Views & Opinion
Let me be a star Comment by ALICIA BLANCO-BAYO, Early Years lecturer and consultant
As Early Years practitioners we often wonder whether what we choose to assess and how we choose to assess it is what we should be assessing. It is common today to find check lists with expectations of what children should be able to do and when. Assessment can be a little frightening in Early Years if we associate it with using numerical figures to measure the progress of children. Recent research shows that the use of numerical grading has slowly invaded the Early Years world and it is becoming truly concerning. In their most recent book, Alice Bradbuy and Roberts-Holmes have looked at this issue in depth and suggest it is time we start thinking about the impact it is having on young children. So, let’s
move away from figures and let children shine with their own light. How do we get to this? Why is this happening?
These are some of the questions that perhaps we need to answer in order to develop strategies that look at assessment differently. It is obvious that the systems set out by higher powers are not connected with the real-life experiences practitioners and children are part of. When statistics are used to highlight how well a school is doing, what are we saying about children? Are we saying anything at all? Children are the stars of their own story and
that is what we, as practitioners, need to focus on. Let’s work out how we can bring out the best in children. The CHILD is always at the centre and you can
let this happen whilst you find ways to connect with each child. I often use Julie Fisher’s work to show practitioners how crucial it is to: • Find the time to connect with the child by becoming a member of her circle
• Engage in conversation without focusing on giving instructions or questioning too much
• Show an interest in what the child chooses to do and enter her world
• Put any expectations to one side and discover who the child is
• Observe responses and create a mental picture of who the child is
The diagram represents the type of connections
that should take place if we want to focus on offering children what they need. It is important to remember that each child develops at a different pace and that how this happens is what matters. Of course, there is a place for assessment, but it should happen in order to support the child and not simply to meet expectations. In England, the Development Matters document suggests the use of the characteristics of effective learning as a tool to help practitioners carry out meaningful observations. These observations, which should not be linked to key stage expectations, should be used to create a picture that tells the child’s story. The child’s story is what gives the child a voice in the world.
uIf you would like to discuss Early Years with Alicia, she can be contacted via her website
www.aliciablancobayoconsultant.com
Inspiring resilience in a generation of young people Comment by ALICE DRIVER, Founder and Managing Director, The Drive Project
As teachers will know, young people increasingly struggle with feelings of anxiety, self-esteem and a lack of confidence; often stemming from a mixture of exam anxiety, bullying, family problems or social media-driven insecurities about their lives. The statistics are stark. The number of referrals by schools in England
seeking mental health treatment for pupils has risen by more than a third in the last three years, according to the NSPCC, the UK children's charity. In this environment, learning how to adapt well in the face of adversity
can make a significant difference to young people’s lives. That is how we define resilience. Government research shows that resilience contributes to healthy
behaviours, higher-qualifications and better mental wellbeing. NHS experts suggest that by systematically delivering practices and programmes which maximise resilience, it is possible to halve the number of people living with lifelong mental health. This requires a coordinated proactive effort across families, youth
organisations, government and public services. Schools have an important role to play in that mix, and many have started to take steps since the introduction of resilience to the PHSE curriculum. But teachers tell us that a lack of time or resources often mean they
are not able to provide students with the level of support they need to become more resilient. We also know that, sometimes, the issues students are dealing with can be too personal or complex for teachers to tackle on their own.
20
www.education-today.co.uk We want to help schools and teachers address this. Through the
Making Generation R campaign, launched this month, we want to enable teachers to help more young people develop life-long resilience. We think that one of the most effective ways to encourage resilience is
through inspiration from others that have overcome the toughest situations. That’s why we work with injured veterans to help teach secondary school students about resilience. Some of these veterans have lost limbs, others the use of their
eyesight. They have all faced and overcome extreme adversity. Trained in story-telling and public speaking, our veterans host free
resilience workshops in schools across the country. They share their experiences in a way that inspires and motivates, and they provide coping strategies to help pupils from all walks of life to build their resilience. Over 23,000 students have already taken part in the workshops, with
great results. Of the teachers surveyed who have experienced the workshop, 100% said that their pupils were more motivated, positive, and inspired for a long time afterwards. And almost all students said that they felt inspired and more resilient after taking part in the workshops, and that they had a better understanding of how to overcome adversities. Now, we want to reach a further 30,000 young people by the end of
2019. Together we can help nurture Generation R; a generation that is resilient and equipped to handle the challenges life will inevitably throw their way.
October 2018
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