Slice up the cake using SEAL

Here at Rawmarsh Sandhill primary school the praise pod uses SEAL as a basis for its keywords. Pupils arrive at the praise pod with Congratulations! cards as a reminder about why they've been sent. With so much praise and reward going on there's very little point in trying to get the wrong kind of attention, and consequently loads of learning happens in a happy atmosphere

Filming for ITV's praise pod group intro

Here's the group of Y6 students from St. Joseph's R.C Primary in Rawmarsh taken just after filming. A big thanks to Dave from Rawmarsh CLC for today's camera work. Today we were welcomed and worked with three schools putting together an intorduction for the ITV site. It was wonderful to see such empowered learners and witness their confidence in font of camera. We asked pupils what they liked about their schools; their answers?



"Fun"
"Kind teachers"
"A place where nobody gets left out"
"It's like one big team"
"Everyone takes care of each other."

As a parent isn't that all we ask for our children's school?

ITV Local Upload opportunity

The forward-thinking team at ITV Local Yorkshire have made a space on their internet site for participating schools ready to receive their video clips. Click here to go to the Praise Pod group on the ITV site.

Schools are amazingly creative places and every day wonderful ideas are used to solve everyday problems. ITV Local now gives schools the opportunity to upload video clips to celebrate achievements and share successes with a wider audience.

If you've a praise pod running in your school why not send a clip or two; you might even find it makes the local news and helps others. If you've not got a praise pod yet in your school you can leave a comment and find out how to set one up. You first need to login to blogger before sending comments.

Rosehill Primary School are stars

Here's a picture of the wonderfully vibrant praise pod at Rosehill Primary school. Each star was lovingly coloured, cut and laminated by staff. What you don't see in the picture is the way the stars that hang from the ceiling move and shimmer. Children instinctively know when something is special; it has exactly that effect too. And shouldn't every child at school feel special?

A together community

A major component of praise pod is the way the wider community is mobilised around a common positive language. Parents, volunteers, older people, community police officers all play their part. Just like sport, praise pod unites people and builds bridges. Try digitaldivide.net for a great example of the power of community action on a school system (article is under the literacy and learning section)

We know that positive social contact protects against depression, yet many older people live in isolation from their communities. The more we look at pooling resources, the more we find mutually beneficial arrangements (such as older people using their wealth of experience and skills to spend time listening to children from local schools in the praise pod, or on the end of a remote link if they can't get to school.)

And of course learning about the latest ICT tools from the most enthusistic teachers in the world.

What skills for the future?

Okay, so praise pod is now helping schools focus more of their attention on positives. It's a good start but what constitutes 'good' and who chooses?

Alan November's website posts some interesting thoughts on the topic. Intrinsic motivation and persistence are put forward as two key qualities for success in a changing global world. Likewise 'empathy' is described as the single most important quality sought from HSBC (see Alan's podcast section for these and other discussions)

What would our schools look like, and who would be top of the class if pupils were graded primarily on their understanding of others' feelings?

And let's not forget the staff too; performance related pay based on evidence of empathy towards colleagues, learners and parents?

Dinnington Community Primary School

Stevie Hobson, Learning mentor, and the wonderful new praise pod at Dinnington Community Primary. All systems go for launch on June 16th. I Can't wait to hear all about the 'trading cards' once praise pod gets going. There's going to be a lot of visitors, including the two pupils who were covering reception and gave me a really warm welcome to their school.

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