Teachers could be over or underestimating the effectiveness of education studies because of how they are presented
The way that some education studies are presented could give teachers unrealistic expectations about what they might be able to achieve in the classroom, according to new research. Education studies are important for improving standards of teaching around the world and many schools adopt certain interventions if they believe it will help raise students’ grades. In the UK, the Education Endowment Foundation (EEF) commissions hundreds of trials each year which are summarised and published online and used by around two-thirds of early years, primary, secondary and sixth form schools in Britain. However, a new paper published in the journal Educational Researcher shows that these reviews are being presented to teachers in ways which could misrepresent their potential impact on the education of pupils. Dr Hugo Lortie-Forgues, of Loughborough University, said that although several metrics can be used to communicate the success of a trial, there is no consensus about which is best suited for communication with teachers. The researchers found that different metrics induced very different perceptions of an intervention’s effectiveness. This situation could lead teachers to overestimate or underestimate the usefulness of the interventions. Different types of metric used: Months of Progress: Additional learning gain reported in a unit of months, based on an estimate of yearly growth Percentile Gain: Expected change in percentile rank an average student would have made had the student received the intervention Cohen’s U3: Percentage of students in the intervention group scoring above the mean of the control group (Cohen, 1988) Threshold: Proportion of students reaching a certain threshold (e.g., passing a test). Test Score: Impact of the intervention in the outcome’s units Dr Lortie-Forgues said: “In recent years, there has been a growing effort to produce high-quality evidence in education. “In education research, an intervention’s impact is typically reported in units of standard deviations, but this measure is hard to interpret, so studies are generally translated into more digestible metrics before being reported to teachers. “However, very little research has examined how to present this evidence in ways that maximize the ability of teachers to make informed decisions.” The paper, How should educational effects be communicated to teachers?, reports two studies involving 500 teachers which were carried out by Dr Lortie-Forgues and Dr Matthew Inglis from Loughborough and Dr Ut Na Sio from the University of Sheffield. In the first, the researchers found that teachers have strong preferences concerning effect size metrics in terms of informativeness, understandability, and helpfulness, and that these preferences challenge current research reporting recommendations. In the second, they found that different metrics provoked different perceptions of an intervention’s effectiveness. For example, when an intervention impact was described in additional months of progress, as often done in the UK, teachers perceived the intervention as much more effective than when the same impact was reported in terms of additional point students receiving the intervention gain on a standardized test. Dr Lortie-Forgues said: “Together, our findings suggest that current way intervention effects are communicated could interfere with teachers’ ability to make informed decisions and to develop realistic expectations. “A possible way to minimize this issue would be to communicate the impact of educational interventions using multiple metrics, as it is often done in leading medical journals. This is something that we will explore in future research.”
Is it possible to deliver quality SEN care without outside agencies during the pandemic?
Schools have had to overcome no end of challenges throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. But beyond virus control, perhaps the most pressing ongoing concern is supporting children with special educational needs (SEN) at a time when many children are already experiencing anxiety and disruption. SEN provision can be testing at the best of times, as schools seek to find the very best support for the children in their care. But while outside agencies are prevented from entering school grounds, SEN Coordinators (SENCOs) and school leadership teams are left struggling to find ways to provide much-needed support with much-reduced resources. Is it possible for schools to continue to deliver high-quality SEN care without overburdening an already stretched teaching staff? What are the issues? And how can they be tackled? Why is SEN provision such a challenge right now? One of the ongoing difficulties with the provision of SEN support is that it covers such a wide range of needs. Children who require physical, emotional, or specific learning support. There are those with difficult home lives. And those with mental health concerns. No single school can hope to provide all of the necessary expertise in house. With external agencies prevented from entering schools and a reduction of resources – such as sensory areas – SENCOs are at an immediate disadvantage. So, what options are available, and how can schools find the support they need to ensure that no children are let down as the pandemic continues to run its course? Where can schools turn to for SEN support during the COVID-19 restrictions? As with every other organisation, external support agencies are currently working to find new ways of operating during the pandemic. Observing the two-meter rule and wearing PPE is an integral part of this. Only accessing designating areas within schools is also under discussion. But there are drawbacks to these moves. Children need to be able to relax in the company of their SEN support workers. They need to be able to connect with them and feel comfortable. PPE – mask-wearing in particular – can be a real barrier to that. A resumption of established SEN services also carries the threat of further disruption should a second lockdown occur. Indeed, at the beginning of September, 4% of UK state schools were classed as “not fully open” because of Covid-19, and around 20 schools were closed outright for COVID-related reasons. This poses the risk of further upset for SEN children. Technology The use of technology within the educational setting has become increasingly widespread throughout the pandemic, often providing the only means for schools to continue supporting children in their learning journey. But it has not yet been widely embraced for SEN. Because the current generation of children have grown up around technology, its use is second nature to them. They don’t feel awkward or confronted when dialling into a Zoom call, because they’ve been FaceTiming their grandparents since birth. For this reason, technology shouldn’t just be an extension of a child’s learning and support resources, but an integral part. And within the COVID-19 climate, it offers a consistency that is lacking elsewhere. During lockdown, over 70% of children who required speech therapy through Mable Therapy were able to continue receiving support online. And technology can be used to support a wide variety of needs. From communication and speech therapy – over 80% of children with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) concerns may have undiagnosed communication problems. And without support, this can lead to frustration, behavioural issues and a failure to thrive. To Autism, where a disruption to routine can cause anxiety and challenging behaviours. Technology can not only fill these gaps and deliver these services on a temporary basis, but become a simple, cost-effective, and educationally/emotionally valuable tool within a school’s long-term SEN strategy. Summary SEN support has always been a difficult area for schools to get right. But the current situation with the global pandemic has made things so much more difficult. And there’s no quick fix. But equally, children cannot be left without support, and teachers cannot be expected to carry the extra burden. For now, schools should turn to their local authority for advice. And if they already have a Service Level Agreement in place with an external agency, they need to find out exactly what that agency can do for them. But technology and online support should also be seriously considered as a means of providing some services, to avoid an interruption in the event of a second wave or localised school closures. Martha Currie, Clinical Director of Mable Therapy Recommended SEN resources for support and information: Supporting a child returning to school after lockdown: Young Minds Supporting deaf education during the Coronavirus pandemic – resources from BATOD members and others Schools Guide to implementing an Online therapy Provision: Mable Therapy Coronavirus: education and school: National Autistic Society Coronavirus: How we can help you:Royal National Institute for the Blind
School’s results soar after iPad parental donation scheme
Since Apple Authorised Education Specialist Jigsaw24 helped them launch a parent-driven 1:1 iPad scheme, Stephenson Memorial Primary School have posted some of their best-ever results, with their scores for writing jumping from below the national average to the top 10% in the UK. In an iPad parental donation scheme, the school leases an iPad (or other device) for each pupil and parents make a donation toward the cost, often broken down into an affordable weekly sum. Schemes like this are key to helping schools afford new technology – and are increasingly in demand since the Department for Education mandated that all schools have a remote learning solution in place in case of a second full lockdown. Because Stephenson Memorial, which serves over 400 pupils in North Tyneside, is in a low income area, many believed that a parental donation scheme was impossible – but in fact, parents bought in from day one, and uptake has increased every year since the scheme was launched. “The reasoning behind our parental donation scheme was that we wanted children to have a device that would be part of the family,” explained eLearning Lead Lynsey Carr. “A lot of our families can’t afford to go out and buy an iPad, so the scheme is a breakthrough in terms of them getting connected to the world. It’s so important for children to have access to the online world – the more we can push to get a device in every household, the better.” As a result of the rollout, the school has seen rapid improvement among their SEND students and the attainment gap between students at the end of Key Stage Two has narrowed sharply. The number of children achieving the ‘Greater Depth’ standard, which is the highest standard in education for a child aged seven, has significantly improved, and the school’s scores for writing are now in the UK’s top 10%. One unforeseen consequence of having an iPad scheme in place was that pupils and their parents were both ready to handle remote learning when the UK went into lockdown in March. Over the first month of lockdown, the school saw high levels of engagement, as pupils, teachers and staff were all familiar with the tools needed for remote learning. While other schools have struggled to keep pupils focused, Stephenson students in Years 2 to 6 submitted over 1000 pieces of work to teachers in the first month of lockdown, as well as uploading 150 photos and videos of work they’d done offline. “We were just up and running straight away,” Lynsey said. “It’s been really easy for us to check on who’s looking at things and also to keep each other’s spirits up – the children were sharing videos and personal and social updates, and although we weren’t together everyone still felt close. Parents have been communicating with us through the iPad too, so that relationship