Teaching & Learning Policy Flow Bubble

How many staff read right through their school’s policies? Really, I’m being serious.  You see, authors of policies feel such a sense of accomplishment on completing this onerous task, I wonder how much time they devote to considering who will read them. So let’s speculate.

Optimistically, you might say 50% of staff picks it up at some time. And what percentage of them read it right the way through? 50% at best? Of those diligent few, what percentage understands it sufficiently well to be able to explain to a colleague? Again, 50%? Lastly, what percentage of this remaining few remembers the main messages and acts on them? You get my point?

So what’s the solution? You’re not going to be surprised when I say a visual.

This visual is a flow bubble. It’s a sort of chunked flow chart. That means the sections, in sequence, are organised into main points. And connected to these are their related details. So, rather like a model map, you get the big picture down the centre, and the details along the sides. It’s a hybrid single bubble and flow chart.

Put it at the start of the policy and you’ve got a very good chance that every reader will scan it and get the gist. Most will then feel sufficiently informed and engaged to read more details further in.
Better still, put it up on the wall, in poster fashion, and the whole school community will “get it”. The example below is a Teaching and Learning Policy.
If you would like to download a free, high resolution pdf of this poster, then please visit http://www.modellearning.com/ideas/articles-and-documents.aspx