The Pursuit of Wellbeing: Recent Episodes
Maria Brosnan
Conversations with influential figures from the UK’s education sector, about the issues affecting teachers, school leaders, and the wider school system, in a time of tremendous pressure.
Here you’ll find solidarity in the stories of educators just like you; discover evidence-based tools to alleviate stress and stay ahead in your career.
Hosted by Maria Brosnan, an Educational Health and Wellbeing Specialist with over 30 years experience.
"I love moaning! The only rule is - if you moan about something, you've got to have an idea about a better way of doing it. If you haven’t got an idea on how to make it better, then your moaning is just demoralising people, making everyone feel bad, and dropping the mood of the school. And that’s not OK."
Jeremy Crook was a Headteacher for almost 20 years. He now lectures in initial teacher training and works as a consultant in primary schools in the East of England.
He LOVES teaching assistants and support staff! And in this episode, shares wise and practical ways to make your support staff feel valued and supported to do their very important work. We talk about:
- The key reason so many schools have difficult relationships or issues with support staff.
- The most important thing you need to do to build strong relationships with support staff.
- The two key things Jeremy did to improve the impact of the Teaching Assistants (TAs) in the classroom.
- The importance of "non-negotiables."
- How training raises the status and professionalism of support staff. "If you don’t train them, you’re just setting them up to have a difficult time."
- The message across all staff is "We care for you but you've got to do a great job. Care itself is not enough."
"The starting position has to be, if I want TAs, I want them because they do a great job in terms of supporting the core purpose of the school, which is getting children to be great learners, of course."
You can connect with Jeremy
Twitter @whatnqt
Email: jnc.edu@gmail.com
LinkedIn: Jez Crook
His podcast is "What I wish I knew as an NQT".
Connect with Maria
On Twitter @Mariabrosnan
On LinkedIn Maria Brosnan
On Instagram @pursuitwellbeing
Find out more about our 5-step Wellbeing Action Plan for teachers online course.
And Maria's book, The Pursuit of Sleep for teachers, is available now.
“Every decision I made that was ill-informed meant that people were losing a little bit of faith in me.”
Dan Edwards is the principal of Woodstock Primary Academy, a large primary school in the heart of Leicester City. He shares the best piece of advice he was ever given as a school leader, and how that's shaped his leadership today.
This episode is especially helpful for those new to leadership or starting a new position in the next academic year.
We talk about:
- How to be the most authentic and genuinely humane leader.
- The key steps to transparent leadership.
- Building or rebuilding parental engagement.
- Creating a healthy school culture and genuine staff wellbeing.
- The single thing that makes the biggest difference to staff wellbeing.
- How to know if you're "getting things right".
- How to harness the sense of being facilitators of learning, rather than positioning ourselves at the front of the classroom as "teachers and talkers".
- And much more.
"(New leaders...) sometimes misplace trust by professing to know everything “the saviour is here - someone’s going to give us all the answers” and that’s wrong because we don’t know all the answers."
You can connect with Dan
His website is leadinginthenow.org
Twitter @danedwards_77
Woodstock Primary Academy @woodstockacad
Instagram dan_edwardsed
Also mentioned in this podcast
Kate Jones @KateJones_teach
Sinead Moxham @SineadMoxham
Connect with Maria
On Twitter @Mariabrosnan
On LinkedIn Maria Brosnan
On Instagram @pursuitwellbeing
Find out more about our 5-step Wellbeing Action Plan for teachers online course.
And Maria's book, The Pursuit of Sleep for teachers, is available now.
"Work is somewhere I go to do something I'm good at, but it's not who I am."
What does an ex-police office know about teacher stress?
Quite a lot, as it turns out.
Tom Wheelhouse founded Mightify in 2015 because he wasn't willing to accept that people in frontline roles across society gave so much and got so little in return.
He left his career as a police officer and decided he would deliver fit-for-purpose wellbeing, personal development and career transition services to frontline people.
In this fascinating and practical episode he shares:
- The power of options - why people feel trapped, and why very often that isn't the case.
- Identity - people generally join teaching because it's a vocation closely linked to their values. It becomes all consuming and an identity. What happens when that identity no longer exists, or no longer serves a healthy purpose?
- Proactivity and planning - if we're going to spend time each year or term having a performance review, couldn't we spend that time checking in with the person rather than simply the professional role?
- What happens next? The wellbeing impacts and issues of leaving teaching.
"It all comes back to having that vulnerability and openness to ask and be asked, what do you need right now to thrive?"
You can connect with Tom
His website is mightyfy.co.uk Free content, regular drop-in sessions, Career Change Club, explore your options in an accessible and friendly way.
Twitter @mightifyuk
Facebook @mightifyuk
YouTube @mightifyuk
Instagram@mightifyuk
Also mentioned in this podcast
Kathryn Grice - The Teacher Empowerment Project
Professor Jo Clark - Petros
Connect with Maria
On Twitter @Mariabrosnan
On LinkedIn Maria Brosnan
On Instagram @pursuitwellbeing
Find out more about our 5-step Wellbeing Action Plan for teachers online course.
And Maria's book, The Pursuit of Sleep for teachers, is available now.
"People can spend their lives with an emotional bully in their head, constantly undermining them, constantly putting them down, constantly judging themselves, and then they wonder why they’re depressed!"
Paul Gilbert is a Professor of Clinical Psychology with over 40 years' experience. He has devoted much of his career to developing Compassion Focussed Therapy. “Compassion is a sensitivity to the suffering of self and others with a commitment to relieve and prevent suffering returning.”
With humour and great wisdom, Paul explains:
- Why it's so common for people to feel a lack of self-compassion and so much guilt, shame, and self-criticism.
- How to move from having an "emotional bully" in our head to having a friend in there.
- How to look after yourself, so that your relationship with yourself is one of compassion, courage, and wisdom to guide you through whatever darkness is ahead.
- The role of social media and social comparison in our sense of self.
- Why it's so important that we 'talk nicely' to ourselves.
- A simple practice to develop a deeper understanding of compassion for ourselves and others.
- And much more.
"A lot of the criticism we have for ourselves is because we’re frightened. We’re frightened of being rejected. We’re frightened of being seen as no good. We’re frightened of being marginalised. We’re frightened."
You can connect with Paul
His website is www.compassionatemind.co.uk
His latest book, 'Living Like Crazy' is widely available.
Also mentioned in this podcast
'Civilised to Death', book by Chris Ryan
How to Train your Vagus - Stephen Porges
Connect with Maria
On Twitter @Mariabrosnan
On LinkedIn Maria Brosnan
On Instagram @pursuitwellbeing
Find out more about our 5-step Wellbeing Action Plan for teachers online course.
And Maria's book, The Pursuit of Sleep for teachers, is available now.
"I teach teachers to help children cope with difficult feelings. Difficult emotions can give us important messages if we're unafraid to hear and them and feel them, without becoming utterly overwhelmed by them."
Julie Hurst is a Positive Psychologist and the founder of the Work Life Balance Centre. She was part of a team among the first people to research work life balance and the impact of work on our lives. They ran a national survey every year for 10 years to find out what it took to have a good balance and ultimately a flourishing happy life.
Julie is a wonderful storyteller and in this wide-ranging conversation, she shares;
- The 3-part model developed from their research;
- The ingredients needed for resilience;
- The 3 kinds of 'skillfulness' she teaches in schools and the powerful impact it has on behaviour;
- Research showing that one of the biggest dips in children's wellbeing happens in the first year of secondary, and what to do in primary to reduce or eliminate this dip;
- The 'recipe' for the neurochemical mix that most children need and how to get that in your classroom;
- Positive Psychology is not 'positive thinking' and how to use this knowledge to help deal with ALL of our emotions;
- And Julie guides us through a lovely practice called the Compassion Break.
"Your experience of work, and indeed life, depends more on what’s going on between your ears than any external circumstance. And that is a viewpoint that has been upheld over and over and over again."
You can connect with Julie
Her website is www.thewlbc.com
Email Julie@thewlbc.com
Twitter @juliewlbc
LinkedIn Julie Hurst
Youtube channel is Positive Education with animations explaining Positive Education.
Also mentioned in this podcast
Martin Seligman
Sonja Lyubomirksy
Maya Angelou Poetry Foundation “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
Sharon Salzberg
Joseph Goldstein
Professor Kristin Neff Self-Compassion.org - a lot of free content on this site
Connect with Maria
On Twitter @Mariabrosnan
On LinkedIn Maria Brosnan
On Instagram @pursuitwellbeing
Find out more about our 5-step Wellbeing Action Plan for teachers online course.
And Maria's book, The Pursuit of Sleep for teachers, is available now.
"We have the potential to lead stress-free lives. We know that it’s possible because we have evidence and training."
Professor Jo Clarke is a Forensic Psychologist and worked in the criminal justice (prison) system for 23 years. She's the Founder and Director of Petros, a not-for-profit company dedicated to helping people of all ages live more resilient, balanced and productive lives.
In this episode, Jo shares fascinating insights into:
- human behaviour, in both adults and young people;
- 'resilience' and defining it in a practical and meaningful way;
- managing challenging situations and emotions, and how to 'file them away neatly with courage and honesty';
- what our emotions are communicating with us and the best ways to respond to them;
- her research (with colleagues at York University) into the one thing that teachers find most stressful;
- how we can thrive in high-risk jobs;
- a wonderful philosophy from Ross Greene that “kids do well if they can, not if they want to";
- THE fundamental human need we all need to be met, and how to meet it;
- the 4 powerful principles that underpin her training around stress (one of them is "Stress is a choice"!)
