First day with the children today and the emphasis was almost entirely upon our expectations. What do the children expect from their time in Year 6 and ultimately what are their aspirations for the future, although we’ll address that more, further down the line?
What are my expectations of them as children at the top-end of our school? What am I looking for from them, in terms of their attitudes and behaviours and their learning?
I always find their responses fascinating – you can gain valuable insights into how they see themselves when they express their hopes and fears. I see an essential part of our roles as educators, to create an environment whereby children see the value of learning and embrace its possibilities based upon their own desires and interests.
This neatly linked with the #ukedchat discussion via Twitter this evening which posed the question – What are the primary / essential skills of the ideal 21st century educator and how can we achieve that?
I loved the fact that even this pointed to higher aspirations – attempting to achieve an ideal.
The fundamental point that was repeatedly maintained was that the role was to facilitate opportunities for learners to embrace and utilise the relevant resources, technologies and values of the day to prepare them for the choices that they may make in the future.
A noble aim and one that began in earnest again today.