My son Ryder recently started school. It was an exiting time for all of us as he walked off on day one with his new uniform and new school bag. However, sadly for all of us, this excitement lasted exactly one week.
At the start of the second week Ryder came home in tears. His teacher had “growled” at him for not finishing his work. According to Ryder she told him he had “done it wrong”. I must say I found this hard to believe and figured Ryder’s own desire to please and to “get it right” was the problem. I mean surely no self-respecting teacher would tell a 5 year old in his first week of school that he had “done it wrong”?
So I went to see the teacher - she assured me this was not the case and we all put it down to Ryder’s anxiety about starting a new school and wanting to please. Three weeks later though when he came home again in tears and said that his teacher told him he was “too slow”, I started to take a bit more notice.
Over the next few weeks I have listened carefully to Ryder and I have noticed that when he talks to me about his teacher he calls her “angry” and he says he hates school because he gets into trouble for being too slow. I also noticed that he is increasingly afraid to try anything in case he “gets it wrong”.
I started volunteering at the school to listen to the kids reading in his grade. I partly did this to contribute and partly to “observe” (which is a much nicer word than “spy”). After just one week I was appalled. I observed Ryder’s teacher doing absolutely everything I believe you DON’T do if you want to create a good environment for learning. And really, isn’t that what it is all about? He is not going to learn to read and write in his first six weeks at school, but he might learn that school is fun and that learning is enjoyable and that making mistakes is OK and that everyone is different and that there is no right or wrong way to approach something etc.
A couple of days ago our CEO here at ICA sent me a book that listed the Eight Elements of Learning. The book is called Quality Teaching in a Culture of Coaching and it is by Stephen G. Barkly.
The Eight Elements of Learning
- Absence of threat
- Meaningful content
- Choices
- Adequate time
- Enriched environment
- Collaboration
- Immediate feedback
- Mastery
The first element “Absence of Threat” really resonated with me. It is not rocket science that as humans we find it difficult to learn when we are in a threatening environment.
At ICA it is one of our core values - “create a safe learning environment”. As an adult training company we know that in order to learn adults need to feel safe. We have deliberate policy of small class sizes and we employ trainers who are committed to adult learning principles. It is common to hear our graduates talk about the fact that they feel safe enough to speak when uncertain and to try new things in front of their peers.
What I realized over the last six weeks while dealing wiht my son’s problems at school is that adult learning principles should not be reserved for adults. Those very same things that create positive and lasting experiences for adults also apply to children.
*Adults require a safe learning environment - they need to be able to try new things without looking or feeling foolish.
*Adult’s have a wealth of experience when they come to a new learning situation (i.e. they are not just empty vessels to be filled up with knowledge)
*Adults learn best when the learning has relevance for them or is situated in a context.
*Adults like to control their learning environment which includes the pace at which they work and the areas they choose to work on.
All of these things apply to children. Plus they also have a natural sense of curiosity about the world and a natural desire to please, both of which can be put to good use inside the classroom.
I have an appointment with the Principal tomorrow morning - I’ll let you know how I go!
