December feedback

A third of the way through our mentoring year. Evidence at today's meeting that mentors are making things happen. Year five mentees are beginning to offer their own ideas to support and develop the purposes in the activities. The mentees remembered similar activities (to the hand clapping game) from their primary school experience and asked to repeat them.

Rosie shared her success in getting through frustrations with her group and Ben enjoyed his best session this year. So, although a lot of your days are spent not being mentors, there are subtle changes taking place in both you and your mentees.

Apart from too many missing badges, I feel really positive about the start you have made to this year and look forward to 2009. Happy Christmas.

Good luck to Charlotte and welcome to Mason

In her short time as a mentor, Charlotte showed us what a powerful influence she was going to have, both on her mentees and on the year eight mentor group. She always had positive ideas and showed loads of energy in meetings: a natural leader. We shall miss her example hugely. 

In her place we welcome Mason Standley who is very keen to join us. As he wasn't with us for the training session, he will need your help in getting started. I've known Mason throughout his time at Stoke and share the confidence of lots of teachers who recommended him.  

Fif teenth Activity

Similar to others, the purpose of this activity is to encourage cooperation in solving a problem.

The poem below has been cut into bits –see below. Get someone to cut the bits out*, which the group must rearrange to make sense. Do not be tempted to show them the finished poem early; let them struggle and observe their skills. Reward all positive ideas. Even if they don’t get it right, praise them.



Do you know what you are?
You are a marvel, you are unique.
In all the years that have passed
There has never been another child like you.

(Pablo Casals)

When they have finished, ask them who they think the poem was written for. Maybe you can think about the answer beforehand. There is no single, right answer.




*or plan ahead and cut them out yourself



are?

Do you know

There

unique.

another

years that have passed

you are

You are a marvel,

what you

child like you.

has never

In all the

been

Fourteenth Activity

“The purpose of this activity is to understand someone else’s point of view”

1.The mentees form pairs. They find something that one likes and the other dislikes.
They then swap roles and try to think of all the reasons why they have different views, trying to feel as their partner would.
For example:
Jake likes neighbours; Mary hates neighbours. They swap roles.

Jake: I hate neighbours because it’s boring, the plots are really far-fetched and the characters are unreal. They are always discovering long-lost relatives and squabbling. Real neighbours aren’t like that (etc).

Mary: I like neighbours because it’s exciting. You get to really like or hate the characters. I can’t wait to see the next episode because it’s always full of surprises. I get really sad when someone leaves because I miss them. I like talking to my friends about last night’s episode and guessing what’s going to happen next (etc).

Neither of these is right. They have a right to their opinion. By listening to others views we can respect them more, even if we don’t agree.

If this is tough for them, finish with a game of sausages.

The children sit in a circle. One person stands in the centre and asks one child a question. The children must answer with the word ‘sausages’.
For example:
Q. What do you wear on your feet?
A. Sausages
Q. What’s your favourite group?
A.Sausages
Q. What do you brush your teeth with?
A. Sausages
If they smile or laugh when answering, they take the place of the questioner in the centre.

Thirteenth activity

(You will need to make notes on what your mentees say)

Soon we will be welcoming the year four pupils from their primary schools on their transfer day. This activity asks mentees to recall their first experiences at stoke and to help the new intake have a good start.

“The purpose of this activity is to use your experience to help others”

Remind mentees that they have come a long way and learned a lot since they were year fours, not just in lessons but in the playground, lunch hall, assemblies….maybe they can remember solving problems or helping a friend to solve a problem. Maybe they have made new friends, or joined in with a new activity or club…

So, in a way, they are experts on being a pupil at our school

Ask them to decide on their five top tips for new pupils. They need to talk in the group first of all (2 minutes) and then:
Take turns to give one top tip(be firm about taking turns)
There may be time to decide on a final top five but it is more important to let everyone have their say

Be sure to thank them warmly. Reward all their good behaviour

Twelth Activity

Cooperation, continued

“The purpose of this activity is to share ideas in solving problems”

The mentor reads a story problem from the three below. Mentees must then all share ideas for solving the problem. (There is no right answer, but it is important that they explore the problem. Even silly ideas should be included)

