Bringing axenroos into practice

La Farga, Barcelona 06.04.2013

Mia De Vleeschhouwer – Hendrik Debruyne

Work to do on three levels:◦ The teacher as a model (person and skills)

◦ Supporting your group of children

◦ Supporting the individual child

The model in general Ax per ax

◦ Stories◦ Activities◦ Continious line through daily school life

A teacher demonstrating social skills◦ Modeling in your own behaviour (teach what you

preach)◦ Indicate, give ‘axen’words to your own behaviour

Supporting the group◦ Occasional events (birthday, death of a pet…)◦ Specific lessons:

Contents, insights Methods, exercising skills

◦ Classroom accomodation and organisation Corner of the owl, camel, turtle, podium of the peacock…

◦

Supporting an individual child◦ Observing: strong axen, weak ones, empty axen ◦ Reinforcing, or reducing (behaviour in) axen, stimulate to

take empty ones◦ Giving axenwords to the child’s behaviour, recognizing it◦ Changing your own ax◦ Challenging the child to take another ax

Give for each zone of the axenroos (harmony, distance, conflict) one example of a concrete situation where you see a pupil take an ax of this zone. Out of which ax did you react? How did you feel about it? What was the effect? Do you consider other options , thinking about it now?

Give for each zone of the axenroos (harmony, distance, conflict) one example of a concrete possible action towards the accomodation/organisation of your classroom, or an idea you could use in your lessons.

1. Modelling: Look for each ax for a situation in which you took this ax (daily reflection after school time!)

2. Try to find an example how you could set present each ax in your classroom (or the classroom your pupil learns in)

You’re working with individual children: situate the behaviour of one of your children in the axenroos. Analyse: which ones are positive, difficult, empty? Make plan of action, as well for the child as for yourself: which axen do you want the child to take, which ones you’ll take yourself?

You’re working with a group: situate all your pupils in an axenroos. Each pupil can be situated in various axen. Excessive behaviour is placed in an outer circle, convenient behaviour in the inner circle. Analyse: positive/negative/empty axen. What actions would you undertake with your group out of this analysis?

In which ax do you see the pupil? How do you feel about it? How would you react (out of which ax)?

1. Juan is unattentively (dreaming) in the classroom2. Alejandra keeps interrupting you while you’re telling a

story3. “Why do I have to make these exercises, I already know

how to do it”, says Benito4. Elvira is growing very mad because she doesn’t get the

pencil she asked Inez5. “I ‘ll explain it, you’re not good in these matters”, says

Andreo to Luca6. “You’re wearing a beatiful sweater, Mr./Ms”

Muy gracias◦ For your invitation and the possibility you gave us◦ For your kind attention and collaboration

Lots of succes and fun with axenroos