Year 2 Problem Solving Workshop
The Year 2’s have been learning about conflict resolution in our Skill’s Programme every second week this term. We split our weekly topics up into; problem solving, conflict resolution, dealing with mistakes and lastly, saying sorry.
We know that students need to learn how to listen to others. Children become more aware of their needs as they get older. They learn how to communicate their thoughts and feelings in a respectful way. They feel inspired to think creatively to search for solutions. No child is too young to learn how to play and cooperate with others, an important skill for young children to develop and grow. There are numerous other skills children learn when you inform them about how to resolve differences, as well:
- Students learn how to listen to others.
- They become more aware of their needs.
- They learn how to communicate their thoughts and feelings in a respectful way.
- They feel inspired to think creatively to search for solutions.
It is critical for children to understand that when they find a solution independently, they receive praise. That way they understand to continue exhibiting the behaviour. Conflict comes up in everyone’s lives, and the most important lesson to teach with these behaviours, is that conflict is normal.
Our last workshop lesson involved some role play where our Year 2’s has the opportunity to act out how they think a potential conflict situation would play out and how they could solve it the right way.
We had fun learning!
Siobhan Hendry
Year 2 Teacher
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Activity Centre Outing – Year 1
This week, the Year 1 students had the pleasure of visiting an activity centre, where they were able to interact in everyday experiences on a smaller scale.
The students spent some time at the mini Checkers where they were able to shop and check-out items they felt they wanted. They were then introduced to the TAH Vet section to role play being a vet, a patient, a shopper and a teller.
After this, they headed to the mini kitchen to learn about healthy and unhealthy foods and decorate biscuits. As teachers, we find this form of role-play and interaction extremely important for young students to participate in as it is beneficial for them on a greater scale when growing up.
The students also had an exciting experience at the mini Capitec where they learnt about money, how to save money and how an ATM works. They then moved over to the “green-screen” section where they learnt what a green-screen is and they could watch themselves on the TV during their interview.
All of the stations the Year 1 students attended taught them new life skills. These life skills ranged from learning how to buy items from a shop with money, healthy and unhealthy eating, how to look after your pet, signs to look out for when your pet needs a doctor, savings and drawing money from an ATM as well as, how to conduct an interview.
This was definitely an experience the students will not forget!
Erin Hierse
Year 1 Teacher
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It’s All About The Skills…
A Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzu, once wrote – Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
In our education system, while we are certainly not in the business of teaching children how to fish, this quote does make us stop and think. As teachers and parents(myself included), we become so focussed on our childrens’ academic and sporting progress, that we forgot about those so-called ‘soft skills’. It was with this in mind, that the school began our very own skills development programme every second week.
The various key stages and year groups have different goals most suited to their students’ ages. In Year 2, we decided to focus on problem-solving this term. Ms Hendry, Mrs Pani and I incorporated ‘dealing with conflict, speaking up for yourself and how to make amends’. We felt it was an important topic to tackle, as our students are still developing their emotional and social skills and often do not have the words to express their feelings, resulting in conflict or unhappiness.
The students really enjoy these sessions and participate enthusiastically. We role-play situations, looking for various solutions to the different challenges faced in these exercises.
We are looking forward to next term’s Skills Training.
Mrs Kim Coetzer
Year 2 Teacher
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