Designing Schools Future Focus | Paper Wall Pushers: How Assumptions, Not Policies, Are Holding Us Back | Week of January 12, 2026
In this episode, Dr. Sabba Quidwai challenges the unspoken norms in education that hinder innovation, highlighting how “paper walls” the unquestioned assumptions shape school systems. Featuring insights from LEGO Education, the Brookings Institution, and McKinsey, this episode explores what happens when students are trusted with agency, and what’s at stake when they’re not.
Timestamps
00:00 – Why We Don't Question the Bell Schedule
Exploring how normalized structures in education prevent innovation and where leadership often defaults to inherited assumptions.
04:20 – What Are Paper Wall Pushers?
Introducing Steve Bartlett’s concept and its relevance to leadership, decision-making, and school culture.
08:15 – LEGO’s Kid-Led AI Study
A deep dive into how LEGO empowered students to research AI on their own terms—and what we learn when we actually listen.
14:30 – Brookings' Pre-Mortem on AI in Education
Discussing Brookings Institution’s approach to preemptively evaluating the risks of AI overuse and under-guidance in schools.
22:00 – From Traffic Lights to Thinking: What McKinsey Looks for Now
Contrasting traditional compliance models in schools with what companies like McKinsey now value: judgment, ambiguity navigation, and collaborative AI use.
Resources Mentioned
- 🔗 LEGO Education – Kid-Led AI Study
- 📄 Brookings Institution – AI and Student Agency Report
- 🧠 McKinsey Report – The Role of AI in Hiring and Decision-Making
- 🌀 AI Guidance Frameworks and School Leadership Examples (Designing Schools)
Explore More from Designing Schools
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🎓 Prepare Your Students for an AI Future: Link to new student experience
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