If you’re interested in robots you might like to have a go at one of these challenges from the School Robot Competition.
There are 3 age categories:
All of the information is available here
Why not have a go?!
Hello everyone,
Obviously after hearing Boris Johnson’s address to us telling us to basically go into lockdown a few nights ago it is a worrying time for us all. At Wimbledon and especially the PE Department here are trying their hardest to keep everyone as active as possible with only being allowed out once a day.
So with this said, I have thought of some things that you could do to keep busy and active so once this is all other we can all go back with a new found love, appreciation, but most of all still able to catch a ball…
I am trying to put out daily workouts on either the emails from SLT during this period, or on the whs_slt instagram page in either the form of live stream or videos showing the exercises. Other things you could also do in this period is look up fitness videos or tutorials on YouTube or on Instagram from your favourite fitness influencers as some other forms of inspiration to keep your exercise varied and fun during a period of being stuck at home. Some of my favourite Instagram pages for at home workouts: mrandmrsmuscle + linnlowes + thedailykelsey + clairepthomas (just a starting point for anyone is lacking in inspiration!)
You can also try daily challenges, whether that’s a variation of bring sally up challenges or making up your own, maybe try a virtual yoga class or HIIT session. Keep varying it and trying new things, because why not?
In these times it’s important to keep active as we all know the clear benefits that sports and exercise has, and although we may not be able to meet up for a hockey or netball game, moving your body remains as important as it’s ever been.
Keep happy, keep healthy and most of all keep smiling đ
Love from,
your Sports Captain
A phenomenal effort by WHS pupils and staff to raise awareness and money for Sport Relief 2020.
Adèle Venter, Head of German at WHS, considers how, in a time when Google Translate has insidiously pervaded every homework task, students could be trained to use online language tools and AI to aid their language learning rather than lead them astray.
A few years ago â some of my students may still remember it â my Year 10 German class experienced a dark moment. Upon handing back their homework essays, I asked them to write me a note about the extent to which they had used Google Translate to complete their homework.
The atmosphere was grim as they sat writing their confessions.
It reminded me a bit of the confessing sheep in Animal Farm and I almost felt sorry for them. But no â this had to end. I explained to them how I was in fact not assessing their progress and understanding but rather how well (or not â as was still the case at the time) Googleâs artificial intelligence manages to translate language completely out of context. I illustrated to them how they were sometimes unable to even translate the German in their essays, and how therefore, they had learnt nothing in the process, making my conscientious attempts to provide feedback on their writing a waste of time.
Of course, this has been a much-discussed topic and the bane of foreign language teachersâ lives for some time now, as illustrated by this Twitter joke that did the rounds:
I still stand by everything I had said on that day. And I would like to think that it may have changed their outlook somewhat. But I have since changed my approach to it. Because, as the saying goes, if you canât beat them, join them.
Ultimately, it is also true that the Internet has become enormously useful in helping people with language acquisition. In the first instance, various language-learning applications have seen the light of day and people casually engage with these on various levels. If it means more people are able to buy croissants in France, or have a basic conversation with their grandchildren who live in Italy, it must be a good thing, right?
Unfortunately, the one thing that has remained true for the acquisition of a foreign language is that there is no quick and easy way to do so. I am of the firm belief that to really learn a language, it takes a lot of time, dedication and perseverance, and that your best chance of becoming proficient is to combine the formal learning of its grammar and vocabulary with immersion and exposure in authentic contexts.
And so my question is mainly: what are the implications of the use of online tools for the dedicated language learner?
As a linguist, I do not deny that I use these myself all the time. But instead of just modelling my use of online dictionaries, conjugators and such, I have decided to engage my students more fully in the conversation so that they can be conscious of the advantages and pitfalls to various tools. I have told my students that I do not consider Google Translate to be one of the seven deadly sins anymore. After all, online translators have made enormous strides in past years, and a student workshop with Mrs Rachel Evans, our Director of Digital Learning, has revealed that more often than not, they tend to translate phrases and sentences, even idioms correctly.
