Wherever possible we try to provide useful information for all staff who work in schools, not just the teaching staff. We acknowledge that staff in other roles within the school make a huge difference and are important to the success of schools. However some areas are particularly relevant to teaching staff. This week’s Happy School…
Set Up to Win
While we all know students work better in a secure, structured, safe and supportive environment, how do we set students up to win? How do we make the boundaries clear and support students to learn when they don’t stay within those boundaries? Building a strong foundation for learning by making expectations about behaviour and work…
5 Tips for Helping Students Stressed by Tests- by Eva-Maria
Nineteen year old best-selling author of the book ‘You Shut Up!’, international speaker and certified coach Eva-Maria is living her dream: she is on a mission to help improve 10 000 000 relationships between adults and teenagers around the world. Here Eva shares her tips for teachers from a teenager’s perspective. 1. Acknowledge that exams…
Thriving in the Challenge of Change
Emotional resilience – is it just another trendy fad, designed to sell books and amuse uni students, or is there something tangible to it that we can learn from, adopt and develop ourselves to be more optimistic? I’m in the happy camp here in that I prefer to lean to the latter statement. Emotional resilience…
Outcomes That Count
Feeling pressured by expectations placed on you in the classroom? It’s not just you! We’re in the midst of a stress epidemic and it’s showing up everywhere. So how do we minimise it? It could come down to the questions you ask. Questions worth asking are: ‘How do I sustain myself?’ and then, ‘How do…
Alternatives to Collective Punishment
I suspect many teachers have had an experience like this: A paper airplane, ball of paper, or pencil flies through the air, or somebody makes an obnoxious noise. The object is probably aimed at another student, and it may or may not hit the intended target. The noise is just meant to be funny. You…
Which temperament are you?
Understanding your personality and therefore how you respond to situations can help you to manage things like stress levels. People differ from each other in exciting, fundamental ways. That is a given. We hold different beliefs, are moved by different things, perceive “facts” differently and generally behave in ways not always in sync’ with those…
Watch For SPEED BUMPS
Things rarely go according to plan. Nearly everything you do is vulnerable to interruptions, unforeseeable changes or problems that can disrupt time frames, budgets or resources. However, these ‘speed bumps’ can actually assist in getting through your day more efficiently and effectively if embraced the right way. I am an optimistic person by nature but…
Use Encouraging Language
November is undoubtedly a busy month in schools. End of year events and accumulated fatigue can lead to short fuses and an even shorter supply of patience. This can lead to short, sharp responses that damage relationships. Making a concerted effort to use encouraging language can make a significant difference to the school climate. Encouragement…
Time Management Reminders
One of the scarcest commodities in schools these days is time. Each of us only has 24 hours per day and 7 days per week. It’s been like that forever! These tips for time management aren’t new. Their effectiveness is governed by how disciplined we are in applying them. They are listed here as reminders….