Rethinking Schools, Spring 2011
accessed 3/27/2011
Summary/Key Points: Kohn reexamines the posters and slogans that many teachers and administrators post in classrooms and hallways. He asserts that seemingly innocuous (or boring, or simplistic) messages may hide fairly devious (if unconscious) social statements. For example, "Positive Attitudes Only Beyond This Point!" seems like a call for smiles, but taken at face value it suggests that students should plaster false cheer over whatever they are feeling. Kohn reminds us that what students need is a place in which they feel safe to give voice to their affect, whether positive or negative, and not exhortations to show false cheer. He has several other biting examples in the article. Quoted is Barbara Ehrenreich's "Bright Sided: How Positive Thinking is Undermining America," which sounds like it would go nicely alongside "Punished By Rewards" which we discussed in 561. (And in fact, guess who authored the latter book. None other than Alfie Kohn! Small world.)
Intended Audience: seems pretty specifically teachers for this one, though parents interested in considering all facets of their children's education may also benefit
Relevance: The two perspectives that I can consider this one from are the general perspective of teachers in all disciplines, and the perspective of my classroom specifically. From a general perspective, Kohn challenges all teachers to think more critically about aspects of their classroom that may be taken as innocent givens. Surely no one has put up any posters out of specific malice towards students before! At the same time, posting things without thinking at all about it (because it is easy, and "that's how it's done") may be a sin of omission of thought; an evil act done in ignorance does not effect the less.
From my own personal perspective, I feel like I have lucked out a bit in having a world languages classroom: there is never any shortage of fun, relevant things to post around the room, all drawn from primary sources and all (hopefully more or less) closely related to the students' interests. That said, I will bear this article in mind whenever I put something up now, and I will strive to remember his good advice that the occupants of the room are the most appropriate decorators.
I think I recall seeing a few "Far Side" comics up around teachers' desks with negative connotations. And what about those "Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter Here" signs?
ReplyDeleteAs someone who didn't grow up in schools with positive messages (weren't in vogue yet), I actually like seeing the mantras/subliminal brain washing messages like "Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible" Orenco Elementary, and "Be better today than you were yesterday" Brown Middle School, and at least at Liberty HS there are a host of positive messages about college attendance.
No worries Jessica, it will be one of the models we look at in LCII so if you're interested you should sign up for that one...Alfie Kohn
ReplyDeleteInteresting article. I especially love the small part that mentions the "Demotivational" posters. At my office, we used to order a demotivational calendar every year - making predictions on how we thought each month would play out when choosing the image/snarky saying for each month. I have never been a fan of the actual motivational posters.
ReplyDeleteI think a good alternative to generic signs that order students not to whine or to be respectful might be posters or signs with quotes from important/influential leaders, authors, etc. from around the world with similar underlying messages. I also really like the idea of plastering the walls with work that the students themselves have done!
Jessica, I picked up a copy of Punished by Rewards at Powell's the other day. I'd be happy to loan it to you if you would like :)
I am kind of split on this one in that I hate the motivational posters (really love the Demotivation Catalogue!) and "yea-rah-rah" sessions we would had at BofA as it seemed so false. I tried to avoid them, but my managers would always threaten me by saying I would have to lead one, so I went!
ReplyDeleteThat said, I think some good healthy ones that are not mass produced and could mean something to the kids are great to have in the classrooms. And certainly ones that the kids come up with would be great. I think positive signs or to put it better, "encouraging" signs are what you look for instead of positive-thinking signs. And then mix it up with funny ones as well like, "No matter where you go, there you are." that make the kids stop and think about it for a moment.