Children love wild and wacky things!

They love crazy slapstick humour, making silly, scary masks, wearing unicorn hair, shoes that sparkle and skate, toys that say unexpected things and cushions that make rude noises when you sit on them!

They have wild and wacky senses of humour that often disconcert and puzzle us! It’s not easy to re-enter childhood and get in touch with your inner “wild and wacky” when you are trying to e a sensible adult – but try it occasionally!

The kids I teach have insisted I read some of their wild and wacky favourite books and I do it- even though my teacher voice keeps trying to intrude and tell me these books are not appropriate. I call this voice my  “inner snob!”

I’m glad I have read some- they didn’t take long and they helped me understand what works for kids.  I don’t like these books and they don’t resonate with me but that’s not the point – my street cred has risen and I am able to “get” what works for THEM!

I am in the business of getting the most reluctant readers to choose books to engage them so I cannot ignore these incredibly popular books and I am grateful to their authors for helping me re-engage and failing kids and persuade them to read.

We don’t have to always provide literature with wild and wacky themes but DO provide access to these books and don’t stop kids enjoying them.

Think back to your childhood and the books/comics you hugely enjoyed.

I can still remember Wednesday mornings were special because my SCHOOL FRIEND comic would be pushed though the letter box early in the morning and I would pad quietly down the hall to pick it up, dive back into bed, sniff the pages (a pleasure that has stayed with me all my life) and devour the whole publication before breakfast! I would then re-read excerpts all week until the next exciting Wednesday morning……..

A great example of a wild and wacky book is the hugely successful WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE by Maurice Sendak.

All kids have been a wild there- they are all in touch with their inner Max! Parents and teachers need to find their inner wild thing again to understand what is happening here!

The recent Treehouse series by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton is another example. Children greet each new added book with HUGE delight, giggles and pleasure and love to read them.

The American cartoonist Dav Pilkey has invented the absolutely mind-boggling (at least for adults) DOG MAN series.

These books are devoured by children. They are considered“cool” and all kids want to be seen with these books in their hands!

I loan books to children who attend classes tuition and these are among the most popular. They literally walk off my bookshelves so fast and I know they will be enjoyed.

Sure- we want them to read other “approved” and classic books but let them have some of their choices too!

 

 

Lately I have noticed that many of my very creative children might look as if they have concentration issues.

They don’t.

But I have had to explore strategies to get them to focus and yet not flatten their creativity.

We have developed a FOCUS formula for our students:

Creative kids often look at a set task and then start brainstorming different ways to approach this. They start to innovate and consider possibilities before even starting the task.

I am like an unbroken record – focus-focus-focus.

Focus first- get it done-then we all will have some fun!

It is almost as if they need blinkers for some tasks that may well be slightly boring but MUST be mastered.

Most kids can be taught to focus and finish and are delighted to get results.

However, once done- make sure they get their fun!

These kids have entrepreneural minds and are always looking for challenges, options, adventures – they must be allowed to grow their creativity! I try to have some apps, art, movement activities and games to reward children and often to reinforce what they have just learned.

 

 

I am not sure they are.

I often work with year 6 students who h

ave learning difficulties, but they are ALL excited about the move to high school. They feel it will be a fresh start with new possibilities. Some do really well with the change in environment, but many don’t.

Common problems include  –

• Timetabling issues, being late, missing lessons and sports practice sessions.
• Difficulty finding correct rooms for lessons and getting lost on campus.
• Balancing homework tasks- many now have 3 – 4 hours of homework each evening! This is not because they have been given that much. It is because they cannot pace themselves and time manage.

Year 7s in High Schools is now a fact in all states except SA and that will change in 2021.

I am aware of the wonderful transition programs most schools run but the kids I see often so desperately want to show they can achieve in their new school and won’t ask questions.

One of my students has been so stressed this year that we have had to spend a huge amount of time on mindfulness and stress management strategies. He is  not sleeping well as he is so worried.

Another one of my students is falling apart this week with homework tasks and myriad tests. I just read his writing and he is not coping and sent out an SOS to us in his writing.

Why on earth should a child of this age be subject to that stress level? What sort of long-term effect might this have?

Teachers and parents can help their children hugely by sticking to a few sensible guidelines:

Don’t threaten children with, “You’ll be at high school next year and they won’t stand for this work” just does not work on a stressed – out Year 6.

They already know they are failing! They are hoping high school will give them a new start. We need to stop blaming children for having difficulties.

Observe Year 7 students closely:

• Do they need extra help?
• Are they stressed?
• Are there ways you can quietly help?
• Check students know exactly how much homework they are really meant to do.
• If necessary, enrol students in tuition or a study skills course.
• Do students understand how to use lockers? Many of my students carry ALL their books with them “just in case!” I cannot even lift their backpacks!

I have no doubt Year 7s will continue to be classed as High School students, BUT can we try to get into their shoes, imagine their stress load and consider how we can give them practical help?

Background:

I love to talk to parents about their own personal learning experiences with “THE SYSTEM.”

Andrew Herrmann Managing Director – Access 1 Security Systems, father of four talented and creative children had this to comment:

Dear Victoria ,

Thanks for the quick chat reminiscing through my early childhood studies.

It was amazing to realise how the general government school system misses opportunities for talented students and fails to recognise the potential in some children.

After describing my childhood schooling, we soon realised that  I excelled in the more advanced classes but produced less than average grades in the general classes.

Victoria, you immediately identified after asking me a series of questions what my schooling environment was like?

Was I challenged in the normal classes?

Did the teacher provide direct input with me or was I even pushed?

I soon realised that in the general classes I was treated like any other child left to my own measures to complete whatever I was asked, but in the advanced classes the teachers took a more focused view point and pushed the students to complete their tasks.

Being a creative type I needed the additional push to excel in what I was doing be it maths or science. The difference is obvious:

Achieving A averages in the advanced classes but in the general classes only achieved D averages. I am glad all my children have been and are still doing your courses, I can see the results in their grades at school.

Thank you, Victoria for your educational input please keep it up. Warmest regards

THANK YOU, ANDREW FOR REMINDING US THAT WE ALL LEARN DIFFERENTLY!

Sometimes we have to throw away our “maps” and become enlightened scientists digging and delving till we find WHAT WORKS!

Any other parents who would like to share their experiences of “the system”- please contact me- victoriacarlton@iinet.net.au

An article in the weekend West about this subject made me laugh!  Of course da Vinci showed all the supposed signs of ADHD and thank goodness! Without his quirky, creative brain we would not have Mona Lisa and countless innovative ideas that have lead to amazing modern inventions.

We call our Saturday morning program the Da Vinci Program. I asked the students why they think I wanted that name. I was stunned by the answer from a ten year old kid, “Because we are all mini da Vincis!” He is so right!

We encourage creative thought, inventive ideas and research. However we also teach kids how to organise their amazing brains so they can actually FINISH things and manage their time. I don’t want to dumb down their ideas and creativity- rather to encourage and grow them!  However, we can help these kids  to manage themselves so they can learn to “play the game” and fit in while they get educated.

Students who attend my program know they must learn times tables, spell conventionally and read fluently otherwise they will be judged to be deficient by society.

They must also learn to be resilient and develop self-discipline and positive mind-sets.

Our programs cover all of these areas and we create a happy environment where all kids are affirmed and learn to grow their gifts. There are many ways to learn and many ways to teach and a true educator is an enlightened scientist searching for the learning keys for all their students.