Does Positive Psychology Make a Difference in Schools? Do you ever wonder if positive psychology really makes a difference in schools? This interview with Deborah Brown, the Headteacher of Buckton Vale Primary School tells the story of her school’s journey to become recognised as a positive education school, and the impact it has had... View Article
Creating Calm when Facing Change As the new school year begins, many pupils (and possibly a few teachers) may find themselves feeling rather nervous about the changes they face. New schools, new classes, new friends – while all of these things can be exciting and wonderful, they can also cause worry. In fact all change... View Article
Belly breathe Teaching children to belly breathe is an easy way to help deal with strong emotions. Teaching young children to deal with strong emotions including anger and frustration is an important part of the work I do with schools In the Everyday Magic positive education course I show that even the littlest members of... View Article
Losing hurts – but it’s not fatal It really sucks. Whether is it the Euro final, the Wimbledon championship, or even your class race at school sports day. Let’s face it losing hurts. It really sucks. Whether is it the Euro final, the Wimbledon championship, or even your class race at school sports day, no... View Article
Why are we here? What is education meant to achieve? What is education meant to achieve? It seems to me that the events of the past 12 months have given us more opportunity to look at that question than ever before. I’m not sure I’m best placed to provide the answer, but as the saying... View Article
Same storm, different boats We are not all going to feel the same way at each point. This week marks a major event in our pandemic journey with most children returning to school full time. For many, this is the first time in almost a year. That’s quite a milestone, and one we can greet... View Article
Tough leading There is something you can do as a leader to make things feel less daunting. Leadership at the moment is super tough. Shifting rules and regulations, heightened levels of anxiety, alert levels and lock-downs, staff isolating, remote working. We only lack four horsemen riding by to complete the apocalypse. Every day there seems... View Article
The perfect gift for teachers There is a gift that everyone working in schools deserves this year There is a gift that everyone working in schools deserves this year - but I wonder how many will take the time to welcome it or realise how much they need it. It’s the gift of self-compassion,... View Article
When the going gets tough – get grit. Grit is one of the most important qualities we can help children develop. Grit is one of the most important qualities we can help children develop. It is the quality that will sustain them long after their schooldays are over. Achieving dreams, not being de-railed by adversity,... View Article
Emotional First Aid for Children For children moments of worry or frustration can escalate into a meltdown. As a Positive Psychologist I find the human brain awesome. Faster than any supercomputer in existence in terms of complex processing it is a biological wonder. It is also tricky. We are expected to operate this amazing piece... View Article
Let’s hear it for teachers On Teachers Day, I want to celebrate the hard work of teachers everywhere. I also want to let them know that Positive Education can help make things easier. Today is world Teachers Day. How appropriate at a time we appreciate them more than ever – just ask any parent who home-schooled recently. Under normal circumstances... View Article
It’s great to be back I wondered what they would be like, having gone through such an unprecedented disruption to their lives both in and outside school. One of my highlights of the last few weeks has been to get back into the classroom. For the last five years I’ve had the privilege to teach... View Article
Back to school essentials If your child is worried or unsure about returning to school, here are some things you can do to help them as the countdown to school begins. This year preparing your child for school means much more than buying new shoes and labelling uniform. It means preparing them for what would... View Article
Facing uncertainty – why children need to learn it None of us know what the world will look like for our children. One of my favourite parts of Positive Education is teaching children to deal with VUCA environments. Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous. So much of our children’s lives are planned for them. Timetables, study,... View Article
Sometimes I get on my soapbox. Here’s why. I want to share a worrying statistic with you. I want to share a worrying statistic with you. In the official ONS figures for 2017 the leading cause of death for children and young people (aged 5-19) was being struck by a motor vehicle. What do you... View Article
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