“Children need to believe in themselves”
By Esther Williams
The Warm Fuzzy Box occupies a prominent place in the classroom, labelled each week with a different child's name. Students are encouraged to write anonymous notes about something positive the child has done, about his/her personality or talents, and pop it into the box. The notes are opened at the end of the week and read to the whole class:
"I like Ajith (name changed) because he gave me a pencil in drama class." "I like Ajith because he showed me around the school when I was new." "Ajith is a little smart - I like him because he gave me a sausage at break, " were some of the messages that Ajith of Year 5 received. Ajith got to keep all the slips.
Class teacher Mathew Holton describes the pleasure the children derive from this simple yet meaningful exercise. "We can actually see them glow and open up," he says adding that it was a way of giving them a boost, helping them feel valued and an important aspect of the class. He has received good feedback from parents.
It was an idea that Holton read about in a book and thought would be good to implement in class.
He had tried it earlier in a city school in Nottingham, UK that catered to children from poor backgrounds or single parent families - children who were often very insecure.
"Without confidence in themselves they cannot really learn. They need to believe in themselves to begin with," he says. It is in this area that Mr. Holton's strength lies - building up children's self-esteem and bringing out the best in them.
The 25-year-old UK national is more like a friend - encouraging, supportive and approachable, qualities that make him popular with his students. Just before the school Christmas vacation, students of Holton's class were asked to help someone in need and represent it graphically on a chart. Inspired by a movie called Passing It On, he explains its message of sharing at Christmas time. "If everyone does two good deeds, it has a snowball effect. It should, however, be a selfless deed without expecting something in return."
The students' response was quite rewarding. One boy had helped another who was stranded because his bike had a puncture. Another child helped look for a lost dog while yet another made a get well card and visited his friend's sick grandma.
All children cannot be head boy material - parents are aware of this. "We can however give them a natural incentive that they too can have a go if they behave and do well in class," Holton explains.
He also ensures that all children participate in class assemblies and are given a chance to be a table leader while simultaneously competing with other tables in class activities that promote teamwork.
Circle Time is yet another sharing session that Holton has introduced where the entire class discusses issues such as peer pressure, death in the family, bullying, being assertive, being brave enough to speak out and saying no to cigarettes, etc.
A teacher's role is to equip children with life skills - team work, problem solving, communication and social interaction. "That's what we prepare them for when they leave school - not just learning facts," explains Holton who says he enjoyed immensely his school (in Aylesbury close to North West London) and the opportunities it provided for him in art and sports.
It is perhaps his unsettled childhood with parents divorced, which makes him so keen to provide stability and be a sounding board to his students. Every summer vacation while at university saw him doing voluntary service for four months each time - in South Africa and Ghana.
In Africa he had taught in classrooms that were mere shells with only a blackboard. He was the only resource. "The children were so poor that they had no toys."
He taught them how to make kites with single pieces of paper. Conversational English, healthy diet, sanitation, songs, health education are other areas that he touched upon that would have an impact on their lives.
Back in England, during his A' levels he was with the St. John's Ambulance Association where he started as a helper and progressed to becoming a leader.
He enjoyed working with children, organising games and other activities so much that he thought, "Why not make a career of it?"
Always wanting to teach he took a 4-year course and completed his BA Honours in Special Primary Education. He has been teaching in the Primary School of the Colombo International School over the last two years.
At CIS, Holton is also in charge of the Activity Club that works with the Sri Lankan St. John's Ambulance Club, which is part of the global unit. They teach children life skills with emphasis on community service, first aid, how to cope in accident situations, safety in water and on the road.
He also tries to keep his class aware of the world around them. Children are encouraged to bring in any news that is relevant to the topic they are learning and this is read out to the whole class.
Speaking of the effects of favouritism, he says, "All children have talents and something to offer. They need to feel wanted. It is our job to find out what they are good at and encourage them to use the talent."
Holton believes that children should be brought up with sound values - that they all are global citizens of Sri Lanka - to be good and make a difference - to be sensitive to the environment, to help the less fortunate and to care for others in the community.
Towards this, the proceeds of his class bake sale go to an orphanage. Get well cards are made for children in the National Hospital. These activities contribute towards a healthy balance of academics and extra-curricular activities.
While he thinks that it would be the role of parents to be supportive, encouraging and good listeners, he thinks the teacher's approach should be fair, firm but friendly.
Should he ever feel the need to tell them off, he focuses on the act they committed and not the individual and makes them aware of the cause and consequence.
This way he would not dismiss the child but rather give them a chance to turn around and make a fresh start. "They should know that they have control over their actions."
Holton returns to England shortly to join the St. John's Ambulance Association in London. At the International Department he will be involved in community youth projects, setting up of primary health care schemes and youth life savers scheme, although he hopes to go back to teaching some day.
It is his calling - a vocation through which he has made a difference.
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