Instead, I spread the message that whatever students do, they must ensure that they remain in charge of the things they write down. If they do not understand what they are writing, or why sentences are formulated in a certain way, they cannot hope to learn from it. I have consequently set up the following rules as guidance:
At a more advanced level, language learning becomes increasingly adventurous and as students gain independence, they are able to use language tools to develop the sophistication and concision of their expression. It is mainly younger students who experience frustration around their limited ability to express themselves. The following scenario serves as the perfect example of such a problem. A multilingual girl in Year 9 who is used to expressing herself effortlessly in various languages, produces the following sentence:
âIch liebe Little Women weil es mich zum Weinen brachte.â
I love Little Women because it brought me to tears.
âBroughtâ as the imperfect form of the mixed verb âto bringâ was rather more than I had counted on at her level and true enough, she did not understand the verb she had used, having typed in âit made me cryâ. In fact, there is a myriad of grammatical complexities in this sentence that she had not yet mastered; she could not hope to construct such a sentence with her level of skill. Instead, a well-chosen adjective in an opinion phrase would have been within her reach and might have expanded her repertoire.
I hope that having an open discussion will help students to become conscious of problems such as the example shown here and encourage them to use verified sources, finding those tools that are worthwhile learning aids. If they approach it with the right mind, these tools could help them to become truly skilled linguists who are able to reflect on elements of language in a sophisticated way. If language teachers can succeed in creating such healthy learning habits, they are likely to make a meaningful contribution towards developing studentsâ independence and ability to be life-long learners in the age of technology.
Who is in control? The human being.
Naomi, Year 8, discusses the reasons as to why people procrastinate.
Procrastination. I have always procrastinated, whether it has been small things in my life like tidying my room to larger things, like writing an essay. We would be given a week to write an essay and Iâd tell myself every single night âyouâre going to start this tonight and spread the workload out until the deadlineâ. This never happened. Instead, I ended up procrastinating by doing an activity that I really didnât want to, for example tidying my room or organising my books. I was always perplexed by the non-procrastinators in my life who would do their work when it was set.
I was confused to the point where my dad, realising I could use some help, showed me a TedTalk by Tim Urban (linked below). It discusses the basic premise that in everyoneâs mind there is a rational decision maker who encourages work to be done. However, there is also a voice in your head, the instant gratification monkey, which has no memory of the past and no regard for the future. It only cares about two things: ease and fun. When you have work to do the rational decision maker will make the rational decision to be productive, but the other voice in oneâs head discourages this, so instead this voice takes control and we end up doing potentially meaningless (but fun) activities.
The instant gratification monkey is the animal instinct part of your brain, the amygdala. But because we humans are more advanced than other species, we also have the rational decision maker, in the prefrontal lobe, who gives us the ability to visualise the future, see the big picture and make long term plans. It makes the decisions to do what makes sense right now. When it makes sense to do things that are fun or easy, the two parts of your brain agree but when itâs time to do harder things, there is a conflict. In the mind of a procrastinator, the monkey wins every time, so we end up doing fun, pointless things.
So, the question still stands, how does a procrastinator ever get anything done at all if the monkey is always in charge. There is a simple answer to this question: there is another character in your brain called the panic monster, similar to the fight or flight instinct. The panic monster comes out whenever there is a scary or stressful consequence looming. When it comes out, the monkey goes away and we are scared into doing the work.
This works short term: we meet the deadlines. However, in the long term, it can cause anxiety and stress problems that will only get worse. The knowing that there is always something you should be doing cause continual stress which can become overwhelming and take over your life. Procrastination is an issue that many people suffer from. These three characters only work when there is a deadline and there are things in your life that donât have deadlines that we want to do. After many years of suffering (dramatic, I know) I have only one solution: start.
