This is the kind of homework I approve of….

Self set

showing thought

and thinking of their game in the context of the wider world…

The child who did this homework has been coming for years. They are charismatic, so very full of amazing ideas, such a leader… They told me they were bullied/teased at school (this was backed up by another child). I can see that their absolute full-on ness would be hard in the context of a class. I really like this kid. In the context of our programme I have been trying to encourage them to allow the input of other children – it is so hard to compromise your vision when it is so grand.

It has taken years for me and them to develop a relationship where they know that I am not “telling them off.” Every time I say I need to have a word, they would walk off… not wanting to feel bad? Tidying up has been an issue – when the child who is a leader doesn’t help, is often actively letting others know they are not helping it becomes so much harder to get the stuff away. My policy is that it is all or nothing – either everything is away and everyone gets a marshmellow (part bribe, part a way of getting the children in one spot so their parents can find them, and part maths – 30 children take a lot of stuff into the bush in a short time and it takes 3 adults a long time to bring it back and they will sure need those marshmallows – I am open about this).  This child usually decides for themself that they do not deserve? need? want? a marshmallow.

My mantra has been “use your powers for good.” A friend recently suggested giving them a time warning that I am going to have a word before I do. Total genuis. I also decided to take a photo of them taking stuff out as evidence that they took some equipment out (a pallet) to remove the possibility of the “I didn’t take anything out” reason… It is so hard to get kids to think that here is our collective environment, and it doesn’t matter who made a mess, that we are collectively responsible for looking after it! What are the thoughts that go through the minds of companies that pollute as they sweep their toxins under a rug and never financially account for the clean-up? I have told this child that people do know who helps with collective activities like cleaning up and that people do think less of people who shirk, who just do the taking. This child not only tidied up theirs and others mess but stood around the fire roasting marshmellows. I said I would have to “tell on them” so when their parent turned up, I said that they had shown excellent leadership skills. I got a hug.

Thinking about my relationship with each individual child and how I can progress the path of each child is my homework.