Having Initiative- Yes, they can do it!

 

 

So this was todays question from  @kerriaattamatea for the #BFC630NZ. As a teacher and a mum this is something I work to instil in the students I teach and in my own children. But are we doing enough?

I watched my maths group come into my room yesterday and noticed straight away those who have initiative and those who didn’t. They were the ones still standing, looking around and I ‘m guessing waiting for something. As I sat their watching I couldn’t understand why they just didn’t find a seat and sit down.

My two reasoning’s were;

Friends have yet to arrive or all the seats by their friends are full

They may have to sit next to the opposite sex

It’s like the children who are at the bottom of a page and ask you what they do next!

This is something I am struggling to understand with this year group. Do we mollycoddle them to much in year 1/2? Am I just so used to older students I have forgotten how this age acts? Do parents play a role in this?

Looking around at school today I began to wonder whether as teachers we take some of this away from them by wanting the classroom to work for us rather than the students. My class last year didn’t line up. End of each break, they just went inside and carried on with their work. They didn’t need to be told what to do yet this year new teachers new rules. They have to line up and wait for the teacher to tell them what they have to do. Have we stolen their initiative?

Do we make excuses for them also? I have the same expectations for my new class that I did last year although now and then I am told they won’t be able to this or that. Why? Have we suddenly decided that students can only start to do things at a certain age? Do we have a fixed mind set when it comes to what we think students can do?

I will admit I do think parents play a role in this. I am seeing parents doing more for their children than in the past. Not allowing their children to fail, to think, or even try. Maybe as parents we need to realise that we are doing more harm than good by not letting them think for themselves.

We don’t have bossy, opinionated students we have ones using their initiative and trying. I like these types of students. The ones, who will give it a go, take a risk and do things without the need of me.

If we don’t foster an environment where students use their initiative how will they cope in the real world?

So I guess the question is what are you doing to encourage this in your classroom?