Sources:
https://waitbutwhy.com/2013/10/why-procrastinators-procrastinate.html
This idea comes from Mari Nicholasâ Year 12 Chemistry lesson. She put an array of pictures on the board, and asked pupils to make connections between them. What I loved was how she introduced the task. She said: âThe more esoteric, the more distant the link, the better. Donât limit yourself to Chemistry.â
Here’s her slideâŚwhat links can you make? What pictures could you put up as a starter? They could be pictures representing ideas within a topic, or across different topics, encouraging students to âjoinâ up their learning and expand their thinking beyond the boundaries of the lesson they are in.
This is effective because:
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Eleni in Year 12 discusses the benefits of being involved in drama productions, and gives some advice to anyone considering getting involved in future projects.
Whether you are well versed in appearing on stage or a newcomer to the dramatic arts, the WHS Drama Department fosters a welcoming approach towards all those interested in theatre. More often than not, pupils involved in productions will experience a distinctive emotional investment with regards to the piece they are rehearsing for. It is the gradual accumulation of this sense that allows the productions to become an effective release from the strenuous moments of the academic atmosphere, whilst also elevating its calibre as a creative output.Â
 Whilst the number and types of productions vary year upon year, there are several that take place annually. These include:
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Here are some top tips on auditioning from the drama staff:
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The productions are an excellent platform to further nourish inter-year bonds. Encouraging different year groups to work together is something which the performing arts value, and can be seen in any inter-year production, with the cast being able to unite in an efficient and enjoyable team. The inevitability of inter-year friendships forming as a result to the productions, is one of the several enriching benefits that accompany the productions.
Having trained in Piano and Voice from a very young age, I was mostly involved in the music side of the school. However, my role as an onlooker changed to that of a performer in the Year 9 and 10 production of Little Shop of Horrors, where I was lucky enough to have been cast as Mr Mushnik. This opportunity inspired a huge passion for performing in me for both vocal and theatrical appearances. The following year, I was part of the senior production of Sweeney Todd, where I played the part of Johanna.
This stands as a great example of the performance potential for musicals with more classically oriented vocal writing. This year, I was fortunate to have played Tobias in Education Education Education which was also the first instance of my involvement in a school play (rather than the musical). With the aid of the drama department, I was able to develop my performance skills in an extensive variety of genres. It is safe to say that my involvement in drama at WHS has allowed me to approach theatrical opportunities in a more nuanced, informed and experienced manner.
Mrs Sarah Brierley, Miss Tiffany McIntyre and Miss Jade Mayes explore the impacts of learning beyond the classroom on pupilsâ social, emotional, physical development and academic progress.
Outdoor Education is an umbrella term for any educational session which takes place outside the classroom; from Maths lessons in the playground, to visits to the Tower of London. For us, Wild Girls provides our pupils with the opportunity to jump in puddles, build shelters, write poetry in the woods, fly kites and learn to love nature. As we like to say, there is no Wi-Fi in the woods, but youâll find a better connection! Children are also given permission to play freely, to explore their natural environment and take controlled risks.
Participants are destined to achieve. The Wild Girlsâ facilitators aim to make observations based on each individual girl, in order to scaffold their learning and allow them to take controlled risks.
Sarah Brierley:
I moved to the centre of Wimbledon 4 years ago, from the beauty of The Lake District, which offers a different outdoor classroom for each day of the year. As a mountain leader and RYA dingy sailing instructor, when I shared my vision with my fellow outdoor instructors from the Lakes, they were bewildered at how I could possibly suggest delivering outdoor education in central London- but weâve done it!
Jade Mayes:
As a Year 1 teacher, I fully understand the importance of hands on, child-led learning. I have a background in Forest School Education, and bring this knowledge to our new initiative. My vision is to foster a community of individuals, who have just as much love for the natural world as I do, and in return will take care of it for future generations.
