement. It is widely agreed that 21st-century teaching emphasises developing essential skills such as critical thinking, communication, collaboration, creativity, active learning, problem-solving, educational technology and global awareness.

Teachers in any context must equip students with these skills, increase their engagement and promote a deeper understanding of the content. The gist of the argument is that there is an explosion of knowledge, which is too much for kids to absorb.

How do we make it all work?

The secret lies in teacher agency, which is the deliberate, purposeful capacity to act, to question and to shape one’s professional world rather than simply be shaped by it. Education experts such as Professor Jonathan Jansen have argued that teachers can adopt, adapt or resist any policy handed down to them. Every day, teachers decide how they interpret and implement policy.

The most powerful and durable change happens collectively, when teachers collaborate, share conviction and build a common vision. Systemic change is the accumulation of those smaller acts of courage.

But there is tension between the need to cover a range of subjects and the practical limitations of time and resources. And in an overcrowded curriculum, some essential subjects don’t receive adequate attention.

So, “getting the basics right” in schooling is not that simple. However, we know that we must create the right learning environments. We also need to ensure that the core curriculum content is well designed and implemented by teachers, and that foundational skills are prioritised.

Meaningless language and false information overwhelm modern society and won’t help. The final part of Wheen’s book looks at the future of mumbo jumbo and what can be done to combat its spread. He argues that the only way to fight against the rise of nonsense and fake news is through education, critical thinking and a commitment to truth and evidence. He also suggests that we need to re-evaluate our cultural attitudes towards truth and lies, and to hold those in power accountable for their use of language. Unfortunately, mumbo jumbo’s biggest power is to destroy human agency. DM

Dr Mark Potterton is the newly appointed principal of Immaculata Secondary School in Soweto, and director of the Three2Six Refugee Children’s Education Project.

This story first appeared in our weekly DM168 newspaper, available countrywide for R35.