10 May 2024

I've always enjoyed learning about brain development and early years..... primary years and beyond. I like the image of how the brain lights up when we have to interact with others. So the passive, sit up straight, face the front and don't speak approach doesn't really cause disco fever!

We may often think that reading and writing require the highest cognitive functioning - in fact, there is evidence that empathy, humour, wit and logic are the biggest hitters!  

I love the thinking of 'imagine the brain as a garden'. OK - you are learning something new and, for that neural pathway to be strong, I believe around at least 90 repetitions are required. So over and over and over in a number of ways. This includes moving, laughing and singing... we want those brains sparking up!

As always, we need a balance - as much as some of us may like to sing and laugh and move, there is a time for silence and a time for sitting still - but it's a matter of how much time. (If you were at Karakia last week, we had a moment!)

A classic is the 'busy work' bug. Sometimes children may look like they are 'learning', sitting down, yes, up straight, maybe........, and completing something akin to numerous worksheets which may or may not be pitched at the right level but, actually, it's often just keeping them 'busy' and nowhere near flow state which is what we are aiming for. Our teachers are very clear about my distaste of busy work! When you have those children there for x amount of hours a day, we really need to make the most of every minute. 

It's not just the young ones who benefit from interaction and, although it would be an impossible task for a teacher to be 'ON' all day without any periods of calm and quiet which the children need too, but the stronger the interaction, the more positive the human relationship, the better children will learn.

Now, we don't ALWAYS get this right. But we are all about continuous improvement. For this reason, our teachers are embarking on their 'critical buddies' observation and feedback cycle. 

Teachers across the school will be receiving feedback for improvement around specific teaching strategies for writing first up. Again, the human interaction piece, the repetition.... will feature in the 'critique'. The critical is a supportive and professional critical, by the way. Last year, they actually videoed lessons for critique - I do think they are nearly through the turmoil of this experience and ready to roll again, with or without the camera!

Here's to always wanting to do better.