Read this aloud:

1) You are out playing together. Someone has left the gate of a field open and sheep are straying onto a winding country road. What could you do?
Don't read this aloud (Possible solutions: try to herd sheep back into field; run in opposite directions and flag down drivers to warn them of sheep on the road; run to the nearest house to get help)

2) You are out walking in an unknown area. One member of the group falls down a cliff and is injured

3) You are on holiday at the seaside. You are walking along a beach when you hear someone crying for help. You see another child stranded on a rock by the incoming tide


*Mentors: to get them thinking, ask them what could happen first in each of the situations. For instance, the sheep could get run over or could cause a traffic accident.

Good News/Bad News

The bad news is that we will shortly say goodbye to Kelsey, who is moving on. (Not bad news for her because she faces exciting new challenges and she can take her mentoring -and other- skills with her and keep making the world a better place)

The good news is that Charlotte Thornton has agreed to take over for the rest of this year. We already know she has the skills to take on Kelsey's mentees: they are in for a treat. Charlotte will join Kelsey in her next Wednesday meeting to get used to the job.

Kelsey has been an excellent mentor. The school is grateful to her for helping year five in this important year of transition. We will miss her and wish her the very best of luck in her future.

Eleventh Activity

The last two sessions were about teamwork and cooperation. This activity has similar purposes. Mentees are learning how working together can get things done and can be fun.

Resources: have a small toy ready- they only speak when they have the toy (be strong and take control of this, asking the teacher for help if you need it)

“The purpose of this activity is to look at choices”
(Sometimes it feels like we have no choices in a stressful situation. In fact there are often lots of options. This activity tries to look at this)

Read the following to the group:
Your friend tells you they are being bullied by an older pupil. What choices do you have and which will you take. (The group does not have to agree)

Each mentee is given a statement which they will read aloud, (with the toy in their hand) and say whether they think it is a good idea or not and why . When they have all been heard, discussion can take place and the statements can be put in the order the group thinks is best. (There is no right order)

Here are the statements. You need to cut these up beforehand.



Tell them to fight back


Tell them to report it to an adult


Tell them to talk to their mentor


Go with them to confront the bully


Tell them to ignore it


Tell them to stop being silly and grow up

Tenth Activity

Resources: a copy of the fable “The Fox and the Goat”
(You need to cut the story into parts and mix them up. Do this before you see your mentees and keep the parts together with a paper clip)
This activity calls on the same skills as last week, this time using words instead of pictures.

“Last week you reorganised a Charlie Brown story; this week you are going to do the same with a fable. Just like last week, working together will help you succeed”

Once again, encourage polite interaction. If they hear you being polite and calm, they will imitate you. Remind them of the Star of the Week

There is usually a moral at the end of a fable; ask them to decide on a moral for this tale. Reward all positive ideas.

Finally (difficult) ask pupils to comment on their performance.

Model it first: “John helped when he noticed the speech marks”
“I like the way Sally read her part aloud”

The Fox and the Goat

A FOX one day fell into a deep well and could find no way out.

A thirsty Goat, came to the same well, and seeing the Fox, asked if the water was good.

"It's wonderful," shouted the fox from the bottom of the well. "Come on down."

The Goat, thinking only of his thirst, jumped down, but just as he drank, he realised he was trapped!!

The Fox had an idea.

"If," said he, "you will place your forefeet upon the wall and bend your head, I will run up your back and escape, and will help you out afterwards."

The Goat agreed and the Fox leaped upon his back.

Steadying himself with the Goat's horns, he safely reached the top of the well and ran off as fast as he could.

"What about me?" shouted the Goat from the bottom of the well.

But the Fox was long gone, and the Goat very wet.

Controlling Behaviour

Lots of you have raised 'behaviour' issues during our Thursday meetings. It is clear that some of you are struggling with some of your mentees. Not surprising really: year fives are becoming more confident as they move into the second half of the year. Don't forget this has a lot to do with you and the support you have given them. However, you do not have to suffer any unacceptable behaviour.

Let me repeat the ideas from the year five leader, Mrs Williams, and her team, which have already helped some of you get the year fives back on track.