- epigenetics, and how to not to be a victim to your genetics;
- and so much more!
"We fall asleep to the pressures that we’re under. Be awake, not sleepwalk through life.”
You can connect with Jo
Via their website for information about their training www.petros.org.uk
Via her PA Laura Laura@petros.org.uk
Also mentioned in this podcast
- The Rudyard Kipling poem, If "If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster And treat those two impostors just the same..."
- Ross Greene (website) - Lives in Balance
- Ross Greene (books) Lost at School and The Explosive Child
Connect with Maria
On Twitter @Mariabrosnan
On LinkedIn Maria Brosnan
On Instagram @pursuitwellbeing
Find out more about our 5-step Wellbeing Action Plan for teachers online course.
And Maria's book, The Pursuit of Sleep for teachers, is available now.
"Every decision that’s taken, is taken through the lens of “will this adversely affect staff wellbeing and mental health?”
And if the answer is ‘yes it will’ you modify it or you don’t continue with it."
Steve Waters is the founder and CEO of the Teach Well Alliance. He works in partnership with schools to implement a culture of staff wellbeing and mental health through his unique programme, the Teach Well Toolkit.
In this incredibly bold and courageous conversation, Steve talks about:
- The biggest lie in education.
- The root of all evil in education.
- His invitation to leaders to take a risk and refuse to have anything to do with high-stakes accountability measures.
- And critically, what strategies to put in place of the strategies you reject.
- "There is an alternative narrative. You’ve got to stop believing that the only way, is putting such intense pressure on teachers that they conform to what we expect them to do."
- And much more!
"You can’t say we’re putting the children first, if by putting the children first you’re putting the staff last. It can’t work. It doesn’t happen."
You can connect with Steve
On Twitter @teachwellall
On LinkedIn at Steve Waters
The website is teachwellalliance.com
Steve's book 'Cultures of Staff Wellbeing and Mental Health in Schools' is now available.
Also mentioned in this podcast
Jeremy Hannay, Headteacher of Three Bridges Primary School in Southall. You can watch a conversation with Jeremy and Steve here
John Tomsett@johntomsett
His book is "This Much I Know about Love Over Fear: Creating a culture of truly great teaching: Creating a culture for truly great teaching." Available here
Professor Jonathan Glazzard @j_glazzard
Dylan William, “Everything works somewhere, and nothing works everywhere.” Website
Connect with Maria
On Twitter @Mariabrosnan
On LinkedIn Maria Brosnan
On Instagram @pursuitwellbeing
Find out more about our 5-step Wellbeing Action Plan for teachers online course.
And Maria's book, The Pursuit of Sleep for teachers, is available now.
"Our Executive Functions are core brain processes that help us regulate our emotions, organise our time and our thoughts, and to do the advanced human activities that we need so much to participate in the modern world."
Victoria Bagnall is an education professional, Co-Founder and Managing Director of Connections in Mind, an executive functions focused coaching and training company.
In this fascinating conversation, Victoria shares her passion for improving opportunities for people with executive function challenges.
- What are 'executive functions'?
- the 3 key aspects of executive functions
- why coaching is such a useful and proven model for developing executive function skills
- the key factors that are required for our executive functions to work optimally
- identifying the skill that’s missing that need to be developed
- how to reframe negative self-talk and help people (of any age) think "I can do something about this"
- Dr. Daniel Siegel's 'Hand Model of the Brain'
- and much more.
You can connect with Victoria
On Twitter ConninMind
On Facebook Connections in Mind
On Instagram Connections in Mind
On LinkedIn at Victoria Bagnall
Their websites are www.connectionsinmind.co.uk
Their Free Course on 'Introduction to Executive Functions' is available at www.cimlearning.com
Also mentioned in this podcast
Dr. Daniel Siegel's Hand Model of the Brain
Connect with Maria
On Twitter @Mariabrosnan
On LinkedIn Maria Brosnan
On Instagram @pursuitwellbeing
Find out more about our 5-step Wellbeing Action Plan for teachers online course.
And Maria's book, The Pursuit of Sleep for teachers, is available now.
"If we all come together, we become collaboratively responsible for every child, in every school, being successful."
Alison Kriel is the founder of the newly launched 'Above & Beyond Education' – a social media platform for all educators and schools to celebrate, connect, support, grow and collaborate to make every school into a great school.
Alison was an inner-city Executive Head Teacher for nearly 20 years and a CEO for 5 years. She has a passion for social justice leadership, wellbeing, equity, inclusion and diversity.
In this episode, she shares:
- Her powerful vision for the new platform (incidentally, that she personally funded from scratch.)
- Where the idea came from and why Marcus Rashford is such an inspiration.
- The powerful ways the platform 'will be a space to share what we’re doing brilliantly. To celebrate each other a whole lot more.'
- Why it's so important to have a place 'to hold professional conversations, outside of our own schools and communities'.
- How to 'flip the narrative and celebrate schools as the glue that holds communities together'.
- How to deal with perfectionism, and why it's so harmful to us, our children, and our school culture.
- And much more!
Above & Beyond Education is free for schools and school staff to join (and how it will be monetised by consultants, service providers and innovators)
"People are apologetic for everything they are not doing, at the cost of not celebrating everything they’re doing so well."
You can connect with Alison
On Twitter @AlisonKriel
On LinkedIn Alison Kriel
Her website is alisonkriel.com
Her new platform is aboveandbeyond.education
Also mentioned in this podcast is Marcus Rashford
Connect with Maria
On Twitter @Mariabrosnan
On LinkedIn Maria Brosnan
On Instagram @pursuitwellbeing
Find out more about our 5-step Wellbeing Action Plan for teachers online course.
And Maria's book, The Pursuit of Sleep for teachers, is available now.
"Your purpose is often what you’re most longing for."
Naomi Ward has over 14 years experience in the classroom and leadership and is the founder of Purposeful Educators.
In this insightful, practical, and at times very moving episode, Naomi shares:
- Her definition of 'purpose', and how to help us find clarity around the two aspects of it;
- The three 'levels of purpose', and her simple advice on how to find which level you're at and how to deepen your sense of purpose;
- The magic that comes from living purposefully;
- The beautiful story of Danni, a teacher feeling lost after coming back from maternity leave who rediscovers her purpose;
- 'Possiping' - the affirming group practice that brings people back to themselves;
- The importance of having a clear and transparent purpose for your school;
- Simple practices you can do moment to moment;
- Dealing with guilt;
- How to be part of a 'purpose revolution' in schools across the UK and internationally;
- And much more.
You can connect with Naomi
On Twitter @purposeful_ed
On LinkedIn Naomi Ward
On Instagram: @purposeful_educators
Her website is www.purposefuleducators.com
Other people and things mentioned in the podcast:
The Heart Aroused by David Whyte. The poem is an extract from La Poesia by Pablo Neruda.
The Maternity Teacher Paternity Teacher Project [MTPT] www.mtpt.org.uk #MTPTproject
self-compassion.org
Tara Brach www.tarabrach.com
Connect with Maria
On Twitter @Mariabrosnan
On LinkedIn Maria Brosnan
On Instagram @pursuitwellbeing
Find out more about our 5-step Wellbeing Action Plan for teachers online course.
And Maria's book, The Pursuit of Sleep for teachers, is available now.
"Life will work for us, rather than against us. The more you allow that to happen, the more it does happen."
Mark Taylor has been a professional percussionist for 25 years and has performed with some of the UK’s finest orchestras and theatre companies.
He is also a teacher; vice-chair of the National Association for Primary Education and host of the Education on Fire podcast.
Mark shares his wisdom from years as a musician, teacher, and podcaster and the numerous conversation he had with people who all had one common purpose - to improve the educational experiences and outcomes for children and young people.
In this wide-ranging and deeply personal episode, Mark shares;
- How a person's beliefs and their environment combine to influence their wellbeing;
- How the atmosphere of a school was transformed by a simple exercise;
- How this deeply affected the relationships across pupils and staff (so simple, you could try it in your school);
- And his personal story as a parent with a child who suffered with mental illness, and attempted to take her own life.
You can connect with Mark
On Twitter @taylormapps
His website is www.educationonfire.com
Mark created a list of podcasts that may be of interest to you, which you can find at www.educationonfire.com/pursuit-wellbeing
Connect with Maria
On Twitter @Mariabrosnan
On LinkedIn Maria Brosnan
On Instagram @pursuitwellbeing
Find out more about our 5-step Wellbeing Action Plan for teachers online course.
And Maria's book, The Pursuit of Sleep for teachers, is available now.
"What we need to remember is that effectively, we are just well-dressed neanderthals."
This is an episode with a difference!
What does a survival specialist know about the struggles of teachers or leaders right now? How can nature help us when we’re feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, or just fed up?
Quite a lot as it happens!
Mental Health Awareness Week is May 10-16, and the theme this year is Nature.
Toby Cowern has lived in the North of Sweden for the last 15 years. He fuses nature engagement, applied wilderness and urban survival skills. He's also a Certified Facilitator in Lego® Serious Play®.
In this fascinating and practical episode, Toby shares:
- How our connection to nature is hardwired into us.
- Why so many of us found ourselves 'sleepwalking into the natural environment' during lockdown.
- How nature can bring us sanctuary, peace and calm.
- How we can weave nature into our daily lives, especially in urban environments.
- A simple practice we can do over a cup of tea.
- The key to developing a deeper connection to nature.
- Why it's important to recognise that a lot of people are feeling like you are.
- How layers of fatigue are building without our normal ability to wash them away, and how nature can help us with this.
