It’s not usually complicated. There’s a class—you teach it. There’s an education system—you function in it.

But sometimes you inherit a system, and it doesn’t seem to be working. Sometimes you invent a system, and something isn’t quite right. You offer classes, but no one takes them. One or two people ask for a class, and there’s demand for another, but not at the same time or the same place. A class begins strong, but soon attendance and engagement diminish.

What could the problem be, and what are potential solutions?

Current educational research has developed a system of four frames to help diagnose problems and solutions. The frames involve structure, human resources, politics, and symbols.

The Structural Frame reflects confidence in rationality and documents how a suitable array of formal roles and responsibilities will minimize distracting personal static and maximize people’s performance in the classroom. That is to say, the Structural Frame relies on forms to identify and solve problems. If there is a student behavior problem, the solution is a different seating chart. If a teacher is struggling to engage students at the correct level, the solution is using materials that are prepared by someone else for exactly that level.

Lutherans will immediately recognize that the Structural Frame falls within the realm of the law. There’s nothing wrong with recognizing and applying the law with its natural punishments and rewards. Ideally, it sets the structure of a class situation so that the gospel can predominate in the content of the class.

The Human Resources Frame deals with issues by changing people through training, rotation, promotion, or dismissal. It centers on what people do to and for one another. If the class is not working, maybe someone else needs to teach the class for a while. Maybe the original teacher simply needs further training. If the personality of one student hinders the learning of other students, maybe that student needs to move to a different learning situation.

Lutherans understand human resources in a scriptural way when we apply the principles of good stewardship. What are the best uses for the gifts of the teachers available? How do we best prepare people for the work of serving?

The Political Frame looks at the educational program of a church as an arena, a place where contending claims are constantly being worked out. In this view, students, teachers, and other groups in the congregation agree on ways to distribute resources, producing temporary settlements that are reflected in organizational design. What are the prime times for teaching? Which classes do we want to offer at those times? What are the best spaces at our place for learning? How and when do we arrange those spaces for the purpose of education? Are there underused times and places to accommodate more needs?

Although there are stewardship issues in the Political Frame, it is more often a simple encouragement to love one another that cuts through layers of history or neglect.

In the Symbolic Frame, churches are places where people make sense of the chaotic world in which they live. Meaning, belief, and faith are central concerns. This frame is often easiest for us pastors to understand. If we look at the classes we offer, we realize that we can improve them by connecting them to the worship life of the congregation, to the physical symbols in the sanctuary, and to structured home devotional life. The practical nature of the sacraments for everyday life outside the home helps people to see the value of continuing education. The themes introduced in worship each week become the foundation for the program of education during the week.

The idea of this research is that appropriate reframing by leaders can improve the educational systems of churches. For more on this topic, check out the classic text, Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice, and Leadership by Lee G. Bolman and Terrence E. Deal (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2013).