Why I hate (most) measures in complex systems
My sons school has started a reading league table and a part of my soul just died. At age 6 my son is in year 1 at primary school, it’s a small rural school so he shares a class with year 2s and they have one teacher for a class of 30 odd children aged 5 to 7. That’s a tough job and on a national teachers strike day, one what is woefully under paid. Like all schools there are things they do well, things that could be better and that goes for the teachers and the decisions they make. I try not to worry too much as ultimately the whole educational system if flawed and life is too short for that much stress. But… We have just had a message via Class Dojo, for those who don’t know Dojo, imagine the worst possible social media & messaging app and times by 1000 and you won’t come close to the loathing I have for it. Anyway, his teacher excitedly shared the display they have just created with large photos of all the children and the number of nights they have read at home