has evolved as well.” As the school’s Apple partner, Jigsaw24 helped the school develop their parental donation plan, provided all their hardware (including iPad, MacBook Air and Apple TV so teachers can deliver modern, engaging and varied lesson plans). Aside from hardware, Jigsaw24 have provided ongoing training and support, helping the school design their professional learning plan and achieve Apple Distinguished School status. “Training and development is the key to any successful iPad rollout, no matter how it’s funded,” said Jigsaw24’s Professional Development Trainer, Graham Trick. “As schools look for a remote learning solution that meets the DfE’s guidelines, it’s important that they take part in a scheme like Jigsaw24’s Leading Innovation Programme to ensure that their rollout is successful, sustainable and supports all kinds of teachers and learners. Stephenson Memorial Primary School have proven this kind of careful planning can yield amazing results – even in areas which have historically been under-served.” Jigsaw24 work with schools, colleges and universities across the UK to support teaching and learning, offering devices, IT services, staff training, classroom displays, software subscriptions, networking solutions and more. For more details, see their education page.
The UK’s largest education policy event returns this November to deliver the UK’s largest online virtual experience for the education sector!
At a time of huge change, the education sector has demonstrated exceptional strength and resilience in adapting to the ‘new normal’, ensuring efficiency is at the forefront of each operation. With the growing uncertainty on how the education sector can move forward, the Schools & Academies Show (link: https://bit.ly/3ltwaSJ) has taken the opportunity to transition to an online virtual summit, ensuring to continue to serve as the sector’s leading platform that unites school leaders and dynamic educations with leading content, best practice and key resources at a time where the sector needs it most. Taking place over 4 days, from the 17th to the 20th November 2020, and supported by the Department of Education and the Education & Skills Funding Agency, there is no other event in the country that will attract such a large and senior audience at a time when supplier’s solutions, networking and practical insights are needed to overcome the mounting challenges across the sector. Due to this unbelievable demand from the sector, the Schools & Academies Show have been working hard to bring together the sector’s most decorated and influential speakers to share their knowledge, expertise and guidance on how schools, academies and MATs can better adapt to the changing landscape in a post pandemic world, including: The Schools & Academies Show will aim to galvanise the sector by bringing together the sector’s most decorated and influential speakers to share their knowledge, expertise and guidance on how schools, academies, and MATs can better adapt to the changing landscape in a post pandemic world, including: AMANDA SPIELMAN, HMCI, Ofsted DOMINIC HERRINGTON, National Schools Commissioner, Department for Education EMMA KNIGHTS OBE, Chief Executive, National Governance Association (NGA) SAHEEL SANKRIWALA, Deputy Director, Head of Technology Delivery, Education and Skills, Funding Agency STELLA PEARSON, Deputy Director, T Level Delivery, Department for Education LAVINYA STENNETT, Chief Executive Officer, The Black Curriculum PAUL WHITEMAN, General Secretary, NAHT CAMILLA TURNER, Education Editor, The Daily Telegraph THE RT HON. DAVID LAWS, Former Minister of State for Schools and Executive Chairman, Education Policy Institute (EPI) PROFESSOR ADAM BODDISON, CEO, nasen STEPHEN MORALES, Chief Executive, Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL) And 100 more Each speaker, dedicated to their respected craft across the education sector will lead in either a keynote session, live debate or discussion, or tailored workshops, ensuring visitors feel empowered, inspired and ready to implement key techniques, guidance and resources at the forefront of their institution. To ensure visitors receive an unrivalled experience, the show will be hosted on an innovative smart app, SwapCard, which will provide attendees the opportunity to interactive with live content led by leading experts, meet suppliers, ask questions and join discussions. This highly intuitive smart app will help visitors to easily navigate through each session, facilitate meaningful networking opportunities and connect visitors with solutions providers. Plus, new for 2020 and taking place alongside the Schools & Academies Show, the EdTech Summit, will be taking place online on the 18th and 19th of November 2020. Now more than ever, technology has become a leading driver for the education sector in delivering key teaching & learning initiatives. This event is designed to bring together education technology leaders across schools, academies & MATs, colleges, and universities to assess solutions on how they can further adapt their institutions’ digital strategies in-line with teaching and learning. With the new, innovative virtual app and the launch of the co-located EdTech Summit, the Schools & Academies Show has reacted to the overwhelming demand for new content and resources, and a platform to hear from industry experts sharing insights on ensuring successful outcomes for learners during the global pandemic; making these shows the must-attend events of the education calendar. Registration for The Schools & Academies Show & EdTech Summit is completely free for those working in schools, multi-academy trusts, charities, and local and central government. Click here to register your free (Link: https://info.schoolsandacademiesshow.co.uk/en-gb/register/birmingham) place and be the first to receive the latest insights, initiatives and guidance on the changes shaping the ever-evolving education sector.
