CLEAN UP - REFLECTION
I tried to introduce a situation with the cleaning-up where some of the students could learn to delegate or supervise the cleaning up, but I needed to formulate this with more clarity in the beginning and create a situation whereby each small group nominated a quality control person. Cleaning up has the potential to be very rewarding, but too often it appears as a chore or a punishment like picking up rubbish around the school. One of my long-term goals as a teacher is to inspire a sense of pride and well being in the kids: for their school, equipment, classrooms etc. A greater sense of reverence for what they have - and the satisfaction gained from doing a good clean up. Here positive reinforcement is so vital giving the children a sense of esteem.
They already have a great sense of place and ownership for their school with the development of gardens and the building of new play areas each year. They love the creek that borders the school property and will play games like soccer for an eternity of time. They have favourite trees to visit and shade places to congregate. Our school pig 'Conchenielle' is almot a mascot. All these elements add to the children's joy and happiness to be at school.
Being one step ahead of the group congratulating the children who take initiative is vital.
I need to acknowledge initiative very articulately. There is a fine dance between getting very bossy and representing a nagging authority figure to being a person who is loved and respected by facilitating a sense of “well done”. This comes across in how I speak and in the example I set. Who do I represent?
Next time I teach cooking I would facilitate more discussion between the children about the practicalities of clean cooking equipment, being able to find what is needed because it is in its labelled place etc.
How does one highlight the attitude that cleaners are for cleaning up or your being paid you do it – that this kind of attitude is arrogance and that it has long term ramifications in how the children treat people in their world – how they learn to look after themselves, their environment and their possessions?
The film “Blue Crush” has a brilliant scene where the lead surfing characters, 3 girls, are cleaning up a room in a very upmarket hotel in Hawaii and have to clean-up vomit, used condoms and a very messy space left by some famous football players. (Richard Florida has some great stuff to say about 'the service industry' see MULTIPLICITY post)
I would like to find a way to create inquiry, a questioning about the role we take in life even at a very mundane level, but somehow I think the timing is critical. How cerebral can this process be for 10/11 year olds – the attitude from home makes a huge difference especially in such a familiar setting as the kitchen and “Blue Crush” is not appropriate for their age group.
They already have a great sense of place and ownership for their school with the development of gardens and the building of new play areas each year. They love the creek that borders the school property and will play games like soccer for an eternity of time. They have favourite trees to visit and shade places to congregate. Our school pig 'Conchenielle' is almot a mascot. All these elements add to the children's joy and happiness to be at school.
Being one step ahead of the group congratulating the children who take initiative is vital.
I need to acknowledge initiative very articulately. There is a fine dance between getting very bossy and representing a nagging authority figure to being a person who is loved and respected by facilitating a sense of “well done”. This comes across in how I speak and in the example I set. Who do I represent?
Next time I teach cooking I would facilitate more discussion between the children about the practicalities of clean cooking equipment, being able to find what is needed because it is in its labelled place etc.
How does one highlight the attitude that cleaners are for cleaning up or your being paid you do it – that this kind of attitude is arrogance and that it has long term ramifications in how the children treat people in their world – how they learn to look after themselves, their environment and their possessions?
The film “Blue Crush” has a brilliant scene where the lead surfing characters, 3 girls, are cleaning up a room in a very upmarket hotel in Hawaii and have to clean-up vomit, used condoms and a very messy space left by some famous football players. (Richard Florida has some great stuff to say about 'the service industry' see MULTIPLICITY post)
I would like to find a way to create inquiry, a questioning about the role we take in life even at a very mundane level, but somehow I think the timing is critical. How cerebral can this process be for 10/11 year olds – the attitude from home makes a huge difference especially in such a familiar setting as the kitchen and “Blue Crush” is not appropriate for their age group.
posted by kushli at 9:19 AM
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