Are You Smarter than a 11 Year Old?

This week Mr James Chandler, one of our secondary design technology teachers, challenged staff to see if they could make a Door Knocker out of wood. A project that he sets his Year 7 students. Sounds easy? Let’s find out how staff got on.

One of our core values here at BIS HCMC is that we are Global Citizens Learning Together. This week Mr James Chandler set all staff from all three campuses a challenge, we were invited to the Design and Technology department after school to make a door knocker out of wood. Sounds simple? He also wrote that his Year 7’s could do it.

As I currently have a daughter in Year 7, I thought I would accept the challenge. I learnt that I was not smarter than an 11 year old! But what this challenge reinforced was how well resourced our school is. Looking around the classroom the range of equipment was impressive. We had to use a pillar drill, hand drills, an electric fret saw and other hand tools.

Was mine the best? No

Did it turn out exactly how it should have? No

So why am I pleased that I did it?

Firstly, it was great to be with teachers, administration staff and teaching assistants. As a big school it was great to have the opportunity to see colleagues and learn something new.

Secondly, it made me appreciate what is it like to learn something new and what we expect from our children every day.

Thirdly, how creative our teachers are. We could use a stick-on eye, but Ms Maria and others adapted the design to make it personal. They saw opportunities to improve and change and they did it.

Next month challenge is can we do a Year 8 piece of work!

Sarah Curran

EYI Deputy Headteacher