The Pop Up Writer

Mr Jones, a year five teacher, is preparing for a new class that has a gifted student, a student with high functioning autism and two students with high anxiety. He is uncertain as to what level of support he and the students will be provided with.

Students with different learning needs can feel that school is not a safe place where they ‘fit in’. This can be due to intolerance and rejection from their peers. (Pandy, 2012). Therefore, the teacher plays a vital role in creating a supportive and safe learning environment for these students. In doing so a student with different learning needs will feel empowered and show enjoyment for learning. (Valerio, 2012).

A gifted child processes a higher level of learning ability than peers of the same age. (O’Donnell, et al., 2016). When supporting gifted children, it is important teachers understand these students desire additional learning beyond what the curriculum offers. Their attention requires captivation and ability challenged. (Fraser-Seeto, 2013). Teachers should monitor gifted children’s behaviour and academic motivation levels. Sixty percent of gifted children are affected by underachievement. As a result, a gifted child may show signs of discontentment, low self-esteem and/or learning difficulties. (O’Donnell, et al., 2016).

One way of encouraging a gifted child to feel a sense of value and increase academic confidence is to assign them the role of class mentor. The student becomes an assistant to the teacher and supports their peers. (Pomortseva, 2014). This will also increase the student’s social development. Another way to encourage gifted student development is a buddy system with a student of an older grade. For example, the gifted student in Mr Jones grade five class could buddy up with a grade six student for certain lessons. The gifted student may feel more confident when working with another student who is at a similar intellectual level.

Autism Spectrum Australia defines Autism as “a lifelong developmental condition that affects, among other things, the way an individual relates to his or her environment and their interaction with other people.” This can cause difficulty in language, cognitive processing and social withdrawal. (O’Donnell, et al., 2016). Students with high functioning Autism would benefit from a similar buddy system discussed earlier for gifted students. In many instances autistic children have well developed reading skills and would be able to become a ‘buddy‘ themselves by reading to students with poor reading ability. (Seach, Preston & Lloyd, 2002). Recognising and utilising a child’s strengths will lead to positive learning development. In the case of being a buddy this will improve the child’s social development.

Often children with Autism will also be prone to high levels of anxiety. (Attwood, 2015). When creating a plan for children with high anxiety Mr Jones could include the child with Autism. In cases of anxiety and autism it is important teachers make an accurate assessment to create a strategy for behaviour and anxiety management. (Seach, et al., 2002). This can be achieved by meeting with the student’s parents to determine triggers, expected behaviour, how long the behaviour will last and calming techniques.

Some other options Mr Jones may wish to consider to minimise anxiety are as follows; an individual table where the child can work alone without distractions, written instructions, short breaks between tasks, creating an emergency ‘calm down box’ with soft toys or lego/puzzles and a quiet area where the children can go to self sooth. (Seach, et al., 2002; Premiepress, 2015).

It is also important to consider other children in the class who do not have special learning needs. To create classroom unification and understanding a teacher can encourage all students to reflect on times when they have felt worried or nervous. From here the students and teacher can brainstorm ways to help themselves feel better. Mr Jones could even teach relaxation techniques to his class. (Mental (Health Association NSW, n.d.). Research has found that when a child’s feelings are recognised and validated they feel supported and as a result calmer. (Health Association NSW, n.d.).

These techniques will lead to a student’s self-efficacy (belief in their own academic capabilities). As a student’s self-efficacy confidence increases their anxiety levels decrease. (O’Donnell, et al., 2016). Mr Jones has a diverse classroom. When creating lesson plans he needs to focus on student strengths and weaknesses to create a safe and supportive learning environment. (O’Donnell, et al., 2016).

Recent events, it’s fair to say, have us all thinking about terror and travel. Whether or not it has affected you personally, the attacks in London, Manchester and earlier events across Europe play on most of our minds. We’d like to take this opportunity to share our love and support with those affected, and with the wider communities involved. As travellers, and risk-takers, we love this world in a way that we could never have imagined before we took to the road and saw it for ourselves. By our very nature, we are defiant. We will not be beaten by these events, nor will we use them to spread hate and marginalise an already marginalised people. As travellers, and citizens of the world, we observe with awe and respect, the other cultures and countries we pay visit to. On behalf of the Rule Breakers community, our hearts go out to Londoners, to Mancunians, and to those caught in the fray.

This featured post, in light of these events, is brought to you from Rule Breakers co-founder Cheri.

My friend just sent me a message “All this crap lately in the news makes me hope and pray nothing is going to happen when you are away.”

Of course, I reassured her that I would be fine and I’ve got more chance of dying falling out of bed than a terrorist attack. Then I thought about it.

I am afraid.

Honestly, not to be would be naïve. There have been 6 attacks across Europe in the last 6 months, with London bearing the brunt of it most recently.

My ex was caught up in the attack in Munich last year. I was in Canada at the time and knew nothing about the attack until his cousin, whom he was supposed to be meeting, contacted me because he was concerned. “I don’t want to alarm you,” his message read “but there has been an attack in Munich at a shopping centre.” He’d be fine I thought to myself, he’d never go to a shopping centre unless I dragged him to it! Nevertheless, I was worried. I checked my phone constantly for over an hour, emailed friends who he had recently been in contact with. Until finally I got the message I had been waiting for “I’m ok, I’m safe”.

He’d gone to the Hofbrauhaus while waiting for his connecting bus. Apparently the Hofbrauhaus is a short distance from the shopping centre where the attack had begun. He told me he was just about to order a beer when suddenly hordes of terrified people burst into the beer house frantically yelling in German. People around him began to panic, fleeing from their tables and meals without paying, knocking over glasses as they seemed to flee for their lives.

He didn’t speak German.

He also began to panic, stopping someone to ask what was happening. A distressed German man told him in broken English “Terror! Terror!” before running off. Here he was in an unfamiliar city, didn’t speak the local language and had no idea what exactly was happening. You can’t use Google to find out what is going on in that situation because no one knows. I had chills when he told me his story. People who I told his story to also got chills. Because this shit is real and it’s scary!

This experience hasn’t stopped him from travelling. It hasn’t stopped me from travelling and I sure as hell hope it won’t stop you.

There will always be things that are out of our control, and yes that’s scary. What is the alternative, stop enjoying one of the things we love most in our life? Stop learning and living? I’m not going to bother saying anything like “don’t let them win” because I don’t think they really care if we travel or not. If everyone stayed in their own countries and towns, there would still be attacks. I will however say don’t let fear win. Live a life of adventure, whatever your idea of adventure may be. Enjoy the places you go and the people you meet. To quote my friend who sent me that message of concern tonight “At least if you died on holiday, it’s better than dying while you’re at work.”

P.S. be careful not to fall out of bed tonight!