- Why now, more than ever, it's so important to get the fundamentals right (good nutrition, hydration, movement and sleep). Not for some 'namby-pamby' reason, but because our nervous system desperately needs it.
- And so much more...
"We are a part of the natural world. Stop separating yourself from it."
You can connect with Toby
On LinkedIn Toby Cowern
Connect with Maria
On Twitter @Mariabrosnan
On LinkedIn Maria Brosnan
On Instagram @pursuitwellbeing
Find out more about our 5-step Wellbeing Action Plan for teachers online course.
And Maria's book, The Pursuit of Sleep for teachers, is available now.
"Leaders need to make schools permeable to the best ideas. Not just incoming ideas but sharing ideas out - breaking down silos everywhere. It’s the art, the craft, and the science of pupil development."
David Weston is the founder and Chief Executive of the Teacher Development Trust, and the Chair of the Department for Education’s Teacher Development Expert Group. They recently published a working paper, 'A Culture of Improvement' exploring the key factors that improve outcomes for pupils.
In this practical and very 'human' episode, David shares:
- The 5 key findings from their working paper 'A Culture of Improvement';
- The 4 guiding principles and conclusions they draw from their research;
- What does 'school culture' mean?
- What does it mean to 'thrive'?
- Practical ways to improve the culture in your school;
- The key skill of having difficult or 'fierce' conversations and why they're critical to building a healthy and high performing school culture;
- Why it's so important to learn to receive feedback better;
- And how all of this impacts your wellbeing AND pupil progress.
You can connect with David
On Twitter @informed_edu
You can find his book Unleashing Great Teaching where all great books are sold.
Visit the Teacher Development Trust website tdtrust.org
Read the working paper 'A Culture of Improvement' on the website tdtrust.org/coi
Other mentions in this podcast are
ukheadsup.com
Sonia Gill
Coleshill Heath Primary School
Thanks for the Feedback (Book)
Connect with Maria
On Twitter @Mariabrosnan
On LinkedIn Maria Brosnan
On Instagram @pursuitwellbeing
Find out more about our 5-step Wellbeing Action Plan for teachers online course.
And Maria's book, The Pursuit of Sleep for teachers, is available now.
"We want “flexible living” not flexible working. We want people to live really well; to be healthy and happy and feel like they can contribute."
Emma Turner has been in primary teaching for 23 years, during which time she has worked as a classroom teacher in multiple schools and in many different leadership roles including forming one of the UK's first all-female co-headships.
In this episode, we explore three main themes - flexible working, doing leadership differently, and 'Being More Toddler' (also the title of her first book.)
In this practical (and at times funny!) episode, Emma shares:
- How she has always worked flexibly, not just when she became a Co-Head (and how you can too)
- How to approach flexible working as both an employer and an employee
- Why change feels like '3 steps forward, 2 steps back' at times
- A simple and practical questions to ask when thinking of flexible working
- The biggest barrier to flex
- What the Department for Education is doing to support flexibility
- Why she really can't stand the term "flexible working"!
- How to think about your life in the profession, from graduate to retirement (around the age of 87!)
- Why it's so important to be yourself as a leader and stop pretending that you’re something you’re not
- The skills she observed in her toddlers, that directly translate to school leadership
- And so many more pearls of wisdom from her career as a senior leader and a mother of three young children.
You can connect with Emma
On Twitter @Emma_Turner75
You can find her books Let's talk about Flex and Be More Toddler or where all great books are sold.
Other mentions in this podcast are
DfE Flexible Schools Ambassador program
TES Business Manager of the Year - Louise Barber
Chartered College of Teaching
WomenEd
Flex Teacher Talent
Rae Snape
Dan Edwards
Sam Strickland
NewEd Leaders
NewEdEvents
Mind the Gap
Tom Sherrington
Jonny Uttley
John Tomsett
Bennie Kara
Halil Tamgumus
Abby Bayford - Letter to my NQT Self
Connect with Maria
On Twitter @Mariabrosnan
On LinkedIn Maria Brosnan
On Instagram @pursuitwellbeing
Find out more about our 5-step Wellbeing Action Plan for teachers online course.
And Maria's book, The Pursuit of Sleep for teachers, is available now.
I was delighted to be a guest of the Key Voices podcast with the lovely host Caroline Doherty. We recorded this podcast as part of Stress Awareness Month.
“Sleeplessness is a feature of the stress response… if we’ve had a stressful, busy, exhausting day, those hormones of stress stay in our bodies for hours and hours. So we lie down and expect to go to sleep but it’s like having a pint of espresso in our bodies! So how do we learn the skills to manage stress?“
This week we talk to Maria Brosnan, an educational leadership and well-being specialist. We discuss in some detail what happens in the body when we experience stress, plus Maria shares some practical techniques that can help us manage our response. We also consider coaching as a way of resolving issues, the importance of sleep and the ongoing impact of anxiety linked to the pandemic.
We talk about:
- Maria’s background in well-being and her work in schools
- Why school staff can sometimes find it hard to practice genuine self-care
- The physiology of what happens to our bodies when we react to stress
- The different biological ways men and women respond to stress
- The impact of chronic stress and anxiety, and a demonstration of a technique for self-regulation
- How to take a holistic approach to your well-being
- Why coaching can be an effective tool for feeling more in control of your life
- How Maria’s work has changed since the pandemic and how she is currently supporting school leaders, including with her work on sleep
- The importance of nuance and compassion when dealing with others at this difficult time.
Special thanks to The Key for hosting this episode and having me on as their guest.
You can connect The Key Via their website thekeysupport.com
Connect with Maria
On Twitter @Mariabrosnan
On LinkedIn Maria Brosnan
On Instagram @pursuitwellbeing
Find out more about our 5-step Wellbeing Action Plan for teachers online course.
And Maria's book, The Pursuit of Sleep for teachers, is available now.
"We’re all going to fail. Spoiler alert.
It’s how we engage with failure that’s important. Ask yourself: what can I learn from this? How can I use this knowledge?"
Sam Moinet is a former History teacher and the founder of 'Student Breakthrough'. As an international speaker and coach, his aim is to transform emotional support for young people and create lasting change for future generations.
In this episode, Sam shares his journey into teaching, and out of it as he discovers his passion for student wellbeing through his own painful journey.
- How a medical diagnosis cut short his dreams of a military career;
- How he became a reluctant teacher;
- What changed him from 'dipping his toe in the water' professionally, to 'cannonballing' back into teaching;
- What he started to recognise in his students that concerned him;
- What he did to help them, whilst still teaching;
- And ultimately why he left and set up his own coaching program for children and young people leading the revolution in student well-being";
- He shares the 3 B's of well-being coaching that can help you as a teacher or leader, or help you help your students.
- And much more.
You can connect with Sam
On LinkedIn Sam Moinet
On Facebook @studentbreakthrough
On Instagram @studentbreakthrough
His website is www.studentbreakthrough.com
Connect with Maria
On Twitter @Mariabrosnan
On LinkedIn Maria Brosnan
On Instagram @pursuitwellbeing
Find out more about our 5-step Wellbeing Action Plan for teachers online course.
And Maria's book, The Pursuit of Sleep for teachers, is available now.
"I heard a Headteacher on the radio say "I can't go on", and thought, we've got to do something about this now. (But) how do you actually make a difference to the wellbeing of your Headteacher? That's when I came up with the idea of the short Sabbatical."
Anne Hudson is a human resource professional with over 25 year's experience in HR, much of it working in education with schools.
In this short and incredibly practical episode, Anne shares her thoughts on:
- The two likely outcomes if we do nothing to support Headteachers;
- How and why she believes a short sabbatical can help;
- Why 2-3 weeks is the ideal length;
- The difference between a sabbatical and a holiday;
- Important contractual considerations, such as why it should be paid;
- When is the best time to take a short sabbatical;
- How to plan for it and what it should include;
- How to communicate to staff and colleagues;
- And much more.
Anne has prepared some key documents to help you consider and implement a short Sabbatical for your Headteacher. Please contact her directly using her email below.
And I, as a coach, have prepared two coaching sessions specifically to bookend your Sabbatical, to ensure it achieves your intended purpose. Please contact me directly at maria@pursuit-wellbeing.com
You can connect with Anne
On LinkedIn Anne Hudson
Her email is anne@gapartnership.co.uk
Connect with Maria
On Twitter @Mariabrosnan
On LinkedIn Maria Brosnan
On Instagram @pursuitwellbeing
Find out more about our 5-step Wellbeing Action Plan for teachers online course.
And Maria's book, The Pursuit of Sleep for teachers, is available now.
"(Our) mojo is a positive collision of all the different facets of what we care about, what we enjoy doing, how we can carve out a way of being that brings together that purpose, passion, and fulfilment."
I came across a blog, Regaining Your Mojo by Hannah Wilson, that sparked the thread of the conversation on this episode. Many people are understandably feeling 'mojo-less' right now.
Hannah is a former Executive Headteacher and currently a leadership development consultant, coach and facilitator.
She is well known for her work around Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. She's a collaborator across a number of networks including those she co-founded such as #WomenEd and #DiverseEd.
Hannah shares her insights in this wonderfully wide-ranging episode:
- Key things to do to regain your mojo;
- The most important things she does to take care of herself (and you can too);
- Why boundaries are so important, and how to set them;
- Why and how she co-founded WomenEd and DiverseEd;
- How we wake up the school system to the issues of diversity, equity and inclusion;
- How can we create a sense of belonging and psychological safety for everybody in our schools, not just the children?
- Why we don’t have a recruitment crisis, we have a retention crisis;
- Her REAL coaching method for Resilient, Authentic, Empowered Leaders;
- And much more.
