(Week Five)

   The girls have a catch up meeting this morning so I am by myself for now.

  When I walked into the classroom I was greeted with lots of smiling faces and good mornings. It was a good start. Today the students are putting the finishing touches to their personal flags, sowing and decorating. Quite quickly students started to ask for assistance it was great to see they they were starting to accept me in their classroom.

Buttons for decoration

  I noticed a table of students that had not begun to decorate their flags. They looked lost. I made my way over to this table and asked them were they would like me to help them get started. Plans were made and progress begun. Their faces were amazing, they showed emotions of happiness and relaxed chatter and laughter filled the room. Even the most disgruntled of students that felt reluctance to participate were engaged.

Stamping and painting

Beads and beads

Ironing out Personal Flag

Sewing

More sewing

A Flag sewn together

Sewing the flag together

  The morning went by so fast that I didn't want it to be over. During the break I caught up with the other pre service teachers. A quick run down on the mornings meeting and a brief summary of character strengths in regards to the students.

  Back in the classroom the dynamics changed a little. The students withdrew slightly, some got louder, but the room was different. there were now four teachers in the room.

  From the meeting and earlier conversations, character strengths the students processed was on the agenda. I didn't enjoy this. I feel that this journey has been difficult for all and this morning for the first time all walls had been removed and a sense of security had been established.

  From afar I have observed students using humor to push through difficult and confronting activities in class. One student is very dramatic and plays out scenarios of a task dramatically and loudly. These students are amazing, all have conveyed courage. For some students making a personal flag has been  incredibly confronting, tears have been shed, defiance has been demonstrated, reluctance has been a common emotion for most of the students through this journey. Today I have witnessed students forgiving themselves for not producing  perfect art pieces, however, proud of producing a part of them.

  At the end of the day most flags had been finished, I looked across the room and watched a student who is autistic standing with her arm outstretched holding her flag. She was proud of what she had created and achieved.

  I am personally proud of all the students and have learnt much about them and myself through this personal flag activity.

A student sewing her Flag together.