Shakespeare Primary School & My I Like

Today we went to Shakespeare Primary School to work with the Key Stage 1 (KS1) kids. We decided that instead of our usual workshop elements (of paint, plasticine and pens,) we would forgo the potentially disastrous plasticine for (what we hoped would be) a more safe option of cutting and sticking and glitter glue.

The kids were all out in the playground for lunch when we got there so we had time to meet Lyndsey the KS1 teacher and to set up the tables for our activities...

We had 3 tables set up: Drawing (with felts, crayons and pencils), Painting (with poster paints) and Cutting & Sticking (with tissue paper, glue and glitter glue).

We were working with about 16 kids, both male and female and all about 6 years old. We were really nervous and went through our introduction speech many times before the actual lesson - little did we know that it would go straight out the window as soon as we got there!

The kids were amazing - as soon as they came in they all started asking us questions, who were we, would they get to do some painting and then they all started piling on to us giving us hugs, one even shook Marks hand! This all certainly helped to make us feel less nervous.

Once the register was taken (during which some answered 'hello' in French!) it was time for us to begin. We had one classroom assistant working with us who helped us split the class into three groups of 5/6. Then each group with one adult (us) chose a table and set to work.

We found out that they were all really good at writing and had mastered their names and lots of other spellings - sometimes even better than we had! (better keep that one quiet...) Many of the kids got really involved in what we were asking them to do and it started up lots of conversations between the tables about various different likes and dislikes.

Things to reflect on now we're finished?

Never, let me repeat that NEVER, let kids loose with glitter glue pens and uncovered tables! (We have some pictures that are just an entire glitter tube emptied onto a page - and a lot on the table!)

Use only one sided paper (some kids were painting big elaborate pictures on one side then turning them over to use the other side - D'oh)

Make sure to have a well organised plan of attack (some call this a lesson plan; I guess it depends what you're plan on getting done!)

Kids will get really involved in what they're doing especially if it gives them a chance to get messy :)

Enjoy it! We certainly did!

We're planning on going back tomorrow lunch time to pick up the paintings as they were weren't all dry by the time we'd finished and to, hopefully, set up a Postal Pack in the staff room.

All in all a great day, a little daunting at first but everyone was so welcoming and it seemed like they all enjoyed themselves!