Shadow a Student Challenge

Shadow a Student Challenge

#shadowastudent

We cleared our calendars, silenced phones, threw on a uniform and sneakers, and immersed ourselves in student life for a day! Why? On Tuesday 1st March, Carla Marschall and I took part in the Shadow A Student Challenge along with over 1500 school leaders around the world. The idea behind this project is for school leaders to rethink the student experience - starting by walking in the shoes of our kids. Our goal was to consider how we could improve the student experience at UWCSEA by better understanding the student perspective.

Just like it sounds, shadowing a student is the process of following a student to gain empathy and insight into their experience. The Shadow a Student organisation suggests that taking part in this challenge and experiencing empathy helps us look beyond our assumptions by putting ourselves in the shoes of other people. An important part of immersion is observation, listening with all your senses. And that is exactly what we did!

I spent the day shadowing Grade 1LMc student Lily and Carla shadowed Livio from K1Rej. Carla and I are hoping to shadow more students throughout the year so that we gain a broader perspective and deeper understanding of what our students in the Infant School experience on a daily basis.

My day at a glance…...

Upon entering the class I felt welcomed and an immediate sense of belonging to the G1LMc community. There was a calm vibe mixed with a subtle air of excitement and anticipation for the day ahead. Students knew I was coming in and why I was there and I was struck by how kind and caring they were, helping me set up my table and make a name for my chair, showing me where to keep my bag and snack.

Exploring light and sound during discovery time! I had a variety of options during this time but my favourite was to be inside the “dark room” where we experimented with silhouettes, light, mirrors and shadows. I realised that I felt more comfortable during structured lesson times and found that I struggled to maintain focus on a set task during this time.

So, what was easy for me?

The familiar came easily. Snack time, lunch time….anything to do with food! What was tricky was eating at a set time when I wasn’t hungry! I enjoyed the social aspect of snack and lunch time, chatting with friends who sat at the same table, talking about family, hobbies, things we like to do. I am very familiar with Writing Workshop as I have taught using this framework for many years - although generating a topic to write about was not as easy as I thought it would be.  

                                

What challenges did I face?

When was the last time you tried to swing across the monkey bars? Not quite as simple as it seems! I gave it my best but was nowhere near as competent as the students or my 7 year old self! My 5 minute effort ended when blisters started to form...onwards and upwards to the round swing…..which was scarier than I imagined.  I found the Chinese class a real challenge and struggled even with the simplest activities. The children were incredibly helpful and supportive, giving me clues and even whispering answers in my ear!

My favourite things?

I have a new favourite place in school - the enchanted garden! A secret hideaway where magic lotions and potions are brewed, wild animals are chased and amazing adventures await. We balanced on pirate ship beams, foraged for potion ingredients, rescued baby snails and ran from tigers. One of my favourite moments of the day....being asked "will you play with me?" and led by the hand off to the playground. Friendships and relationships with peers and teachers are so important, they set the tone for the entire day.

What can I get better at?

I absolutely LOVED music class and joined in every song using my best singing voice. Ms Luiza was very patient with me and seemed to not even notice that my pitch and key were way off throughout. When Lily was asked at the end of the day “what does Miss Scott need to get better at?” she replied “singing”!! She is so right.  

So now what? 

Moving forward I continue to ask the following questions in regards to the experience last week and any future Shadow a Student experience.....

• How does it feel to be a student for a day?
• What is your student’s favourite moment of the day, and what makes it special?
• What do you notice makes your student feel uncomfortable, anxious, or bored? Why?
• When is your student engaged in learning?
• When/where/how does your student’s learning feel connected to the real world? And when does it not?
• What are the differences you experience in who engages in what learning? Are opportunities the same for all students?
• What opportunities do you notice for the skills of critical thinking & problem solving, collaboration, and effective communication?

You can learn more about Shadow a Student Challenge at shadowastudent.org