Leaving Lincolnshire with a unique package
A whole week at Lincolnshire schools... a whole new experience that could nurture the passion engraved in the “ Teacher in Me”.
Visiting 7 different schools at the beginning of our week provided us with the whole picture about teaching and learning in UK. However, two days well spent in our partner school, giving classes and attending others, , chatting with teachers and interacting with students were able to transform the experience into an unforgettable and valued one.
This visit opened my eye on the “how” to create a positive environment for the wellbeing of the students and teachers. Even we as visitors felt and lived those positive vibes which embraced all school members and made them feel at home rather than at school.
For example, the general assembly at the beginning of the week made us feel the closeness of the HeadTeacher to the students, he/she addressed every student by his/her names and asked them about what they have done over the weekend, or even highlighted with them the British Values that should be experienced everyday. A motivational song may be sung during the assembly in Karaoke, where all students unite in one rhythm towards one aim. Other assemblies may add prayers to make students at ease so that they begin their day relaxed in a meditation-like style.
Moreover, what drew my attention was the high ability of the students to express their thoughts and manage their feelings. Inside or outside classes, students are encouraged to speak their thoughts and are given time to express their feelings by labeling them using verbal language. Enough time was given for everyone at anytime of the day.
A class demonstration was at the heart of managing fear was nicely done in one of the schools we visited. An expert in exotic animals came to the school with a number of wild animals that usually spread fear just by mentioning their names ( scorpion, arachnoïdes, snakes...) and he presented them in an interesting way explaining how to deal and protect oneself from these animals. He encouraged students to touch and carry these animals, while the headteacher volunteered to do the same. Although this act seems weird and fearful, the majority of the students expressed freely their thoughts and touched, pampered and even carried the wild animals in their tiny little hands. It was an informative interesting session that was also beneficial at the emotional level. Even I, who has never ever tried to get near a snake, could take the snake into my hands and enjoyed the feeling of its soft skin texture.
What matters is the child wellbeing and in order to do that we should work on many different aspects and not only on the knowledge and skills related to the subject areas of the curriculum , but also we should take into live consideration the social emotional aspect that can boost the child’s character and the learning of the student.
By: Youssr Chediac
Lebanon2UK2019
Visiting 7 different schools at the beginning of our week provided us with the whole picture about teaching and learning in UK. However, two days well spent in our partner school, giving classes and attending others, , chatting with teachers and interacting with students were able to transform the experience into an unforgettable and valued one.
This visit opened my eye on the “how” to create a positive environment for the wellbeing of the students and teachers. Even we as visitors felt and lived those positive vibes which embraced all school members and made them feel at home rather than at school.
For example, the general assembly at the beginning of the week made us feel the closeness of the HeadTeacher to the students, he/she addressed every student by his/her names and asked them about what they have done over the weekend, or even highlighted with them the British Values that should be experienced everyday. A motivational song may be sung during the assembly in Karaoke, where all students unite in one rhythm towards one aim. Other assemblies may add prayers to make students at ease so that they begin their day relaxed in a meditation-like style.
Moreover, what drew my attention was the high ability of the students to express their thoughts and manage their feelings. Inside or outside classes, students are encouraged to speak their thoughts and are given time to express their feelings by labeling them using verbal language. Enough time was given for everyone at anytime of the day.
A class demonstration was at the heart of managing fear was nicely done in one of the schools we visited. An expert in exotic animals came to the school with a number of wild animals that usually spread fear just by mentioning their names ( scorpion, arachnoïdes, snakes...) and he presented them in an interesting way explaining how to deal and protect oneself from these animals. He encouraged students to touch and carry these animals, while the headteacher volunteered to do the same. Although this act seems weird and fearful, the majority of the students expressed freely their thoughts and touched, pampered and even carried the wild animals in their tiny little hands. It was an informative interesting session that was also beneficial at the emotional level. Even I, who has never ever tried to get near a snake, could take the snake into my hands and enjoyed the feeling of its soft skin texture.
What matters is the child wellbeing and in order to do that we should work on many different aspects and not only on the knowledge and skills related to the subject areas of the curriculum , but also we should take into live consideration the social emotional aspect that can boost the child’s character and the learning of the student.
By: Youssr Chediac
Lebanon2UK2019
Brilliant!!
ReplyDelete