• Encourage good behaviour by telling them you are allowed to recommend individuals for a 'star of the week' award. This has already changed behaviour in one group.
• Remind mentees that you will send those who cannot behave sensibly to Mrs Williams.

The first option is far better than the second because it is positive and carries a promise rather than a threat. It is always better this way round.

Whichever option you use, be sure you carry it out, or the mentees will think you are soft and take advantage of you.

Above all, be organised. If you are clear about the activity and have your resources organised, you can keep the pace high, make it fun and give them no chance to misbehave. It is also important to show them, and tell them, that you enjoy their company and their efforts. Keep using words which show you value them and their ideas.

"You worked hard today and really brought the activity to life." "That was fun, I liked the way you worked together." "Great behaviour this week."

Ninth Activity

“THE PURPOSE OF THIS ACTIVITY IS TO WORK AS A TEAM”

RESOURCES: ENVELOPES CONTAINING A CUT-UP SNOOPY STORY

EXPLAIN THAT THE FRAMES OF THE CARTOON STORY HAVE BEEN JUMBLED UP. PUPILS CAN TAKE TWO FRAMES EACH, EXAMINE THEM AND THE GROUP THEN WORKS TOGETHER TO make the story.

(Pick up the spare frames yourself and model how to cooperate. Explain what you are holding: “This frame shows Charlie Brown on a hill looking sad”)

ENCOURAGE POLITE DISAGREEMENT:
“Can I make another suggestion?”
“I’ve got another idea”

It doesn’t matter if their version doesn’t match the original. It is better if they have good ideas and work together

“When we work together, things can be more fun and more successful.”

Eighth Activity

ACTIVITY EIGHT (YOU NEED TO CUT OUT THE STATEMENTS BEFORE THE SESSION)

“The purpose of this activity is to think about YOUR progress”

Ten statements are written on slips. Pass slips to mentees. Ask them to place them on a line, based on how they feel about them

Problems-----------------------------------------------------------------Fine
I HAVE MADE NEW FRIENDS


EACH PUPIL CAN PLACE THEIR STATEMENT WHERE THEY LIKE, BUT THERE MAY BE DISCUSSION ABOUT WHERE OTHERS WOULD PLACE THEM.
THIS DISCUSSION IS WHAT WE WANT, SO ASK, “WOULD ANYBODY PLACE THAT SOMEWHERE ELSE?”

ENCOURAGE THEM TO DISAGREE POLITELY:
“I’M NOT SURE I AGREE WITH THAT…”
“I SEE WHAT YOU MEAN, BUT….”

THE RESULTS WILL PRODUCE INTERESTING INSIGHTS FOR YOU, WHICH YOU CAN SHARE AT OUR NEXT MEETING.

I HAVE MADE NEW FRIENDS

I KNOW THE NAMES OF ALL MY CLASS

LUNCHTIMES ARE GOOD

MOVING CLASSROOMS BETWEEN LESSONS IS FINE

I KEEP UP WITH MY HOMEWORK

MENTOR SESSIONS HELP ME

I KNOW HOW TO GET HELP

I FEEL CONFIDENT AT STOKE

I AM HAPPY IN MY CLASS

I GO TO LUNCHTIME CLUBS

Seventh Activity

Feelings (use a soft toy)

“The purpose of this session is to look at feelings”

1. Children sit in an inward facing circle. You name a feeling and the children put on an appropriate face, e.g. happy, angry, sad, disappointed, nervous, lonely, good, interested, bored, impatient, jealous....

2. (Use the toy to give permission to speak)
Each child in turn completes the sentence, “I feel nervous when…” (you may have to give your own example)

Everyone has feelings. Do people always feel the same way?

(Read this: it may help to explain that people have different feelings)
A child falls over in the playground:
One child can’t help laughing at the sight,
Another feels sympathetic and rushes to help,
A third feels anxious and stands watching with a worried expression.

(Ask children to use the toy to give examples of their own.)

Ask: Does anyone in your group feel unhappy or worried about anything in the playground that they would like help with? (If the answer is yes, what will you do?)