Thinking about the school most of the time: studio as generative metaphor for critical reflection

ABSTRACT

Busy leaders need time to reflect and renew. They need to consider the particularities of their school and the ways in which they can work with others in the school community to address pressing issues, as well as to make future plans. The metaphor of the studio offers some helpful avenues for thinking how this reflection might occur. Artists use their studios for respite, not knowing, generating new ideas, risk taking, integrating theory and practice, exercising criticality and developing socially just practices. Leaders might take a lead from artists; however, there are both space and time challenges to making the studio a practical possibility.

KEYWORDS:

• Studio
• metaphor
• leadership
• reflective practice

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes

1 Etymology online https://www.etymonline.com/word/study?ref=etymonline_crossreference.

2 See, for example, https://www.nasuwt.org.uk/uploads/assets/uploaded/13afb486-68b7-45f8-abf9b88840e396f2.pdf, https://www.tes.com/news/teachers-work-54-hour-week-dfe-survey-finds and http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-02-21/principals-overwhelmed-by-workplace-stress-acu-survey-finds/9468078.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Pat Thomson

Pat Thomson PSM PhD FRSA FAcSS is Professor of Education, School of Education, The University of Nottingham. Her research focuses on arts and creativity in schools and communities, alternative education and doctoral research and academic writing. She blogs at patthomson.net and tweets as @ThomsonPat.