Heather Lucas is an SEMH specialist working within primary and a school governor. She has been a huge source of wisdom throughout our journey through Boy Raised and here reflects on ‘Healing Communities’, the second of two chapters that Dr. Perry added to later editions of the book. In the current Covid19 pandemic arrows andContinue reading “FOLLOW THE ARROWS! A guest post by @HLucas8 on healing school communities”
Category Archives: Behaviour
What secondary schools can learn from primary about changing behaviour: a reflection on chapter 3 of ‘Boy Raised as a Dog’
This is the third in a series of what will be ten posts inspired by Dr. Perry’s case-studies. It was a small (but perfectly formed) group that met for Chapter 3 and this post captures an element of the discussion that has haunted me since, as a secondary teacher and SENCo reflecting on what IContinue reading “What secondary schools can learn from primary about changing behaviour: a reflection on chapter 3 of ‘Boy Raised as a Dog’”
Chapter 1 of ‘The Boy who was Raised as a Dog’ & key messages for educators
Our book-study group I read ‘The Boy who was Raised as a Dog’ (TBWWRAAD) on a family holiday this year and I found that I really wanted to talk about it. Strangely though, apart from one animated discussion about the fact that people will always speak English with a foriegn accent if they learn it afterContinue reading “Chapter 1 of ‘The Boy who was Raised as a Dog’ & key messages for educators”
A behaviour problem is just a new skill to learn.
Dr Ben Furman recently led Kids’ Skills training in Lincolnshire, as part of the Local Authority’s strategy to promote inclusion through relational, strengths-based and solutions-focused support for pupils. This redacted child’s plan, from Brant Broughton Primary, was written soon after the training. With guidance notes beneath it, also produced by the school, it needs no explaining.Continue reading “A behaviour problem is just a new skill to learn.”
A primary school assembly on behaviour and fairness. Towards #traumainformed
As promised, a primary version of the secondary school assembly I posted last week. The content has been modified for a younger audience but the messages are broadly the same…designed to help pupils understand distressed behaviour and to have compassion for their struggling classmates, and to help those classmates begin to understand themselves. Also, to contribute towardsContinue reading “A primary school assembly on behaviour and fairness. Towards #traumainformed”
The consequence of consequences
is unfairness. It’s as simple as that. But I will elaborate for the benefit of those who stuggle with an idea that for inclusive educators has always been blindingly obvious. Consequences are great when they work, but less great when they don’t work. And they often don’t work for the very children to whom theyContinue reading “The consequence of consequences”
England’s exclusion epidemic
In July 2017, the Children’s Commissioner published Vulnerability in Children – a report that brought together a range of information from government departments, agencies and others to reveal “shocking statistics” about how many children currently live in vulnerable situations; an estimated half a million, or a number equivalent to the entire population of Manchester. FallingContinue reading “England’s exclusion epidemic”
How & why we must meet the attachment needs of adolescents in school.
WHY? Many studies confirm that secure attachment, the foundation of socioemotional wellbeing, is associated with higher grades and standardised scores compared to insecure attachment. Secure attachment is also associated with greater emotional regulation, social skills and willingness to accept challenges. (e.g. Bergin & Bergin, 2009) Because these effects tend to be greater for high-risk pupils,Continue reading “How & why we must meet the attachment needs of adolescents in school.”
Punished for being born with a difficulty, common practice
The latest annual DfE statistical release on exclusions, which reported an increase for the second consecutive year, divided opinion. Whilst many were alarmed by the rise from 5,795 permanent exclusions in 2014/15 to 6,685 in 2015/16, others felt that, at thirty-five pupils a day, there should be no real cause for concern. “Equivalent to aContinue reading “Punished for being born with a difficulty, common practice”
Attachment Aware Schools: The Meet and Greet
The Sutton Trust Research finding that 40% of today’s children don’t benefit from good enough parenting to ‘succeed in life’ has major implications for the way we do things in school. Especially the way we do behaviour. It’s interesting to note that the study found that boys’ behaviour is more adversely affected by early parenting, orContinue reading “Attachment Aware Schools: The Meet and Greet”
Mary Meredith 