"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 HurstYoutube 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 former 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 DisasterAnd 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 The Compassionate Teacher by Andy Sammons Kristen Neff 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-wellbeingConnect 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 CowernConnect 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 KeyVia 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.