Brugles must anchor first graders
The transition from primary to secondary school is a big step for all students. Lucy Reijnen invented the subject 'bridge lessons', with which she teaches her pre-vocational secondary education students to hold their own with activating teaching methods.
Image: Angeliek de Jonge
“During bridge lessons, the children learn, among other things, to deal with their own and other people's emotions, to stand up for themselves and others and they learn how they themselves influence the atmosphere in the group. I also teach them to deal with conflict situations and feedback”, explains teacher Lucy Reijnen. She works at 2College Josemmavo in Tilburg, where she teaches bridge lessons to pre-vocational secondary education students for the fourth year. The teacher has developed the subject herself and she gives bridge lessons to four bridge classes for one hour a week. In addition, Reijnen has her own company and she specializes in social safety and positive group formation.
Children should feel safe in their new school. This course contributes to that
With bridging lessons, the teacher strives for positive group dynamics and thus basic safety in the classroom. “Only then can a child fully concentrate on learning. The students go from the oldest in primary school to the youngest in school. Every school pays attention to this major transition, for example through introductory activities. But that is often too little. Children need to anchor in their new school and feel safe. They want to be seen. This course contributes to that. I have a signaling function for mentors.”
Each lesson starts with reading a short story. Reijnen writes this himself, so that the topics are in line with what is going on among students or in society. After the story, the class talks for a while. “Occasionally a little longer, if the subject is very alive. Of course, a student sometimes cries, but I always try to keep it light and positive. The main purpose of the reading is to let the children land in the classroom; switch from one box to another. Reading is also a goal in itself, because reading promotion is a spearhead at school.”
Compliments
Reijnen uses many different teaching methods for her lessons. For example, she uses role-playing, compliments memory, quartet or she has students bring an object that is important to them. In memory, the class plays in groups. If someone turns over two of the same cards with a compliment on them, such as 'is creative', the group discusses which classmate they will give the compliment to. “They do that very carefully. The game promotes a positive group feeling, cooperation and students learn to give and receive feedback.”
A favorite form of work among the students themselves is the first grade game, based on '30 seconds'. The class is divided into two groups. A student stands in front of the class and has to describe and portray the word that is on his card within a minute, such as a triangle or soda machine. “It's good that students show themselves in front of the class with this,” says Reijnen. According to her, the game also stimulates language development and group bonding.
The game promotes a positive group feeling, cooperation and students learn to give and receive feedback
Reijnen notices in the first grade game that a shy child suddenly turns out to be very good at this, for example. “That is very valuable, because that person then leaves the class with a lot of praise. Beforehand I ask 'Who thinks he's really good at this? And who isn't?' and at the end of the game I ask if they were right or wrong.” At the end of each lesson, the students fill in their workbook, which contains a processing assignment. It contains questions such as: How did you experience the lesson? What did you find difficult? What do you do when someone in your group goes their own way? What is trust? And what can you do if someone has broken your trust?
past bullying
In all lessons, Reijnen mainly looks at how children work and what they say. “You can see from that whether a child is comfortable in his own skin. If that is not the case, then a student is busy with other things than learning. This can be due to, for example, a past bullying or because there are subgroups in the class that a child does not feel comfortable with. That is not necessarily a bad thing, because they also learn from that, but as a teacher you have to be aware of it and share it with your colleagues. I think it is very important to really see children.”
Lucy Reijnen herself is convinced that her lessons make a difference. “I proposed to measure it in a teacher survey. That would be interesting. I especially hope that bridge lessons will have a positive influence on group dynamics. A former student said: 'I thought it was such a nice profession and I had the feeling that you really knew me'. That is already very nice.”
Visit kieresoe.nl for work forms by Lucy Reijnen
This is an episode of the 'Idea' section from the Education magazine, which falls into the bus eleven times a year at AOb-members. Learn more about all the benefits of the AOb-membership? Look here.