School safety standards: How to teach our children about allergens
As schools welcome students back, albeit with greater COVID-19 health and safety measures in place, leaders must begin to give thought to other areas of concern too. Namely, food safety standards. With over 30,000 schools in the UK, all focusing more vigilantly on health, safety and risk mitigation to contain the spread of the virus, cross-contamination and hygiene are perhaps being given the greatest attention when it comes to food. However, Kirstie Jones, environmental health officer at Navitas Safety, administrators of digital food safety management, compliance and training, urges that more must be done by schools and education leaders, if we are to protect children against other food-related risks too. “Education on allergens and food safety should ultimately form part of the national school curriculum. Children learn best when they are young and learned behaviours can influence lifelong habits and routines. “Therefore, knowing the basics of food safety at an early age will not only protect children from tragic accidents while young but also stand them in good stead to ensure they do not fall foul to food poisoning later in life, too.” In the UK, it is reported that 7% of children have a food allergy. While reactions can be treated in most cases, some can be more severe and even fatal. And it’s these that can be prevented with effective education and being better informed. But how exactly can children be taught about food safety, particularly when many of us adults are unaware of the basics, such as the eight legally defined food allergens? Well, Kirstie explains simple solutions that can be integrated with school practices, which can help children make better lifelong choices and protect those most at risk. Make information easily digestible for children As with any information aimed at children, presentation is key in breaking down the barrier of comprehension. While technical terminology and bold lettering might not be the best way forward, Kirstie offers a solution that is. “Like we are used to seeing with nutritional labelling, a similar traffic light system could be adopted for allergen details on the front of packaging. Red could be used to indicate allergens, amber for ‘may contain’ and green for ‘free-from’ items, for example.” Creative communication goes down best How well information is taken on board has a lot to do with how it is communicated. While repetition and frequency are common tactics used in marketing and communications, Kirstie explains that creativity is key when it comes to getting messages across to children. “Teaching practices should be interactive and engaging. This could include promotional launches, daily pre-lunch briefings, infographics or videos displayed on TV screens, discussions and activities, such as puzzles and quizzes which are linked to allergens.” Remember, teaching is a team effort We’ve all heard the saying ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ and when it comes to teaching children vital information, like allergens, this is certainly the case. “In order to ensure information is retained, it must be reinforced by all those involved in the food-related activities in a child’s life. Included in this is teaching staff, catering managers, lunchtime supervisors and parents. “Keeping messages consistent requires collaboration and training which involves all parties. This is particularly important for children in early years who are unable to make their own food choices and depend solely on the adults getting it right. “But, whatever practices are adopted, it is important that they are kept under continual review to keep up with children’s changing dietary requirements.” Help yourself While education is important, what should be remembered is that allergen information is, in fact, a matter of life or death. That said, integrating teachings into lessons and daily routines should be supported with fool-proof aids to minimise the chance of any accidents. Kirstie emphasises that this isn’t about finding flaws in teachers but rather a way to experiment with teaching methods, safe in the knowledge that the system you have in place will see no child’s wellbeing put at risk. “Aids could include ‘free-from’ menus, the use of pictorial symbols or even integration with digital systems, whereby when a child scans their thumb to purchase a lunch, any allergies they have can be flagged up and their tray cross-checked by a supervisor. “In an ideal world, there would be one chosen method that is implemented consistently to avoid instances of inaccurate information provision, which could result in harm to an allergy sufferer. While we wait for this universal solution, for now, it is up to school leaders to take the issue further and do what they can to protect the children in their care.” For more information on Navitas Safety please visit: www.navitas.eu.com.
