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Expo School Operations��

DAY 7: UNDERSTANDING SCHOOL GROUPS

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Welcome

Understanding School Groups

Developmental Stages

Scenario Practice

Wrap Up

Agenda

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Understanding School Groups

Perspectives of Teachers, Students, and Parents

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Empathy

What is it like to be a child, teacher or parent?

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Empathy

EMPATHY

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Why does empathy matter? How will it help you?

Being able to understand other people's perspectives helps:

Positive job performance and reviews from guests
Keeping school groups engaged, connected, and excited
Avoiding conflict or reducing it quickly
Improving communication between stakeholders
Reducing misunderstandings when dealing with diverse groups

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Why is it important to understand guests from school groups?

People make sense of the world using their own experiences, which means we each have our blind spots.

Just like in the video, our biases can cause us to make assumptions that are completely wrong about the kids.

Empathy is the key to creating positive relationships and experiences with the students.

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Empathy

The Empathy Game

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Set Up: Empathy for Young Children

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YOUNG CHILDREN

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Now you are five years old.

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Role Play: As Young Children

[Student] has recently hurt himself and has a difficult time walking

The guide has given students only 10 minutes to complete an activity, but not everyone has had a turn

The group is entering one of the dark rooms in the exhibit

There are many large crowds and loud noises throughout Expo

The guide asks [student] to share a response you don't know the answer to

The bus is running a bit late and the class is exhausted

Students are assigned groups or partners

[Student] gets separated from his or her class

[Student] "didn't have to" use the bathroom during break time, but needs to do so in the middle of the tour

[Student] has forgotten his phone at home

The weather is terrible on the day of the trip

[Student] struggles to follow rules and is now being reprimanded by his teacher

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Set Up: Empathy for Teenagers

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TEENAGERS

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Now you are 15 years old

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Role Play: As Teenagers

[Student] has recently hurt himself and has a difficult time walking

The guide has given students only 10 minutes to complete an activity, but not everyone has had a turn

The group is entering one of the dark rooms in the exhibit

There are many large crowds and loud noises throughout Expo

The guide asks [student] to share a response you don't know the answer to

The bus is running a bit late and the class is exhausted

Students are assigned groups or partners

[Student] gets separated from his or her class

[Student] "didn't have to" use the bathroom during break time, but needs to do so in the middle of the tour

[Student] has forgotten his phone at home

The weather is terrible on the day of the trip

[Student] struggles to follow rules and is now being reprimanded by his teacher

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Set Up: Empathy for Teachers

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TEACHERS

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Now you are a teacher

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[Student] has recently hurt himself and has a difficult time walking

The guide has given students only 10 minutes to complete an activity, but not everyone has had a turn

The group is entering one of the dark rooms in the exhibit

There are many large crowds and loud noises throughout Expo

The guide asks [student] to share a response you don't know the answer to

The bus is running a bit late and the class is exhausted

Students are assigned groups or partners

[Student] gets separated from his or her class

[Student] "didn't have to" use the bathroom during break time, but needs to do so in the middle of the tour

[Student] has forgotten his phone at home

The weather is terrible on the day of the trip

[Student] struggles to follow rules and is now being reprimanded by his teacher

Role Play: As Teachers

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Set Up: Empathy for Parents

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PARENTS

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Now you are a parent

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Today is the [Child]'s first field trip since covid
The weather is very hot today
[Child] says they are uninterested in attending the field trip
[Child] isn't answering their phone
You know that [Child] has been having a difficult time with some of his schoolmates lately
You know that [Child] can become easily overwhelmed in loud or crowded areas
[Child] was separated from his group during a field trip last year
Your alarm didn't go off and you are running late to drop [Child] off at school

Role Play: As Parents

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TEACHER

TEENAGER

YOUNG CHILD

Perspective Adopting - In Depth Analysis

PARENT

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What surprised you about experiencing things from the [group] perspective?

Were there any recurring themes that came up while exploring the [group] perspective?

What issues do you think [group] might encounter while visiting?

What accommodations or changes do you think we should consider implementing when working with [group]?

Perspective Adopting - In Depth Analysis, Group Discussion

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Share Your Thoughts

How will you use what you learned in the session to be a better guide?

