children – Page 2 – Victoria Carlton ~ The Child Whisperer

March 10, 2017March 10, 2017

BENEFITS OF TEACHING MULTI-AGE GROUPS

Tomorrow I will be teaching children from 7 to 11 years.

It will be like conducting a symphony of carefully chosen learning experiences. To successfully manage this I need to know the curriculum content and I need to know the needs of the children I will be teaching. it takes careful planning but the benefits are HUGE!

There is considerable evidence supporting multi-age grouping for teaching.

“When compared to children in single age classes, children in multi-age classes are superior in study habits, social interaction, self-motivation, cooperation, and attitudes toward school. Academically, children perform just as well or even better than those in single grade classes. (Gajadharsingh 1991). It will take time and effort, but our kids are worth it!”

www.multiage-education.com/multiagen-b/themulticlass.html

We have followed this approach for many years and see many benefits:

Teachers teach children at point of need rather than being confined by perceptions of age
Children can get access whatever help and teaching they need in flexible groupings
More able children tend to be fully extended.
Children with difficulties feel more relaxed about accessing much needed assistance and will ask questions more readily.
Essentially this approach is modelled on natural family groupings and honours the fact that we grow and mature at different times, sometimes with “spurts” and sometimes more slowly.
Teachers who teach in this way tend to develop the ability to be more flexible and use more learning games and “hands-on” equipment.
Of course teachers who are new to teaching in these environments need some coaching and modelling in this teaching method. It is like conducting an orchestra and once you know how, you just get better!
We believe the educational gains are great so if you have the chance to teach in a multi-age environment, take it! You have much to gain!

Parents who have the chance to enrol children in multi-age classrooms or tuition centres – know your children are experiencing an excellent education mode and likely to have very tangible social and academic gains.

January 25, 2017January 25, 2017

Teach only with love

I decided to leave our Christmas decorations up until January 28^th as I LOVE them and I figure I was away for a bit of December and this month so deserve a bit more!

I have not had enough of my “dreaming under the Christmas tree” time and my looking into the lit tree and imagining other worlds.

I want this year to be a year of going slowly enough to really notice what is happening- really deeply in all ways.

I have been kid-watching and teacher-watching this month and reflecting deeply on the REAL needs of kids. (And teachers!)

As I watched our teachers run EQ4KIDZ, BOOST, ART FROM THE HEART and YOUNG SCIENTISTS I noticed common threads.

It was all about CONNECTIONS and RELATIONSHIPS. As the kids bonded with teachers work improved. As teachers got to know their students their teaching methods became more precise, levels of humour increased and lesson enjoyment for both pupils and teachers increased!

As we begin our academic year and have our first staff meeting I want to posit that RELATIONSHIPS and love of children must come first.

TEACH ONLY WITH LOVE will be our mantra this year.

Love comes before the worksheets, teaching techniques, expensive resources. Teaching delivered with love is the way.

Teachers will never be replaced by machines. Teachers can love and love will always lead to higher results.

I declare this to be a year of unhurried, deep, effective teaching and lots of extended celebrations!

January 8, 2017January 8, 2017

A safety net of love and understanding

At Church today the Pastor talked to us about how God’s love provides a safety net for us and enables us to move forward with confidence knowing we are loved and cared for so fully.

Alison told us that when the Golden Gate Bridge was built, a safety net was put in place, allowing the workers to move about more confidently and safely while incidentally increasing productivity.

This made me think about children in our classes. When children know they are loved and safe to take risks, try new learning techniques and learn from mistakes, test scores and academic performances improve. To put it simply: Happy, supported children learn more.

The safety net that can be built in all educational environments needs to emulate a healthy home environment. Children must know they are loved and safe and not all expected to achieve at the same rates. Without this safety net children will just take the safe path and not take any risks with learning and this means they will not be giving of their best.

A truly high quality system will always encourage students to “stretch” their intellects and go for gold- even if they fall down sometimes. The safety net of love and encouragement will help students stand up quickly, improve their “bounce factor” and learn from their mistakes.

So how do we weave such a safety net? To my mind these factors are crucial:

Teachers need to LOVE their students- not in a soppy meaningless way but in a way that respects children and understands that kids make mistakes- they are after all LEARNERS!
Teachers with challenging students need real assistance to be able to provide that loving safety net as there are always kids who try the patience of even the most loving and understanding educator.
Teachers themselves need a loving safety net of respect and understanding from their admin teams who in turn need it from their departments. Teachers who are not free to try our new techniques and whose only concern is to get kids to pass tests will NEVER get the best academic results from their students. Fear is a very poor teacher.

A loving safety net to help all students feel cared for, respected and affirmed could absolutely transform all education environments- and lift education standards without the pressure and cajoling that occurs so often.

We notice how often children who do our EQ4KIDZ course surprisingly get higher academic results. We really should not have been surprised, given the strong correlation between self esteem and successful learning.

Thanks Alison Gilchrist for your sermon today! I’m going to check our safety net for International Centre for Excellence and make sure there are no weak spots!

November 8, 2016November 8, 2016

ABC of Child Whispering: P is for PETS

COULD PETS HELP CHILDREN LEARN?

There is plenty of evidence to show that having pets into workplaces has really positive effects on morale.

Last week we observed the same with children. We were graced with the presence of George- a totally mixed up breed of dog with deformed paws and a wonderfully loving nature.