You can connect with Hannah
On Twitter @Ethical_Leader
Her website is www.hannah-wilson.co.uk
Other links mentioned
WomenEd website is www.womened.org
DiverseEd website is www.diverseeducators.co.uk
Hannah's blog Regaining your Mojo
Benny Kara The Little Guide to Diversity in Schools
Marie Kondo Sparking Joy
Connect with Maria
On Twitter @Mariabrosnan
On LinkedIn Maria Brosnan
On Instagram @pursuitwellbeing
Find out more about our 5-step Wellbeing Action Plan for teachers online course.
And Maria's new book, The Pursuit of Sleep for teachers, is available now.
"The reason I lead the Chartered College of Teaching is that the profession very often knows best and too often we’re subject to external interference."
Professor Dame Alison Peacock is Chief Executive of the Chartered College of Teaching, a new professional body that seeks to raise the status of teaching through celebrating, supporting and connecting teachers to provide expert teaching and leadership.
In this frank and insightful episode, Alison shares her reassurance and wisdom for everyone in the profession. Here are some quotes from the episode:
- "The teaching community has been subject to ridiculous targets to recover lost learning.
- I don’t think it’s enough for the secretary of state to say 'this year we’ll trust teachers not algorithms'. It's a very snappy little phrase (but) to ask teachers to do this without a framework in place is a very risky and stressful process for everyone involved.
- I’m not calling for a revolution; I’m calling for greater professional responsibility.
- An element of competition is an energiser, but not when stakes have become so high that if you falter you completely fail.
- I don’t think we need to have the inspection system reinstated in the autumn in the way that it was before the pandemic. That kind of hyper-accountability means everyone is constantly looking over their shoulder.
- We need to be really loving to our current set of leaders because they’ve done so much. They deserve our recognition and support.
- We had to stop for a while and consider what really matters in my life? This was a universal realisation for so many of us. Listen to those important things. They are much more important than pleasing Ofsted."
- And much more.
Prior to joining the Chartered College, Alison was Executive Headteacher of The Wroxham School in Hertfordshire. Her career has spanned primary, secondary and advisory roles. She is an Honorary Fellow of Queens College Cambridge and a Visiting Professor of both the University of Hertfordshire and Glyndŵr University.
You can connect with Dame Alison Peacock
On Twitter @alisonmpeacock @charteredcoll
On LinkedIn Dame Alison Peacock
The Chartered College of Teaching website is chartered.college
For any membership enquiries, the Chartered College of Teaching email is hello@chartered.college
You can connect with Maria
On Twitter @Mariabrosnan
On LinkedIn Maria Brosnan
On Instagram @pursuitwellbeing
Find out more about our 5-step Wellbeing Action Plan for teachers online course.
And Maria's new book, The Pursuit of Sleep for teachers, is available now.
"What is it that I’m bringing into this room that’s making my class resist the learning that I'm bringing to such an extent?"
20 years ago, Steve Carr was an English teacher and experienced his class completely rebel to the point he simply gave up. He sat down and waited for the lesson to finish so he could go to the Head's office, walk out and never come back.
In those final minutes of the class, he witnessed something profound happen to his students that changed the way he approached teaching and learning forever...
Steve Carr has a Masters in Emotional Factors of Learning and Teaching and Organisational Psychology. He founded "A Mind to Teach" in 2018 on the principle that good relationships drive great learning.
Steve helps teachers understand the dynamics that underpin successful teaching and learning relationships, which he does beautifully in this thought-provoking and insightful episode.
- What is the role of the teacher in the classroom?
- The 3 key things that all students want and need to feel.
- Why the 'inner world' of the teacher is so important.
- The key driver of every human.
- Practical ways to help you prepare for lessons.
- And much more.
You can connect with Steve
On Twitter @scar25161
Instagram @stevecarrtraining
On LinkedIn Steve Carr
His website is amindtoteach.com
You can connect with Maria
On Twitter @Mariabrosnan
On LinkedIn Maria Brosnan
Find out more about our 5-step Wellbeing Action Plan for teachers online course.
And Maria's new book, The Pursuit of Sleep for teachers, is available now.
Lucy Rose co-founded "Flexible Teacher Talent" with Lindsay Patience.
They are passionate about normalising flexible working in schools in order to retain effective teachers and leaders.
In this insightful and practical episode, Lindsay talks about:
- The "Motherhood Penalty";
- What schools can do to stop haemorrhaging great staff;
- The one simple thing a Headteacher can do when considering flexible teaching;
- The three things that stop Headteachers from allowing flexibility and how to address each of them;
- The biggest thing that affects whether a school will take on flexibility or not;
- Key things to consider when working flexibly;
- And much more!
Lucy joined the profession as an early Teach First participant in 2004 and progressed to Assistant Headteacher. She is currently teaching English part-time in a London comprehensive school and has undertaken research on flexible working as part of the Teach First Innovation Series.
You can connect with Lucy and Flexible Teacher Talent
On Twitter @FlexTeachTalent
@LuceAssociation (Lucy)
@MumsyMe (Lindsay)
Their website www.flexibleteachertalent.co.uk
Other people and organisations Lucy mentioned in this episode are:
Emma Shepherd Maternity Teacher, Paternity Teacher
Maternity Teacher @maternityCPD
The Shared Headship Network
John Taylor Free School in Bolton Head Teacher Sue Plant, pioneer of flexible working.
NFER Research
Capability Jane Guide to Job Sharing at a Senior Level
EdVal Timetabling software
You can connect with Maria On Twitter @Mariabrosnan
On LinkedIn Maria Brosnan
Find out more about our 5-step Wellbeing Action Plan for teachers online course.
And Maria's new book, The Pursuit of Sleep for teachers, is available now.
Simon Ward is a Senior Educational Psychologist in the Wirral in the North of England, where his specialism is positive psychology and wellbeing.
In this practical and fascinating episode, Simon shares key insights into:
- What "Positive Psychology" is;
- How can we use Positive Psychology to create frameworks for wellbeing in school;
- He shares the PERMA framework developed by Martin Seligman:
- Positive emotions - are the driving force behind wellbeing e.g. curiosity, contentment, happiness, joy.
- Engagement - feeling good, doing well, engagement with the world.
- Relationships - prioritising human relationships.
- Meaning and Purpose within a social context.
- Accomplishment - the biological imperative to grow and develop in all areas of life.
- Ways to use PERMA personally or for a whole school setting;
- Coping in a crisis, in reaction to the current situation;
- The importance of negative emotions and the danger of 'Toxic Positivity' (and what to do about it);
- The 3 things that make stress and anxiety worse (and how most educators are experiencing all 3) and simple tips to deal with them;
- The HOPE framework and rituals that support Healthy Outcomes from Positive Experiences. Simon outlines the experiences that all children need in order to nourish their wellbeing:
- Nourishing, supportive, nurturing relationships. Schools are already fantastic at this, so focus on creating opportunities for them to be further developed.
- Having safe, stable environments in which to learn, play and develop.
- Opportunities for making meaning. Community rituals create a sense of value that 'we’re going somewhere and you’re part of it'.
- Social and emotional - an issue of skills development.
- A social approach to mental health rather than a medical one;
- And much more.
Positive psychology is the scientific study of the characteristics and processes that contribute to flourishing in individuals, organisations and communities. It is an applied approach that is focused on achieving high performance and enhancing well-being through harnessing strengths, doing more of what works and building on success. It is the study of people at their best.
You can connect with Simon
Via email:simon_p_ward@hotmail.com
Learn more about the work of Martin Seligman and Positive Psychology at the website www.positivepsychology.com
You can connect with Maria On Twitter @Mariabrosnan
On LinkedIn Maria Brosnan
Find out more about our 5-step Wellbeing Action Plan for teachers online course.
And Maria's new book, The Pursuit of Sleep for teachers, is available now.
"We need to recognise that good safeguarding within schools is when schools have a really, really effective culture of safeguarding and vigilance. This is the job of everyone."
Louis Donald is Director of Safeguarding at Stowe Valley Multi Academy Trust, leading safeguarding across nine schools and six Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) settings.
Louis supported the work of the Department for Education (DfE) throughout the COVID19 Pandemic, advising on the impact and effectiveness of the Government safeguarding strategy.
In this episode, Louis shares his insights into safeguarding in the "new normal."
- What has changed in safeguarding as a result of the pandemic?
- What are the biggest safeguarding challenges across the community now, for the child, family, school, Multi Academy Trust or other agencies?
- Working relationships with multi-agency partners have never been stronger, but how do we deal with the added pressures this puts on the pastoral team in school?
- The role of formal and informal supervision in supporting staff after dealing with distressing incidents;
- Balancing compliance requirements and staff needs;
- The vital role of "context" in dealing with safeguarding issues, and the work of Dr Carlene Firmin MBE;
- Leading safeguarding systems (in preparation for Ofsted);
- And much more.
You can connect with Louis
On Twitter @Ldonald_DSL
On LinkedIn Louis Donald
His podcast and website www.safeguardingdays.co.uk
You can watch Dr Carlene Firmin's TED talk here
You can connect with Maria On Twitter @Mariabrosnan
On LinkedIn Maria Brosnan
Find out more about our 5-step Wellbeing Action Plan for teachers online course.
And Maria's new book, The Pursuit of Sleep for teachers, is available now.
"Do we ever need to return to the way things were? Could this not be an opportunity for us to come together as a single team and to properly consider what it actually takes for a school to progress and develop?"
Ruth Davies is the President of the National Association of Headteachers (NAHT) and the headteacher of Waunarlwydd Primary school in Wales.