Homes Under the Hammer’s Martin Roberts launches new initiative to aid children’s mental wellbeing
TV personality Martin Roberts has joined the fight against childhood mental health anguish exacerbated by the coronavirus pandemic by providing free support to every primary school in the UK. Commencing Monday 5th October, ahead of World Mental Health Day on 10th October, the Sadsville Campaign will provide all 22,500 of Britain’s primary schools with materials and guidance on how to help protect children’s mental health. Each school will receive two copies of a special ‘Teaching Version’ of Sadsville, a book written by Martin Roberts, which along with the original story, includes resources, teaching materials and a lesson or assembly plan which help improve children’s resilience and mental wellbeing. In addition, every public library in the UK will receive a copy, allowing parents to access a physical version of the book alongside online and read-along versions and home study materials. Research carried out by The Martin Roberts Foundation found that reading Sadsville had a very significant positive impact on children’s mental well being, with 71% of children saying they felt “Better able to cope with Sadness” after reading Sadsville, and 76% saying they’d now know how to contact Childline and NSPCC for support if they needed it*. Recent research from Oxford University and the NSPCC has highlighted how the lockdown arising from the Covid-19 pandemic has affected children, key findings include: Primary school-aged children were most likely to seriously suffer from lockdown, with mean increases in emotional, behavioural and restlessness/inattention difficulties** The proportion of children likely to have significant difficulties (i.e., meet diagnostic criteria for a clinical diagnosis) in these 3 areas also increased, by up to 35% in primary school children** Calls into the NSPCC’s helpline increased by almost a third (32%) during lockdown on average, compared to the three months prior to lockdown – with May seeing the highest number made to the NSPCC helpline in a single month on record*** In July, Childline revealed the service had delivered 22,000 counselling sessions to young people about mental health and well-being since the lockdown, including almost 2,000 with 11-year olds and under**** Martin Roberts said: “I have my own kids aged 10 and 13 so I understand the pressures that lockdown has put on young people, and felt moved to try to help highlight and find solutions to the issues that have been caused by Covid-19, as well as those which the NSPCC and their Childline service deal with on a daily basis.” As part of the campaign, every primary school in the UK will be given two free copies of the ‘Teaching Version’ of the Sadsville book, which includes specially written teaching materials, enabling schools to provide children with the means of understanding their emotions better, and where to find help should they need it. Sadsville directs such pupils to the NSPCC’s Childline service – a free, private and confidential service where children can talk to trained counsellors about anything that may be worrying them. Children can contact Childline on 0800 111 or www.childline.org.uk. Peter Wanless, CEO of the NSPCC, said: “The pandemic has had a significant impact on the lives of children, particularly for those where home is not a safe place. At Childline we have heard from thousands of young people about how the combination of the lockdown, the closure of schools and the lack of contact with friends and family has impacted on their mental health. “The Sadsville book’s message is so important. No child should have to cope alone and Childline is here for them. I’m sure it will mean more young people know where to turn to for help.” Best known for his 17 years hosting BBC TV property auction show Homes Under the Hammer, Martin Roberts is also an established children’s book author and originally wrote Sadsville to support the invaluable work carried out by the NSPCC and Childline. The book forms part of the campaign to help children’s mental wellbeing that is the mainstay of the authors own charity The Martin Roberts Foundation which aims to give a free copy of the original Sadsville book to every child in year 4 (8 & 9 year olds) in the UK. So far over 30,000 books have been distributed, with more to come. Martin Roberts added: “Sadsville is a magical and whimsical story aimed at children aged 6 to 10, based in a land where everyone is always sad – and the reader has to work out why. The book encourages children to question their own emotions and ‘think outside the box’ as to why they may be struggling with unhappiness. It helps them find ways to feel happier and to reach out for support if they need it.” The book has already received acclaim from children, teachers and senior academics alike, with Headteachers commenting on how the book “encourages important discussion” and suggesting to fellow teachers that they should “without doubt, get involved with this project.” Elaine Fox, Professor of Psychology & Affective science at Oxford University, commented: “Sadsville helps children to break a toxic cycle of negative thought by getting them to think about