When you send your child to school, what do you expect them to learn? Maths? English? Reading? Writing? Well since Tyler started Year 1 this September, we have had no clue as to what he was learning at school. The only clues were his reading books that we got in his book bag. Year 1 is very different from Reception, where you literally just pick up your child and don’t really get to chat to the teacher. Everyday I’d ask Tyler and his friends what they did at school that day, and they would say “We watched the Incredibles” or “We watched Spiderman” – so I was like, what, do they just watch TV all day at school? I know their school is a chilled one where learning is fun, but really??
Then a couple of weeks ago, we got their curriculum overview for the year in his bag. And there it was written at the top, Autumn 1 (the first half of this term) – Subject: Superheroes. Comic strips, stories, fact files, labels and captions.
I was like what, they are teaching our children about make-believe things?? How does that help them learn anything about real life. But then I thought, you know what, that’s the best way to teach them about the world. In a way they can relate to, learning good from bad.
And all the normal subjects are included in their curriculum – English, Phonics, Reading, Maths, Science, History, Geography, Art, Computing, Music, PE and RE. And they had used superheroes to teach these subjects, for example in Science, looking at materials that superheroes might use. In History and Geography, looking at historical heroes and heroines. In Art, drawing and 3D modelling of superheroes, looking at super foods and mask-making. Recreating superhero sounds in Music. Learning about good and bad choices in RE, keeping safe, positive behaviour and real-life superheroes. And in general, recognising right from wrong, respecting the law, understanding consequences and investigating moral and ethical issues.
The photo above is his homework from last week – making a table of traits for Good Guys and Villains, and Tyler came up with those words.
Good Guy: good, helps, kind, happy, kindness, hero
Villain: bad, naughty, mean, angry, horrible, trouble
Now does having Superheroes and Villains as a subject at school sound silly? No, it totally makes sense now! We need to teach our children from an early age good from bad, and it’s brilliant that the school is doing it in this way.
Has your child been learning about superheroes and villains at their school?
Sabrina x
