The community project I visited was GAMH Young Carers Project. GAMH supports the wellbeing, recovery and equalities of adults (and their carers) affected by mental health issues. The Young Carers Proeject  (which sits within GAMH) provides support to children and young people living at home with a parent/family member affected by mental illness (GAMH, 2019).

Group activities are provided in community settings to give children respite from not just the physical but emotional impact of caring for someone with a mental illness. The activities are designed to be fun, interactive, to build confidence and resilience. They encourage peer friendships to help reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness. The activities focus on promoting; wellbeing, creative and social skills and also attainment.

Sessions have included STEM activity delivered by STEM ambassadors and ‘ReallySmallScience’ who have delivered educational workshops i.e. making ice-cream, lemonade, bouncy balls etc.

The group also took part in a 3-day session with Apple building robots. They learned how to code and program the Sphero robot using the Sphero Edu app for iPad. They were also taught how to program lights, sounds, and animations to tell their own story starring Sphero.

Young carers have also taken part in Coding Labs and visited industrial, engineering facilities. The programmes link into Dynamic Youth Awards and various other certificates. What I learned from the staff and young carers was that young people were encouraged to have a say in the activities and programmes that would benefit them and they did this through regular planning meetings. They also used a coproduction approach. Surprisingly the older young carers were quite keen on employability type programmes i.e. study groups, interview skills, job readiness.

For those who are struggling, the provision of 1-1 support is offered, working in collaboration with the young person, their family, their school or other relevant services involved in the young carers life.

Before I attended the project there was a feeling of apprehension. I was not sure how challenging I would find engaging with the young people, would they find by presence daunting and how would I explain what I was doing there? What was surprising was how relaxed the children and the staff were doing their activity and with my presence. They did not feel intimidated by my presence. It was Halloween and the group activity was carving out pumpkins. I found the session extremely enjoyable, the young people were having fun and they talked away to me happily. To be in a room of children who you know have had many challenges in their young lives, but who are laughing, feel safe and supported is a very valuable and humbling experience.

What I learned from this experience is much broader. Mental health is a community issue. One in four people are affected by mental health issues and there is growing concern about children and young people’s mental health (nhsdirectwales.wales.nhs.uk, 2019) . It is an important issue that needs to be addressed not just by statutory services but within the communities where families and children live. What mental illness does is create other socio-economic inequalities such as unemployment, poverty, discrimination (Healthscotland.scot, 2019). We need to work together to recognize the long term implications of this.

Children and young people affected by adversity, including children whose parent has a mental illness, is a group that is often overlooked. We need to be more conscientious and innovative to ensure that children in our society are not overlooked. Given that majority of our young carers in this project were affected by ACEs, came from the most deprived postcodes in Glasgow and have the potential to be affected by the ‘poverty related attainment gap’.  They have achieved a significant amount of learning and personal development to help them improve their life chances and aspirations.

The attributes I feel I have is the passion to work with children and young people, to recognize their strengths so that they can reach their full potential. But I realise the values you bring is just part of the jigsaw, you have to have the right skills and knowledge to be able to respond appropriately to meet the diverse needs of children.

The staff within the Young Carers Project had had a whole range of training such as; Sexual Health & Relationships, Autism Awareness, ASIST, Anti-Bullying, ADHD, Child Protection, Trauma & Adversity, First Aid, Child Sexual Exploitation, Mental Health First Aid and much more.

The ongoing nature of adversity and volatility in the lives of some young people’s requires commitment, skills and expertise. Experiencing this way of working out with the school system allowed me to develop a further understanding of the conditions that need to be created to help children and young people to realise their full potential.

I realised this model compliments the GIRFEC/SNNAARRI approach used in schools- ensuring children feel Safe, healthy, nurtured, active, achieving, responsible, respected and included but in a creative, fun and engaging way.

Overall, this experience opened up my eyes to all the hard work this organisation puts into each of these sessions. The GAMH Young Carers Project aim to find interests of all young people and really listen to their indivual passions. As a future teacher I think it is crucial we listen and take interest to each of our pupils and allow them to explore their passions. This could be doing things such as organising school trips, brininging in volunteers or even allowing pupils to lead tasks. E.g. if a pupil musically talented, they can help lead a session to the other pupils.

References

GAMH. (n.d.) Young Carers [Online] Available: https://www.gamh.org.uk/project/young-carers/ [Accessed: 20 November] .

Healthscotland.scot. (2019). Overview of mental health and wellbeing. [online] Available at: http://www.healthscotland.scot/health-topics/mental-health-and-wellbeing/overview-of-mental-health-and-wellbeing [Accessed 27 Nov. 2019].

nhsdirectwales.wales.nhs.uk. (2019). Mental health. [online] Available at: https://www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk/encyclopaedia/m/article/mentalhealth [Accessed 26 Nov. 2019].

In week nine we focused on the topic of energy. Energy is “a source of power, such as fuel, used for driving machines, providing heat etc.” (Oxford Dictionary, 2019). We began by watching the video below.

