Archive for November 29th, 2007
Brynteg School, Bridgend.
I always enjoy the opportunity to work in Secondary schools, so thoroughly enjoyed today at Brynteg School, Bridgend.
I had the opportunity to work in the first session with colleagues from across the school. They were perceptive about the potential and power of these visual literacy ideas and the way that these simple principals can be applied to create change and movement in language work, expressive arts and many other areas of the curriculum.
In a second session, we worked with a group of Year 7 students on, amongst other things, extending descriptive vocabulary and structure. A lovely bunch with a great sense of humour, who, after a slightly timid start (not surprising when you think of how many growded-ups there were observing the lesson!) really grabbed hold of the ideas and started to fly.
We also looked at ways of communicating, as a class, often without hands up.
I feel that putting your hand up can often act like putting a cork in a bottle. Nothing comes out and nothing else goes in. How many times have we asked a child, who has their hand up, for their idea, only to find them shaking their head, grin sheepishly, and admit that they have forgotten what they were going to say?
By modeling ways of organising, contributing to, and taking part in a group discussion, children begin to listen more attentively too, so that they can find the right point to add their thought. This means that the ideas of those around them start to matter and form part of their contribution.
We discussed the different visual and auditory clues we can give each other that we are about to speak or that it is O.K. for the other person to continue. What an incredible positive impact this has on the flow of a lesson.
Thank you to all of the staff and children involved in today. Don’t listen when people say “Put a cork in it!” There ain’t no stopping your flow now! 
I am off up to The Big City this weekend but will add to, and finish this post, when I get back.
As well as our events, we like to share interesting, and more often than not, FREE tools, resources and ideas, some old, some new, and we hope you might find something useful. We'd love your thoughts. Tim & Sarah
