It’s one of the least enjoyed parts of being a Teacher or School Leader … the call to let a parent know that their child has screwed up. I dreaded it. At first, it was because I knew that the response from the parent was likely to be negative and defensive. And, in my early…
There’s an ancient adage around teaching that “the kids who least deserve your love and kindness are those that need it the most”. Mostly, it’s a reminder to bring the best practice in our hearts to each and every one of our students. But it’s also because it works. In the equally ancient ABC model…
What do we do about the workload challenges facing Australian educators? Firstly, let me say that Real Schools stands with the public and independent education unions who have recently instigated industrial action to demand better pay and working conditions for Teachers and School Leaders. That action matters and policy change at the top is pivotal…
Across Australia, kids are a bit different at the moment. They’ve been changed by the pandemic and many teachers are reporting that they lack resilience, stamina and cooperative skill. It was probably to be expected, if we’re honest. It’s like they’ve drifted out of the ‘sweet spot’ in schools where things just hum along, not…
I’ve spoken to a lot of schools lately who are in Struggle Town. So firstly, if your school has taken up digs in Struggle Town too – thank you for your struggle. I really appreciate your resilience and will to continue on behalf of your students. Struggle Town’s population has rather ballooned lately. You’re not…
I get it. I get that the wellbeing of our staffs at the moment is both a priority and a concern. I also get the natural inclination for the leaders of these staffs to temper expectations where possible and respect the current capacity limits. But a word of respectful warning, if I may. Don’t grind…
A significant number of teachers have reported to me lately that they’ve noticed a major spike in conflict between students, in terms of both frequently and severity. This observation runs parallel to a deterioration in overall cohesion and conduct. It’s concerning. But it also leaves we educators at a critical fork in the road. If…
Did schools espouse and promote their values 30 years ago? I don’t think many did. And so, does this mean they weren’t places where important character traits such as respect, honesty, responsibility and kindness were fostered? Well, I actually think many of us thoroughly developed habits of living such as these at school. So, what…
Many teachers have been speaking with me lately about how students have struggled to adapt to learning in the company of others once more since remote learning and all of the recent covid interruptions. In particular, they’ve reported an increase in attention seeking behaviours. Let’s deal with that. There’s a motivator or currency behind every…
Recently, the Real Schools team came together at Victoria’s gorgeous Phillip Island for a conference geared around how we can get better at what we do – partnering with schools. We spent a whole day in the company of one of the world’s leading trainers and mentors of facilitators, Colin James. It was a privilege…