Therapeutic solutions overcoming barriers to learning

Newschoolyear,newbeginnings–ManagingthechangeThisisthetimeofyearwhenteachers,parentsandpupilswillbegettingready,practicallyandmentally,forthestartofanewschoolyearandeverythingthatbringswithit.Allwillhaveexpectationsofsomesort,whetherthosearepositiveornegative,ormuchmorelikely,amixtureofboth.Asateacher,Irememberbeingexcitedbytheprospectofgettingtoknowanewgroupofchildrenandplanningwhateverprojectsweweretocoverduringtheyear.Iwouldtypicallyfindmyself‘poppingin’toorganisemyclassroomsothatitreflectedthekindofenvironmentIwantedformynewclass.Iwouldalsobeplanningsomethingtoimproveourschool,maybeanactionresearchprojectortriallinganewsetofresourcesorprogrammeofstudy.Iinevitablythough,alsofeltthe‘long’summerholidayflewbyalltooquickly.SometimestooIwouldwonderwhether,whilstwritingmyactionplan,ifIwasbeingoverlyambitiousaboutwhateverprojectorinitiativeIwasplanning–soatouchofself-doubtwouldcreepin.WasIuptoleadingonthis?WouldthechildreninmyclassmaketheprogressIwasaimingtoachieve?Asaparent,IwouldhavereachedapointinthesummerholidaysbynowwhenIhadrunoutofideasforentertainmentofmyfivechildrenandcertainlyexperiencedthatfeelingofrunningoutofmoneyonmyrestrictedentertainmentbudgetplan!ThereweretimeswhenthejobIhaddidn’tcomewiththeschoolholidaysandsothestressororganisingchildcarewasadrainandapressure.Iwouldalsobeawareofmakingsurethatmychildrenhadreadbooks–usuallygettingthemalltojoinaholidayreadingclub,sothatatleasttheydidn’tlosetheskillofreadingoverthelongbreak.Forsomeofmyownchildrenthiswasnotalwayseasy,notbeingavidreaders.AsthenewschoolyearapproachedI’dbehopingtheywould

a) ‘Makeagoodstart’;b) Liketheteacher/sandthattheteacherswouldlikethemandifitwasa

newschooltheninaddition;c) Makenewfriendsquicklyandfeelhappyandsecureinthenewschool

community.Forpupilsthesummerholidayscanbeagreatexperiencelikeitwasforme,butofcoursethisisn’talwaysthecase.Somewillbelookingforwardtogoingbacksimplysothattheycanfeelsafeandsecurewithroutinesandadultswhotheyknowwillbeconsistent,kindandcaring.Otherswhofindlearningdifficult(asIdidmyself)willbeworriedabouthowtheywillmanagethehigherexpectationsinthenextclassup.SoherearesometipsfromtheworkwedoatGemstones.

Therapeutic solutions overcoming barriers to learning

• Forallinvolvedrelationshipsarekeytosuccess.Childrenwillfeelmoreabletolearn,moreopentowhatisoftencalleda‘growthmindset’ifthoseadultsaroundthem,parentsandteachers,makethemfeelgoodaboutthemselvesandencouragecompetitioninlearningagainsttheirownpreviousbestratherthancomparingtheirownperformancetothatofthosearoundthem.

• Forteachers:gettingtoknowtheindividualsinyournewclassorclassesand;

• Formingpositiverelationshipswithclearboundariesaboutexpectationsofbehaviourandmodellingrespecttopupilsandtheirparentswillmakeexplicitwhatyouexpecttoreceiveinreturn.

• Buildingastrongsenseof‘team’intheclassroom,ensuresthatthosewhoarenewtotheclass/schoolhaveachancetofeelasiftheybelong.

• Establishingroutines,ritualsandstructuresthathelpchildrenandyoungpeopletofeelsecurebecausetheyknowwhatwillhappenatkeypointsinthedayparticularlytransitionsfromhometoschool,fromlearning,toplaytime/lunchtime,fromschooltohome.Tryusingmusicforsomeofthese–aninspiringandpeacefulpieceforenteringtheclassroominthemorning,asuitablypaceypieceofmusicforclearingaway–thatwayyoucansetthetonewithoutsayingaword.

• Zoningofclassroomscanalsomakelifeeasierforteachersandpupils,forexampleahelpdeskintheresourcesareatoencourageindependence,aninstructionalareanearthewhiteboard,withkeylearningbehavioursexpectedandabehaviourzone,wheretheschoolrulesaredisplayedwithconsequencesandrewards.Justwalkingovertooneofthe‘zones’givestheclasstheunspokencueofwhereyouwantthemtofocustheirattention.

• Forparents:Don’tbeafraidofencouragingyourchildtovoiceanxieties.Theimportantthingistolistenandnotfeelyouneedtofindthesolution.Thiscansometimesbedifficultforparentswhomaythinktheirjobistosortoutanyproblemsfortheirchild,butrememberlisteningisatherapeuticactivitywhenthelistenerisnon-judgementalandsensitivelyreflectsbackthefeelingsbeingexpressed.

• Trytohelpyourchildfindasolutionforthemselvesratherthanimposingyourown,byofferingthoughtsastooptionssothatheorshecanchoose.Thisenablesthemtodevelopasenseofcontrolandself-efficacy.Sometimestellingastory,whichmatchestheworriesofachildisahelpfulwayofdoingthis.Weuse“myfriendJohn/Emily”storieswhichwemakeup,designedtohelpmodelasolutionorsetofsolutionstoworriesandinspirebeliefthatthesecanbeovercome.

• Tohelpyourchildwithcommunicationskillsofsay,waysofmakingnewfriends,ordealingwithpotentialplaygroundbullies,role-playingspecificsituationsisanothertechniqueweuse.

Therapeutic solutions overcoming barriers to learning

Whateveryourinvolvementinhelpingchildrenandyoungpeoplemakeagreatstarttoanewterm,goodluckandifyouwanttofindoutmoreaboutourworkthenpleasegetintouch,weworkwithparents,schoolstaffandpupils.