My main task I set for myself was to try to change the views of the children in my class- there was one child in particular but I'll explain why in a minute.
We've been doing a lot of work on Trevor Hawes and John Hattie at school, learning about multiple intelligences, different learning styles and the various ways we all use our brain. After our training, it was decided that a lot of our first term's PSHE lessons were going to be based around activities linked to what we've been learning. So off we set on our mission, to get the children to understand their learning styles and celebrate their own, and other's achievements.
We all came up with class tribes. Mine are the giraffes- standing tall and proud of our achievements, and playing, working and learning together in our school community.
One of the first hurdles I faced with one particular child, was when we were discussing targets for the year. I asked what she was good at and she listed an abundance of things. When I came to ask what she struggled with, or would like to improve this year, she replied with "But Ms Jessica I can do everything". I started listing things, helping her to find that one thing she could work on, but she continued to come back with statements about how perfect she was at Maths, how she's fluent in several languages, how she plays many instruments to a high level...and so on and so forth...I had found my first mission...I would find one thing this child couldn't do (other than list something she's bad at...I'd already sussed she was incompetent at this!)
One of the activities was a questionnaire, which helped the children work out if they were right or left brained.
The second hurdle was a question that asked "Are you good at keeping your bedroom tidy?" The answer from the child in question was said in such a matter of fact way that, although I'd been here a few weeks and heard plenty of stories, it still took me by surprise. Her response was simply "Well that doesn't apply to me. How can I possibly answer? That's what my maid's for!" Arghhh...this mission was getting harder by the minute. I rephrased the question so that it was about how well the children kept their trays tidy in school, where they don't have a nanny, cleaner or maid to tidy up after them (well we do have plenty of cleaners but not for each child personally!) Of course, she happened to be perfect at keeping her drawer tidy too...hmmm.
So I could see that PSHE lessons were going to be vital this year...there was going to be no allowing maths to carry on through the afternoon, or allowing time to 'finish off' any English, sometimes skipping PSHE, like I have done previously many times. Deep breaths and lots of planning...determined to crack this!
Each day, we have 'news' time. It's bit like show and tell back home. Each child has one opportunity a week to talk to the class about anything they choose. It's basically to develop their speaking and listening skills, and their confidence to speak to an audience. I only have one child in the class who has English as their first language so any spare few minutes in the day are pinched for activities like this.
This day it was "the perfect girl's" turn. She stood up, and announced confidently and proudly to the class "My sister is a failure". I wasn't quite sure what she meant, and was hoping she'd made a mistake with her vocabulary, but no, she went on to describe how her three year old sister is referred to as the failure of the family. "She can't even swim yet and she's three" was one of the things the class were told. I then went in to a big speech about how at school, me and my two siblings were all very different, yet all talented at different things.
I explained how now, we are all successful in very different careers, but all doing things that we enjoy. I tried to get her to understand that, although I was alright at Maths and English at school, if my car was to break down, I wouldn't have a clue where to start with it, yet my brother, who maybe wouldn't have seen himself as good at Maths and English, would be able to come and help me.
She, and the rest of the class sat and considered what I had been saying. Maybe I was making a breakthrough? "Yes but Ms Jessica, you just don't understand. She's not even fluent in English yet. How is that possible when she's three? When I was three...." This then went on and on with a detailed description of all of the talents this child had when she was a toddler. Arghhh...the mission continues!
To keep up to date with the things we're doing in class, visit our class blog x3t2013-2014.blogspot.com or click the link at the bottom.
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