In wake of school-trip disappointment, one student teacher finds a way to bring Windsor Castle to his locked-down pupils

If the children cannot go to Windsor, then Windsor must come to the children, Kristian Greenslade decided, to the excitement of his young pupils.

Delighted to have been admitted to the Institute of Education (IoE) at the University of Reading to study BA Primary Education, Kristian describes his feelings as ‘super-excited’. Yet soon after his course began, the young trainee teacher was plunged into a world crisis. As the Covid pandemic unfolded, even qualified, experienced teachers faced immense challenges. Everyone was learning new ways of teaching in classrooms and online while looking after the mental and physical health of themselves and their pupils.

Pre-pandemic, one of Kristian’s school’s biggest plans had been to take the Year One pupils on a trip to historic St George’s Chapel, Windsor, where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle married. Kristian’s pupils, all aged between five and six, were excited about visiting the Castle they had seen on television and in pictures. They had been learning all about its history, drama and current events. But then came the pandemic and the world shut down. The children were devastated.

Kristian had to think fast and find a way to transform his pupils’ disappointment into excitement. He talked to his wife Angelli, who is a talented hobby artist. Together, they came up with a brilliant way to show the wonder of Windsor Castle without being there in person.

They created a beautiful, metre-long model of the Chapel.

“I think for children who are five or six years old, learning about facts, dates and churches can be overwhelming. Some might just switch off. So I had the idea of giving them something visual and physical to see and be excited about, in place of their trip.”

By viewing all aspects of the Chapel online, Kristian and Angelli recreated the architecture of the chapel using recycled cardboard boxes, masking tape and a hot glue gun. They finished it off with acrylic paints, creating an effect that is startlingly good.

“I was so pleased to bring it in for the children. It introduced St. George’s Chapel to them, which was something really exciting during lockdown. Due to the pandemic, these children had not been able to enjoy the normal visits that would fire up their imagination and inspire their learning.

“There were other years doing the same topics and I was very happy that their teachers asked to use the model. All the key stage one kids got to enjoy it in the end.

“Kids absorb things in a cool kind of visual way. Having that taken away from them by lockdown was really sad. I thought it was important to give them something physical to examine and explore. Engaging the children means their minds absorb concepts naturally and enthusiastically.”

We have all read about the psychological effect of lockdown on children, which can be even harder for those with added challenges.

“With something like this model, kids who find it hard to engage; who maybe have a learning difficulty; handling and seeing the model draws them in more. Also, my class has a high number of children with English as an additional language, and I think the model helped them understand more easily.

“The children would go up to the model continually, wanting to look at it and see what was going on, even in their break or after school, even the shy ones. When you see that reaction – well, that’s why I am in the field of teaching!

“This year has been very strange because of the pandemic. But for me, in terms of learning, it has also been a very good year; in fact it’s been so fulfilling and I’ve felt so supported by the University, that I can’t wait for next year. And that’s a great feeling!”

Martin Sutton wins RUSU Excellence Award

Picture of Martin Sutton on LRC campus

We are delighted that Martin Sutton has won a RUSU Excellent Teaching Award.

The RUSU Excellence Awards recognise University of Reading staff who display excellent and innovative teaching practice. They award the staff who students believe have gone above and beyond expectations, tirelessly working to improve the delivery of their teaching and learning experience.

Martin is the Subject Leader for Secondary Geography and Secondary Religious Education within the Institute of Education, University of Reading. He is also the Geography Education Lecturer for our Primary teaching programmes.

“I am genuinely surprised yet honoured to have won this teaching award. The Institute of Education (IoE) is a superb place to work with lots of amazing people. Thank you so much to the students that have said many kind things – you’re all worth it!” 

Celebrating World Poetry Day 21 March with a Willow Class Lockdown Poem

Poetry reaffirms our common humanity by revealing to us that individuals, everywhere in the world, share the same questions and feelings. Poetry is the mainstay of oral tradition and, over centuries, can communicate the innermost values of diverse cultures. (United Nations, 2021)

Amie is one of our 3rd Year Art specialist trainee teachers on the BA Primary Education with Art (QTS) course. During her final placement, she has been working with her students at St Martin’s CE Primary School, Hants on a well being lockdown poetry session. This poem was a combination of lots of different groups verses woven together to make a free verse poem.
 