sadness in a unique way, providing them with a platform to challenge the negative gremlins in their heads and to realise that the gremlins are just that – gremlins – and not a true reflection of reality.” Martin has enlisted the support of stars from film and TV for the project, including legendary children’s entertainer and all-round good fox, Basil Brush, who has recorded a charming narrated and partially animated version of Sadsville, which is available on YouTube for general viewing. A video of many other celebrities reading from the book will be available in the near future. Basil Brush said: “It was a booming pleasure to be part of Mr Martin’s wonderful book, to read his lovely story and help the NSPCC and their Childline service at the same time. The illustrations are perfect, but for some reason I felt peckish at the end… you’ll know why when you read it… It might even bring a
Edmentum: at the forefront of the edtech revolution
Editor Victoria Galligan spoke to Gareth Bradwick, project manager at Edmentum International, about how the global edtech company is reducing workload for teachers thanks to its simplified assessment of personalised online learning… Edmentum is the global learning resource which offers platforms for learners from nursery age up to secondary and beyond – you may be familiar with their products such as Reading Eggs, Study Island or Education City. The US-owned company has adapted its software to the UK curriculum and Gareth told me: “There have been a lot of changes in education over the past five years or so – the new curriculum in 2014 was an opportunity for Edmentum to fit its UK products around the learning which was required.” Education City is a popular primary resource which covers maths, science, English and e-safety. Around 5,000 schools in the UK are subscribed, allowing teachers to use the cartoon-style question and answer snippets in lessons, to set work in class for children and also to encourage them to log on at home and complete homework. Reading Eggs focuses on phonics in the foundation stages and, like Education City, is built around games where children select the right letter or word options to complete a task. The emphasis is on the fun and Gareth said: “The games are user-friendly and can be played in any format – on a PC, iPads or laptops. There’s an app which is simple to log onto and the interface and illustrations are friendly so students don’t feel like they’re learning when using the games.” As with all Edmentum products, the emphasis is on personalised learning. Teachers can use differentiated games to ensure all children can access the lesson and to extend learning to push higher ability pupils. The assessment tools are both formative and summative, and the thousands of questions which pupils answer are recorded under their own user name for future reference. This allows the teacher to quickly spot gaps in learning and identify patterns across a whole class or work further with individual students on their weaker areas. Teachers can also set their own questions to fit particular areas of a topic and the existing content across all platforms is continually updated to ensure the games never get repetitive. For older students, the company has already conquered the US market where schools place most schoolwork online and pupils work through modules to work towards a US diploma. This approach, Chris tells me, is making its way towards the UK and is something Edmentum is working on as the digital transformation of education continues. The future is exciting and if such learning platforms engage students, make life easier for teachers and help improve attainment then we can’t wait to see what the edtech sector comes up with next… EDMENTUM CASE STUDY: Ulaanbaatar Elite International School, Mongolia Established in 2005, the school has approximately 500 students, of which 397 are international. The school has been using EducationCity for two years. Mustafa Soydemir, Primary Principal, said: “For teachers, lesson planning right through to marking and assessment are visible in this website. Teachers simply search for the right content related to the topic recently discussed and they will be given options based on the level of the students. “Teachers are also able to differentiate work for individual students, groups or classes, which exactly meets the needs of those specific students. “Teachers can make revisions or add further content later on. If parents and students have any questions, they can easily help them. In other words, it’s very flexible and useful for the teachers. “Students find the website enjoyable and challenging. They always look forward to the classwork and homework given to them. The school allocates an hour every week for EducationCity and the students look forward to that hour. They enjoy the graphics, the design, the sounds and the way the site is user-friendly for everyone. “For the parents, EducationCity’s been a very useful tool to make connections with their children. Parents help them, especially the younger ones, to find their homework. Furthermore, parents who need help with their own English learn with their kids; they enjoy the activities and find them challenging themselves.”