After watching this video I was quite apprehensive about being confident to teach the topic as it seemed complex and was difficult to understand. However as future teachers, it is important that we are educated on energy and teach young people the importance of alternative energy. We are running out of energy sources and we have to do something about it, involving young people in the conversation is important as many sources of energy will run out in their lifetime. This may be frightening to children so it is important that we are sensitive about the subject.

It is estimated that in 53 years oil will run out, in 54 years natural gas will run out and in 110 years coal will run out (Business Standards, 2015). As a society we all depend and heavily rely on fossil fuels. However there is only a fixed amount of energy, we cannot get more of it and we cannot get rid of it. When this source of energy runs out we need to make sure we have alternative energy sources. The Curriculum for Excellence aims to ensure that young people will become responsible citizens, as teachers it is important that we help develop this role. As teachers we must raise the issue as it is their future, we must encourage young children to take action to see a sustainable future.

This graph shows how much coal, gas and oil will be left in a time period of only 70 years.

Fossil fuels are bad for the environment and the amount we use is simply not sustainable, It causes-

Carbon emissions
Habitat destruction
Ocean pollution
Air pollution

(Ecotricity, n.d.)

The Curriculum for Excellence aims to ensure that young people will become responsible citizens, as teachers it is important that we help develop this role. As teachers we must raise the issue as it is their future, we must encourage young children to take action to see a sustainable future.

(Scottish Renewables, 2018)

It is important as teachers we discuss how Scotland is on track and on the right direction for achieving a more sustainable future. This may help put the young people to ease and encourage them to meet Scotland’s 2020 target. The target is for Scotland to use 100 percent renewable energy sources to provide Scotland’s gross annual electricity. If this goal is accomplished, by the beginning of 2020, Scotland will no longer use fossil fuels to generate electricity (The Scottish Government, 2018).

This clip explains different types of renewable energy and discusses the positive impact of switching to renewable energy. This video would be good to show in middle to upper primary due to the visuals and because it is simple to follow.

In the science workshop we completed a variety of activities. In groups we completed a quiz on fossil fuels, this allowed us to see how much knowledge we had on the subject and what areas we could work on. This would be a good activity in schools as it would allow them to work in teams and then do further research on the areas they were unsure about. We also blew up a balloon and rubbed cotton wool against the surface for it to stick against a wall. This is a fun activity that would get young people intrigued and excited.

 

In the second week we were split into two sections. Section one looked at a structured approach and section two looked at a tinkering approach. I was part of the tinkering approach section. We were given very little information and zero instructions. We were only told we were to make a vehicle that was able to move with the materials left in the room.

In my group we sketched out a rough idea and labelled what materials we could use to be each part. We had to try and visualise an idea that we would be able to meet in the small time frame.

This project required a lot of trial and error, time and patience. This may stressful for young people as there is no instructions given. They have to be innovative and use their problem solving skills. As future teachers it is important we encourage creativity and allow young people to make critical judgements. Creativity allows students to express themselves. It challenges them to think outside the box, problem solve and come up with innovative solutions. Creativity in the classroom is also important as it can help reduce stress and anxiety (Edsys, 2019). Some young people may feel intimidated by other peoples work. It is important as future teachers encourage individuality and praise that the class has different approaches and ideas, as it showcases the classes ability to all be creative. Some children may be inspired by others work and take on certain ideas.

As a teacher this activity may be difficult to do in schools were reassures are scarce. However, it may also be beneficial not having enough resources for everyone as it would encourage the class to think outside the box. As future teachers we also need to think ethically, discussing with the class that there is only a fixed amount of materials so to use them wisely. I think this activity is great for pupils as it gives them freedom to be creative and allows them to now worry about following the rules. This will give them a sense of pride when they see their final design, knowing that was their creation all from their own imagination.

The other half of the yearbook looked at the structured approach and were given step by step instructions to follow. A structure approach ensures that everyone has the same final outcome and eliminates the chances of making mistakes.

In the future, I will definitely use both approaches. Having a structured approach allows young people to be able to follow instructions. This also allows them to be able to make it again in the future if they wish too. The tinkering approach allows much more freedom and challenges them to be innovative.

 

Refrences –

Ecotricity (n.d.) When will fossil fuels run out? [Online] Available: https://www.ecotricity.co.uk/our-green-energy/energy-independence/the-end-of-fossil-fuels

Edsys. (2019). Role and Importance of Creativity in Classroom | Edsys. [online] Available at: https://www.edsys.in/creativity-in-classroom/ [Accessed 20 Nov. 2019].

Hirsh, S. (2019). Scotland’s new target: 100% renewable electricity in 2020. [online] World Economic Forum. Available at: https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2019/07/scotland-wind-energy-new-record-putting-country-on-track-for-100-renewable-electricity-in-2020 [Accessed 19 Nov. 2019].

Oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com. (2019). energy noun – Definition, pictures, pronunciation and usage notes | Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary at OxfordLearnersDictionaries.com. [online] Available at: https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/definition/english/energy?q=energy [Accessed 18 Nov. 2019].

