Since September, my Primary Ambitions classmates and I have been preparing and delivering lessons to Year 6 students from Emanuel’s partner primary schools on a Friday afternoon. The groups rotate every half term so that the pupils can learn new things and two ‘cycles’ have been completed so far. Every Lower 6th student is involved in a module that they teach, and my group does Debating.

For the first half term of the academic year, we started to get into teaching pairs, prepare lesson plans, and practice our sessions in front of the others, under the watchful eye of our teacher supervisor, who provides useful oversight and advice. My partner Marnie and I focus on how to identify and create a persuasive argument for the second week of the module, whereas the others deliver an introduction to debating, what a formal debating competition looks like, and how to effectively perform a speech.  I was surprised by how much there was to consider, from creating an engaging presentation and incorporating a brain break to remembering to print off worksheets for tasks. I am sure that we all have a greater appreciation for our own teachers now!

 

When the pupils arrived after October half term, we were all quite nervous and unaware of what to expect. I was glad that I wasn’t delivering the first lesson! There were so many ‘what ifs’ that we had to anticipate. What if the students found the content too easy or challenging? What if the class wasn’t interested or didn’t want to engage? One of the lessons we learned very quickly was how to adapt to the individuals in front of us. A rigid plan and a fixed mind do no good in Primary Ambitions. For example, sometimes pupils are absent, so working in pairs as planned is not always possible. With the first group of pupils, the girls were more reluctant to share their ideas than the boys. To encourage them, we tried to direct our questions to the pairs or table groups, instead of asking them to put their hands up. The primary school pupils before half term really enjoyed practising their debating skills, so we made sure as a group that every lesson had the opportunity to speak in front of the class. Another difficulty we encountered was ensuring we fairly rewarded and recognised every student’s contribution, not just the loudest or most confident. As such, for each lesson there is a dedicated L6th student who acknowledges good work with stickers, and we have experimented with various other prize systems. The best piece of advice I could give to anyone doing Primary Ambitions in the future is not to be afraid of changing and adapting the plans you have set out. If it improves the lesson and the pupils’ learning, it’s worth doing.

 

The rewards from Primary Ambitions, even just after two sets of pupils, are clear. I have noticed an increase in my confidence dealing with the children, especially with the second group we taught. I carry this confidence into my lessons and other activities – teaching pupils how to debate has improved my own debating skills! Speaking in front of a crowd, let alone a class of ten-year-olds, can be incredibly daunting for some, but all our presentations improve every week and we Lower 6th learn from each other. Most importantly, seeing the pupils develop their debating abilities and grow in self-confidence and belief makes any difficulties along the way disappear. The difference between the first and last weeks can be considerable in terms of the way they speak, carry their ideas, and perform to their peers. Hearing from the pupils’ teacher that they discuss and debate topics at school instead of arguing with each other is hugely fulfilling. To think that we, a group of teenagers, have contributed to that change, is the most pleasing feeling.

Anastasia (Year 12)