Butterflies in my Tummy

What is it about?
Welcome to our project which combines aspects of design and technology and SEAL (Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning). All of the materials can be freely downloaded and customised for use with your class, printed out and copied for use in you school or educational establishment. The resources can be downloaded HERE.

Background
These materials were piloted by 18 primary schools in Shropshire in Summer 2008. Following evaluation by Birmingham City University, Manchester Metropolitan University and feedback by teachers who participated on the project, the materials were reviewed and revised in Autumn 2008.

Aim
The aim of the materials is to promote innovation and risk-taking when children are designing.

Project rationale
The materials promote both the thinking and the feeling aspects of children’s learning. As far as the ‘thinking’ part of design and technology is concerned, we know that for most schools making is far better taught than designing. Through focused practical tasks, we are pretty good at teaching children making skills – food processing skills for a fruit salad or running stitch for making money containers. But, by comparison, there is very little direct teaching of designing skills or opportunities for children to practise them before actually designing a product. In the worst case scenario, this can lead to a class making thirty five identical slippers! Apart from the strategic placement of a sequin or fabric shape, the slippers are fundamentally the same. In this case, children certainly go through the motions of designing, but with limited designing skills at their disposal it is more difficult for them to personalise their design ideas and come up with something original.

On the other side of the equation we have the feelings that can accompany taking risks and being innovative. It is conceivable that even where children have learnt a wide range of designing skills, the climate in the classroom may just not be conducive to risk taking. So we have suggested SEAL approaches that create a secure environment and positive working relationships.

So in essence, the materials blend together a set of activities that would help children to design more effectively with a series of SEAL approaches, with the goal of developing the skills and attitudes needed for risk taking and innovation.

Using the materials effectively
Probably the simplest way to use the materials is to follow the tutorial PowerPoint which shows how the materials fit together and makes links to the SEAL approaches and designing activities. The materials have been written in such a way that they can be used without any additional training, although feedback from Birmingham City University and the teachers did highlight the benefits of working through the strategies and approaches with colleagues before using them with your class.