Teach-Primary-Issue-19.3

www.teachwire.net | 65 T E ACH RE AD I NG & WR I T I NG Loved this? Try these... v The Final Year by Matt Goodfellow v Front Desk by Kelly Yang v The Boy in the Suit by James Fox v The Soup Movement by Ben Davis v Squished by Megan Wagner Lloyd v The Invisible by Tom Percival v It’s a No-Money Day by Kate Milner SOMEONE ELSE’S SHOES Explore some of the metaphors around shoes (having big shoes to fill, the shoe is on the other foot, if the shoe fits, etc). Write a poem from the perspective of someone who feels like they’re always wearing the wrong shoes, either literally or metaphorically. The poem could explore the need to fit in, but then shift to a more hopeful ending, where the poet begins to realise that finding the right shoes means being true to yourself. Pupils can also use other imagery related to shoes, like blisters and tight laces. THEMES There are several themes that run through the book. Two of the most powerful are child poverty and peer pressure, both of which need handling with sensitivity. However, they also provide ideal opportunities to contact local organisations and get them to visit the school. The Trussell Trust delivers an excellent presentation about food poverty (you can see some of the charity’s resources at tinyurl.com/ tp-TTpoverty ). You could invite parents and carers to an assembly linked to the book. This can help raise awareness of the support available to anyone who might need it. Some local police forces also do work around peer pressure and the risks of County Lines. Although this isn’t explicitly touched on in the book, it’s certainly one of the dangers that Chris, Zayn and even Will might face further down the line. When a book opens up this much discussion, it’s important to capitalise on the opportunity and link in as much relevant cross-curricular work as possible. CALVINANDHOBBES Author Tom Percival is an enormous fan of Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Waterson, as am I. As well as being genuinely hilarious, one row of panels from a Calvin and Hobbes story can contain as much love and wisdom as an entire novel. I have a collection of second-hand anthologies in my class that I’ve been able to pick up over the years. Keep an eye out for them in charity shops and at car boot sales. Once the word spreads around the classroom about how good they are, they won’t stay on your shelves for long! it might represent? Does it perhaps show hope or reassurance, or does it indicate change, or could it mean something entirely different? It’s essential to make it clear that there are no right or wrong answers here – the owl means whatever they want it to mean, both for Will and for them. They could jot down their thoughts on a sticky note each time the owl appears and see how their views change during the story. Anger strategies On page 240, Will is so frustrated that he rips up his picture of the owl. Ask the children why they think he acts like this and encourage them to share any anger management strategies they’re aware of. Identifying triggers, removing themselves from challenging situations, taking deep breaths and rehearsing how to deal with conversations that don’t go to plan will hopefully be some of the ones they come up with. Create a class list and give them an opportunity to share these more widely across the school, either by creating a poster or by drawing a comic strip that shows a character successfully dealing with a situation where they’re angry. Younger pupils often respond really well to older pupils sharing their life experiences, as well as their thought processes behind a piece of work, so it could be a good chance for different year groups to collaborate. It’s also a perfect time to introduce some drama, where the children can either freeze-frame a scene from the book when one of the characters gets angry and frustrated, or enjoy developing their own. choices they make and behave in the way they do? How do they feel at the end of the scene? Do they have any regrets? The owl The appearance of the owl throughout the book adds an extra layer of symbolism to the story. Discuss when Will sees the owl (usually at a time of great stress or pressure), and whether the owl is real – and if that even matters. Why is the owl important to Will and what do the pupils think A new beginning At the end of the book, the relationship between Will and Chris almost undergoes a reset. Ask the pupils to share what they already know about Chris and his background. If Chris moved schools, to an environment where he doesn’t know anyone and where he feels like he doesn’t fit in, how would he behave differently? How could he discover his true identity and what might make him realise he can finally be himself? Let them come up with possible scenarios around what happens to him next, and give them time to write their own short story based on this. TP Jon Biddle is an experienced primary school teacher and English lead. Winner of the 2018 Reading for Pleasure Experienced Teacher of the Year award, he coordinates the national Patron of Reading initiative.