In this powerful and wide-ranging episode, Ruth shares her thoughts on:
- What this period of crisis has taught us;
- How leaders can take care of their own wellbeing;
- The hidden threat in high stakes accountability measures;
- How to approach the current obsession of 'catching up';
- Why academic achievement shouldn't be the top priority right now;
- A true understanding and appreciation of what schools are really about;
- Why it's critical to develop confidence as a school leader;
- The biggest challenge to school leaders;
- And so much more!
You can connect with Ruth
On Twitter @lindseyruthd
The NAHT website is www.naht.org.uk
You can connect with Maria On Twitter @Mariabrosnan On LinkedIn Maria Brosnan Find out more about our 5-step Wellbeing Action Plan for teachers online course. And her new book, The Pursuit of Sleep for teachers, is available now.
"I believe there are some things (we can do) that would make a really big difference for the whole workforce."
Sinéad McBrearty is the Chief Executive Officer of Education Support, the only UK charity dedicated to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of education staff in schools, colleges and universities.
In this incredibly insightful conversation, Sinéad paints a picture of where we are now, according to their latest research Teacher Wellbeing Index, 2020.
And she goes into considerable detail of what can be done to improve the education landscape; specifically three things "that would make a really big difference for the whole workforce."
This is definitely an episode not to miss.
You can connect with Sinéad
On Twitter @McBreartySinead
On LinkedIn Sinéad McBrearty
Education Support website is www.educationsupport.org.uk
Education Support free helpline number is 08000 562 561
You can connect with Maria On Twitter @Mariabrosnan On LinkedIn Maria Brosnan Find out more about our 5-step Wellbeing Action Plan for teachers online course. And my new book, The Pursuit of Sleep for teachers, is available now.
** Education Support helps people working in education in three key ways:
- Supporting individuals, with their free helpline and financial aid.
- Support in the workplace, with training and facilitated peer support networks.
- Advocating for improvement, using the data from their annual Teacher Wellbeing Index report to influence policy.
"In June 2020, I made a #DiverseEd Pledge to continue to help, support and grow the number of Black males (from all denominations of Black) in teaching and Senior Leadership.
However, 7 months on, the realisation struck me… are we treating the symptom rather than the cause?"
Adrian is a former headteacher and experienced Senior Leader. He currently leads across a Multi-Academy Trust in the West Midlands developing Character Education and Personal Development.
In this wise and insightful episode, we discuss:
- Why do so few Black teachers (male and female) become school leaders?
- Research shows that at the age of 11, young black boys' results are average or above average. What happens during secondary school that causes these results to plummet?
- How do we break this cycle?
- What's the importance of Character Education and Personal Development?
- Are our school values 'lived' or 'laminated'?
- The power of kindness and appreciating there is only one race - the human race.
- And much more.
Adrian is passionate about representation, ethical leadership and positively disrupting the system. He’s currently reading a Masters in Character Education at the University of Birmingham.
He is a visible role model for a generation of school leaders in his commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
You can connect with Adrian:
On Twitter @Character_guy
His website is Adrian McLean Consultancy
On LinkedIn at Adrian McLean
You can connect with Maria: On Twitter @Mariabrosnan On LinkedIn Maria Brosnan
On Instagram @pursuitwellbeing Find out more about our 5-step Wellbeing Action Plan for teachers online course. And my new book, The Pursuit of Sleep for teachers, is available now.
"We need to be having ongoing conversations with openness and a willingness to learn and listen. Then translate that into meaningful, sustainable action."
Bukky Yusuf is a senior leader, science teacher and coach. She’s had a number of leadership roles within mainstream / special schools and is an ambassador for Leadership Matters.
Bukky is a Network Leader and coach with grassroots organisations WomenEd and BAMEed.
In this wonderfully wide-ranging episode, Bukky shares;
- How to use educational technology (ed-tech) to enhance teacher wellbeing
- The most important thing to get right with ed-tech
- Setting your own work-life boundaries
- The work of WomenEd for helping women into leadership roles
- The work of BAMEed in breaking down biases against teachers of ethnic minorities
- The power of poetry, including us sharing 3 beautiful poems
- and much more.
You can connect with Bukky
On Twitter @rondelle10_b On Instagram @rondelle10_b
On LinkedIn Bukky Yusuf Her website teachleadco.wordpress.com/
Her YouTube channel is B Yusuf Teach
Other mentions in this episode:
Teacher 5aday
WomenEd
BAMEed Network
Edurio school research home.edurio.com
James @Innerscope1
Poems:
Keep Going L.E. Bowman Take Time by Liam Porter
For Courage by John O’Donohue
You can connect with Maria On Twitter @Mariabrosnan On LinkedIn Maria Brosnan
On Instagram @pursuitwellbeing Find out more about our 5-step Wellbeing Action Plan for teachers online course. And my new book, The Pursuit of Sleep for teachers, is available now.
Over half of teachers and school leaders are struggling to get a good night’s sleep, according to the latest Teacher Wellbeing Index research.
This episode is a bit different than normal, as I’m the guest rather than the host!
I recorded it with Caroline from Cornerstones Education for their podcast show, The Curriculum. We talk about a subject very dear to my heart - sleep.
I hope you find it helpful and as always, please share it with anyone you think might enjoy it or benefit form listening.
Here are some of the areas we discuss:
- Are we in a crisis in terms of teacher and school leaders’ sleep deprivation? Why have things got so bad?
- What do we mean when we talk about a vicious circle of stress, worry and sleep deprivation?
- Can sleep be improved quickly or does it take time? What’s the ‘mindset’ we need to approach this problem?
- What are the benefits that people will start to see from getting better sleep?
- What’s the first thing we can do to start improving our sleep?
- Can you take us through a few more techniques that listeners can practice today/tonight/as we listen to this podcast?
- What change would you like to see happen in the profession (culture, support etc)?
- What three key takeaways would you like to leave our listeners with?
Cornerstones have developed an online curriculum platform for primary schools called Maestro, which is full of engaging projects and timesaving curriculum tools for busy teachers and senior leaders.
You can check out their podcast, or visit their website to find out more about the great work they are doing with over 2000 schools across the UK.
You can connect with Cornerstones
Via their website www.cornerstoneseducation.co.uk
Via Twitter
Connect with Maria On Twitter @Mariabrosnan On LinkedIn Maria Brosnan Find out more about our 5-step Wellbeing Action Plan for teachers online course. And my new book, The Pursuit of Sleep for teachers, is available now.
"Accept how you're feeling; it’s ok if you do not feel ok. It’s ok to find things hard. I felt guilty and selfish. I got to point of burnout and break down and it would have been better not to get there."
Victoria Hewitt is the teacher behind 'Mrs Humanities'. She's the author of Making it as a Teacher and a proud ambassador for the UK charity, the Education Support Partnership.
In this generous and insightful episode, Victoria shares:
- Her journey through the first 5 years of teaching;
- The humanities resources she creates and shares freely with colleagues;
- Her personal experience of burnout and why it's so important to reach out for support sooner rather than later - it’s not going to get better on its own;
- Why it's so important to regularly check-in with yourself;
- The symptoms of burnout to watch out for;
- The power of setting boundaries and learning to say 'no';
- Teacher 5-a-day as a powerful wellbeing framework;
- and much more...
** If you're feeling continuous or lasting symptoms of dread, shakiness, feeling sick, overly emotional or persistently anxious or stressed, please call Education Support on 08000 562 561 [UK] to get some guidance. You are not alone.
You can connect with Victoria
On Twitter Mrs Humanities Her website is www.mrshumanities.com Her book is Making it as a Teacher
You can read more about the Eisenhower Matrix she mentioned. The Education Support website is www.educationsupport.org.uk
Connect with Maria On Twitter @Mariabrosnan On LinkedIn Maria Brosnan Find out more about our 5-step Wellbeing Action Plan for teachers online course. And my new book, The Pursuit of Sleep for teachers, is available now.
"What daily, weekly, monthly habits can you put in your diary right now that will keep you doing your job safe and well, and happy?"
Kelly Hannaghan is a Mental Health and Wellbeing Consultant with The Education People and through her business Mind Work Matters.
In this kind and gentle episode, Kelly offers a great opportunity to reflect and consider what your wellbeing needs are, and how to approach them in 2021 as an individual and a school. She shares her thoughts and practical advice on:
- how to develop a whole-school approach for positive mental health and wellbeing for everyone in school
- the steps to ensure the voices of all stakeholders are heard (including staff, pupils, families, the wider community and other agencies)
- creating practical resource hubs to meet the needs of your community
- what to do when parents get caught up in shame or guilt and don't ask for the support they need
- dealing with the dreaded 'imposter syndrome' of feeling not good enough
- building strong foundations for therapeutic and holistic work by building positive and trusting relationship with others
- and much more!
Kelly is an active blogger and writer on Wellbeing and Mental health and has received many awards and acknowledgements for her work in embedding whole-school wellbeing approaches. Her work has been recognised by the DFE and many other organisations and charities.
You can connect with Kelly
On Twitter @mindworkmatters On LinkedIn Kelly Hannaghan The Education People Her email is kellyhannaghan@gmail.com The virtual conference she mentioned is Leading Mental Health in Schools with the Education People on the 3rd of February.
You can connect with Maria On Twitter @Mariabrosnan On LinkedIn Maria Brosnan Find out more about our 5-step Wellbeing Action Plan for teachers online course. And my new book, The Pursuit of Sleep for teachers, is available now.
At what point are we going to say “the sticking plaster approach is no longer going to hold together a system that’s fundamentally broken”?