Tiffany McIntyre:
As a Reception teacher, I aspire to make this project more than just taking learning from indoors into an outside area, but to go further and provide opportunities that cannot be achieved within the confines of a classroom. Once the walls are removed, children have a sense of space and freedom that allows their young minds to investigate, explore and create on a larger scale. They move freely, building confidence through shared enterprise and hands-on experiences. Whether this involves building a pirate ship or investigating the best consistency of sand to build a sand castle, it all supports the children in the acquisition of skills and encourages them to develop independent thought, where the possibilities are endless.
We can learn so much from nature. The trees in a forest care for each other, communicating through their roots. They warn each other about dangers and use this network to decide when to seed. We can learn so much from this âwood wide webâ (Flannary, 2016.) Â The lessons trees provide us about team work are endless. Isolated trees have much shorter lifespans than those living connected together in the woods (Wohlleben, 2016.) Surely, this is a lesson that will support our pupils as they progress through life.
Our KS1 sessions include the use of a range of activities and resources to encourage our pupils to participate. Nature provides a therapeutic environment for pupils to truly be themselves and grow as individuals. This point of view is supported by Carl Roger in his book A Way of Being – âI love to create such an environment, in which persons, groups, and even plants can growâŚreal relationships with persons, hands dirtied in the soil, observing the budding flower, or viewing a sunset, are necessary to my lifeâ (Rogers, 1995). This concept is at the heart of our practice and has already been successfully implemented within our Junior School.
The holistic approach is naturally engrained in the structures of a Wild Girlsâ session, as emotions, fears, conflicts and friendships form an intrinsic part of each session. This offers children the opportunity to grapple with challenging processes, as they play freely within the woodland setting.
In an urban environment, it is essential for children to have access to nature. For us to be able to extend these opportunities as part of our Wild Girls programme is invaluable.
In addition to this, children need nature for the healthy development of their senses and consequently their learning and creativity. Asking children to use their senses to interpret the world around them can be challenging for those who have not had the opportunity to develop these faculties.
These classrooms come cheap too. London provides the worldâs largest urban forest, â8.4 million trees for 8.6 million peopleâ (Wood, 2019.) In London, most areas of outdoor space are free to access and close to transport networks making it easy and free for schools to use them.
At Wimbledon High Junior School, we have created different activities for our girls to explore whilst outdoors.
In Year 6, our pupils study navigational skills in a woodland setting, in order to learn how to use compasses and read maps. These are skills that could be potentially get lost in the high-tech world our children are being brought up in. When learning about directions on a compass, one misconception emerged when a pupil suggested that North is always dictated by the direction of the wind! Even if she never uses a compass again in her life, she has been afforded a valuable learning opportunity.
In Reception, these experiences are focused on inviting the pupils to be a part of their environment, to observe and respect what they can see, hear and feel. Using stories as a starting point, we connect with nature and encourage the girls to lead the learning experience. However, the most fun our girls have had was splashing in the puddles on their way into the forest! These opportunities provide the foundation for these young learners to grow and to develop as they move through the Junior School.
Year 1 pupils have used free play to explore the woods, making wind chimes and mud cakes, whilst coming across many mini beasts to identify. In the outdoors, nature is in control. Although you can predict what the weather is going to do, you canât predict what children will learn the most from in the natural classroom youâve created. This is the beauty of outdoor education.
This opportunity to roam unchecked and learn life skills in the outdoors is arguably the most important education any child can have. It is enriching for the soul and brings out character traits that may be hidden whilst learning indoors. In the short space of time that we have been delivering âWild Girlsâ, we have observed social connections becoming stronger and more universal, and an even more cohesive sense of community emerging. Personality types who may be naturally more reserved, have been given the space to show the qualities of leadership and collaboration. In an ever-changing, evolving world, giving children the space and freedom to be a child, has never been more important.
Wohlleben P, The Hidden Life of Trees, London, William Collins, 2017
Wood P, London is a Forest, London, Quadrille, 2019
Coutts Coutts-Wood, Director of Sport at WHS, looks at the psychology behind training and being active in a competitive environment, and how we can make training more effective.
