Session 10:
Our transition journey - Part one
Session overview
Session Ten introduces the Appreciative Inquiry (AI) approach, which forms the basis for the final part of the programme. AI provides a perspective that invites us to see ourselves and the world around us through an appreciative or valuing eye. We are made aware of this through a process of inquiry — understanding how we use language, how we ask questions, and what stories we tell to shape our own and collective destinies.
AI presupposes that any desire to implement a change is more engaging when it focuses on looking at the positives of that change rather than the negatives. People respond well to positive statements but react badly to negative ones. However, AI is not about positive thinking but how we can individually and collectively create change. It's not about ignoring problems but looking at them differently. In this example, AI is also twinned with concepts from positive psychology, such as growth mindset, to allow pupils to imagine and explore all the good things about a new situation.
Children can often be sensitive and make hasty decisions, sometimes at a high personal cost. AI is a powerful tool to enable children to discover what is good about them and dream of what they can do with this realisation. Being more aware of what might contribute to their self-worth and understanding what makes them feel good, accepted, recognised and included can be a massive enabler as they move to a new secondary school environment. AI can facilitate this. It provides a cooperative search for the best in people, communities and the world around us. It involves the art and practice of asking questions that strengthen a capacity to heighten positive potential.
During this and the programme's final session, pupils will work through the 'mindset canvas' – a framework to guide them through the various elements of the AI approach. Doing so will allow them to create individual action plans for transition.
A. Session aims & objectives
Understand that achieving success requires a defined vision of what that success looks like.
Positively define the move to secondary school.
Rediscover and remember successes, strengths and periods of excellence to uncover 'what works'.
B. Learning outcomes
I am looking forward to moving to secondary school.
I know what success at secondary school means to me.
I can use techniques learned in earlier sessions to develop my inner mentor.
C. Terminology introduced
Example definitions of key terminology are included but, wherever possible, use pupils' agreed descriptions, as per previous sessions.
DEFINE — (Appreciative Inquiry context): Naming the topic of inquiry or overall focus.
DISCOVER —(Appreciative Inquiry context): Exploring 'the best of what is' by asking questions that reveal what's positive (based upon what we know right now).
D. Resources required
❏ Kwan's story comic
❏ Slide pack for Session Ten
(note: some activity slides are blank for you to make use of as you wish)
Session title
Learning outcomes for Session Ten
Starter Activity — Reflecting on Kwan's letter
Activity 1 — Defining our future
Definition phase
Definition of definition phase (from Appreciative Inquiry)
Activity 2 — Inner mentor
Diamond 9
Activity 3 — Discovering what's possible
Discovery phase
Definition of discovery phase (from Appreciative Inquiry)
Plenary — AI summary
Learning outcomes for Session Ten
❏ Resource Sheet 10a: Positive mindset canvas
(double-sided A3 printed sheet)
❏ Resources Sheet 10b: Be your own mentor
❏ Sticky notes (2 colours)
E. Assessment opportunitiy
By reviewing Resource Sheet 10a: Positive mindset canvas that pupils will create during sessions ten and eleven, teachers can gauge any additional support individual pupils might require to prepare them for transition.
Starter activity: Reflecting on Kwan's letter
At the end of Session Eight, pupils were asked to think about how Kwan might reframe his perspective on moving home, focusing on the positive factors. They will now collaboratively create a 'model letter' that brings together their collective ideas and, in doing so, set positive mindsets for themselves as they move on to develop a transition plan.
Recap and review ground rules as a class. Discuss any rules that worked well and any that didn't – do they need to change? Make amendments if required. Ensure pupils are clear about why ground rules are used and why they are so important.
ASK:
How did a different mindset affect how you approached writing Kwan's letter?
As a class, create a new letter using the sentences pupils' wrote for homework to reframe it with positive language that reflects a growth mindset. Collectively agree on what goes into the 'model letter'.
ASK:
How has this changed our focus?
Draw out examples that pupils provide around the positives of approaching change with a growth mindset.
EXPLAIN:
We have explored how Kwan might completely change his outlook, which shows us that we can alter our perspective on something that initially appears negative simply by approaching it with a positive growth mindset and modifying our language based on that. You will now build on this idea, thinking specifically about your move to secondary school.
Activity one: Defining our future
This activity aims to get pupils to initially think about what the inquiry process will cover —in this case, the move to secondary school— and then define that move positively. Typically within the Appreciative Inquiry process, a definition is used to clarify the specific topic to be considered, its purpose, content, and what needs to be achieved.
EXPLAIN:
We will work through a process to help us apply our positive mindsets, thinking specifically about the move to secondary school. First, let's think about what next year might be like.
