By: Mark McCrindle
Education plays a pivotal role in society.
In school, students’ minds are expanded, they are introduced to new ideas, and taught to think critically. Schools nourish the development of knowledge, character, and skills to equip young people for life.
The world, however, is becoming increasingly complex, and so is the role of schools. The expectations of schools extend beyond literacy and numeracy to character development, arts, creativity, physical education and mental, emotional, and social health. Many educators are feeling this burden and are navigating how to respond.
Consumer mindset fuelling the growing expectation on schools
In many areas of society, people are becoming consumers rather than contributors. Education is no different. With 9,629 schools across three sectors, many parents have options around where they will send their children. This choice can create a competitive schooling landscape.
When parents operate from a consumer and fee-for-service mindset of ‘how will this school benefit my child’ rather than a contributor mindset of ‘partnering together to equip their child for a life well-lived’, it can inflate expectations. To counter this, there is an opportunity for schools to shift the relationship from a transaction to a partnership, enabling schools and parents to stand in alignment to navigate challenges.
Schools are mediating institutions for social change
The role of schools as mediating institutions in social change has also grown. Historically, many clubs, societies, and gathering points have been hubs for learning, development, and social transformation. These intermediary organisations often play a crucial role in community building and fostering societal shifts. Over time, however, membership in these clubs and organisations has evolved, and two of the remaining institutions of social change where almost everyone is involved are schools and workplaces.
Therefore, educational leaders are in a unique position, where they are not just a mediating institution to younger generations through students, but also to older generations through the workforce and, more broadly, to parents. This can put pressure on schools to be the avenue for addressing change for people, across the generations.
Educational leaders have agency over the health of their school community
Schools are uniquely positioned to influence social change and the nation’s future. Many educational leaders are feeling stretched with external factors such as public perception, funding changes and curriculum updates impacting schools. Numerous elements are outside a leader’s control; however, the health of the school community is not one of them.
There is an opportunity for leaders to be counter-cultural and build thriving hubs of community and partnership. Indeed, this may be an antidote to a consumer approach to education, where community is fostered, belonging is experienced, and there is a commitment across all stakeholders to building a thriving learning community.
Building thriving learning communities
A school’s influence is significant. A young person can spend up to 15,600 hours in school across 13 years; it would take 120 years of weekend sport to reach this same level of influence (based on contact of 2.5 hours per week). Educational leaders have an opportunity to curate an environment that stimulates learning, develops character, facilitates belonging and sets up young people for a life well lived.
To help educational leaders create thriving learning communities, McCrindle has developed a six-part Thriving Schools Index to help schools identify their strengths and highlight areas for improvement.
The effectiveness of a school’s learning community is measured across the following six areas:
- Student development
- Teaching
- Student wellbeing
- Schooling experience
- Connection and belonging
- Leadership
Conduct the Thriving Schools Index (TSI) with your school
Every child deserves a school environment where they can flourish, grow, and thrive. Picture a place where students feel empowered, teachers are inspired, and parents are engaged. Our Thriving School Index helps makes this vision a reality.
Your school’s culture isn’t just a backdrop – it’s the heartbeat of learning, shaping every interaction and opportunity. But how do you measure its pulse? Our Thriving Schools Index provides a benchmark against the national average and helps illuminate the path towards a vibrant, nurturing educational community.
Article supplied with thanks to McCrindle.
About the Author: McCrindle are a team of researchers and communications specialists who discover insights, and tell the story of Australians – what we do, and who we are.
Feature image: Photo by LinkedIn Sales Solutions on Unsplash
