I love comic books. I have a load of them over a variety of genres and titles and find it difficult to pick out favourites. However, I have a soft spot for Superman. It was the first comic book I ever bought and I love the films, Smallville, even the theme tune from the movies makes me smile...its just good fun.
Anyway I have noticed something the other day...I have called it the 'Superman Principle' and it goes like this.
How many times as teachers have we sat down and discussed a student with another member of staff and looked surprised when your vision of them is different to theirs?
Students react differently to different teachers, classrooms, subjects etc... we all know that but do we take it into consideration when teaching them?
Where you are teaching 'Clark Kent' - all shy and retiring, hiding behind their glasses and hoping the world wont notice who they really are, your colleague is teaching 'Superman' - bold, confident and focused on achieving the goal in front of them.
By sharing your experiences with your colleagues you can build in the classroom opportunities needed to turn Clark into Superman.
We need to realise that teaching is all about the sharing of info - no teacher is an island!
Tuesday 25 January 2011
Sunday 16 January 2011
Got to...what?
I am really not a fan of most reality arty programmes. X-Factor leaves me cold and strictly can dance off as far as i am concerned! There are far too many people who should be placed on a desert island on their own somewhere as they are so self absorbed its amazing (Cher Lloyd...Cheryl Cole...nuff said)
However, I have been won over by Got to Dance on Sky. The judges are...well human and the acts really cool - and you don't have to sit through hours of bad ones just to make people laugh and further humiliate those who should be shielded from public abuse...
BUT its the kids who really hit me. There are some amazing kids on this show and they just go for it!
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO the question I would ask is how can we make our classrooms the same - an environment where they just go for it?
Its all about safety. They know going out there that the judges aren't going to be cruel (Cowell) or stupid (Louis) or pointless human beings with less talent than them (Cheryl).
So if you want kids to go for it and shine in your classrooms give them space to ... fail! I have said it before but they need to know that failure is OK its a necessary part of learning how to succeed. If they don't feel safe they wont step outside their comfort zone, they wont try, they wont experiment and they wont take risks.
Got to what?
Got to be a risk taker...only then will they build the confidence needed to fulfill the potential they have.
However, I have been won over by Got to Dance on Sky. The judges are...well human and the acts really cool - and you don't have to sit through hours of bad ones just to make people laugh and further humiliate those who should be shielded from public abuse...
BUT its the kids who really hit me. There are some amazing kids on this show and they just go for it!
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO the question I would ask is how can we make our classrooms the same - an environment where they just go for it?
Its all about safety. They know going out there that the judges aren't going to be cruel (Cowell) or stupid (Louis) or pointless human beings with less talent than them (Cheryl).
So if you want kids to go for it and shine in your classrooms give them space to ... fail! I have said it before but they need to know that failure is OK its a necessary part of learning how to succeed. If they don't feel safe they wont step outside their comfort zone, they wont try, they wont experiment and they wont take risks.
Got to what?
Got to be a risk taker...only then will they build the confidence needed to fulfill the potential they have.
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