“I have just completed a well being lockdown poetry topic with my class. The personification verse nearly made me cry and I am very proud of Willow Class!”

 

We are so glad she shared this with us this World Poetry Day. We hope you enjoy it as much as we have. 

**********************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

Lockdown was about the Google Classrooms

Filled with FaceTimes, meets and zooms.

We had no guests, so no money to spend

No family, no cousins, no friends.

It was cool to be sat on a stool

Scrolling through the online school.

The videos were short but long,

Our teachers wanted our brains to be strong.

As time went on, our brains were frazzled

The thought of school again left us dazzled.

The stress of ‘turning’ work in left us feeling boo hoo.

But in the end, we can all say WOO HOO!

 

Nothing to do, nothing to play

Online chatting saves the day

Tablets and laptops our virtual friends

To talk to your besties, just press send

Zooms and facetimes all the lot

That’s how we talk to our buddies on laptops

Coronavirus comes and goes

When will it ever leave us alone

The great google meet it has revived

These past few weeks when we’ve been on divide

Never screen-free, always online

Somehow we can all still go outside.

 

Selfless, super doctors and nurturing nurses,

Tireless work and exhausted minds,

Active physically, but drained mentally.

Claps and fundraising – showing our faith!

Vunderful vaccines creates an impenetrable shield.

The vunderful vaccine creating hope for the sick.

The undoubtedly, unbeatable army of the national health service

Remains undefeated.

The NHS superheroes – free of despair!

 

Successful scientists gather interesting information about the vital vaccine that will soon save societies.

Hope is key

We go on wonderful walks and draw rainbows in our windows

Hope is key

Sir Captain Tom Moore was not a bore

While we were talking

He was walking

Hope is key

We clap for the NHS

For freedom

For happiness

Hope is key

We will keep going

WE ARE SURVIVORS!

 

Waking up in the morning

Is always the same

Apart from pets and family

Lockdown’s pretty lame

 

Learning from a screen

No friends to be seen.

Going to the shops wearing masks

Then coming home to complete our tasks.

 

Washing our hands

About to cook with pans

Going on a run

Whilst listening to music and having some fun.

 

Sneakily snacking on sugary sweets

While all the siblings get more sleep

My mum cooks, while I read books.

Me and my dog play

Every single day.

 

We’re starting history on a new page,

We feel like a gerbil in a hamster cage,

Like a chicken in a coop,

A shark made into soup,

Like a cat on a fence that can’t jump down,

We feel like an animal trapped in a pound,

A rainbow butterfly fluttering around,

Spreading its wings to us on the ground.

Dogs in muzzles,

Birds in cages,

Unable to fly.

Birds that can’t show their feathers and glide,

A turtle that is not in the sea,

We finally understand them, when it’s happening to me.

By Willow Class, St Martin’s CE Primary School, Hants.

A new book on Teaching the Arts is coming soon with contributions from several IoE authors

We are delighted that Suzy Tutchell and Susan Ogier have co-edited Teaching the Arts in the Primary Curriculum.

This comes out May 2021 and is published by SAGE.

Teaching the Arts in the Primary Curriculum features chapters by Stephanie Sharp, Scarlett Murphy and Ali Silby (Poetry and the Arts), Rebecca Berkley (Music and the Arts) and Nasreen Majid (Maths and the Arts) also of the IoE. 

It brings Arts Education sharply into focus as a meaningful, learning experience for children of pre-school and primary age (3-11 years).  Based on many researched case studies, it reinforces the potential for the wide range of physical, mental and emotional development, through learning opportunities that engagement in arts practice facilitates.

It also provides an insight into how by providing spaces in the curriculum for children to engage in the arts, teachers can support children to consider contemporary challenges that face their generation.

Click here for more on Teaching Arts in the Primary Curriculum