The culture of any environment is very important. It determines what’s acceptable and what isn’t. It sets the scene for how people might be treated and how their needs might be met. Real change happens at the culture level – those
Recently I was privileged to be asked to be a guest on a podcast for Trauma Informed Positive Behaviour Support in Australia. This was a new experience for me but one I hope will help others understand more about trauma in
Why are we so obsessed with competition? I totally get the Olympics and high level sporting competitions – people pushing themselves beyond what they think they can achieve. The bit I struggle with, and I may be in a minority here,
I’ve just started reading Brene Brown’s new book on belonging called Braving the Wilderness. It’s already raised some questions for me that I’m pondering in the light of my own journey of belonging, but also my children’s. Knowing you belong in
I’ve often thought, and said, that one size does not fit all – particular when talking about education. All children, and adults for that matter, are so different with varying styles of learning, abilities and backgrounds that having a system that
Leprosy is not something we hear about very often these days. It’s a disease that many of us believe to be extinct but apparently 210,000 new cases are diagnosed each year! This Sunday coming – 28th January is Leprosy awareness day.
23rd January is National Handwriting Day and it’s made me consider a number of things around this area for children in our schools, especially for those who may not have had lots of opportunities to develop their fine motor skills in
The issue of our children’s mental health is one of growing concern within the country. With academic and social pressures at an all-time high, Harry White asks three experts what teachers should look out for, and how music can serve as
For many vulnerable children and young people such as those adopted or in dif ficult home environments, school can be challenging. Having to meet the expectations of others, building relationships and trust, and being able to quiet down anxieties enough to learn
Nicola Marshall looks at what schools can do to support pupils with attachment issues The culture of any environment is really important. It determines what’s acceptable and what isn’t. It sets the tone for how people are treated and how their needs
I read an article this week that raised an issue I’ve been frustrated over for some time now. Why do we insist on punishing children for things out of their control? This article spoke of children being penalised for being off
If you’ve been on this journey with me for a few years you will know that every year I choose a word for the year as my kind of goal or intention. It covers my professional and personal life and often
Tyler is a fictional character as are all the others mentioned in this short piece about the lead up the Christmas. Tyler – Christmas What’s all the big deal about? I don’t get it. It’s just like any other day for
Empathy – the ability to sense and share the feelings of others – to feel what they might feel. I’ve been thinking a lot about empathy lately, for a number of personal reasons. It also is a subject that comes up
It’s that time of the year again when our minds turn to some of those stranger traditions we have – Halloween to be specific but also some of the myths and legends around Christmas. If you’re an avid reader of my
I was reading an article this week on the ‘dangers of sweating the small stuff in the classroom’ and it really resonated with me. There are so many times that my teenagers come home with detention slips and warnings about seemingly
I wonder if we were on a desert island with no other parents or adults around to judge – would we raise our children in the same way we are now? People can be so judgemental and I’d be rich if
At BraveHeart we usually talk about how important relationships are to our children and young people. Whether you’re a parent or carer, education staff or work with children in any other capacity I’m sure you agree that relationships play a huge
