Stuff for
Teachers
Ideas
for English Teachers
The
fusion of poetry and painting gives the hardcover picture
book Storm
in a Teacup its beauty and soul. This
book follows the journey of a teardrop as it falls into
a teacup, is washed down the drain and eventually finds
its way to the open sea. Via this classic metaphor students
can explore themes of life and death, decay and renewal
and the interconnectedness of all things. The Learning
Guide in the back of the book provides many interesting
suggestions for how this book can be used in classrooms.
Creative
writing and increasingly, journalling are the stock
in trade of every English teacher. Yes, folks, 'journalling'
is now a verb and an active ingredient in many learning
programs because it encourages reflective learning through
the recording our own stories, emotions, goals, opinions
and observations. Inside
Out is a journalling kit made up
of 32 cards, each with a key word, a quote, a beautiful
illustration and a range of journalling prompts to get
your students' pens flying. Creative writing will open
up for students as they experiment with sentence starters,
lists, dialogues, stream of consciousness writing treasured
moments and much more.
For
a more hands-on approach to creative writing and journalling,
you might also like to try using the
Words cards
in your class. This set contains 100 cards, each featuring
a single, yet evocative word like 'rollercoaster', 'friends',
'heavy' or 'wish'. Mix and match the cards to kickstart
a variety of writing activites. For more fun, you can
even combine them with the companion card set, Symbols!
See
more journalling-related
products from our shelflist.
Ideas
for Primary Teachers
Cards
sets, stickers, and posters can be used to spread 'seriously
optimistic' messages and acknowledge students' innate
strengths and capabilities.
Use
Strength
Cards, Strength
Cards for Kids and Wonderful
You cards and stickers to:
•
identify a 'Strength of the Week' that you want noticed
and reinforced
•
give each child get the opportunity to be 'Star of the
Week' and have their peers tell them the strengths they
see
•
create awards certificates or report cards that incorporate
the stickers
•
congratulate students on their strengths using stickers
on name tags and exercise books.
Buying
a Bundle
of Stickers is a great place to begin.
It includes single sheets from The Bears, Strength
Cards, I Can Monsters and Sometimes Magic, and
double sheets of Strength Cards for Kids, Reflexions,
Strengths in Teams, Views from the Verandah and Angels
with Attitude.
You
might also like to click here
to view our fabulous range of picture books for younger
children.
Ideas
for Teachers of Social Sciences and Civics
Senior
secondary subject areas that deal with social change,
civics, government, law, ethics and media analysis will
find Name
the Frame an invaluable and unique
resource. Name the Frame is a set of 32 cards
used widely by groups and organisations to examine their
decisions and decision-making processes through a range
of social justice lenses. Each card poses questions that
can be used to interrogate a group decision or process
of change. Themes such as inclusion, language, fairness
and discrimination, respect, gender, transparency, consultation,
sustainability and blind spots are explored.
This
is a great tool for sparking debate and discussion about
any contemporary social issue. Teachers of 'issues for
youth' or 'adolescent health' classes will also find this
a great way of deepening students' engagement with social
justice.
Another
great resource for this area is
Change by Design. This set
of 60 cards provides powerful insights into change by
inviting individuals or groups to analyse, create and
evaluate a defined change in a thoughtful, inclusive,
principled and respectful manner. It physically embodies
the proposition that shared leadership entails both individual
and collective responsibilities. Each card features questions
beginning "Do we...?" and "Do I...?"
This
is a tool which also recognises that change happens best
when those who are affected are given the opportunity
to let their leadership qualities shine.
It's a terrific tool
for building leadership throughout any school, organisation
or group.
Ideas
for Physical Education Teachers
Yes,
physical education and sport help students to develop
coordination, game skills and fitness
but they also play a crucial role in developing team work
and leadership.
Strengths
in Teams is a set of 28, A4 sized cards
that explore such questions as:
•
What makes a strong team?
•
What are the characteristics of leadership?
•
How can our team perform better?
•
How do we value the
contribution of everyone on our team?
Of
course, team work is important right throughout the school.
It is certainly an important antidote to bullying. But
like other pro-social messages such as building resilience
and avoiding self-harm, it needs to be reinforced across
the curriculum and in every part of the school culture-and
PE can play an active role in developing these important
skills!
Ideas
for ESL Teachers
ESL
teachers will find they can adapt our English language
products to suit a wide range of
different activities.
Cards
sets including Words,
Symbols
and Strength
Cards can easily be turned into flash
cards as they feature a variety of concepts and objects
used in everyday language. The simple design of these
cards make them suitable for using with both children
and adults. For younger students, you might like to use
Strength
Cards for Kids to rehearse basic sentences
with confidence-building messages.
The
imagary of card sets including Picture
This, Mates
Traits and Views
from the Verandah is ideal for descriptive
activities. The pictures can provide visual prompts for
naming actions, objects and colours. The
Bears is another great resource
which is perfect for learning to name different emotions.
This set has also been widely used with people from non-English
speaking backgrounds for more serious conversations about
feelings. To read more about how The Bears
have been used in non-English speaking settings, visit
the Strengths
Cafe.
Ideas
for Parent-Teacher Interviews
Parent-teacher
interviews can be a stressful time from both sides of
the table. How can teachers engage with parents and kick-start
a conversation that will be beneficial
to all parties, especially the students?
Even
when there are challenges that cannot be avoided, it is
both powerful and liberating to focus on the student's
strengths, using these as a platform for addressing the
issues.
Strength
Cards can be a great ice-breaker. It
might be as simple as asking a parent to choose a card
(or several) that recognises their child's strengths.
These cards can also be an effective evaluation tool;
a simple way of highlighting the skills a child needs
to learn.
Strength
Cards and Strength
Cards for Kids have been used in thousands
of schools, in over 30 countries, for over a decade, as
reminders that we all have
strengths. Joining with parents in identifying their children's
strengths using Strength Cards and Strength
Cards for Kids might just be the reinforcement of
self-esteem that all children (and their parents) need
to hear.
Stickers
are a great way of reminding our kids of their unique
strengths and can be freely given out by parents and teachers.
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violence,
schools are increasingly called upon to take a proactive role
in the enhancement of the self-esteem, wellbeing and emotional
intelligence of all students. 
