“You Are The Teacher” for Primary Students. A Trick For Lazy Planning.

It is the last week of term. I teach ICT at a Primary School in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Sharjah near Dubai. Nearly half of the students are local Emiratis. Lessons are expected to be taught right up until the last day. E-Safety and Introduction to Coding are the main topics that we have covered during this term.

Today’s lesson was to be a revision lesson. I was starting to think of questions that I could ask the students. Then I thought; why don’t I ask them to come up with the questions? We could try an exercise and I’ll call it “You Are The Teacher.” Students had to raise their hand if they wanted to ask a question. I would then select some of them to come to the front and ask a question. I had to make it clear that I wanted a question about one of the topics covered.

I got some fantastic questions.

• What is the oval used for in a flowchart?
• If I am walking in a straight line towards the desk, when do I stop?
• Should I open an email attachment from anyone I don’t know?
• How do I stay safe online?
• What is programming?
• Do I go and meet an online friend?
• What is the diamond used for in a flowchart?
• How do I login to the computer?

Some of the questions were open ended (How do I stay safe online?) and some were closed (Do I go and meet an online friend?). I asked the participating students how they wanted the class to answer the questions. For the closed question they need to put their thumb up or down (for yes and no). I got some great questions and great answers. Remember, these students are only 8 years old.

I am in my 3rd year of teaching in the United Arab Emirates. Up to now, teaching and learning has not been expected to include critical thinking or student leadership. I have heard it being described as “30 years ago teaching.”

However, things are changing. The subject of ICT is now leaning more towards Computer Science. Students are learning about Coding or Programming for the first time. There is also new new grading criteria for teachers. Critical skills is expected to become a bigger part of the teaching. I have experience of incorporating this for secondary students in the UK; but now I have to use it for Primary Students in the United Arab Emirates.

The great thing about today’s exercise, is that it required very little planning. I wasn’t doing the work, it was the students who were doing it for me. It was lazy but effective planning. It was a simple trick, but it was an opportunity for them to start taking charge of their own learning. I think I will need to have more tricks like this.