Scottish Renewables. (2018). Renewables in Numbers – Scottish Renewables. [online] Available at: https://www.scottishrenewables.com/forums/renewables-in-numbers/ [Accessed 20 Nov. 2019].

The Scottish Government. (2018). Renewable Energy. [online] Available at: https://www2.gov.scot/renewableenergy?fbclid=IwAR2NJ4HJFC_lNlVFt-Lbl6GEkzT6wf6uVfvIeVPHWHj6Wb8Hc6zjoHSIliI [Accessed 18 Nov. 2019].

 

A natural disaster is a natural event such as a flood, earthquake, or hurricane that causes great damage or loss of life (Lexico Dictionaries, 2019).

In class we have been learning about natural disasters. I was keen to start the topic as I enjoyed geography in High school. Natural disasters can cause a huge amount of damage to the environment and the people living in it. It can cause loss of life and property damage leaving a lot of economic damage. Some of them are avalanches, earthquakes, tsunamis, floods and volcanic eruptions. I found this input helpful as I grew an awareness that some pupils may find this topic challenging due to the harsh reality of the subject. This topic may be quite sensitive for some pupils so as a teacher I would need to be aware of the maturity levels in the class.

Natural disasters have economic, social and environmental consequences, the severity of it depends on the population affected resilience and ability to recover. As part of our input we learned about two contrasting countries and how they dealt with natural disasters. This was insightful as it showed that the rate at which it can recover, based on how prepared the country was for the disaster in the first place. This activity would be effective to teach in a classroom as it would show that factors such as wealth and education can help with recovery. Developing countries death tolls tends to be high but the short-term economic costs are often quite low. Whereas in a developed country, the death toll tends to be relatively low but the short-term economic costs can be exceedingly high (BBC, 2019). Developing countries long-term situation can be more complicated as it often takes more time to repair damage.

This video below explains how natural disasters affect developing countries and would be insightful for pupils to hear.

In our first input we developed research skills, critical skills and collaborative skills.

Research skill : Allows us to identify a problem, collect informational resources that can help address the problem, evaluate these resources for quality and relevance and come up with an effective solution to the problem (Reachivy.com, 2017). This part of the input was helpful as it is an important life skill to learn.

Critical skills: Critical thinking is a domain-general thinking skill. The ability to think clearly and rationally is important whatever we choose to do. (Lau, 2019).

Critical thinking-

• Enhances language and presentation skills.
•  Promotes creativity.
•  Crucial for self-reflection.

Collaborative skills:  A more collaborative approach to teaching can increase the likelihood that students will succeed (Loop, 2019). Teachers discussing lesson-planning ideas with each other or classroom activities can allow them to share ideas and give feedback to one another to help improve the quality of the lesson.

In addition to this part of the input we also participated in four different experiments that provided a great visual element that was also interactive and fun. We used a bunsen burner to make a volcano, smashed rocks, made a volcano and made fossils. I found that these experiments would be highly appreciated in a classroom as children love experiments in which there is a lot of mess. The volcano experiment would be a great experiment to carry out with pupils as it only required two ingredients – vinegar and baking soda. I also thought the smashing up the rocks experiment would also be a fun experiment as it is very practical and would show the pupils what an earthquake would be like. The downside to this experiment is that you would need to rely that your pupils will be careful with the hammer.

Our last input of natural disasters was a task to come up with a lesson plan to teach natural disasters in a classroom. Natural disasters are constantly a reoccurring topic in the news and can provide a topic of conversation for pupils, as some will have some basic knowledge on the subject already. We were tasked to create a presentation in groups of 5-6. Our groups topic was tornadoes. This allowed me to use my research, critical and collaborative skills from the previous session as we worked on our slides separately then had two meetings as a group to give feedback and bounce ideas off each other. I found this task very helpful as I realised that coming up with a fun and interactive lesson was not as hard as I first thought.

This video would be good to play in class as it is easy to follow and suitable for a primary setting.

Every group had a different topic to present on. Listening to all the groups present their talks was interesting and informative as every group had come up with different approaches to how they would teach the topic. This inspired me and gave me many ideas that I would like to take on to my classroom one day.

Bbc.co.uk. (2019). Natural Hazards. [online] Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/zxh4wxs/revision/3 [Accessed 5 Nov. 2019].

Lau, J. (2019). What is critical thinking?. [online] Philosophy.hku.hk. Available at: https://philosophy.hku.hk/think/critical/ct.php [Accessed 5 Nov. 2019].

Lexico Dictionaries | English. (2019). Natural Disaster | Definition of Natural Disaster by Lexico. [online] Available at: https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/natural_disaster [Accessed 5 Nov. 2019].

Loop, E. (2019). Mentoring Students in Schools | Synonym. [online] Classroom.synonym.com. Available at: https://classroom.synonym.com/mentoring-students-schools-15705.html [Accessed 5 Nov. 2019].

Reachivy.com. (2017). [online] Available at: https://www.reachivy.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Why-Are-Research-Skills-Important_-How-Do-I-Develop-Them_.pdf [Accessed 5 Nov. 2019].