Andy Mellor has over 30 year's experience teaching and leading in the state education system in England.
He is a Past President of the NAHT [National Association of Headteachers] and is currently the National Wellbeing Director for the Schools Advisory Service, leading their National Wellbeing Partnership.
In this episode, Andy doesn't pull any punches. It is FULL of practical advice on how to make a positive difference in your school, within a system he believes is fundamentally broken. He shares:
- how the “whatever it takes” culture comes at a price, in terms of children’s mental health and staff mental health, and that is a price we can no longer afford to pay
- why we need to recalibrate how we understand the role of education
- how, when we look after ourselves and our children’s wellbeing, standards and results will naturally improve by huge gains
- the keys to a thriving education system: a sense of purpose and autonomy and giving staff freedom to develop the whole child, with examples of schools where this is working well
- how and why we need to move away from the "attainment at all costs" culture
- what he did as a headteacher to move his school from 'requires improvement' to 'outstanding' in 2 years.
- and much more!
You can connect with Andy:
The Schools Advisory Service website
On Twitter @andymellor64
LinkedIn - Andy Mellor
Other mentions in this podcast:
Kagan Structures
ABC - agree, build on and challenge.
James Nottingham’s learning pit
The Leo Trust
Mellor Primary School
Jim Nicholson, president of Northwest NAHT @Jimnich1
Geelong Grammar
Positive Psychology
Connect with Pursuit: Find out more about our 5-Step Wellbeing Action Plan online course. Connect with Maria on Twitter @MariaBrosnan
"There are lots of good people brought into leadership teams that are poor leaders. A great teacher doesn’t necessarily make a great leader."
Mal Krishnasamy is an Educational Consultant & Coach.
With almost 20 years experience in education as a teacher, middle leader, then Senior Assistant Principal across a multi-academy trust, she’s seen it all.
Being an assertive leader means being able to stand up for your own or other people's rights in a calm and positive way, without being either aggressive or passive.
In this episode full of practical strategies to be assertive (without being aggressive or passive), Mal shares:
- why assertive leadership is so vital in schools now
- the one thing a healthy school culture boils down to
- how knowing your values can help you be a more assertive and effective leader
- why working in a toxic culture is so bad for your wellbeing and what to do about it
- the skills needed to have difficult conversations without being aggressive,
- why leaving issues unresolved contributes to an unhealthy and unhappy school culture
- what to do if you're a "people pleaser"
- and much more!
"Many people worry that if you have a difficult conversation, it's like East Enders you’re going to be found under a patio somewhere! When you’ve got the tools, it’s much easier."
You can connect with Mal: Twitter @MalCPD Her website is: www.malcpd.com where you can find out more about her Assertive Leadership Coaching Courses
On LinkedIn
Connect with Pursuit: Find out more about our 5-Step Wellbeing Action Plan online course. Connect with Maria on Twitter @MariaBrosnan
“The greatest success of the project has come from seeing teachers invest in themselves, recognise their worth and choose more of the life that they wish to live. Teachers: the possibilities are endless.”
Kathryn Grice was a secondary English Teacher for ten years, and Head of Department.
She left full time teaching in 2016 and founded the Teacher Empowerment Project.
In this empowering podcast, Kathryn shares:
- The advice she would give teachers who are considering leaving the profession;
- Why she felt like a failure when she left full time teaching to raise her young sons;
- The huge benefits of incorporating flexible working in schools (options and opportunities);
- Helping stem the huge number of people leaving the profession, particularly women in their 30's juggling and struggling with elderly parents and young families;
- The importance of giving ourselves time and space (and how to do it);
- Why are high performing females not getting to the top of the profession?
- And much more!
The Teacher Empowerment Project platform signposts CPD and communities, wellbeing advice, support and new career opportunities.
You can connect with Kathryn on:
Twitter: @teacherempower Facebook: facebook.com/teacherempower Instagram: teacher_empowerment_project Her website is teacherempowermentproject.co.uk
Other links mentioned in the episode:
Flexible Teacher Talent
DId Teach
Teacher5aday
Successful Difficult Conversations In School, Sonia Gill
Connect with Pursuit: Find out more about our 5-Step Wellbeing Action Plan online course. Connect with Maria on Twitter @MariaBrosnan
Laura McInerney is the Co-Founder of Teacher Tapp, the daily survey app that asks over 8,000 teachers each day about what they want, need, think and feel.
Laura shares her insights into what's happening in schools right now and patterns that have emerged over years.
In this highly practical episode, Laura shares her insights into:
- The high and sustained levels of headteacher anxiety at present, compared to this time last year;
- What causes high levels of anxiety for teachers;
- The most important (and surprising) predictor of whether you're likely to stay in your job;
- The reasons we lose so many teachers early in their career and towards the end of their career;
- What’s the smallest 'biggest improvement' you can make in school now;
- Being honest about reality for you;
- How to find the right role for you in school;
- And much more!
Laura was formerly the editor of Schools Week. She is one of the Guardian's education columnists and taught for six years in London state schools.
"We have a finite amount of life; a finite amount of energy and we have to decide where it goes."
You can connect with Laura: On Twitter @miss_mcinerney Teacher Tapp's website is teachertapp.co.uk
Connect with Pursuit: Find out more about our 5-Step Wellbeing Action Plan online course. Connect with Maria on Twitter @MariaBrosnan
"We were forced into the biggest, most sudden education experiment we’ve ever experienced."
Ernest Jenavs is the CEO of Edurio, the research company responsible for the largest comprehensive multi-stakeholder review of the Covid-19 impact on schools in England to date.
He is co-author of the research which had 45,000 pupils, parents and staff take part across 277 schools.
In this surprisingly practical episode, Ernest shares his insights from the research in 4 mains themes:
- Learning
- Wellbeing
- Community
- Leadership
Ernest shares his concrete findings on:
- The single most important tool leaders have that makes the biggest impact on staff wellbeing;
- The key role of parental engagement;
- The correlation between workload and wellbeing, and the surprising insight that it's not related to hours worked;
- Two practical skills that make the biggest difference to pupil wellbeing;
- And much more!
You can connect with Ernest
On Twitter @ejenavs His email is ernest.jenavs@edurio.com Edurio's website is home.edurio.com
You can download a summary of the reports mentioned in the podcast using this link
And find out about how to join their new research on equality, diversity and inclusion via the website.
Connect with Pursuit: Find out more about our 5-Step Wellbeing Action Plan online course.
The famous quote from Maya Angelou, "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel", is the basis of this episode with John Magee.
He says, "If we want to transform lives, we have got to build strong relationships through kindness. Good results are the benefit of good relationships."
John is the "Kindness Coach" and in this wonderful conversation, he shares:
- Why he believes kindness matters;
- His 'colourful' and poignant personal story;
- Why cultivating kindness in the classroom is so important;
- How taking care of yourself is one of the kindest acts you can do, as a teacher;
- Practical ways to help your pupils be kinder to each other and to staff;
- The power of setting intentions;
- How we can stop losing fantastic teachers from the profession;
- And much more!
World Kindness Day is November 13th, 2020.
John Magee is a speaker, coach and best selling author.
His book, Kindness Matters, has been described as “the one book that will transform your life and the lives of others."
His global movement "Kindness Matters" reaches over 100,000 people daily on social media.
You can connect with John:
On Twitter @KindnessCoach
His website is www.thekindnesscoach.me
YouTube @TheKindnessCoachTV
Instagram @thekindnesscoach
His best selling book, Kindness Matters is widely available.
Read more about Hal Elrod's "The Miracle Morning"
Connect with Pursuit:
Find out more about our 5-Step Wellbeing Action Plan online course.
Please note: in this episode Ross shares his personal story of being a sexual abuse survivor, which some people may find upsetting.
"We cannot have a world-class education system on a shoestring budget. It's as simple as that. Quality of teaching matters."
Ross McGill is an experienced senior teacher with a career-history spanning 25+ years working in state schools across London. He is the founder of Teacher Toolkit and is an award-winning teacher, author and blogger.
In this wide-ranging episode, Ross shares his:
- Tips for a happier working life;
- Ideas for taking care of teacher wellbeing in challenging times;
- Experiences of life as a teacher and school leader;
- Insights into life as a blogger and becoming an "accidental entrepreneur";
- Insights from his huge social media presence;
- Research and writing;
- Experience of being a sexual abuse survivor;
- And much more.
In 2015, Ross was nominated as one of the ‘500 Most Influential People in Britain’ for his influence on education with his blog and resources having reached over 11 million people.
And he’s the author of 7 books, including:
- Just Great Teaching
- Mark. Plan. Teach
- 60-Second CPD and more, which you can find on his website and Amazon.
He is currently training teachers and studying for his doctorate at Cambridge University.
You can connect with Ross:
On Twitter @TeacherToolkit
His website is www.teachertoolkit.co.uk
Connect with Pursuit:
Find out more about our 5-Step Wellbeing Action Plan online course.
Being a teacher, leader or member of the support staff can be tough. So how do you look after yourself first, so you can make the biggest difference for your learners? How do you 'do less, better' in terms of your wellbeing and leadership, whatever your role in school?
Patrick Ottley-O’Connor is a Headteacher. He's been a teacher for 34+ years, including 27 years as a senior leader, and 17 years as a Principal.
In this insightful conversation full of practical ideas, he shares:
- The benefits of putting mental health and wellbeing at the heart of school improvement;
- How to create a culture of mental health and wellbeing;
- Why he is a 'Wellbeing Supermodel' as a Headteacher;
- Why wellbeing is not a soft option;
- His personal leadership mantra;
- How to flip the narrative around appraisal;
- The key method he uses to manage and model his own wellbeing;
- The vital importance of induction for new staff or staff into new roles;
- The key role of governors in supporting wellbeing;
- And much more!
