Wednesday 20 November 2013
Two posts in one day! - I have just had a long conversation with one of the boys I have as yet found difficult to engage - he has an idea which we will build upon - he wants to make and sell calendars next year but thinks it should be "owned " by the students so he is going to set up a monthly photograph competition and use the winning photograph at the end of the year to make and sell calendars - he is looking at other ideas to use the student photograph entries to make items from. I will mentor him and guide him through social enterprise values but atleast there is a spark!!!!
Hi sorry I have been really busy last week and then had a day off ill
TBH I was feeling a little low last week - it felt as if I was hitting my head against a wall - some of my students are so motivated and for some its like dragging blood from a stone but things are looking up!
I spent Sunday night tossing and turning as to how I was going to motivate two particular students = finding the key to their interest has been really difficult. They really wanted to address the issue that a lot of students are spending time at home alone on computer games and they wanted to re-introduce board games to have better social interaction. They wanted to invent their own board game but just didnt seem to be getting anywhere at all. Then Monday morning a letter was given to me asking whether we would like to join a chess tournament. I showed it to the boys and asked what they thought. The interest sparked and they have agreed to train students to take part and suggested running a school tournament to find students to enter the big tournament. They need to raise money for prizes and a trophy for this to happen. I asked how they could make the money and they have told me they can make chess moulds and make chocolate or soap chess pieces to sell. They have already advertised the school tournament and really do seem motivated now researching how to make the moulds - Miracles happen!!!!
I have spoken to my groups and told them a few ground rules - I am here to mentor and guide not do their work for them - I guess with most children if they think they can step back and youll do they will let you. I have asked the groups to nominate a team leader if they need one who will "crack the whip" (chase up the members of the team to complete the tasks they have agreed to do) This is helping me as I only get 10 minutes a week with each group and snatched conversations here and there
The group who are revamping used A4 binders which usually get thrown out were going to used recycled jeans to do so but we have not had any old adult jeans handed in - they have been given a lot of offcut material so they have set to beavering away creating these at lunch and break times for our christmas fayre
The recycled jewellery team are on task - they have been making paper beads and are using old beads that have been donated to create their own set of jewellery.
The gardening team seem to have hit a stop but then I guess this time of year would not be their most productive - I will be speaking to them as it is the perfect time of year to create their pots out of magazines
My three boys hit a set back with one getting excluded for 5 days but the other two worked hard and have managed to find enough off cuts of wood from a local wood yard and a donation of dowelling to create their wooden looms - The only problem they are facing now is the Christmas Fayre is next Friday and they will need D&T staff to supervise them at lunch and break to enable them to use the machimery they need to use to create the looms. I have left them to negotiate with the D&T staff
The team who are revamping the sport relief 2012 sweat bands have created a character logo they wish to use. They will need to find a way to get the logo to attach to the wrist bands and make them appealing to buy. The group are in London this week so may not be able to make these in time for the christmas fayre
I have three more boys I have yet to find the key to motivating them - I know it is out there and it is just a matter of persevering. I do not want to take on more than I can deal with - I have a student with special needs who has completed her activity at a Halloween Disco and just needs to write up her bronze work - she needs a lot of support and we are trying different media for her to be successful - I will concentrate more on these boys once she has been successful and once the other groups have settled into working more independantly
I think if anything this week has really taught me no matter how hard this looks there is an amazing feeling when things just click into place and looking at the students faces that goes for them too!
TBH I was feeling a little low last week - it felt as if I was hitting my head against a wall - some of my students are so motivated and for some its like dragging blood from a stone but things are looking up!
I spent Sunday night tossing and turning as to how I was going to motivate two particular students = finding the key to their interest has been really difficult. They really wanted to address the issue that a lot of students are spending time at home alone on computer games and they wanted to re-introduce board games to have better social interaction. They wanted to invent their own board game but just didnt seem to be getting anywhere at all. Then Monday morning a letter was given to me asking whether we would like to join a chess tournament. I showed it to the boys and asked what they thought. The interest sparked and they have agreed to train students to take part and suggested running a school tournament to find students to enter the big tournament. They need to raise money for prizes and a trophy for this to happen. I asked how they could make the money and they have told me they can make chess moulds and make chocolate or soap chess pieces to sell. They have already advertised the school tournament and really do seem motivated now researching how to make the moulds - Miracles happen!!!!
