Plain Sailing In Schools

As you woke up this morning and moved out into the day, you did so by gathering up a host of beliefs to take with you. You then put them on as spectacles through which to view the world. You have beliefs about yourself (your skills, your values, your dignity). You have beliefs about other people (what makes them tick, what they want, how to relate to them, etc). You have beliefs about work, play, recreation, hobbies and volunteer activities. You have beliefs about the world (politics, education,... more

During my recent time twittering away on twitter, I came across a gentleman called Mark Warner, who is a primary school teacher in the UK. Mark’s passion is for using ICT in the classroom. I share his passion very much. Visiting schools to observe my latest group of PGCE students, I have seen some wonderful use of ICT which has totally engaged the children in class. In fact, I’m seeing much fewer behaviour problems or disinterested pupils. Please check out his site by clicking on the... more

Do you have classroom rules? Rules are crucial for any lesson and should be shared with pupils and can form the basis of your code of conduct. Some schools have a set of standardised rules that are used for all classes. It would be good to hear from you about the specific rules you use. As I visit different schools, it is interesting to see how much the rules vary. Here are some I would like to share with you. These are recommended by Susan Davies (2006). What are your views on them? Can you add... more

Many schools are today realising that they need to do much more to encourage pupils to want to learn. Some schools have adopted a system called promoting positive learning (PPL). This system relies on mutual respect between staff and pupils and on staff working positively with pupils to encourage good learning outcomes. Where PPL is used, staff are encouraged to use as much positive praise as possible to reinforce good behaviour and ensure that maximum learning occurs. I have just today come back... more

Visualisation is one of the most powerful coaching tools currently used by coaches all over the world. The process involves creating images in your mind of how you want your life to be or who you would like to be. It is not just about seeing the image, but also about trying to feel, and in some cases smell, what your life would be like. For those of you who are familiar with the Law of Attraction, you will know that this process gradually tricks your mind into believing it is a reality, and... more

A report by the Independent Schools Association out today in the UK states that many children are living in a “prison-like environment” surrounded by technology. John Gibson says that such experience does not prepare children for adult life and schools should challenge this. Playing conkers and mending bikes helped children in later life, John Gibson told the ISA’s annual conference. Recent research suggests 5 to 16-year-olds are spending up to six hours a day online or watching... more

It can often be very difficult to start a lesson. Often the whole group seems to not be interested in anything. So just what does a teacher have to do to fully engage children right from the start? One great way of starting is to remind the class of the really good things they did in the last lesson. You could pick out the names of the children who did well – although try to not pick the same people. Then you can encourage them to do even better in the current lesson. For example: “James,... more

The great Chinese thinker and philosopher Confucius once said that reflection is one of the most important methods to learn wisdom, and yet why is it that it’s the one thing that most people have little time, or don’t know how, to do? Coaching Interactive provides the perfect opportunities through a range of programmes to finally give anybody, anywhere, the chance to really reflect on their life and how they would like it to be. So why is it that we rarely have the chance to reflect?... more

The world is full of victims, and by this I mean people who think their problems are nothing to do with them and everything to do with a world that is unfair. Take a look at these, and see if any of them apply to you: You want others to know that you have had a bad time You think everything that happens to you is ‘unfair’ You believe it is always other people who get the breaks You feel secretly pleased when others feel sorry for you You see the world through the eyes of defeat If... more

One of the key elements of coaching people successfully is to help them identify the self-limiting beliefs that may prevent them from taking action and achieving their goals. After much exploration, it often becomes apparent that these beliefs have been around for years – sometimes from as far back as early childhood. If these beliefs remain, then they will continue to be obstacles to moving forward and making progress. Like most coaches, I spend a lot of time helping clients eradicate their... more