Patrick coaches many aspiring, new and experienced headteachers and CEOs, particularly those facing significant challenge both in the UK and internationally.
He leads and facilitates a variety of leadership programmes, ranging from Middle to Executive Leadership courses. He is a DfE coach for the Women Leading in Education initiative. Patrick is also a Trustee of the Wardle Trust and founding Director of Collaborative Leadership Ltd.
You can connect with Patrick:
On Twitter @ottleyoconnor
Find out more about Teacher 5 a day #teacher5aday @teacher5aday
Connect with Pursuit:
Find out more about our 5-Step Wellbeing Action Plan online course.
Many of us are experiencing chronic stress during these challenging times, including our pupils.
When we experience chronic stress - that is when our nervous system is activated for long periods of time - it has the same impact on us as trauma, says Beth Kelley, psychotherapist.
Beth co-authored the book, Teaching, Learning, and Trauma: Responsive practices for holding steady in turbulent times.
In this insightful and deeply practical conversation, Beth shares:
- A simple definition of 'trauma';
- Simple practices to manage stress or trauma in yourself;
- Or your class, whether you're with them in person or teaching online;
- The most important first step to take in building resilience;
- How building resilience as a school community means less heavy lifting on any individual teacher or leader;
- A simple way of knowing when you're nervous system is out of balance;
- What to do if your system is 'too hot' or 'too cold';
- The most critical thing you can do for your own wellbeing;
- How to reconnect with your purpose;
- And much more!
Beth Kelley is a psychotherapist, consultant, coach, and author. She loves working with schools that are committed to caring for their most valuable resource...their people.
Beth joins us from Colorado.
Connect with Beth:
On Facebook @bethkelleyconsulting
On Instagram @bethkelleyconsulting
Her website is www.bethkelleyconsulting.com
Connect with Pursuit:
Take our 2-minute quiz and get your personal plan to help reduce anxiety and transform your wellbeing at www.teacheranxietyquiz.com
Find out more about our "5-Step Wellbeing Action Plan" online course at www.pursuit-wellbeing.com
There are quotes from ancient history, where Socrates is having difficulty teaching boys. There are age-old challenges and in this podcast, Mark shares 5 strategies that teachers can use to help manage boys with challenging behaviour. And by extension, support their own wellbeing. Pupil behaviour is the second highest reason why teachers leave the profession (behind workload), so it's a timely and important topic to discuss.
Mark Goodwin is a behavioural specialist and the founder of Equal Parts Education, delivering turnaround programmes to permanently excluded young people.
In this compassionate conversation, Mark shares;
- His philosophy to always 'get upstream' of the problem;
- Why it's so important to find out their interests;
- The key thing to look for in your planning;
- How to see the best part of them;
- Why it can help to appeal to his better nature;
- Why it's crucial to have high expectations;
- Dealing with shame, embarrassment and low self-esteem;
- And much more!
For 20 years, Mark was a teacher, school leader, trainer & coach.
Connect with Mark:
On Twitter @markgoodwin8
His website is EqualPartsEducation.co.uk
Download his free guide "Your School Boy Lesson".
Connect with Pursuit:
Find out more about our 5-Step Wellbeing Action Plan online course at www.pursuit-wellbeing.com
Take our 2-minute quiz and get your personal plan to help reduce anxiety and transform your wellbeing at www.teacheranxietyquiz.com
In the current challenging circumstances, it can feel overwhelming as a school leader to know what's 'the 'right thing to do'. Guidelines are open to such wide interpretation that it can feel like a legal or employment minefield.
Emma Webster is an Employment Solicitor with over 15 years experience advising employers and employees, without litigation.
In this fascinating conversation with Emma, she explains:
- The number one thing for the Senior Leadership Team to focus on in these challenging times.
- Is 'wellbeing' a legal concept?
- How to support a staff member with anxiety. NB. According to the Equality Act, a disability means a physical or a mental condition which has a substantial and long-term impact on your ability to do normal day to day activities.
- Can you guarantee staff safety in your school?
- Interpreting the guidelines.
- Enlisting support from the Unions and Governors.
- What to do if a member of staff is too anxious to work or wants to shield a family member.
- How to approach pregnancy and maternity?
- The difference between a legal obligation and a moral obligation.
- Where do morality and kindness come into play.
- And much more!
Emma is currently a consultant with YESS (having previously been CEO), a charity which provides employment law advice focussed on avoiding litigation and resolving disputes.
You can connect with Emma:
On Twitter @Emmakwebster and @YESSLaw
The YESS Law website is https://www.yesslaw.org.uk/
The Maternity Action website is https://maternityaction.org.uk/
Connect with Pursuit:
Find out more about our5-Step Wellbeing Action Plan online course at www.pursuit-wellbeing.com
Take our 2-minute quiz and get your personal plan to help reduce anxiety and transform your wellbeing at www.teacheranxietyquiz.com
Pupil behaviour is the second highest reason why teachers leave the profession (behind workload.) Adele shares her key strategies for teachers, school leaders and educators who are struggling to engage pupils with challenging behaviour; who want to create inclusive classrooms where learning is the focus.
Adele Bates is a behaviour and Education Specialist with over 18 years' experience.
In this wide-ranging conversation, we explore -
- How teacher wellbeing is affected by poor pupil behaviour.
- What teachers can do for themselves, especially in setting and holding healthy boundaries.
- How to create the infrastructure and support for teachers' around behaviour.
- Dealing with challenging behaviour and wellbeing post-lockdown.
- Allowing more time and space in the classroom to help pupils dealing with trauma to feel safe.
- How and when to manage your own self-care. (Hint: It’s not going to change unless you change something.)
- Knowing your own triggers (so your students don't trigger them.)
- Adele's 'magic bullet' in managing behaviour using a free, easy tool.
- And the key way that Adele manages her personal wellbeing. I urge you to listen to this part of the podcast if you have a menstrual cycle or live or work with someone who does. This is information that was life-changing for Adele and incredibly eye-opening for me. It starts around 35 minutes into the podcast.
- And much more!
You can connect with Adele:
- On Twitter @adelebatesZ
- Her website is adelebateseducation.co.uk, where you can join her 6-week mini-CPD training on supporting behaviour for teachers and pupils, available for just £15.
- She's currently writing her new book, “Miss, I don’t give a sh*t.” published by Sage Publications.
Connect with Pursuit:
Take our 2-minute quiz and get your personal plan to help reduce anxiety and transform your wellbeing at www.teacheranxietyquiz.com
Find out more about our 5-Step Wellbeing Action Plan online course at www.pursuit-wellbeing.com
Stress, anxiety and exhaustion levels are sky-high for many teachers. We know we can't 'pour from an empty cup'; we need to put our own 'oxygen mask' on first; we should be practising 'self-care'. But how?
Best selling author, Therese Hoyle, shares simple, practical tools and strategies to help. With over 25 years’ teaching experience, she knows first hand how hard it can be in schools right now.
In this inspiring conversation, we talk about how to:
- Recognise draining situations and learn to eliminate them.
- Create clear, self-care, action plans that that support you in creating health, vitality and a positive mindset.
- How to create a culture of kindness in school and why it matters.
- Why staff rewards and appreciation are essential.
- And much more!
Therese has over 25 years’ teaching experience in mainstream & special education.
Since 1996, Therese has worked nationally and internationally with over 450 schools and organisations, and more than 14,500 individuals.
She has inspired them with her programmes: Flourishing Schools, Keys to Wellbeing, Positive Playtime, Circle Time, Positive Behaviour Management, Emotional Literacy and Leadership Coaching programmes.
Therese has a passion for creating positive school environments and for supporting children in reaching their full and true potential.
You can connect with Therese:
Twitter @theresehoyle Instagram @theresehoyle Facebook @theresehoyle
Her website is www.ThereseHoyle.com where you can find her books and resources. Download her free Wellbeing Toolkit here.
Her books are widely available:
- 101 Playground Games
- 101 Wet Playtime Games
- And Therese is contributing author of How to Be a Peaceful School.
Connect with Pursuit:
Take our 2-minute quiz and get your personal plan to help reduce anxiety and transform your wellbeing at www.teacheranxietyquiz.com
Find out more about our5-Step Wellbeing Action Plan online course at www.pursuit-wellbeing.com
Staffrooms have a vital role to play in schools. They're normally the hub of the staff community and a place to eat, drink, work, socialise and rest. So what can we do without them, or with limited access to one?
Kimberley Evans started Nourish the Workplace to gives schools the tools they need to prioritise and celebrate staff wellbeing.
In this conversation, Kimberley shares her ideas on;
- The importance of the staffroom, now more than ever.
- How to adjust the staffroom in a time of physical distancing, to avoid 'social distancing' of the staff.
- The most important question for SLT to ask staff every few weeks.
- How to deal are the 'pinch points' in the school and school day.
- Why communication is key.
- Why making the effort, taking the time and investing a little bit of money in wellbeing measures now, will pay dividends in the long term.
- Creative ways to work with the PTA, families and wider community to support staff.
- Why prioritising wellbeing is vitally important now, to reduce the risk of sickness absences across the staff.
- The 3 R's of wellbeing - Rest, Refuel, Recharge.
- And much more!
Kimberley began her teaching career over 20 years ago.