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Training is designed to develop a player; it creates a safe learning environment where repetition and reinforcement help to foster the necessary mental and physical skills required for competition. It is where you can try to be the best version of yourself. In training or practice, athletes are often more relaxed and focused, full of positivity and excitement and it is the space in which making mistakes repeatedly is ok. It is where the athlete can learn from errors and where faults are forgivable and âallowedâ – after all itâs only training, right?
It can be too easy to approach training or lessons with the mind-set that your time is not as important, that the rewards from excelling are lower and consequently less value is placed upon quality of performance. Itâs very easy for pupils at times to think, âitâs just a lesson, itâs only a practice, it doesnât matterâ. Does this, therefore, allow the quality of practice and training to diminish? Should poor performance during these sessions be excusable from peers, coaches and athletes alike?
Of course, in competition everything is different. The low stake, relaxed and positive emotional state established in training does not always translate into competition. Instead, the ânow it really countsâ mantra attached to the performance encourages increased pressure from the athletes on themselves. It can be true that for most athletes, once in the competition, thoughts of self-doubt and disbelief creep in so that they tense up, and their fluidity and control is compromised and consequently the performance is not as good as in training. Moreover, athletes experience cognitive overload and narrower attentional focus during competition. A great example of this was shown in in early research on the topic by Yerkes and Dodson and is known as the âInverted U Theory of Arousalâ (1908). Their model looks at the relationship between arousal and performance and suggests that optimal performance should occur when arousal is at a moderate level. If arousal is too low (perhaps in training) or too high (often in competition) performance quality can be compromised.
If we always have this distinction between training and competition, we are never truly preparing ourselves appropriately. It is important to think about how we can get the best results when it really matters and what that means during practices and lessons. It seems vital that any training is structured to mimic the types of competition that we are striving to excel in.
Using training effectively
It is our job as physical educationalists to ensure that our athletes have the ability to handle the psychological ânow it really countsâ challenge of the event alongside the physical demands. It is now much more common that professional athletes seek sport psychology services to learn how to perform in a competition as well as they do in practice. As Weinberg and Gould (2007) discuss âa lack of physical skills is not the real problem â rather, a lack of mental skillsâ can be the cause of poor performance.
Your physical ability has not changed or decreased, so why does your performance? In training you donât always put pressure upon yourself. In training you stay focused on what you are doing. In training you are relaxed and having fun. We must repeatedly train ourselves to always be competition ready, to improve the flow of skills, and to cope with the fast paced, high intensity environment where more is at stake.
So if we really want the performance of our athletes under pressure to resemble what has been done in lessons and training, we need to shift the view that competition is far more exciting than training, of greater importance and only enjoyable because of the extrinsic incentives that motivate performers. We must duplicate exactly what has been done in those practice sessions mentally and improve the coping skills under pressure to reflect the demands of the competitive environment. If we never practice in these high stakes situations, we will never be prepared for competition.
Conclusion
As teachers, I believe it is our role to make training as stimulating as competition, create problem solving opportunities and appropriate challenge. We must fashion training environments where we prepare our athletes for competition and move away from the view that practice is just where you go to train to prove you deserve to be in the team.
So, perhaps next time that dentist appointment is due to be booked over a games lesson, rather than thinking âitâs only trainingâ, think would you approach a fixture with the same attitude?
You can therefore expect the quantity of competition-based game scenarios to be increased in lessons and training going forwards to ensure than we are âpracticingâ at the desired intensity and with the high quality that we know we will need when we formally compete. More âmockâ competitions, a bigger audience present, sessions where the stakes are higher will all help reinforce the fact that training and competition should not be seen as separate. Ultimately we will be competing in our training and training to compete.
References
Weinberg, R; Gould, D (2007). Foundations of sport and exercise psychology.
Yerkes, R.M; Dodson, J.D (1908). The relation of strength of stimulus to rapidity of habit formation. Journal of Comparative Neurology and Physiology, 18. 459-482
For interest, I would recommend reading Bounce by Matthew Syed where he discusses the importance of purposeful practice.
