Teacher Julie McCracken uses Clean both in the classroom and in the playground with her five-, six- and seven-year-old charges.

In the playground, it can be a great way to put a swift end to those "Teacher! Teacher!" moments, she explained. "When two children have a squabble the traditional thing they do is to come rushing up to the teacher saying, "They did it first, It’s their fault!" They are expecting the teacher to solve the problem, to find out the truth of it, and then to decide that the culprit has to say sorry. The other child then accepts the appolgy and they go about their business …until the next time. It’s a routine and role they seem to expect.

"Now they come skipping up and I say, "What do you want to have happen?"

They think for a bit and then come out with, usually something along the lines of "I want to be friends with them," or "I want them to say sorry," or "I want to make up, or "I want them to leave me alone". I don’t take it much further than that - I keep quiet, and they normally then do whatever it is. That takes about ten seconds, whereas the old way would take about 20 minutes to sort it all out.

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This entry was posted on Friday 8 August 2008 and is filed under Applications of Clean.

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