Design for your students' super powers
This enlightening story looks at the creator of the Super Power Baby Project and why made it her mission to look beyond disability and discover the beauty of many New Zealand children. After having a child of her own with a rare genetic condition, Rachel Callandar was fed up with explaining what was wrong with her beautiful girl. Her response became "she had superpowers!"
TV1 Sunday http://tvnz.co.nz/sunday/s2014-ep12-video-5936841
We should apply this idea to the kids in our classroom when we look at learner profiles. Move the focus to what they can do, rather than taking a deficit view of what they can’t!
In this next video, teachers share some strategies they use to get to know their students each year. They also talk about focusing on what the students CAN do.
Replies
- Karen (View all users posts) 06 May 2014 12:20pm ()
A great reminder about the importance of knowing your students and understanding what it important to them and what makes them tick.
- linda Ojala (View all users posts) 08 May 2014 9:33pm ()
I agree with the starting at the "can" part. Last year I felt really challenged around this. Sometimes we get focused on what we preceive our students "can't do" in terms of reaching and meeting set standards that the "can" part gets lost. It's pretty powerful to stop and reflect on the "can" - starting at the known and building on. Again, when you know your learners you know what they CAN do and therefore can create an evironment that enables them to work toward their next learning step.
