Sitting with Nellie

[Sado]

has anyone heard of this phrase. I think it is something to do with a style of learning in nursing!

Sado

[THECORBYLOON]

It's used elsewhere too. It means learning from a more experienced colleague as opposed to formal structured training. It saves having to divert resources to a trainer or a training section but it often means things are missed out or "local office practices" are taught as opposed to the "official" practices.

[Octavius]

A little more...

'Sitting by Nellie' (or buddy system) was, a conception of learning and teaching which relied heavily on one-on-one tutorials - the 'atelier' method - and which, was prevalent in British Art Schools from as far back as the fifties. But this means of 'practitioners passing on their experience, skills and attitudes' was not ideal, not just because of 'the organisational pressures of dealing with more complex educational requirements" but also because it was arguable that 'sit-by-Nellie' was ever 'valued for its challenge to the intellectual development to the ones who have to do the sitting'.

[woofgang]

we call it "sitting next to nellie" And the LOON has it dead right about the pros and cons. (I work in the NHS but am not a nurse) Its the same problem with the "see one do one" method of teaching simple nursing practices, you have to be sure that Nellie (or Neil) knows how to do it correctly

[Octavius]

Quite how this would translate in a nursery..?  Is it that the child has one-to-one tutorials or is that the new child is taught by a child who has been there for a while?  I stand by my argument that the more learned child being a buddy to the newer one would suffer in their development. 

[woofgang]

au contraire, Octavius, I could see it being enriching for both "sitter" and "sittee" in a supportive environment, reassuring the newbie and giving the experienced child a confidence boost. I am thinking of its use at a level of asking Nellie/Neil to show the newbie things like where we hang up our coats and where we keep the pencils, etc

[Clare A]

Octavius made an interesting point, about child mentors' own development. When I was in primary school I was often asked to hear other children read, and help them. I don't think this affected my own progress, but it was a bit irritating when I opened my book, hoping for an enjoyable read, and suddenly there was someone at my elbow asking me to hear them instead!