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Empathy - Final Thoughts

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BREAK

10 minutes

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Developmental Stages

How kids behave as they grow older

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Developmental Stages

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Childhood Memories

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Questions About Working With Kids

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3. PRACTICAL APPLICATION

Using information to inform decisions

2. CHARACTERISTICS OF STAGES

What makes each stage unique

1. DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES

A brief overview of human psychology

Development Stages Training Overview

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MAJOR CHILD DEVELOPMENTAL THEORIES

Sociocultural Theory

Behavioral Child

Development

Attachment

Theory

Cognitive Development

Psychosexual

Development

Social Learning

Theory

Psychosocial

Development

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Developmental Stages

KG

Ages: 5-6

C1

Ages: 6-11

C2

Ages: 11-14

C3

Ages: 14-18

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Kindergarten Aged Characteristics

	KG
Physical Characteristics	May not be able to use washroom independently Very physically active Able to sustain attention between 4-8 min
Learning Characteristics	Very literal; knowledgeable about what can be seen Very reliant on appropriate modeling Need simple, short, and segmented instructions
Emotional Characteristics	Need explicitly stated and modeled rules Want to please adults, while also asserting their will Love positive praise, especially for smaller things
Potential Difficulties	Tattling Irrational fears (e.g. the dark, animals, loud noises) Difficulty following directions Interruptions

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Elementary Aged Characteristics

	C1
Physical Characteristics	Able to use washroom independently Physically active, but can be redirected Able to sustain attention between 10-30 min
Learning Characteristics	Able to understand some common abstract concepts (e.g. love, hope) but still very literal Benefits from modeling Need simple instructions of no more than 3 directions at a time
Emotional Characteristics	Need explicit rules stated Want to please adults and friends Appreciate positive praise, but can be given it in lesser intervals
Potential Difficulties	Tattling Interruptions Limited attention spans

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Middle School Aged Children

	C2
Physical Characteristics	Generally able to control physical activity Able to sustain attention between 30-40 min
Learning Characteristics	Firm grasp of abstract concepts Likely to relate concepts to themselves Very little modeling required Want to be independent, but may require occasional check in
Emotional Characteristics	Very self-conscious and socially aware Want to impress friends Potentially self-conscious about receiving praise in front of peers
Potential Difficulties	May appear to be withdrawn Sarcastic remarks Impulsivity

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High School Aged Children

	C3
Physical Characteristics	Able to control physical activity Able to sustain attention between 30-50 min
Learning Characteristics	Firm grasp of abstract concepts Can think globally, outside of self Modeling only required for very complicated concepts Prefer to operate independently
Emotional Characteristics	Conscious of peer influences, but have become more independent thinkers Appreciate private praise
Potential Difficulties	Potentially risky behavior Sarcastic remarks

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Tips for Working With Students, by Age

	KG	C1	C2	C3
Tips	Keep directions short, simple, and clear Manage students' expectations by letting them know where/what is happening Prepare students for transitions Regular reminders of rules Involve physical movement whenever appropriate and possible Keep energy high Keep conversations as literal as possible (no abstract concepts) Praise small efforts, often	Keep directions short and segmented into no more than 3 things Manage students' expectations by letting them know where/what is happening Prepare students for transitions Regular reminders of rules Include periodic physical involvement Keep energy high Keep conversations literal, with the exception of simple abstract themes, like "love, hope, kindness" Praise efforts	Gauge energy levels and reflect them Relate content to their interests Incorporate social components into the content Allow for brief but structured opportunities to work independently or in pairs Keep praise private	Gauge energy levels and reflect them Encourage students to think globally Incorporate social components into the tour and content Allow for structured opportunities to work independently or in pairs Give students autonomy to choose, when appropriate Keep praise private

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Summary of Developmental Stages

