#SoCS November 10/18 – Mean(s)

10 Nov 2018 39 Comments

by Ritu in #SoCS, Poems, Thoughts Opinions & Memories Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Linda’s prompt for SoCS this week…

Your Friday prompt for Stream of Consciousness Saturday is “mean(s).” Use it with or without the “s,” any way you’d like. Have fun!

In my job, it is an essential skill to be able to work out exactly what a child means.

At three or four, or even five, some children are just not that articulate.

(Please don’t get me started on the whole ‘technology’ debate… devices may be great, but they are the sole reason why children can’t actually socialise face to face, or even draw decent pictures, and write decipherable words… swipe? just sayin’)

Be it English is not their first language, or they have speech issues, or more generally, they are used to dumbed down vocabulary, they cannot always verbalise what they mean.

Questioning is a skill we really have to hone. From working out what they are trying to say, to recognising the object they have drawn, it’s only by our talk that we sometimes get to the bottom of it.

Believe me, I have seen some strange things in the past, as well as heard some weird things, which translate to normality, but what you first hear/see… OMG!

I loved a child telling he his dad was getting an electric chair for Christmas ( a gaming chair!), reading a sentence telling me the child “loved to taste cock” (Coke!), and that they enjoyed riding a dick (bike!)… and don’t get me started on the phallic drawings, scribbles and randoms, that I have to translate!

And all this has to be done with positivity. We don’t want a child to lose confidence if we just say “What on earth is that?” or “What did you say?”

Recently I noticed a poster in school, and to be honest, I want it in the nursery – it encapsulates what our reactions are to a lot of things the kids draw…

Perfect, isn’t it? You know what I mean?

Catch ya later Peeps! Happy Saturday!

https://lindaghill.com/2018/11/09/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-nov-10-18/

39 Comments (+add yours?)

  1. LucciaGray
    Nov 11, 2018 @ 13:12:35

    🤣 I also teach EFL, at present to adults, and some of their attempts are hilarious, of course I keep a straight face (mostly) and correct them, without explaining what could have been understood!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  2. Miriam Hurdle
    Nov 11, 2018 @ 04:34:56

    This is so true, Ritu, and a wonderful experience to work with young children.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  3. Laura
    Nov 11, 2018 @ 03:32:45

    Kids’ drawings are THE BEST. I think teachers ought to keep photos of the good stuff and make a rainy day slideshow — something to watch when your spirits are down or you need a laugh. 😉

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  4. Jennie
    Nov 11, 2018 @ 03:31:17

    You are spot on, Ritu! I loved this!!!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  5. Erika Kind
    Nov 10, 2018 @ 22:19:13

    I remember how difficult it was at times to find out what my own children tried to express. How difficult must it be to figure it out regarding children you are not so familiar with.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  6. Carol Anne
    Nov 10, 2018 @ 21:59:17

    Yes! sometimes trying to figure out what kids are trying to say is hard! I agree! And yeah, devices? Well I wont even go there! 😛

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  7. scr4pl80
    Nov 10, 2018 @ 16:43:39

    Cute. My daughter is a teachers aide for first graders and she’s come home with a few good ones too! You should write a book 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  8. ellenbest24
    Nov 10, 2018 @ 15:20:47

    OMG lol I poked the send to fast😊😋😃

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  9. ellenbest24
    Nov 10, 2018 @ 15:19:52

    Another brilliantly inciteful post

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  10. bikerchick57
    Nov 10, 2018 @ 14:09:43

    I can only imagine the things you’ve heard and seen in writing from your kids…beyond what you’ve written here. It’s a very good thing that you, as a teacher, understand the importance of not asking the wrong questions and devaluing a child. Keep up the good work, Ritu. The world needs more teachers like you. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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  11. John Holton
    Nov 10, 2018 @ 14:04:23

    Heck, at 62 some children aren’t very articulate…

    Liked by 1 person

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  12. Dan Antion
    Nov 10, 2018 @ 13:49:03

    That’a a great poster! Knowing how to ask the questions is a gift. Good luck with the inquisitions Ritu.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  13. The Febrile Imaginings Of A Cluttered Mind
    Nov 10, 2018 @ 11:29:19

    Sounds like a reasonable and reasoned
    discussion on a subject – along with your trademark humour and humanity. A fine write, even if I didn’t read it as well as I could have. Perhaps, also, my art of drawing says a lot about my misspent youth. G:)

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

  14. Judith Barrow
    Nov 10, 2018 @ 08:19:25

    Oh, loved this, Ritu… an inner smile with outer empathy and compassion.x

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply

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