If you’re anything like me, you probably have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Ikea. I enjoy strolling through their store, dropping the kids off in childcare, and marveling at all the affordable furniture options. Despite their carts seeming to have a mind of their own, my partner and I find ourselves going back repeatedly for items to furnish our home, especially for our four kids’ rooms.
Recently, we made a trip to Ikea because my youngest was turning 2 and wanted her very own “big girl” bed. Naturally, Ikea had exactly what we were looking for, and we loaded up our car with four massive boxes. The entire drive home, I couldn’t stop thinking about how long it was going to take to assemble it. It was Saturday, and I had college football to catch, chores to do, and a party to prep for the next day.
Once I got everything set up in her room, I unloaded the boxes. The pieces were scattered everywhere, but Ikea had done a fantastic job of organizing everything, color-coding the parts, and providing clear instructions for assembly.
A few hours later, I had successfully built the bed! As I followed each step, I couldn’t help but think about how this is similar to what many of our students experience. They often face “big tasks” in school—like writing essays, completing projects, or solving complex problems. At first glance, these assignments can feel overwhelming, but teachers break them down into manageable steps. We provide detailed directions and rubrics to guide students through the process, encouraging them to follow the steps until they achieve the “right” outcome.
While this approach is well-intentioned, it can be a significant issue in our education system. It stifles creativity and innovation when kids are constantly instructed to follow a prescribed method. Here are four key insights I gleaned from my Ikea experience that mirror our education system:
1. Ikea Makes It Easy, But Doesn’t Foster Learning
Ikea simplifies the process of assembling furniture, but I didn’t actually learn anything from it. I built several pieces from Ikea, but it felt more like following the instructions of a Lego set than engaging in real creative work. How often do our students complete tasks in school without truly learning, simply because they’re following rigid guidelines?
2. Compliance Over Creativity
The only takeaway I had from assembling the bed was the importance of following directions closely. If I strayed from the prescribed method, I risked ruining the project and having to redo it. Sure, I felt satisfied with the finished product, but my self-worth was tied to my ability to comply, rather than my creativity.
3. Convenience, Not Creativity
The process was incredibly convenient. I could easily pick out what I wanted, load it up, and have it ready in a couple of hours. However, it lacked creativity. I once assigned students to create a website for a book project, but I provided them with a specific website builder and templates. As a result, all their websites looked remarkably similar, lacking true originality.
4. Standardization Leads to Hacking
That night, I discovered a whole community dedicated to modifying Ikea products. People have been creatively hacking Ikea furniture for years, finding ways to repurpose and enhance standard pieces. This notion of “hacking” resonates within education too; when we standardize processes, there will always be a group looking to break free from constraints and innovate.
This reflection on my classroom experiences highlights a critical question: how can we support student success while allowing room for creativity and learning through mistakes? Our goal should be to celebrate the process of creating rather than merely following a set path.
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Summary
Reflecting on my Ikea experience, I realized many parallels to our education system, including the ease of following steps, the emphasis on compliance, the convenience over creativity, and the standardization that often hinders innovation. It’s crucial that we find ways to support students in their learning journeys while fostering their creativity and problem-solving skills.
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