The Hamley's Toy Store Experience
Have you ever been to Hamley's toy store in London? ITs one of those magical places that you believe can only happen on the set of a Disney Movie. 5 storeys of toys and what was even better..................Sales people who are really big kids and love playing with the products!
While I was there recently on Hols with my family I was priviledged to watch a group of about 10 new sales people being inducted. (It wasn't organised I just happen to take some notice and do a little eaves dropping!). The newbies were shown various products and then asked to play them, they were told they needed to know the products better than the average eight year old.............how do eight year olds know the product? They PLAY!!!! They were given demonstrations, suggestions and time to learn to play.
The old kids on the block were all at it, playing singing, hamming it up. Surprisingly there was no "pressure" to buy, though there was pressure to PLAY. I couldn't help smiling at the very public way FISH was being presented before my very eyes..............I couldn't help thinking "it must be great to work here"..................now I'm thinking "how do I bring the same ideas back to school? Any suggestions?
While I was there recently on Hols with my family I was priviledged to watch a group of about 10 new sales people being inducted. (It wasn't organised I just happen to take some notice and do a little eaves dropping!). The newbies were shown various products and then asked to play them, they were told they needed to know the products better than the average eight year old.............how do eight year olds know the product? They PLAY!!!! They were given demonstrations, suggestions and time to learn to play.
The old kids on the block were all at it, playing singing, hamming it up. Surprisingly there was no "pressure" to buy, though there was pressure to PLAY. I couldn't help smiling at the very public way FISH was being presented before my very eyes..............I couldn't help thinking "it must be great to work here"..................now I'm thinking "how do I bring the same ideas back to school? Any suggestions?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Griff Wigley on
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Vic,
The first thing that came to my mind when I read your discussion post was that whenever schools are interviewing candidates for teaching positions, part of the interview should be to assess the candidate's ability to play.
This could be done right in the interview ('find 3 ways to be playful during the course of our interview with you') but also by giving them some toys, like the Hamleys staffers. Or having them go out for recess with the students with the instruction to 'play'.
Hamleys has an About page that gives the history of their store.
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Permalink Reply by Vicki Miles on
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Griff,
Since adopting the FISH principles we interview using FISH as our first question. Inviting candidate to expalin how they would employ the pricniples within the school. Our interviews themselves have become much more relaxed and indeed as interviewers we "play" with the interviewees (that is a test in itself). I think your idea has a lot of merit as I think the interaction and enjoyment of the company of kids is a very big factor in successful teaching..........it seems to go without question, however I'm not sure that all teachers or candidates are necessaryily in it for those reasons....................needless tos ay we dont employ them at Trafalgar.
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You don't employ the non-playful? You heartless beast!
My first job after college was at a treatment center for troubled kids. The interview process there required that finalist candidates spend a full day in activities with kids so that a variety of staff could observe the candidate in a variety of situations with a variety of kids. It wasn't foolproof, but it sure helped to weed out the duds!
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I dont employ the non playful and get called heartless, but you "weed out the duds"..................mmmmmmmmmm what could my reply be to that?
We dont employ duds either!
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