Permalearners Arise! Part 3

Part 1 and Part 2!

In this third and final post on the subject of system design and how this impacts on the current curriculum reforms, I want to present a simple force field analysis to establishing a sustainable, fair and productive design in line with permaculture ethics and the lofty purposes of Wales' curriculum reform.

At the heart of our discussion is the citizen! The whole system has to be designed based around society, even civil society if you prefer. School, education and the current reforms are a vital cog in this design. I have taken time to walk through the permaculture metaphor carefully and drawn links between its approach to complex system design that can potentially realise regenerative outcomes in the hands of wise, passionate and committed workers who understand their role clearly and how this fits within the whole ecosystem. Value for each role within the system ensures equity and productivity that goes beyond doing the job but being watchmen and women concerned with the wellbeing of the whole system. 

This brings me to the final aspects that I feel are at the heart of the potential and the dangers of the current reforms on the road we are on in Cymru since devolution. Hand on heart and with all the bravery I can muster during this crazy time in history, the main dysfunction with the current system and the future systems greatest challenge is 'communication and diversity'.

Within any organism, communication is vital! I'm not going to break this down any further than to state that if I break my leg, the pain signal tells my brain I should not continue to walk on it! With this in mind, if the education system is failing - which it must be if we need to reform it - then continuing to do the same thing as before is a failure in communication and will only cause more damage long-term. If the plot is not yielding fruit, in whatever form is desired, then we need to ensure the manager of the system knows there is a problem. The manager needs to take notice of the warning and activate other areas of the system in order to address the problem. Whether on a micro or macro scale, the principle is the same. Unless all workers, whatever their role, are working towards the collective goal then all is doomed to failure or at least serve only uphold the failing status quo. Levels of poverty are not getting any better is a general point by way of example.

Everyone seems to know better these days! What? Better than nature? Better than timeless ecosystems that have managed to survive through the continual attack of humanity; the progress that has left the earth scarred and bereft of a moral compass? If this current crisis has taught me anything it's that the passion of the humble cleaner, carer, teacher and checkout assistant doing their best in the face of all the dangers and tragedy is the most valuable contribution to the system, alongside the  heroic efforts of the doctors and nurses. I wonder how many of these voices have raised the alarm regarding possible danger to the system but have not been listened to because of the lack of value the system places on them? Communication is a key factor and has to be a multi-layered system that is able to isolate the danger. The human body offers some guidance here in terms of all the nerves we have running into our brain and the way they interact to keep the whole-body safe during a crisis. Problems are likely to occur when there is a breakdown in the communication between the brain, the organs and the motor functions of the body; no matter how insignificant they may seem! They're a vital aspect of the system and should be valued and heeded as such regardless of role or responsibility governed by pay grade.

In addition to this challenge, I contest that diversity is also an ongoing issue within our current system. We need different voices! Different types of thinkers and dispositions to generate the wisdom and solutions we need to make the right decisions; and this cannot be achieved through online questionnaires and Twitter chats alone! They may help inform a little but are not robust enough to ensure the diversity of thought needed to promote the full range of creative and critical thinking required to inform design development and turn this rotten plot into a productive bed. This really is a threat at all levels within the system. When intelligent, wise and passionate people raise issues, they are generally met with scorn and ridicule because the relevant points they raise are seen as an attack on management thinking, control and comfort. When managers point out that productivity is not good enough, the workers become stressed and anxious and may tend to seek favour and out-do others to demonstrate their worth and value to the system to establish their place. Echo's of master and slave syndrome doomed to perpetuate the status quo because questions mean evaluation and effort to them. 

The data driven monster has created this design that locks like-minded thinkers into teams that feel they have to defend themselves when alternative ideas challenge their viewpoint. We seem to be locked into a culture where argument, debate and passion for improvement is frowned upon and only causes offence because we are hyper-sensitive to criticism due to it being an attack on our perceived value within the system. This is a huge threat to the organic performance of the whole and we need to understand that diversity and dissent are important within the system because that's what real accountability looks like - if it cannot defend itself with evidence it resorts to bullying and control. I recall a colleague telling me once that as a senior leaders he would regularly go off to the staff-room to listen to what the workers were saying and how they were feeling to test the waters. He would then relay this back to the leadership team in order to inform their thinking and action a response; whether the leadership agreed with their views or not. These feelings and thoughts were valued and listened too and introduced diversity of thought into the system. I wonder if this is replicated or even welcomed across the whole system in the current climate in Cymru? 

The culture we currently live in is an unhealthy culture! Fact! It has given rise to the micromanaged and genetically engineered practices that are ruled by PR, fear and bullying; which are obviously unsustainable and undesirable if we genuinely intend to improve the lot of society. We need to consider carefully the ethics within our design and develop meaningful practices that allow for clear communication not only of decisions but the thought processes and interaction with other stakeholders that lead to the decisions - the process is more important than short term goals or individual careers. This needs to be done with full respect to the intelligence of those it is delivered to - those who make the system work. We cannot continue to create apathy and disaffection due to a lack of investment in wise and effective communication if we truly want to achieve the turnaround in our path. We also need to actively promote diversity within our teams at all levels - diversity of experience, thought, disposition and passions so that we can be functional in our decision making. We need to stop defending the cliques of like minded thinkers who generally avoid challenging the decisions of leaders to avoid rocking the boat out of fear of finding themselves out of favour with leadership. Social climbing is obvious to all!!

I will end with two rhetorical questions! What do we see when we look at Y Senedd? What has been achieved since devolution that has truly benefited our communities and nation? The jury is still out but whilst dysfunction and class divisions remain, we have much work still to do. The garden will not produce a better yield until we embrace the The Permalearner Way!

#15MFCymru