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EROS SCHOOL 

Pædagogstuderende Nick og Thomas tog deres praktik på Eros School og fik denne flotte udtalelse. Udtalelsen skal ses som inspiration til fremtidige pædagogstuderende i praktik på Eros men også som inspiration for volontører.

 

REPORT on LEARNER INTERVENTIONS and SUPPORT PROVIDED by THOMAS BLEICKEN at EROS SCHOOL from 1.MAY to 1.AUGUST 2009 

 

 

REASON for INTERVENTION:

Mrs Laubscher asked Thomas to support her in the classroom while teaching 17 Grade 4 learners. These learners have diverse and complex intrinsic and extrinsic needs which result in inattentiveness and conflict during academic and sport activities.
Thomas has been assigned Mrs Laubscher´s class everyday Monday to Thursday. On Fridays they did sports activities with the entire school.

 

 Many of the learners therefore display the following actions during class:
 Impulsivity, quick to anger, shouting at each other
 Intolerance; impatience
 Lack of concentration
 Misunderstands instructions and comments of peers
 Misunderstands or cannot read body language
 Fighting
 Swearing
 Gossiping; lying; stealing
 Defiance, i.e. reluctance/refusal to participate in activities, e.g. cooperative learning activities and/or individual tasks

 

INTERVENTIONS and LEARNER SUPPORT PROVIDED BY THOMAS:

Thomas provided invaluable and much needed learner support in a wide variety of areas to the learners and the Grade 4 educator. He collaborated with the educator to provide emotional support to the learners. His manner was firm and fair, yet supportive, encouraging and friendly at all times. He showed interest in every learner and were perceptive to each learner's needs and anxiety. The learners have developed great respect for him, looked up to him as role model and have become extremely fond of him.

The following summary cannot do justice to the wonderful support he provided and should be viewed as such.

1 DURING ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES in the CLASSROOM:
• Scribing for learners during tests and activities
• Reading and explaining during tests and activities
• Preventative actions during tests and activities, e.g. whispering encouragement; solving problems e.g. providing a pen; challenging comments e.g."give one good reason why you cannot do/try this."
• Reminding learners to focus and listen
• Resolving conflict, e.g. take learner/s outside for "time out" to discuss personal problems, listen to them and encourage them to persevere and cooperate
• Assisting and providing ideas during technology (making of a buggy); assisting in assessing the technology assignment
• Reminding learners to show respect for one another

 

2 DURING RELAXATION TIME in the CLASSROOM:
• Playing a variety of games (cards, Monopoly, snakes and ladders) with the learners. Pointing out rules, resolving conflict during games, using games to boost self-esteem and assist learners who are despondent due to the academic challenges they face.
• Reminding learners of reasons for rules
• Fairness in application of rules of the games
• Encouraging participation and importance of trying
• Showing them how to have fun and enjoy physical activities
• Using physical activities (wrestling game) to handle the stress of academic pressures

 

 

 

3 DURING LIFE ORIENTATION (LO) SESSIONS:
• Playing physical games with ½ of the class while the educator does academic activities with the others.
• Developing new games to include boys and girls
• Provide encouragement and emotional support for learners who are defiant, e.g. saying "how would you know whether that you do not like the game if you have not tried it?"
• Going on a school excursion to Table Mountain

 

4 DURING DISCUSSIONS WITH EDUCATOR:
• Discussions of learners' background and home situations so that Thomas can understand them better
• Helping the educator to improve her teaching skills with honest, sincere comments regarding classroom discipline
• Providing valuable insights to the educator by suggesting ways to get participation from learners who display defiant behaviour

On behalf of the learners I would like to thank Thomas for the quality time he has spent at EROS. The learners and I are indebted to him. He has made a positive and significant impact on the lives of our learners and has planted the seeds to ensure that they become independent and well-adjusted adults.

I would like to extend an invitation to students from Denmark to visit our school and share their expertise and knowledge with us. We wish Thomas all the best for his final exams and hope we'll see him again, soon!!

 

We here at Eros School herby approve Thomas Bleicken internship.