-
Introduction
-
Wishes & Worries
-
Rising Tide
-
Best Practise
<
>
Although anxiety does not necessarily impact a child’s academic abilities, it can affect their ability to learn. The books in this series helps children to identify their feelings of anxiety, how anxiety affects their behaviour and learning, and to recognise the effects in their peers and family members. The lesson plans for Wishes and Worries and He kānehe, he mānatunatu are designed as an introduction to the concepts for families to use in Maia & the Worry Bug and Māia rāua ko Ngārara Pāwera.
Research on the resources tells us that it's useful to share the information about the project with families. You can download and amend suggested newsletter text here, or copy and paste the graphic on the 'Best Practice' page. While designing Wishes and Worries and He kānehe, he mānatunatu we had children in years 0-4 in mind. They are able to think logically about concrete events and objects that are in front of them, but have a harder time thinking in abstract ways when they cannot relate their thoughts to the concrete situation. The strategies offered in the activities support the child to visibly sees the free floating worry get written down on a piece of paper and then see this piece of paper transferred to a caretaker who will look after it. The suggested learning activities that accompany Rising Tide and He Tai Pari have been designed for students in years 5-8. Children in this age group are moving towards independence and are continuing to develop skills in making decisions as they become more independent. They are beginning to look to peers and media for information and advice. They are also developing an increased capability for social conscience and for abstract thought, including understanding complex issues such as poverty, war and natural disasters. Illustration from Wishes and Worries - Sarina Dickson (2015)
|
The activities for both books are short and are designed to stand alone, or completed altogether over several sessions using simple resources. You may choose to begin the activities and then use a period of observation before continuing. When the children have identified useful strategies, including the ones suggested in the story you may wish to use them within your daily classroom reflections. You will be able to extend the activities and make further curriculum links. Be mindful that some children may need a quick come down activity before they move onto the next curriculum area.
Mike Tolley from Pātoka School shares some things that worked for their students in the aftermath of Cyclone Gabriel.
You will be able to identify the children that will benefit from more of your support to access these strategies to manage their anxiety and any negative behaviour arising from it. As you work through the story and activities it might be necessary to refer a child and their family for further support.
'People reaching out and checking in was very important and supportive.' - Madelene |
You can access Wishes and Worries and He kānehe, he mānatunatu below to read with your class and then download and print the lesson plans in english or Te reo Māori.
While designing this resource we had children between five and nine in mind. They are able to think logically about concrete events and objects that are in front of them, but have a harder time thinking in abstract ways when they cannot relate their thoughts to the concrete situation. The strategies offered in the activities support the child to visibly sees the free floating worry get written down on a piece of paper and then see this piece of paper transferred to a caretaker who will look after it.
The activities are short and are designed to stand alone, or completed altogether in one or two afternoon sessions using simple resources. You may choose to begin the activities and then use a period of observation before continuing. When the children have identified useful strategies, including the ones suggested in the story you may wish to use them within your daily classroom reflections. You will be able to extend the activities and make further curriculum links. Be mindful that some children may need a quick come down activity before they move onto the next curriculum area.
You will be able to identify the children that will benefit from more of your support to access these strategies to manage their anxiety and any negative behaviour arising from it. As you work through the story and activities it might be necessary to refer a child and their family for further support.
The activities are short and are designed to stand alone, or completed altogether in one or two afternoon sessions using simple resources. You may choose to begin the activities and then use a period of observation before continuing. When the children have identified useful strategies, including the ones suggested in the story you may wish to use them within your daily classroom reflections. You will be able to extend the activities and make further curriculum links. Be mindful that some children may need a quick come down activity before they move onto the next curriculum area.
You will be able to identify the children that will benefit from more of your support to access these strategies to manage their anxiety and any negative behaviour arising from it. As you work through the story and activities it might be necessary to refer a child and their family for further support.
The suggested learning activities that accompany Rising Tide and He Tai Pari have been designed for students in years 5 to 8. Children in this age group are moving towards independence and are continuing to develop skills in making decisions as they become more independent. They are beginning to look to peers and media for information and advice. They are also developing an increased capability for social conscience and for abstract thought, including understanding complex issues such as poverty, war and natural disasters.
The suggested activities are designed to be worked through from beginning to end, or for you to adapt, add or omit activities to fit the needs, abilities and year level of your class. The activities help to develop a supportive classroom culture and can be used in the last 20–30 minutes of each day, or in larger blocks. It may be that you have a group of students who need extra support prior to attempting these activities. For this group we recommend using or adapting the activities in Wishes and Worries (Sarina Dickson, 2014). We have used the concept of Home and School Scaffolding at the heart of this resource. Home and School Scaffolding utilises the trusted attachment relationships children have within their homes and schools to support them to develop their emotional intelligence. The activities for classrooms and homes have been informed by evidence-based Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and Narrative Therapy, and by the objectives of the New Zealand Curriculum. |
When the Worry Bug project books came out, schools used them in a myriad of different ways. We wanted that, and in fact thought that it would work better if schools decided how they would use them, rather than being told how to suck eggs. But, from that implementation, Massey did some research on their use in all the schools in Christchurch and found some interesting things.
Firstly, those schools that were more prepared for their use seemed to notice more impact in their communities. These are some suggestions drawn from your ideas from that research. |
Watch this short clip to see how Heathcote Valley School used Rising Tide.
|
-Appoint someone to drive the project, and ensure they are supported in that role by senior leadership.
-Plan together as a teaching group, how and when you will use the resource, so that the resource is being worked with simultaneously across the school, enabling conversations around it to occur more spontaneously. Do lead-in, process and reflective planning especially to prepare yourselves as teachers for unexpected responses from children. -Use the exercises provided for teachers to develop your teaching plan. Plan how you will inform parents, then share the project with parents at an early stage and continue to discuss it in your conversations with them and within interviews, mention it in newsletters. You will find sample newsletter text here, or use this graphic to add to your newsletter to let your families know about the resource and why they might want to use it. |
-Use the exercises daily for a couple of weeks as you read the book, integrating it across the curriculum as a literacy activity, for art, for health, creates more of an impact as it occurs across multiple learning areas.
-Reviewing the book frequently, engaging with key phrases or learning points will mean the growth of a new culture or well- being, and may encourage teachers and students to access other ideas for well-being also. |
Here are some specific suggestions from schools that used The Worry Bug resources:
- Initially used in school assembly on screen with a reading, with continuing follow-up in classrooms
- Used in reading group
- Used in circle time discussion
- Used in classroom story time as follow-up to disaster drills
- Used in writing poetry
- Used in art class
- Used in social science/health class
- Posted photocopies of illustrations in classrooms as part of continuing awareness
- Brief display of classroom poster with children’s worries on classroom wall
- Planned repeat use in coming year
- Sent home story book with youngest rather than eldest of a family’s children
- Set up of a letter box for posting worries as an ongoing follow-up for children to receive school support following school story book use
- Placed Worry Bug updates in the school newsletter
- Placed both school and home story in school library for ready access to children
- Discussion with parents who viewed Worry Bug art productions by their children