Strengthening emotional connections
The last 9 months whilst locked in together, or now as you try to regain some new normality will definitely have taken many of you to levels of emotional exhaustion and compassionate fatigue. Even though we might be slowly moving towards a new sense of normality the demands on us and our children’s well-being could still be taking their toll. This term will most definitely have been the most challenging and we aren’t quite over this yet. It is normal to have periods where we feel children are testing us to the limit, but with the demands of teaching them married with not being able to escape could have created emotional conflict at home. We may have even temporarily shut down from our emotions as a self-preservation mechanism. However, children are very perceptive to this and in truth it makes the situation far worse. The key is to positively reconnect with our children again as soon as possible. Children will challenge us on every dimension. They will also activate emotions more intense that you will have ever experienced before, positive and negative! The psychology of parenthood is very understated and the impact it has on us as human beings can hugely affect the effectiveness of how we perform in the role, particularly if we don’t stay reflective along the way. This same psychology can be transferred to the relationships we develop in school. When we are out of sync emotionally with children, things change. Our patience is reduced, we filter out the positive, focus more on the negative, and tend to respond more harshly. This change activates a negative sense of self in our children which is usually acted out as a behavioural response. This can then very quickly fall into a cycle of negativity, with one event driving another and another and so on. The only way to get things back on track is to reconnect with the child or young person and this is essential so that children feel as emotionally stable as possible when returning to school, whether it be after a period of missed school or even after a weekend! We need to see the positive they do and treat them with the love, warmth, and compassion that we feel on our more positive parenting days. Even if we don’t always feel it, acting it often starts the process of positive change. Remember, parenting and teaching focus should only ever go in one direction, from adult to child. Children need you to be in charge with this and take the lead. It is for you to feed your child with positive emotional nurture and not the other way around. The results are often quick and pleasing from both sides when the connection has been rekindled, which is a win-win! Many of us going might miss our lockdown family members on some level when we separate again. Even though it might have been tough at times, let’s end things on a high and make this term the best for emotional connections we can. It will be worth the effort, as they will need these strong bonds to help them deal with the new demands life will place on them in the future. Top tips for rebuilding emotional connections Validate all of children’s and young people’s emotions. We don’t have to agree with them or even believe them but unless they feel understood they will learn to supress what they feel which can lead to complications further down the line or in turn express them in extreme ways. Only by validating what a child feels can we help guide them to greater emotional intelligence and self-regulation Talk. Emotional connection comes with communication. It may be difficult at first, but it’s worth it Apologise. If you have been ratty, stressed or short-tempered, tell them you are sorry. It is amazing how our children can warm to you when you admit to getting things wrong too Book in some quality time. Do something special together. Tell them how this situation is making you feel and what you would like to make things better Smile wholeheartedly and from your eyes when they come to you Ask each other what you can do to move this forward and start being nicer to each other again Listen to what they say. Our children will often teach us what we need to do if we are brave enough to stop and listen Your children will be nervous about leaving you once returning to school becomes imminent. Validate their feelings and go over the top with patience, support and emotional availability Hot off the press and as featured on the BBC and the media during the coronavirus pandemic If you liked this article then you might enjoy our latest resource, the COVID-19 Special Edition supportive manual which has been created to help the parents, carers and teachers of children and young people to navigate the emotional changes that will occur during these challenging times and beyond. Most of this content has been featured on BBC radio and television broadcasts, and local and national newspapers to support families and the general public. In addition, many of the psychological issues we have addressed during this period are applicable and transferable to other life events, to teach skills we can always have ready in our emotional toolkit. https://unravelsupport.co.uk/services/unravel-covid-19-support-manual/ Other helpful resources: The benefits of Unravel’s unique approach The Unravel approach is unique and scientifically proven. It’s based around gaining insight into what child are feeling and how we can work together to improve this. We empower children by teaching them how to become the master of their brain rather than a slave to their emotions. The same principles are subtly incorporated into The Blinks books which also support children’s emotional well-being. The series titles include Worry, Anger, Self-esteem, Sad, Shy and Love. They also tackle other social issues including bullying, bereavement, separation and divorce, school avoidance, elected mutism and running away. Alongside each novel is a Reference
Building a bridge between schools and robotics
