Tuesday, September 11, 2007
What's Happening?
It's only a hunch that comes from the data collected but what is happening on our playgrounds? The data we have collected over the term has steadily decreased. The number of incidents seems to be far fewer than what we've had in the past - and it's week 9!! There's a lot happening around the school. The children are engaged in learning - possibly due to Quality Teaching and the exploration of web2 within teaching and learning; the focus on the Creative Arts Festival; the return to regular classes after the intense preparation of Grandparents Day. But we have been busy before - schools are busy places what is the difference now?
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2 comments:
It would be easy to say that the current senior classes are ‘nice’ children in small classes, but I believe that it is much greater than that. The overall number in the four senior classes is 100, the usual population for a stage. It could be that the number of girls is much greater in this cohort but again that is a small part of a greater picture. This group have the benefit of the token system in rewarding behaviour and the added benefit of a staff focused on engagement and school as a positive place to be. The children are willing to enter into a positive student/teacher relationship and seem to be finding ways to contribute to school life through their leadership teams. They seem to be taking their roles seriously. Good on them. They are positive examples for the rest of the school. They have enjoyed the footy tipping and now are arranging a handball competition. A direct result of this will be the number of children who will learn to play fairly and respect other player’s efforts.
The junior classes are also settled with fewer children presenting challenging behaviours with their families working with teachers to help them. Generally the school has a positive feel about it with reward rather than punishment as first focus. This is not to say there are no consequences, the opposite there are consequences but the desire for reward for positive actions is much greater.
Margaret
I agree with much of what you have stated MIR. I feel that there are many positive things happening around HFS that have led to a positive vibe around the place.
More than that however, I feel that there is a greater understanding of rights and responsibilities from the students, particularly in the primary grades. I have found that students are not challenging authority as they have in the past.
Sure, I still need to speak to students during my duties on the playground, however there are marked differences:
a) The number of incidents has significantly decreased (I have often been making it through an entire duty without speaking to anyone! >WOOHOO<)
b) The incidents are usually small and can be dealt with on the spot without recording or following up
c) The students are cooperative, acknowledging inappropriate behaviour, sitting through the time out and returning to their peers without further incident
~mel~
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