	KG	C1	C2	C3
Physical Characteristics	May not be able to use washroom independently Very physically active Able to sustain attention between 4-8 min	Able to use washroom independently Physically active, but can be redirected Able to sustain attention between 10-30 min	Generally able to control physical activity Able to sustain attention between 30-40 min	Able to control physical activity Able to sustain attention between 30-50 min
Learning Characteristics	Very literal; knowledgeable about what can be seen Very reliant on appropriate modeling Need simple, short, and segmented instructions	Able to understand some common abstract concepts (e.g. love, hope) but still very literal Benefits from modeling Need simple instructions of no more than 3 directions at a time	Firm grasp of abstract concepts Likely to relate concepts to themselves Very little modeling required Want to be independent, but may require occasional check in	Firm grasp of abstract concepts Can think globally, outside of self Modeling only required for very complicated concepts Prefer to operate independently
Emotional Characteristics	Need explicitly stated and modeled rules Want to please adults, while also asserting their will Love positive praise, especially for smaller things	Need explicit rules stated Want to please adults and friends Appreciate positive praise, but can be given it in lesser intervals	Very self-conscious and socially aware Want to impress friends Potentially self-conscious about receiving praise in front of peers	Conscious of peer influences, but have become more independent thinkers Appreciate private praise
Potential Difficulties	Tattling Irrational fears (e.g. the dark, animals, loud noises) Difficulty following directions Interruptions	Tattling Interruptions Limited attention spans	May appear to be withdrawn Sarcastic remarks Impulsivity	Potentially risky behavior Sarcastic remarks

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Think-Pair-Share

Questions:

Which group are you most intimidated about working with, and why?
Which group do you think you'll be most comfortable working with. Why?
What support do you need to feel more prepared?

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Redirect

Move on to something new, shift focus, zoom in or out

Remind

Gently remind students of the rules they agreed to

Reconnect

Connect content back to students by asking questions

The 5 Rs framework

Recruit

Engage student(s) to help

Refer

Request teacher’s assistance

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One of the pneumonic devices we learned earlier this week that will help us remember how to manage behavior affectively is the 5 Rs.

The 5 Rs of behavior management:

Reconnect: Ask direct questions to the group and/or student(s) causing difficulty – get them engaged and connect with them on an individual level.
Remind: Restate the expectation/rule that students agreed to. It’s to be expected that they forget sometimes!
Redirect: Try shifting to a new topic or part – sometimes a change of pace/scenery helps students refocus and re-engage.
Recruit: Engage the student(s) causing difficulty as a helper. Ask him/her to be a line leader or demonstrate something that you’re discussing.
Refer: As a last resort, ask for the teacher’s assistance in managing the student’s behavior. Bring the situation to an Expo supervisor if the situation is dangerous.

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Responding to Questions About Working With Kids

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More Training Coming…

Child safety and education is our top priority, and we know it’s yours too. We’ll be learning more about safeguarding children and other related topics on Day 9.

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BREAK

15 minutes

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Scenario Practice

Implementing what we've learned

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Scenario practice

Practice, so that you know what to do.

What would you do in these scenarios?

Remember: The 5 Rs

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A KG student is repeatedly jumping up and down, making distracting noises

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What do we know about KG students that might help us understand their perspective? Which part of the 5 Rs can we employ to help us solve this issue?

POSSIBLE ANSWERS:

Remind the students of how we can be active listeners (e.g. "Good listening is your whole body, not just your ears. Look at the speaker, close your mouth and keep your hands still to show that you are really listening. We call this 'listening position.')
Redirect their attention to a new area of focus, (e.g. "Everyone jump for 30 seconds and when you are done it will be time to STOP and listen ” or "The person who finds ___ will get to be the next line leader.")
Recruit the student a 'minor' responsibility or job. (e.g. "You seem very responsible, could you help me by being the time teller/carrying my clipboard/being a behavior leader?")

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You’re working with a group of very active C1 students who keep wandering off

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Covid-friendly Engagement

Fireworks
Snaps
Raise the roof
Sign language applause
Kiss your brain
Pat your back
Air Five
Foot shake
Elbow bump

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Some C2 students very clearly don't want to participate (e.g. rolling eyes, refusing to respond)

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Question Levels

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Some C3 students have been warned not to interact with a nearby group

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You are about to enter a dark, loud, or crowded area with a group of C1 students

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A KG student loudly ask why some of the EXPO participants look/dress differently

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You ask a question about the exhibit to your group of C2 students. No one responds.

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Question Levels

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You're giving a tour to a group of C3 students. One of them requests to use the bathroom in the middle of the tour.

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Thank You!

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