School Behaviour Secrets with Simon Currigan and Emma Shackleton

As a parent, it can be tough to decide whether or not to medicate your child for ADHD. But how can you be sure it's the right call? This week on our school behaviour secrets podcast, we sit down with developmental paediatrician and author of 'ADHD Medication: Does It Work And Is It Safe', Dr Walt Karniski. He walks us through some key questions to ask before making a decision, as we...

Getting the working noise level right in class can be tricky. Research tells us that students benefit from the chance to collaborate and discuss learning with their peers, but we all know that too much noise leads to off task behaviours and wasted time. So how can you get the balance of silence and chatter spot on? In this week's School Behaviour secrets episode, we reveal our top 5 tips to m...

Sometimes our students get stuck in cycles of negative, challenging behaviour - even when they've been offered support and intervention programmes in school. That leads to poor outcomes for the individual - emotionally and academically - and often results in disrupted learning for their classmates. In this episode, we continue our discussion with Tom McIntrye, Sean Turner and Kenny Hirschmann...

Sometimes our students get stuck in cycles of negative, challenging behaviour - even when they've been offered support and intervention programmes in school. That leads to poor outcomes for the individual - emotionally and academically - and often results in disrupted learning for their classmates. In this episode, we talk to Tom McIntrye, Sean Turner and Kenny Hirschmann about the Stages of...

Been taught that negative reinforcement is a more socially acceptable term for a punishment? Then you've been told a lie. Negative reinforcement is a specific behaviour strategy that is different from punishment in a number of ways. In today's episode, we share what negative enforcement actually is - and why that matters in your classroom. Important links: Join our Inner Circle membershi...

In the past, we've described children could have difficulty coming into school as 'school refusers,' as if their behaviour is down to wilfulness. But is it time to flip the script - and start looking at other causes for that behaviour? In today's show, Jerricah Holder explains how thinking in terms of Emotionally Based School Avoidance can be much more powerful, what really dri...

There could be a number of reasons why a child is refusing to complete their work. Maybe they're feeling overwhelmed, maybe they don't understand the task, or maybe they're just tired. As a teacher, it's important to try to figure out what the child is trying to tell you so you can help them overcome the obstacle and get their work done. In this episode of School Behaviour Secr...

When a pupil has an outburst in school, it can be easy to approach that situation as a confrontation, where the child is deliberately engaging in disruptive behaviour. The result? Lots of stress - for the adult and the pupil. But what if there was another approach? In this quickfire strategy episode, I give you a 2-word sentence that anyone can use when emotions are high that makes de-escalation e...

As teachers and school leaders, it's easy to become distracted (and polarised!) by the question, "Which is more powerful - positive or negative feedback?" But what if that's the wrong question entirely? In this episode, I explain what question we should be asking ourselves about rewards and consequences, and what the implications are for our classroom practice. Important links:...

As teachers and educators, we rely on our voices to teach effectively and communicate information across the classroom, school hall - or even whole playgrounds. But when we project our voices in the wrong way, we can experience frequent sore throats or even damage our vocal cords. In this week's quickfire strategy episode, I explain how to project your voice the right way... so pupils will be...

Sometimes, the SEMH support strategies we're using with a student just stop working - for no apparent reason - and we're left with the dilemma, "What do we do next?" In this episode, I share how this simple concept from statistics might explain both why a pupil's behaviour support strategies might have become ineffective - and what to do next. Important links: Get our FREE...

When it comes to behaviour and learning, there's one question we should be asking ourselves (as the adult) that can change the game in our classrooms. And although it's a question we often ask ourselves at the start of our career, it's one we quickly forget as we become more experienced as teachers. In this episode I reveal what that question is - and how the answer can have profoun...

De-escalating students during an outburst can be physically and mentally draining. But what if there was a way of making it easier on you ? In the first of our "quick fire strategies" episodes, I share one mind-trick that makes de-escalation less stressful - whether you're dealing with a pupil outburst, or another adult that has lost control of their emotions. Important links: Ranga...

More pupils than ever before are facing unseen pressures, causing an increase in anxiety and stress in pupils of all ages. What are the hidden stresses and what can educators do to alleviate them? In this special Behaviour Secrets compilation, we have weaved together the advice of two SEMH experts, Helena Kulikowska and Sara Turner. They reveal the importance of understanding and empathising with...

There's a fine line between supporting students with SEMH needs with positive behaviour change and trying to "normalise" them - so they fit into society's idea of how children should think and behave. In this week's episode, we explore this important topic with Nicki Day, education and parental support advisor (and parent of an autistic child). She explains to provide supp...

Over the past twelve months there's been a lot of discussion about using relational approaches to manage classroom behaviour. But, is this approach more effective than a traditional reward and consequences strategy? In this special School Behaviour Secrets episode, we have brought together the advice of two leading specialists, Kevin Hewitson and Pamela Tseu. We discuss the impact of a relati...

When a child repeatedly has trouble managing their emotions (or behaviour), it's time to start asking why they keep getting dysregulated. What's the root cause? In this week's School Behaviour Secrets, we reveal how to identify the underlying cause of any explosive behaviours you're seeing in school - and why putting in place the right intervention is vital for achieving succes...

Evidence shows that mindfulness can have a positive impact on the thoughts and emotions of adults. but is the same automatically true for children? And should we be investing time helping kids learn mindfulness techniques in class? In this episode of school behaviour secrets, we explore what mindfulness is, how to use it with children, and review the scientific research into mindfulness and childr...

Many educators focus on the challenges associated with ADHD in the classroom. But what if that's the wrong approach? What if a child's ADHD were actually their superpower? In today's School Behaviour Secrets, author and expert Soli Lazarus talks to us about her experience being a parent of a child with ADHD, reveals the overlooked advantages the condition can offer, and ideas and st...

Teaching kids with challenging behaviour needs can be tough. It can emotionally, physically and spiritually draining! When it comes to supporting kids with SEMH and behaviour needs, mindset is everything. So in this episode, we explore 5 important mindset changes to make that will help protect your mental and emotional well-being as an adult. Useful links: Get our FREE SEMH Framework: https://beac...

Did you know that children with ADHD have a very reward driven brain - that drives them to seek out immediate pleasure ? That means if they're doing something that's boring, whatever the activity may be, it's physically uncomfortable for them. In Part 2 of this episode, ADHD expert and founder of DIG Coaching Practice Jeff Copper, reveals more of his insights into the difficulties a...

Did you know that children with ADHD have a very reward driven brain - that drives them to seek out immediate pleasure ? That means if they're doing something that's boring, whatever the activity may be, it's physically uncomfortable for them. In this week's episode, ADHD expert and founder of DIG Coaching Practice Jeff Copper, reveals his insights into the difficulties and cha...

Low-level disruption slows down teaching and learning, prevents students from focussing on their work and creates huge amounts of stress for teachers. It may be "low-level" in name, but it's "high-level" in impact. But what can we, as teachers, do about low-level disruption? In this episode, we look at 4 key classroom management strategies that help eliminate low-level dis...

Did you know there's an area of science focussed on helping people engage in positive behaviour change? It's called ABA (Applied Behaviour Analysis) and follows simple, tested principles for helping pupils achieve behaviour success. In today's episode, ABA and autism expert Sasha Long explains what ABA is, why finding the function of a pupil's behaviour is so important. AND how...

Want to know how to de-escalate a student outburst? To some extent, it will depend on the needs of the individual pupil - but there is one mindset shift you can make that will improve your de-escalation skills. In this episode, we reveal what the mindset shift is and how to apply it when de-escalating pupils experiencing an anger outburst (or meltdown). So you minimise your pupil's distress -...