Fleas in a Jar


This is the first and last post on my 'Deeperteacher' blog. I started it in 2012 and it never really got off the ground.
deeperteacher.blogspot.co.uk/2...Reading it two years later was quite amusing, but I find that I have a lot in common with my past self. The 2 year old in the post is now nearly 5, fiercely independent and more than ready for 'big school' in September. Her brother is 1 soon and so is giving me the same headaches and sleepless nights as his sister.
The point I was making in the post still stands. Children (and adults) are frightened of failing. If we don't take this fear away then they won't reach their potential. I called this post 'Fleas in a jar' because I heard once about putting a flea in a jar and put the lid on. For a while the flea will jump incessantly and hit the lid. After while it will learn the level of the lid and jump perfectly, not touching the lid but missing by a hairsbreadth. If you remove the lid, the flea will never jump out, but will jump to that same height continually.
I guess the point is that children, like the fleas, will only aim as high as they are allowed. If you train them to worry and aim low they will, and if that happens it's hard to raise their aspirations again.
As teachers our job is to remove the lid and point to the stars, but also be the trampoline at their feet.
Ben

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