Edward Teng from DFRobot spoke to QA Education editor Victoria Galligan about how the Chinese company is plugging the gap between high-end technology and children who are eager to learn more about robotics… If you haven’t heard of DFRobot, it’s a Chinese company which creates affordable, easy-to-use hardware which can be used alongside micro:bit to create robotics projects in school. Starting out in 2008 as a robotic hardware manufacturer, the company has grown – it’s now a world-leader in robotics and open-source hardware. DFRobot created a real community for learners and educators following its launch of education resources in 2013. Back then, the words “coding” and “robotics” were enough to put most teachers into a spin, with the exception of the most tech-savvy educators – but Edward is keen to note that this is no longer the case. “Teachers have grown their awareness of AI,” he tells me from the Bett edtech show in London. “Even from last year we’ve noticed a difference. Many teachers were not aware of our kind of technology at the 2019 show. This year, it’s been quite different – it’s amazing the difference a single year has made.” The increased awareness is down, no doubt, to a change in the 2014 computing curriculum where from KS2, children are expected to be taught the skill of “controlling or simulating physical systems”. After several years of upskilling ICT coordinators and investing in a variety of technology, it seems the dust has settled and more and more teachers – especially those in primary and across DT in secondary – have truly taken on board the language of coding and many have become proficient in the skills of teaching not just computing, but robotics. “How schools apply the curriculum is different,” says Edward. “For example, in China our Boson kit is being used by pupils of Y6 age. In the Asian market in general, children are using robotics earlier and both teachers and pupils are more familiar with AI and the Internet of Things from a younger age. It makes a big difference.” The Boson starter kit that Edward refers to consists of micro:bit equipment, which is described on the DFRobot website as a “pocket-sized microcontroller designed for kids and beginners to learn coding and electronics, letting them easily bring ideas into DIY digital games, interactive projects and robotics”. The kit has been awarded Five Stars in the 2018 Teach Primary Resource Awards. At £53 it’s an affordable option for schools looking to build up their stock of robotics equipment and the add-ons range from flashing heart-shapes pulse monitors to pH sensors and air quality monitors. Which is what let to the DFRobot “smart garden” at the 2020 Bett show. Edward says the high-tech garden measures everything you need to keep a plant healthy, such as light, temperature and humidity. Users can interact with the platform and, for example, click to engage the watering system. He adds: “The smart garden is a demonstration product designed for Bett. We wanted to show how critical thinking develops from AI and get children considering the opportunities the technology can bring – now you can measure the health of your plants in the backyard by sitting in your living room.” It’s this kind of thought-provoking work which Edward says is the key to improving technology skills in the UK. He adds: “Children have a big imagination and they love showing other people their creativity. We build a bridge between schools and robotics. DFRobot supplies to 8,000 schools around the world, including 2,000 across China.” To some extent, teachers need to teach technology to themselves and the Boson kits make this easier. They attach to Lego, cardboard, wood – whatever children need to be creative and achieve their robotic goals. Edward added: “With micro:bit, children learn to work in algorithms and work with logic, They gradually learn coding languages, such as Python, as they create their robotic inventions. They can experience how technology is evolving to become more intelligent. With smart technology in the home they are already experiencing the Internet of Things.” As technology evolves at such a rapid pace, so too does the skills set of our pupils. The future is exciting – the future is robotic! DFROBOT CASE STUDY We need a new approach to STEM if we want to address the skills deficit By Jennifer Morgan I am a teacher, a feminist, and a STEM coordinator – and if I may be a little bold, together, these qualities form a potent mix. I am an educator who is not only passionate about how STEM is integrated into our schools, but who is also driven to instil in young girls that they possess the agency to determine their own career, particularly through the discovery of male-dominated subjects. That said, while I would certainly like to see more young women participating in these subjects, the importance of effectively teaching STEM goes beyond the gender imbalance. During my schooling, I had to take home economics and woodwork. Imbued with gender, absolutely; however, the justification was clear: school was building the necessary skills to support us in the future. Today, though, the skills of the future emerge from studying science, technology, engineering, and maths – STEM is the new home-ec and woodwork. Despite my crusade to improve STEM learning, I, like many of my colleagues, am faced with routine challenges. How do we encourage greater enthusiasm for these subjects? How do we bridge the gap between theory and practical skills? How do I turn ideas into action? Whipping up enthusiasm in the classroom isn’t a foreign concept, but my experience has taught me that this can be more challenging in subjects like computer science and coding. This generation of students has grown up in the tech age, yet there is little understanding of how A leads to B – they are only familiar with the final output of products. Faced with blank stares when I embark on the curriculum with