ASK:
How do you feel about moving to secondary school?
Facilitate a brief discussion about how pupils feel about moving into Year 7. It's important to allow pupils to raise any concerns or fears they might have, as this will then help to illustrate the move towards generating a positive starting point.
EXPLAIN:
The definition stage is all about seeking out things we already know are good and right about what we are looking at, in this case, moving to secondary school.
ASK:
Why should we think about the move to secondary school?
Encourage answers like:
To prepare ourselves so that we are ready
To make sure there are no surprises
To ensure we understand what's expected
To create the best chance of success
EXPLAIN:
On the sheet, in the section marked 'Define', instruct pupils to write, 'A successful move to secondary school' as the topic they are now defining.
Activity two: Inner mentor
Children and young people often find it much easier to 'do the right thing' when they are giving someone else advice. Pupils began Session Nine by working together as advisors. They then took on the advisory role individually by putting themselves in Kwan's place and thinking through what advice they might give him. Using the inner friend concept, they will now develop their inner mentor.
EXPLAIN:
Last time we looked at what a mentor was. We practised acting as a mentor for Kwan, guiding him through some of the difficult decisions he faced and giving him the best guidance we could. We will now apply the same techniques to ourselves, thinking specifically about starting secondary school and the advice that might help us successfully make that move.
ASK:
What are the challenges young people like you might face or the things that cause some young people to worry?
List the things pupils say using the Diamond nine format to put these into context and priority. Alleviate pupils' concerns by allowing them to talk through each and come up with their own solutions.
Hand out Resource Sheet 10b: Be your own mentor.
EXPLAIN:
Last time, when we considered our inner friends, we described what they might look like, the kind of things they said to us and how this made us feel. Now, we will think about this person as our inner mentor. Remember, we noted a mentor was 'an experienced and trusted advisor or guide'. We have all practised being trusted advisors, so we all have some valuable experience to draw on.
ASK:
Focusing on just one thing about moving to secondary school that's important to you, what advice would your inner mentor offer about it?
Using the accompanying guidance, pupils should complete the five sections of the resource sheet.
Activity three: Discovering what's possible
The 'Discovery phase' is about appreciating the best of 'what is' using a dialogue that seeks to uncover 'what works'. It should aim to rediscover and remember successes, strengths and periods of excellence. In this case, pupils will be encouraged to draw on the positive experiences they have witnessed or heard about from others.
EXPLAIN:
We will consider how a successful move to secondary school might look and feel. Using what we have learned in adopting a 'growth mindset', we'll discover more about how we hope the move will go.
ASK:
Right now, what do we believe to be the best things about moving to secondary school? (e.g. new friends, new subjects, more freedom, opportunity to reinvent yourself, a fresh start, etc.)
What examples do we know of when other young people have been most pleased about their move to secondary school?
Provide pupils with two different coloured sticky notes, and among their tables, ask them to come up with a couple of positive phrases for each question. They should then post these on the smart board, a flip chart or somewhere they can be seen by the rest of the class.
Teaching tip
You could invite a former pupil into school to talk about their positive experiences of making the move to secondary school.
Plenary: AI summary
In this context, an essential part of the AI process comes from the opportunity to pool and share knowledge, enabling pupils to learn from each other and effectively 'crowdsourcing' to create the best possible plans. Therefore, the plenary provides an opportunity to reflect and refine pupils' thinking.
As a class, stand next to the sticky note display/smartboard and review pupils' answers for each question in Activity 3.
ASK:
What can we learn and apply from those moments of success?
Discuss and reach a consensus on the best phrases, and then pupils should add these to their canvas in the 'discover' section.
EXPLAIN:
We started the session by looking at Kwan and helping him to reframe how he felt about a significant change in his life. You worked out how he could turn something that initially made him anxious into something positive by thinking through all of the benefits of that change. You then challenged yourselves to do the same thinking about moving to secondary school. Next time you will continue building your positive mindset canvas to set yourselves up for a great transition experience.
All of this is continually improving your ability to make excellent choices in the future. Well done!
SHOW:
Slide 13— Learning outcomes from Session Ten
Recap the key learning outcomes in light of today's discussions
Delivery resources
Lime 2021-22 Y6 S10 Checklist.pdfChecklist
Lime 2021-22 Y6 S10 Resource Sheet(s).pdfResources sheet(s)
Lime 2021-22 Y6 S10 Slides (PDF version).pdfSlides (PDF)
Lime 2021-22 Y6 S10 Slides (PowerPoint version).pptxSlides (PowerPoint)