{ No Worries }

What do you think of my make shift post box? Thought it would do until I can afford/have time to buy/make a proper red English post box. I am going to introduce it in a few weeks. In the U.K curriculum we have to teach personal, health, social and emotional studies (PHSE) which can actually be difficult. A lot of adults assume that children are born knowing and understanding things such as emotions but actually they need to be taught. 

In my class we have a morning meeting every day as a way to check in, this is a great entry into PHSE as it gives you 15-20 mins a day to assess and talk about anything that is on the children's minds. We also have a separate lesson exclusively for PHSE or circle time. The children come to the carpet and sit in their circle spots, we try and not talk or interrupt unless we are holding circle time ted (a gorgeous teddy bear), this has always been hard to get going but once we learn about respect and good listening it gets easier. Promise. Then we discuss our topic which could be anything from emotions to staying safe, we sometimes role play ways to deal with situations, and then we complete a short activity. 

SIDE NOTE: I used to hate teaching these lessons because I never had them as a child and my cohort in school turned out fine, they can be overly sentimental but I will tell you what turned me around. A few years back, in my first year actually, I taught a child who used to attack me (biting, scratching, hair pulling, spitting, chair or table throwing etc) as well as other children, this child was referred to a child psychologist. What was uncovered was that this child has never been taught empathy. NEVER BEEN TAUGHT EMPATHY! Then next part was even more complicated, If he hurt himself or was upset he would seek condolence, if however he did not feel that this was adequate enough then minutes, hours or even days later he would hurt someone else to watch them being comforted in a hope this would make him feel better.

That's when circle times became much more frequent and relevant in my classes.