The children were so taken with his story- abandoned, picked up wandering the streets of Kalgoorlie, desperate for food and love and so on!

We were amazed as we watched children and dog bond and felt the sense of peace and happiness in our classroom.

Could this be a possible answer for kids who have been put off learning and need confidence, re-engagement and renewed faith in themselves?

Every now and again a child would quietly leave their chair and go give a very grateful George a huge hug! Then they would return to their work with renewed energy.

I noticed that the children who generally have problems with concentration and written work appeared to be more settled and able to engage.

We were so pleased with the result that we will try the experiment again soon and monitor what happens.

It would be interesting to see other learning centers and schools try this PET LEARNING THERAPY!

GEORGE therapy seems to work!

September 7, 2016

SAD CONVERSATIONS

Almost everyday I have sad conversations with parents and children about school work and homework they cannot understand.

A little challenge is healthy but to be constantly confronted with work they have no chance of succeeding with is just plain depressing. Then – just to rub salt in the wound, the NAPLAN results arrive and another nail is driven into the coffin of self-esteem!

Of course there are curriculum guides that tell teachers the content expected to be mastered at different grade levels BUT a teacher’s task is always to take a child metaphorically by the hand and lead them through the curriculum. If they have not reached a certain stage you cannot just MAKE this happen. Children need to be given work they CAN do and then be shown how to get to the next level.

Children are not machines to be suddenly accelerated by a switch. They are wonderful gifts from God for us to nurture, love and lead gently through the education maze.

There is NOTHING more demeaning than to not be able to do school work all day (with classmates teasing and goading) and then to be given homework that you can’t do either. Schools need to be aware of how many families spend hours on homework tasks every night with resultant frustration and tears. These kids are not getting time to play, chat, daydream and generally be kids.

There is very little evidence that copious amounts of homework help children at all. Reading, practising basic spelling, phonics and times tables is appropriate. Any more than 30-40 minutes per evening is too much and children under 8 should have even less.

We need to stop robbing children of their childhoods and help them at point of need.

That’s why tuition that targets specific skills not understood, and that builds self-confidence and self-esteem really works!

September 7, 2016September 7, 2016

The A-Z of Child Whispering O is for OPPOSITIONAL

What does OPPOSITIONAL mean?

You want the child to do one thing and they want to do the opposite.

Don’t we ALL have this at times? (I’m sure my husband would agree with that one!)

Why do some children become oppositional?

They do it because they don’t want to do what you want them to do. Simple!

What child ever wants to go to bed, pick up their toys, finish vegetables they hate, do boring homework or quietly accompany someone around a long trip to the supermarket, share toys with another kid they don’t like ……… (The list goes on!)

EVERY child in the world has had this so-called disorder at some stage.

Some kids are very strong and independent and really want to try to stand up to you, defy you and get their own way! (Could actually be a rather warped sign of strength and leadership!)

However, kids HAVE to learn to play the “game” and behave.

If parents don’t discipline their children, the world will!

You do know more than your child and you are the boss.

If no rules in the house- children will simply walk over you and demand their own way. They are wired to do this.

Make house and class rules and where possible involve children in this process. However, tell the kids about the non-negotiable rules- particularly the ones related to safety.
Stick to your rules and don’t threaten. Give a couple of warnings and then apply the consequences. It might be an isolation chair, quiet time in room, cancellation of privileges etc. No matter what you choose- make the consequences clear and STICK to them.
Begin straight away – if you ignore constant bad behaviour it just gets worse. It is OK to tell kids you understand how they feel. It is also OK that you tell them that some things are hard but we have to do them! This is part of character building.

You deserve some peace and quiet and you don’t want your home or classroom to be a constant battleground. It doesn’t have to be.

However, make sure you-

Do not have unrealistic expectations. Children cannot always be clean, neat and quiet.
Check children’s diets as many common foods contain additives that lead to low-level aggression.
Allow plenty of non-screen time and ensure they get outside and exercise.
Restrict time on digital media- it can lead to irritation and low level aggression.

We now have a label for oppositional behaviour:

Opposition Defiance Disorder (ODD)

Experts tell us that ODD kids might go on to develop Conduct Disorder. (CD)

Is it possible these kids actually have OOCD? (Out of Control Disorder) or NKS ? (Naughty kids syndrome)

This medicalisation of childhood needs to stop.

Take control today.

September 6, 2016September 6, 2016

Why are Jolly Phonics and Jolly Grammar in the Victoria Carlton Programs?

Many people ask me why I have always included JOLLY LEARNING as part of the Victoria Carlton programs.

Reason is- they work! They help ALL learners to grasp the all important basics of phonics and grammar.

Then we use our brain stimulation, literature, comprehension and writing programs to build on this skeleton and add the “flesh” so that children become fully literate and really enjoy the process.

I refuse to use any program that is not grounded in careful research as children are not guinea pigs- they deserve the best- ALWAYS!

This is the reason we always include JOLLY LEARNING in our training for new licensees.

My vision for all students at my centers around the world to be fully literate and able to speak, read and write clearly in English.

Any of you who would like to know more about our licenses or programs for schools and children- please contact us directly at victoriacarlton@ iinet.net.au or call on 08 9 2714200.

Alternatively, if you are reading this in South East Asia, please contact Chew Yeh <chewyeh@september21.com.sg>

Category: children