Castlefields Infant school, Brighouse

Click here to see Castlefields praise pod stars. What a creative and caring group. Sounds like a wonderfully nurturing place to learn in with an amazing array of extra-curricular clubs too.

Well done Miss Booth for making it happen!

Praise Pod for enterprise learning

Here's Rawmarsh Ashwood primary schools, 'Enterprise paddles' Designed by pupils and professionally printed by Broadswords printers (price keenly negotiated down by enterprising pupils!) Here's how it works; every time a particular type of enterprise behaviour happens it is recorded and then displayed on an LCD screen in school foyer. The pupil team keep track of the graph and work in partnership with the school staff to keep the figures heading in right direction.

Health and Social Care Awards

Sheffield City Hall was the venue for the NHS Talent Yorkshire and Humberside awards. The praise pod team was up for the category 'partnership working' and won through to be considered for the National finals in July. The event was fantastic and made everyone feel special; fantastic organisation from Angela Dunn and colleagues, spot on hosting from Duncan Wood and Margaret Edwards, and to cap it all a brilliant piece of videography from Martin Hollingsworth to use a set of out-takes to bring the house down.

Many things stuck in my mind, perhaps none more so than Calderdale A&E consultant Andrew Lockey's idea to take some time out of theatre and into a school to make a promo video about wearing seat belts. Net result; 30% reduction in fatal RTA's. 'Thinking out of the box' is a well-overused saying these days, but this is the kind of inspired thing that others can help others be brave and take risks to make things better for everyone.

Here's looking forward to July and hearing about more inspiring projects.

Praise Pod aricle on Radio 4 PM show

At last! Managed to load up this radio clip (by pretending it's a video) Maybe someone will send me to the praise pod for being resourceful . . .

Dilemma

Saw this on a playground bench in Sheffield the other weekend. Look closely and you'll see it's some maths sums. And they're correct. Made me ask myself what would people focus on? Is this graffiti or self-directed study?

Brilliant teaching gets the attention it deserves at Ashwood school. . .

Great to see Rawmarsh Ashwood School's keywords including positive staff behaviours too. The more you notice, the more you get. . . grown-ups like praise too.

Betty's first session in the pod at Thorogate Primary. Grandma, Governor, Praise Podder; is there no end to this lady's talents?

The Concept in comic life

ITV Calendar article

CBBC Newsround article from Redscope Primary school

Thanks to everyone at Redscope for organising and being brave in front of the cameras!!

Word gets out to Malta

Any UK school fancy making contact with the Times of Malta junior section? You could pair up to learn about life in each other's country through praise pod . . .

BETT Show 2008

Thanks to Stephen Heppell and Lys Johnson for the invite to the 'Learner Voice' stand. It was great to meet so many inspiring people with amazing ideas. Pic courtesy of Joe Wilson from SQA

Miss Newey's school council

Bursledon Junior School council talk about things they'd like to make their school a better place. Some fantastic, enterprising ideas. Here's a link to their site: http://www.bursledon-jun.hants.sch.uk/curriculum/schoolcouncil.htm

Praise Pod team photo

praise pod is a real team effort. Thanks to everyone who has taken part so far, be they parents, pupils or police.

Positivity unites. Critisism divides.

parent comment posted on Radio 4 site

At 09:03 PM on 05 Nov 2007, wrote:


My child goes to one of the schools in Rotherham which has piloted the praise pod, and I personaly cannot praise it enough. It has been a positive influence on all pupils; the percieved naughty children are now realising that positive attention has more reward attached to it than negative, and the children who are always good are getting the recognition they deserve.



The children who are sent to the pod are not singled out by their peers for being "boffs" as every child has the chance to be praised in this manner, regardless of how they have managed to attain this positive praise. The praise pod allows all kinds of achievements to be celebrated, not just academic success.We in this country live in a culture of critisism, not praise; receiving praise gratefully and being proud of our successes is percieved as being egotistical and unbecoming of the British. It is about time we changed this view, and where better to do this than in a primary setting, where most children learn about the accepted norms of society?



I, like many other parents, would rather my child learn in an environment where good behaviour has a real pay off, such as a visit to the praise pod. Who among us would rather be told off for being less than others expect, than being praised for doing the best we can can do ? Kids need to feel valued just as much as adults do, and the praise pod helps teachers show that they do value the children in their care. A child who feels valued and cared for will exhibit far more good behaviour than bad behaviour.

Rawmarsh Goes Live

So 6 schools agree a date for praise pod to go live; January 21st it is and then the rain started! Someone famous once said "We will overcome!" and I'm sure we will do just that. I personally can't wait to hear how the first few weeks are going; what keywords have been chosen, what little gems are being captured on video, the reaction of children, parents, staff.

here's a link to Rawmarsh Comprehensive school's newsletter- it's got all the contact details for project managers at the end. http://www.rawmarsh-comp.rotherham.sch.uk/praisepod.asp


The BBC Teachers' resource section has a lesson plan on the subject of praise which might be a helpful place to start. Here's the link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_2440000/newsid_2441800/2441825.stm




I hope this little space on the internet makes it easy to share moments, ask questions, find answers and much more.