What would help children of minority faiths, and children with no religious belief, feel fully included in school life? We’re interested in everyday experiences as well as formal policies.
What would help children of minority faiths, and children with no religious belief, feel fully included in school life? We’re interested in everyday experiences as well as formal policies.
What place, if any, should faith formation and sacramental preparation have during the school day if patronage changed? How might schools respect religious practice while ensuring every child can take part fully?
What place, if any, should faith formation and sacramental preparation have during the school day if patronage changed? How might schools respect religious practice while ensuring every child can take part fully?
If patronage changed, who should decide a school’s ethos, and how should that decision be made? What would make the process fair to pupils, families, staff and the wider community?
If patronage changed, who should decide a school’s ethos, and how should that decision be made? What would make the process fair to pupils, families, staff and the wider community?
The final report of the Unconvention on Gaeilge is now published. https://simonmlewis.substack.com/p/unconvention-gaeilge-final-report Lots of interesting findings but definitely more questions than answers. Let me know what you think
The final report of the Unconvention on Gaeilge is now published. https://simonmlewis.substack.com/p/unconvention-gaeilge-final-report Lots of interesting findings but definitely more questions than answers. Let me know what you think
What changed your mind about behaviour? Before we close this cycle, what experience made you rethink behaviour? Perhaps it changed how you understood a child, responded to harm, used rewards or worked with a family. What did you believe before, and what challenged it? If you still disagree with the direction of this discussion, tell us what we are missing. This is the last invitation for this cycle, not a claim that every question is settled. #Unconvention #Behaviour #PrimaryEducation
What changed your mind about behaviour? Before we close this cycle, what experience made you rethink behaviour? Perhaps it changed how you understood a child, responded to harm, used rewards or worked with a family. What did you believe before, and what challenged it? If you still disagree with the direction of this discussion, tell us what we are missing. This is the last invitation for this cycle, not a claim that every question is settled. #Unconvention #Behaviour #PrimaryEducation
What should children get to decide about behaviour rules? Our earlier discussion raised the point that collaboration has to be taught. It left open how much influence children should have when adults remain responsible for safety and learning. Tell us about a rule or response that children helped change. What did they decide, what stayed with adults, and how did it work? Former pupils’ experiences are welcome. #Unconvention #Behaviour #PrimaryEducation
What should children get to decide about behaviour rules? Our earlier discussion raised the point that collaboration has to be taught. It left open how much influence children should have when adults remain responsible for safety and learning. Tell us about a rule or response that children helped change. What did they decide, what stayed with adults, and how did it work? Former pupils’ experiences are welcome. #Unconvention #Behaviour #PrimaryEducation
Can everyone be celebrated without making it a competition? Some contributors described every child taking a turn as Star of the Week as a way to build belonging. Others worried about tokenism, public comparison or the children left waiting. Have you found a way to celebrate children that they experience as fair and meaningful? How do you know? What about children who dislike public praise? #Unconvention #Behaviour #PrimaryEducation
Can everyone be celebrated without making it a competition? Some contributors described every child taking a turn as Star of the Week as a way to build belonging. Others worried about tokenism, public comparison or the children left waiting. Have you found a way to celebrate children that they experience as fair and meaningful? How do you know? What about children who dislike public praise? #Unconvention #Behaviour #PrimaryEducation
What happens when you take the rewards away? The rewards discussion includes concerns about fairness and motivation, but also accounts of children wanting rewards to stay. Has your class or school actually removed a reward system? What happened next, and over how long? If you kept, changed or brought it back, tell us why. We need experiences that challenge either position. #Unconvention #Behaviour #PrimaryEducation
What happens when you take the rewards away? The rewards discussion includes concerns about fairness and motivation, but also accounts of children wanting rewards to stay. Has your class or school actually removed a reward system? What happened next, and over how long? If you kept, changed or brought it back, tell us why. We need experiences that challenge either position. #Unconvention #Behaviour #PrimaryEducation
Which behaviour supports should schools be able to call on? One contributor described schools being expected to respond to needs beyond staff training, time and professional roles. Where have you encountered that limit? Name one support that made a practical difference, or one you needed but could not access. Who should provide it, and what would it allow school staff and families to do differently? #Unconvention #Behaviour #PrimaryEducation
Which behaviour supports should schools be able to call on? One contributor described schools being expected to respond to needs beyond staff training, time and professional roles. Where have you encountered that limit? Name one support that made a practical difference, or one you needed but could not access. Who should provide it, and what would it allow school staff and families to do differently? #Unconvention #Behaviour #PrimaryEducation
Following 3 months of super interactions, the final report of the Unconvention is now good to go. This podcast discusses the report and the amazing correlations that keep coming up with other areas of inclusion. I have a mantra which basically says: if any agency calls themselves very inclusive, they aren't. Being inclusive means constantly questioning what you're doing and never resting on culture, history or ethos to justify exclusion. As an education system we need to ask ourselves big questions. In terms of special education, that includes big questions like questioning the term special education in the first place. If you're interested in the future of special education and inclusion in the wider sense, tune in! https://pod.fo/e/6fc7d4 (Link in bio)
Following 3 months of super interactions, the final report of the Unconvention is now good to go. This podcast discusses the report and the amazing correlations that keep coming up with other areas of inclusion. I have a mantra which basically says: if any agency calls themselves very inclusive, they aren't. Being inclusive means constantly questioning what you're doing and never resting on culture, history or ethos to justify exclusion. As an education system we need to ask ourselves big questions. In terms of special education, that includes big questions like questioning the term special education in the first place. If you're interested in the future of special education and inclusion in the wider sense, tune in! https://pod.fo/e/6fc7d4 (Link in bio)