Headteacher’s Assembly: How Does Being Respectful Help Everyone Learn?

This week, we moved on to the second of our three school rules: Respectful.

We thought particularly about respectful listening and explored our big question: How does being respectful help everyone learn?

The children looked carefully at two classroom discussions. In the first, people were interrupting, calling out and looking away. We considered how this might make the speaker feel and whether everyone would be able to learn well. We then compared it with a discussion where everyone faced the speaker, allowed them to finish and gave their ideas time to be heard.

The children then put their listening skills into practice with a partner. Each child shared something they enjoy doing at school, while their partner listened carefully and remembered one detail. They proved they had listened by beginning their response with: “I heard you say…”

We learned that respectful listening is about much more than simply being quiet. It shows another person that their thoughts and words matter. It also helps us hear instructions, learn from different ideas and makes everyone feel safe and confident enough to contribute.

Our mission for this week is:

Show respect through the way you listen.

We will be practising looking towards the speaker, allowing them to finish and thinking carefully about what they are saying.

You might like to ask your child: How can you show somebody that you are really listening to them?

Growing together in ambition, confidence, and kindness.