I am thrilled that a teacher from another culture wants to try the Supported Experiments! Gladdys is a local elementary school assistant headteacher, chief librarian and curriculum advisor for her region in the Philippines. Several months ago, I sent her some DVD curriculum material that ended up as a successful art and religious studies project for her entire school. Learning of my involvement here in England in co-ordinating supported experiments for our department, she has wanted to try some experiments of her own. The idea she is working with involves daily focused student prayer. The story so far...
"I love your idea, Gladdys, (as you appear to be teaching in a Catholic setting, the prayer will not be a problem), and what you say: 'a specific purpose like "giving them the grace to learn and practice being courteous" , in this way the children have a goal... and throughout the day u will know if such specific prayer is carried on/lived on by the pupils...'
"What strikes me is that this is very focused and specific; this is the right way to make your experiment 'measurable'. Obviously, you will be monitoring student response 'throughout the day' (as you say) and I wonder if you’ve thought of a 5 minute review exercise at the end of the day, with the students writing one sentence about if they felt they achieved the goal, why or why not, and what their next step of progress might be? Indeed, if they write the prayer at the beginning of the day and return to it later, it would tie it all together. At student review times, progress of these little prayers could be included in the review. Those that might be uncomfortable with "prayers" or of a different faith, could be encouraged to see it as daily "goals". It would be lovely to see how this project progresses, and maybe I will enter a separate blog entry, so all can see your progress!"
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Greetings Mr. John Ruffle!!! May i also add that for me praying and teaching have the same denomination... and that is being "SPECIFIC" just as what you told! Ever since the day of the school year started I pray b4 I teach! and in my prayers I say out loud a specific values for them to learn and do... and this goes everyday. and there was a student y'day who heard his classmate uttered harsh words against another classmate and he told him:" Ala! Nagdasal tayo kanina!!!" ( Oh! We prayed a while ago!)At least they are conscious with the PRAYER OF THE DAY!
I am thrilled that as a college, we are able to offer maybe a tiny bit of moral support to a school across the world, especially as I realise you do not have access to many of the resources or materials we in the West take for granted. I do hope that we can be of positive help in real ways. Your teaching expiriment really does sound exciting, and I am very happy to help you track your progress on our lesson planning forms and any of our experimental forms our department is coming up with. But most of all, we want to support what YOU find works bestg in YOUR situation --- that is something that you will discover I am sure!
Gladdys, in tidied-up the original post to introduce you better, an idea came to me regarding your "Prayer Experiment"! At the end of the day, how about if the students write a very short one or two sentence "Thanksgiving Prayer" that will reflect directly upon their experience that day. Can you imagine the beautiful "prayer diaries" each student would have by the end of term?
You would want to avoid the prayers becoming "competitive", and you might want to introduce a "spiritual review" at the end of each term in private with each student, (especially in light of what you told me about these students not having a local parish church they are able to attend!)
In any such endevour, however, it would be most important to not only make sure no pupil was marginalised, but adopt a "positive inclusion" approach which would give warmth and encouragment to the weakest or most broken of the children. The work you are already doing is of emmense and eternal value, Gladdys.. God bless you, and just keep doing it!
Thank u Mr. John Ruffle for giving me an insight to enhance my "Prayer Experiment" (thanks 4 this term) with this "Thanksgiving Prayer" at the end of the day...and indeed i would require them to have a special notebook to serve as their DIARY OF PRAYERS... Thanks a lot... this is not only feeding my pupils spiritually but teaching them to be more open & their writing & grammar composition will be enhance as well.
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