Rethinking Education

Big emotions are normal for all of us. Me, included! Most days, at least one of my four girls will experience big emotions - anger, frustration, sadness. There is often shouting, there are usually tears and I find that they just need me to be there. Not necessarily to say anything, or fix anything but just to be there. To stay connected. To be a stable, secure anchor as the wave of emotions hit and eventually subside.

I've learned the hard way that in the midst of big emotions, it isn't the time to reprimand for rudeness or discuss better ways of handling big emotions. That can be saved for later.

So, given that all children (yes, even the older ones! It isn't just a toddler thing) need support, why are schools still isolating children to manage these big emotions alone?

Whether you call it 'time out', 'isolation' or something more palatable like 'the thinking chair', these are all discipline practices where a child is separated and left alone to manage their feelings.

I get it. If you have a child in the classroom whose behaviour is disruptive and affecting others then removing them makes sense. After 12 years in the secondary school classroom, I have removed children myself. Kept them in the corridor, sent them to a head of year. In almost all cases, though, they were left alone to manage big emotions because everyone was busy. Or we weren't as aware of a child's emotional needs as perhaps we should have been. After all we are there to educate.

The truth? I became a teacher to support the whole child. This includes their emotional development. I was complicit in punishing children for having big emotions. I expected them to have the tools to manage their emotions when in truth, most if us adults can't do that all the time. Let alone children and teenagers.

Once I became a parent, my whole perspective changed. I couldn't stay in teaching. I felt that the whole system needed rethinking. I wasn't prepared to have my child in a school that didn't prioritise emotional and mental health. Some schools are doing better. But there is a long way to go.

How does your child's school or nursery support your child emotionally?

So true!

Yes. 💖

Via WholeHearted School Counseling

World Mental Health Day 2021. Our children's mental health is more important than....well, anything really.

When we are guiding and facilitating our children on their education journeys, whether we are unschooling, home schooling, world schooling or have our children at school, let's make their mental health our priority.

Tears, anger and frustration are not required in order for learning to take place, In fact, if your child is regularly expressing these emotions, you can be pretty sure that learning isn't taking place.

Sometimes when things get too hard, it is time to make a change both for our own mental health and for that of our children. If subtraction is causing angst, change it up, leave it and come back to it another time.

Perseverance is an admirable characteristic and it is great when your child is on board and choosing to persevere to get to a greater goal that they want to achieve. But so often we force ourselves and our children to persevere even when the impact is damaging.

Lets trust our children and our own instincts to recognise when something doesn't feel right and be willing to make the changes needed to thrive.

We are a big board game playing family. One of our current favourites is Dixit by . It doesn't require luck or much strategy, instead you need a great imagination. It really gets the creative juices flowing and for this reason, my husband and I tend to lose. It isn't one of those games where you need to make allowance for the children. Our 12, 10, 8 and 7 year old more than hold their own!

Full review coming soon but this is just a reminder that board games are a great way to connect as a family.

Happy Teacher Appreciation Day to all those educating their children outside of the mainstream system. Those who have said no to the status quo. You are Rebel Educators.

Homeschoolers, home educators, worldschoolers, alternative school founders, alternative school teachers, progressive school leaders, providers of passion-led education businesses, disruptive educators. You are the change. You are the future.

Education is evolving...there is an education revolution underway

It isn't always easy but being a rebel educator matters.

Not back to school 2021 for these two. Of course the are out. This set is over 7 years old and still going strong. One of our favourite resources.

Outside learning helps children to explore, to make real what they’ve been taught in the classroom. It also creates interest in the various subjects of the academics, and this keeps the students engaged in their studies. So much room for creativity and imagination!

Summer is here!