- Partner: Rovastinkankaan koulu
- Title of the practice: Workshops and storytelling
- Country: Finland
- Source: National program
- Age of children: from 6-8 years old
Main characteristics of the practice
This practice is from Finnish Global school, a global resource centre from teachers to teachers. Global school offers a Material Bank with critically selected material that supports equality and global citizenship. The materials are chosen, tested and critically valued regarding the standards of critical global education.
Several practices can be chosen for different ages, from kinder garten to further education. This practice is one of the primary education workshops.
General goal of the practice and specific objectives
General goal:
- Expressing the individual differences of children positively and in a respectful spirit.
- Making visible the diversity of the group of children.
- Understanding that everyone is unique and unique all equally valuable Understand the wide variety of interests, skills, and attributes available in a class.
Specific objectives:
- Encourageinghildren to be unique, to make choices, and to act in a way they see fit and right, even if it is different from their friend’s solutions
- The individuality of others is also heard and respected.
- Expanding and diversify children´s experiences with pictures.
- Offering diversity alongside a stereotyped and normative child culture.
Time organization
Approximately 30 minutes per lesson, 4 lessons during the school week.
- LESSON ONE: Tuning in to the theme “Different, similar” and reading the book “Ei haittaa jos on erilainen” by Todd Parr (translation It doesn’t matter if you are different)
- LESSON TWO: Drawing pictures-exhibition
- LESSON THREE: Sadutus- Children are telling
- LESSON FOUR: Bingo
Space organization
In the classroom, making the classroom comfortable and homey. All four lessons need different kinds of preparations.
Description of Procedures/ Methodology
Lesson 1
The teacher prepares enough space to walk around in the classroom and asks pupils to walk silently around the classroom. Pupils are walking and looking oncoming pupils friendly.
Continuing the walk, but making greetings in different ways ( shaking hands, saying greeting in English, give me five, etc.)
Continuing the walk, but making groups according to different instructions. The instructions are given by one feature to find; for example makes a group by the same colors socks, make a group by how many sisters you have, make a group who has a pet at home, group according to a favorite food, colors of eyes etc.
After the practice talking together about the feelings and thoughts. While doing the group work pupils might notice that groups were not the same sizes all the time.
The teacher reads the book “Ei haittaa jos on erilainen” written by Todd Parr or shows this presentation.
In the end, pupils tell their thoughts and feelings about seeing in the book/ in the video.
Lesson 2
Printing these drawing pictures (at least one for every pupil) putting at least 10 to the wall like in exhibition.
Pupils are guided to walk around silently and look at pictures hanging on the walls.
The teacher asks everyone to choose a drawing picture from the wall that reminds of something important. Next pupils are asked to stand in front of the drawing picture they have chosen.
Those who have chosen the same picture have a conversation, “ snap chat”,
what kind of feelings they have about the drawing. If someone is standing alone teacher asks for opinions or feelings from that pupil.
Joint discussion in the circle. Thinking together, what’s in pictures that are not often found in books, cartoons, movies, and commercials? Why don’t we see such pictures often? Finally, the pictures are colored and displayed.
Lesson 3
It’s up to the pupil/ child what he wants in a fairy tale. There is no need for topics or series of pictures suggested by others. Teacher/assistant/ adult writes word for word the story open to the child. The aim is to move away from the traditional, objectifying approach to children by focusing on the issues of child participation and co-operation. An adult does not change or correct a child’s “mistakes”. It is important that an adult is interested in hearing what the child has to say.
Finally, the adult is reading the story to the child. An adult corrects the text if the child wants to change something.
Lesson 4
Printing board for the bingo game for every pupil.
The pupils are divided into pairs so that each pair is always able to read short sentences.
A pen and a bingo grid for each pair. The task is to go around the class interviewing other students and find in each box someone who fits the description. The person the description fits into, write his name in the box.
- Exercise Conversation Discussion: Was it easy or difficult to find a signature in each box? Did you learn something new from your classmates?
Technologies
A data projector to show the book ( if not reading printed version)
Other materials
Book “ Ei haittaa jos on erilainen “, printed drawing pictures, colour pencils, paper, bingo board
Description of the final product
Later, if pupils are telling often fairytales, pupils can make/ have Own Storytelling-notebook
Conclusions
Goals achieved
All pupils can be involved in every lesson. Pupils learn to cooperate, to listen to instructions, to see how different we are. They also learned to respect each other more and have fun together as a group. Also, they encourage to tell their own fairy tale (sadutus).
Parents’ interest
Parents whose child has made sadutus -children are telling in kindergarten were waiting for their own book of the pupil’s stories. Critically thinking sadutus is very good for everyone and it should be done more at school.
Strengths and critical points of the practice
Storytelling is well suited to difficult situations. In times of problem and crisis it is important to be close to one another, listen and talk. The key is to show caring and face the other. It can be done through storytelling that listens to the child, adolescent or adult. Storytelling gives a sense of intimacy and security here and now.
How the practice fostered children’s inclusion
Global school materials are planned for all students. Pupils with special needs will have support if needed, but the lessons are critically selected and made also to use in special education. Activities support everyone. Cooperation and inclusion are strongly thought of in these exercises.
INCLUDED – Digital Storytelling for Inclusion