She left teaching 2 years ago to set up Nourish the Workplace to make a difference in the profession she loves. After seeing many people leave education due to unhappiness and workload she made a commitment to show schools how easy it is to improve staff wellbeing.
Connect with Kimberley:
- On Twitter @nourishworkplace
- Her website is www.nourishtheworkplace.com
- Download her free Staffroom guide.
Connect with Pursuit:
Take our 2-minute quiz and get your personal plan to help reduce anxiety and transform your wellbeing at www.teacheranxietyquiz.com
Find out more about our5-Step Wellbeing Action Plan online course at www.pursuit-wellbeing.com
We know how important whole-school wellbeing is, but it can be difficult to know where to start or what to prioritise. These 3 simple exercises help you start in the classroom.
Vanessa McHardy is an Integrative Child Psychotherapist who works in schools and has a private practice in London.
In this inspiring conversation with Vanessa, we explore;
- Why it’s so important to support the wellbeing of everyone in school and simple, practical ways to do this.
- The intriguing and vital role of our connective tissue in supporting our wellbeing.
- 3 exercises we can do to relieve stress; so simple we can easily teach them to our children and young people.
- Helping Wellbeing Leads in school to cope.
- A shocking 80% of people don’t ask for help when having difficulties.
- Simple steps to deal with this and create a system of communication to be more open about how we’re feeling or coping, without fear of embarrassment or shame.
- Vanessa’s self talk, “You are not being chased by a tiger!”
- The exciting opportunity schools have to put the wellbeing of everyone front and centre now.
- How good wellbeing benefits everyone, including academic results.
- Covid 19 has shown ‘we’re all in this together’, but we’re having unique experiences. Her free training program ‘Same Sea, Different Boats’ helps schools address and create a powerful piece of work out of it.
- And much more!
Vanessa has developed a therapeutic return to school series of programmes and initiatives through the generous funding of the Lars Windhorst Foundation, you can find these at the website www.sameseadifferentboats.com.
She is a specialist in practical, simple life skills that support mental health and wellbeing.
You can connect with Vanessa:
On Twitter @vanessamchardy
Her website is www.sameseadifferentboats.com
Connect with Pursuit:
Take our 2-minute quiz and get your personal plan to help reduce anxiety and transform your wellbeing at www.teacheranxietyquiz.com
Find out more about our5-Step Wellbeing Action Plan online course at www.pursuit-wellbeing.com
We all have character strengths. When we know what they are, we can use them to powerfully enhance our individual wellbeing and create an environment in the classroom and across the school that enables everyone to flourish.
Frederika Roberts is a speaker, trainer, author and occasional lecturer in Positive and Character Education and Positive Psychology.
In this fascinating conversation, we explore:
- What ‘character strengths’ are and how understanding them can support our wellbeing.
- The core set of 24 character strengths we all share.
- Ways to discover and develop your top 5 character strengths.
- Practical applications for using them with your children or young people in the classroom and with colleagues across the school.
- Research by Barbara Frederickson showing the positive upward spiral that positive emotions can create.
- The importance of creating 'micro-moments of connection', especially during Covid 19 restrictions.
- What all 24 character strengths are.
- How we can understand and look more kindly on people that irritate us, by looking through the lens of character strengths.
- How you can introduce this work into your classroom or school, even as an individual.
- And much more!
Frederika is passionate about supporting schools in enabling individuals and communities to flourish and, to this end, has completed a Masters in Applied Positive Psychology and is undertaking a Doctorate in Education to underpin her work in schools.
She is the Founder and Managing Director of Educate to Flourish CIC, a not-for-profit organisation set up to support children’s flourishing during and beyond their years in education.
You can connect with Frederika:
Via Twitter at @frederika_r
Her websites are www.educatetoflourish.org.uk
And www.happiness-speaker.co.uk
Her book is For Flourishing’s Sake.
Connect with Pursuit:
Take our 2-minute quiz and get your personal plan to help reduce anxiety and transform your wellbeing at www.teacheranxietyquiz.com
Find out more about our 5-Step Wellbeing Action Plan online course at www.pursuit-wellbeing.com.
Check your Top 5 Character Strengths at Via Institute www.viacharacter.org
Being a newly qualified or recently qualified teacher in 2020 will be challenging. On top of the usual demands of a new career, dealing with the uncertainty of Covid and implementing guidelines in school brings unique challenges.
John Rees is an experienced teacher, speaker, coach, trainer and consultant with more than 25 years educational leadership experience.
The main focus of our conversation today is around ideas, tips and strategies to support NQTs [Newly Qualified Teachers] and RQTs [Recently Qualified Teachers] and their mentors.
In this episode we explore:
- Why relationships are the key to a healthy school culture.
- How Mentors can help their NQTs or RQTs feel valued, supported, cared for and protected.
- Embracing the challenge of uncertain times.
- How we can create the conditions for people to do their job well.
- Why teaching can be the best job in the world.
- And much more!
John is passionately committed to improving the learning and life chances of children and young people.
He provides training & consultancy in PSHE [Personal, Social, Emotional Health] Citizenship and SMSC [Spiritual, Moral, Social and Cultural development] and all aspects of school improvement, supporting individuals, organisations and Local Authorities, including public health teams.
You can connect with John:
On Twitter
His Website is www.pshesolutions.co.uk
You can connect with Pursuit:
Take our 2-minute quiz and get your personal plan to help reduce anxiety and transform your wellbeing.
Find out more about our 5-Step Wellbeing Action Plan online course.
School leadership in 2020 is more challenging than any other time in living memory. We explore how school leaders can protect their wellbeing and build a thriving school culture in a time of crisis.
Sonia Gill is a qualified teacher who has taught all ages from 4 to 16. She's also had a successful career in business, having been selected onto the prestigious John Lewis leadership programme.
Sonia founded her company Headsup in 2011 where she and her team have been supporting schools to become genuinely outstanding. The schools they support are four times more likely to gain or maintain their outstanding judgement.
She’s the author of two Number 1 ranked books, ‘Journey to Outstanding’ and ‘Successful Difficult Conversations in school’.
We focus on leadership in this episode, and explore:
- What is 'school culture'?
- How to create a healthy culture in your school and how this affects wellbeing at all levels in the school.
- Setting and managing your personal boundaries, to reduce the risk of burnout.
- The difference between 'equity' and 'fairness' and how this simple framework can help you make better decisions, more quickly as a leader.
- How to use your school vision and values to inform decision making.
- What Sonia has learned working with so many school leaders over lockdown, that can help support you going forward.
- Ideas to help you look after yourself and your wellbeing as a school leader.
- And much more!
You can connect with Sonia:
On Twitter
Her website is ukheadsup.com
Sign up for her daily emails to support school leaders through the pandemic and more.
Her books are: Journey to Outstanding Successful Difficult Conversations in school
You can connect with Pursuit:
Take our 2-minute quiz and get your personal plan to help reduce anxiety and transform your wellbeing.
Find out more about our 5-Step Wellbeing Action Plan online course.
How do we support the wellbeing of teachers, as well as their students and young people at a time of great change, challenge and uncertainty?
Dr Sue Roffey is a psychologist, academic, author, activist and speaker. She is currently an honorary professor at universities in the UK and Australia and the Director of Growing Great Schools Worldwide.
In this wide ranging conversation with Sue, we discuss:
- Focussing on things within a teacher’s control.
- What “social capital” is, and we develop it in school.
- Why we should stop talking about social distancing.
- The importance of belonging and connecting with each other in school.
- Her ASPIRE principles:
- Agency: Giving people a voice and responsibility.
- Safety: Physical and emotional safety. Mistakes are welcome as a pathway to learning.
- Positivity: Positive psychology. Focussing on kindness, gratitude and play.
- Inclusion: Welcoming everybody, regardless. Giving everybody a role so they can participate. Fostering the sense of belonging.
- Respect: Good listening, not making quick judgments or assumptions, empower others.
- Equality: How do we enable everyone to develop their strengths?
Sue is a prolific author, having written chapters, blogs and numerous books on issues related to school and student wellbeing such as behaviour, relationships and social/emotional learning.
You can connect with Sue:
On Twitter
Her website is Growing Great Schools Worldwide.com
Her TedX Talk is School as Family Education Aligned with Healthy Child Development.
Her books are available on her website:
- The Primary Behaviour Cookbook.
- The Secondary Behaviour Cookbook.
- Circle Solutions for Student Wellbeing.
You can connect with Pursuit:
Take our 2-minute quiz and get your personal plan to help reduce anxiety and transform your wellbeing.
Find out more about our 5-Step Wellbeing Action Plan online course.
What are the 3 'musts' that cause teachers anxiety and stress?
Sam Garner is a qualified Cognitive Behavioural Therapist and trains education staff nationally and internationally. She is a published author of the book 'Mental Health in Education - Building Good Foundations' and writes CBT programmes for schools.
Sam is a renowned speaker and trainer on Mental Health and Special Educational Needs (SEN) and an ex SENCO.
In this enjoyable conversation with Sam, we talk about:
- What works for your mental health.
- How you can do things that bring you balance and peace.
- Why it's so important to recharge your battery.
- How to deal with the 3 “musts” that cause us anxiety and stress.
- Coming out of social bubbles and dealing with social situations.
- Forgiving ourselves and others (and why it's so important.)
- Dealing with the dreaded “Imposter Syndrome”.
- And much more!
You can connect with Sam:
On Twitter
Her website is Samanthagarner.co.uk
Her book is Mental Health in Education - Building Good Foundations
Take our 2-minute quiz and get your personal plan to help reduce anxiety and transform your wellbeing.
Find out more about our 5-Step Wellbeing Action Plan online course.