I have spoken to my groups and told them a few ground rules - I am here to mentor and guide not do their work for them - I guess with most children if they think they can step back and youll do they will let you. I have asked the groups to nominate a team leader if they need one who will "crack the whip" (chase up the members of the team to complete the tasks they have agreed to do) This is helping me as I only get 10 minutes a week with each group and snatched conversations here and there
The group who are revamping used A4 binders which usually get thrown out were going to used recycled jeans to do so but we have not had any old adult jeans handed in - they have been given a lot of offcut material so they have set to beavering away creating these at lunch and break times for our christmas fayre
The recycled jewellery team are on task - they have been making paper beads and are using old beads that have been donated to create their own set of jewellery.
The gardening team seem to have hit a stop but then I guess this time of year would not be their most productive - I will be speaking to them as it is the perfect time of year to create their pots out of magazines
My three boys hit a set back with one getting excluded for 5 days but the other two worked hard and have managed to find enough off cuts of wood from a local wood yard and a donation of dowelling to create their wooden looms - The only problem they are facing now is the Christmas Fayre is next Friday and they will need D&T staff to supervise them at lunch and break to enable them to use the machimery they need to use to create the looms. I have left them to negotiate with the D&T staff
The team who are revamping the sport relief 2012 sweat bands have created a character logo they wish to use. They will need to find a way to get the logo to attach to the wrist bands and make them appealing to buy. The group are in London this week so may not be able to make these in time for the christmas fayre
I have three more boys I have yet to find the key to motivating them - I know it is out there and it is just a matter of persevering. I do not want to take on more than I can deal with - I have a student with special needs who has completed her activity at a Halloween Disco and just needs to write up her bronze work - she needs a lot of support and we are trying different media for her to be successful - I will concentrate more on these boys once she has been successful and once the other groups have settled into working more independantly
I think if anything this week has really taught me no matter how hard this looks there is an amazing feeling when things just click into place and looking at the students faces that goes for them too!
Friday 8 November 2013
I met with a student at tutor time. She is working in the schools greenhouse and is planting bulbs to sell and other produce and making plant pots out of recycled magazines. I am guiding her through the written work and study she needs to complete to gain a silver SEQ. She is very keen and eager when sat with me but this fizzles out without constant encouragement!
Thursday 7 November 2013
I have just spoken to one of my students who has not turned up to a mentor meeting for a few weeks - he has explained he has home problems so I have agreed with him that we will postpone work on his SEQ until things improve for him..........I think that is the best of this course - we can be flexible if it is needed and there is no pressure!
Just to give you a little information about me - I am employed at our Academy as The Resource Centre Manager. We are a small school in the heart of the Forest of Dean. We only have 318 students on roll. The Academy is very Community orientated and I do a lot of work in the Community; organising adult education, tea parties for the elderly and Community Day Trips.
I am well known to our parents as I also work evenings and weekends as a supervisor at our local supermarket.
I have a Specialist Teaching Assistant Certificate and am HLTA and PTTLS trained.
I have three teenage children and my view on life is I will do as much as I can for the students at my Academy as I hope there is someone at their Academy doing the same for them.
I really do value the SEQ course - I have already mentored 8 students and an adult
I am well known to our parents as I also work evenings and weekends as a supervisor at our local supermarket.
I have a Specialist Teaching Assistant Certificate and am HLTA and PTTLS trained.
I have three teenage children and my view on life is I will do as much as I can for the students at my Academy as I hope there is someone at their Academy doing the same for them.
I really do value the SEQ course - I have already mentored 8 students and an adult
I have 20 students working towards SEQ qualifications with me - I do not get allocated time to work with them so we have split up into 9 groups and meet at break or lunchtimes for mentoring sessions. To add to this we are being observed by NFER to see whether this course is suitable for re-engaging students - most of my students are in need of re-engaging so as a mentor this is not going to be an easy year!
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