Weaving Systems Thinking into the K–12 Curriculum
By Nalani Linder and Colleen Ponto
Thanks to the recently revised science and environmental sustainability education standards in the Washington State K-12 system, teachers are now required to teach and assess children's understanding of systems. (Click here to see the standards.) As parents, systems educators, and Washingtonians, we have been on a learning journey over the last few months to find out more about how we can help support the teaching of systems thinking in our state's classrooms.
In February, we visited the remarkable team at the Waters Foundation in Tucson, Arizona: Tracy Benson, Anne Lavigne, Sheri Marlin, and Joan Yates. They took us to various schools where they have been working with teachers and students to weave systems thinking (ST) and system dynamics (SD) throughout the curriculum.
What an inspiration! We saw:
- Eighth-grade social studies students learning about World War II through the lens of mental models and using the ladder of inference;
- Fifth graders assessing ideas about slavery during the Civil War using stock/flow diagrams; and
- Kindergarteners using behavior over time graphs to look at the changing behaviors of the characters in the story of the gingerbread man.
Perhaps one of the most inspiring sights for us was at Borton Primary, a K-2 magnet school, where systems thinking is integrated where appropriate into the school's curriculum. First- and second-grade teacher Molly Reed has a beh
avior over time graph on her whiteboard that the students fill out each day about their own patterns of learning. Above the graph hangs a sign that reads, "What do you notice?" This query invites reflection and inquiry, a stepping back to observe patterns and trends--a challenge for adults, too!
Click here for the lessons Nalani and Colleen learned about teaching systems thinking and system dynamics to any audience.
Nalani Linder is an independent consultant and workshop facilitator who works with change agents of all ages to help them learn, practice, and apply systems thinking ideas and tools in their schools/organizations, communities, and personal lives. She is currently co-principal of a research study exploring connections between systems thinking and learning preferences.
Colleen Ponto, Ed.D., teaches at Seattle University, where she is a core faculty member of the Organization Systems Renewal Graduate Program. OSR specializes in helping adult learners to become designers and leaders of systemic organizational change. Colleen is also an independent educational and organizational consultant; one of her current passions is helping learners of all ages develop their systems thinking skills.