Dave Secomb is the Principal of Tokyo International School in Japan and compassionate systems Master Practitioner. He first began working with compassionate systems while based at the International School of Zug and Luzern in Switzerland and introduced the approach in Japan because of its power to support pedagogies that are responsive, inclusive and dedicated to deep learning, alongside models of Professional Growth that focus on teacher well-being at the core of personal development. Teachers at Tokyo International School have been introducing compassionate systems tools to their students, including the stock and flow example shared here. 

The context for this example is a Grade 7 Science class. Students were brainstorming different behaviours and actions that contribute to stock (add bubbles) or diminish (drain) the bath tub that is ‘Science class’. By using the analogy of a bathtub to represent Stock and Flow, students were encouraged to think of behaviours and actions that either a) add bubbles to the tub or b) drain water from the tub. The context for this particular example was for general behaviour when entering the Science lab. This helped students sense into the broader systems that they were a part of. Using live bubbles as part of the activity brought additional fun as well as the opportunity to explore surface tension and the properties of bubbles!

Your can see the results of their discussion here.