‘GRASPing’ for development

Abstract

The article explores a technique for the encouragement of systematic thinking which had its origins in industry but has been found effective for a variety of educational purposes from classroom to senior management level. The technique is defined by the acronym GRASP, which means simply Getting Results and Solving Problems, but this convenient shorthand by no means conveys the subtlety and power of the process in action or its capacity to raise self-esteem and aspiration. This claim is justified by reference to an evaluation of a local education authority project, now in its tenth year, which seeks, by promoting GRASP, to raise standards of achievement in its schools. The article argues that despite the difficulties of embedding the process and the costs of sustaining innovations in schools, GRASP offers a powerful means of teacher development.