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Online Course now available via Teachable Platform – How do People Learn? Learn at your own pace… lots of text and video support Course Category Inclusive education Neurodiversity Description The course offers a rare opportunity to learn from two eminent educators -one a widely esteemed and talented trombone player and teacher and the other a very experienced inclusive educational psychologist. Drawing upon shared knowledge and direct experience the two educators explore dominant psychological models of learning and how they make sense in the real world of teaching trombone or children and young people with the most complex needs in our schools.  By listening deeply and making connections to your own experiences you will be able to consider more deeply how to improve your own or the teaching of others. The day involves an exploration of major learning theories and their applications in the real world. There will be a range of practical activities designed to deepen your understanding of the best teaching and learning. Dennis Rollins MBE https://www.dennisrollins.com/ A passionate performer and educator, British trombone player Dennis Rollins MBE has established a reputation as an artist of excellence, and has lent his unique and stylish talents to some of this country's, and indeed the world's top jazz and pop personalities such as Courtney Pine, Maceo Parker, Jamiroquai, US3, The Brand New Heavies, Blur, Monty Alexander, Pee Wee Ellis and Jean Toussaint, amongst others. As a bandleader, in 2006 his jazz/funk outfit Badbone & Co won a prestigious BBC Jazz Award in the Best Band category. In the following year he picked up both Trombonist of the Year at the British Jazz Awards and Ronnie Scott's Jazz Awards. Dennis was nominated twice in the 2008 Parliamentary Jazz Awards for Jazz Musician of the Year and for Jazz Education; he won the latter.  Other awards include British Trombone Society (BTS) Player of the year Award 2013 and JazzYorkshire Award 2012 Best Band for his band Velocity Trio. In his hometown of Doncaster UK, Dennis was given Honorary Freedom of the Borough in recognition of his successful musical career and for his constant inspiration to the regions musical youth. As part of Her Majesty the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2018, Dennis was honoured with an MBE for Services to music.  Most recently in June 2022, he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, Wales, UK.   Colin Newton Colin has over 40 years experience as a teacher of children and adults and as an educational psychologist across the UK as well as some work internationally. He has written books on a range of subjects mainly related to inclusive education of those with most complex behaviour and learning needs. He is know for his passion for the inclusion of all children in mainstream schools, and for his practical applied work around person centred planning, restorative justice and in depth problem solving. Colin loves to demonstrate approaches as well as provide training with often very large groups - always with a clear focus on facilitation and inclusion of all. His love of drama and participation are as clear as his drive to revolutionise educational psychologist practice across the UK. Colin says: ‘Instinctively from an early age I was against children being sent away to boarding schools and later to special schools and settings. Later I was inspired by disabled activists and Canadian and North American inclusionists who were working to change the world of education with radical innovative thinking and approaches - the work was political, social and spiritual - I was in and never looked back!’ Colin’s career has been values driven, but also practical using applied psychology in training and real life problem solving with schools, families and individual children and young people. Learning Objectives Formulate deeper understanding of learning processes for all children and adults Differentiate understandings and insights into emotional complexity of teaching and learning Learn Techniques to support teaching and learning Invite reflection on importance of relationships for effective learning Gain key phrases, key questions and key processes to support teaching and learning with adults and children Appraise different psychological models of learning Conjecture on how to inspire deeper learning and motivation in students To create insights into thinking of exceptional teachers teaching complex skills Differentiate inclusive insights and reflections on the learning of all children whatever their barriers may be Critique psychological models of learning and how they can be applied in a teaching context Investigate how to inspire deeper learning and motivation in students Formulate insights into the emotional complexity of teaching and learning Who Is It For ? Any Teacher, Psychologist or Educator who wishes to understand the learning processes of children or adults Course Content Fun, engagement and interest are key ingredients of the the most memorable learning. Imitation - (Bandura) Social learning theory- we can assume that 80%of learning is done by imitating others around us in the social world. We are particularly drawn learning from our peers as well as significant role models and key adults in our lives. We copy each other. Learning takes place In meaningful contexts. (Bruner argued that you cannot strip learning of its content, nor study it in a ‘neutral’ context. It is always situated, always related to some ongoing enterprise. Learning and motivation to learn can be sparked or inspired by people around us including teachers but not only them. Structured steps help to facilitate and scaffold learning in most children and adults. With person centred encouragement eg a focus on interests and passions - individuals are more likely to learn effectively. This also ensures motivation and ‘buy in’ from the learner. The ultimate goals for teachers is to nurture self-efficacy and confidence in learners to the point whereby they can set their own goals

Click to read more about this training, in which we demonstrate a live problem solving approach which is based on the active participation of family members. Course Category Inclusion Parents and Carers Behaviour and relationships Problem Solving Description In this training we demonstrate a live problem solving approach which is based on the active participation of family members. ‘Family Circles’ is an evolving new approach to problem solving with families and is based on our years of family work and the development and use of the Circle of Adults process. Inspired by our own Parent Solutions work and the Circle of Adults process as well as Family Group Conferencing and other Restorative Interventions we bring you Family Circles. Essentially the approach involves gathering a family together for a process that is facilitated but majors on the family members offering each other their wisdom and ideas. The approach is capacity focused, person centred approach to working with families rather than the dominant deficit oriented and ‘medical model’ of viewing and planning for or doing things to families. This training can be modelled with a group of professionals or better still with a family. In our work with families we develop the importance of naming stories or theories and seeking linkages and synthesis between what is found out and explored about the family situation and its history. We like participants to sit with the uncertainty, to reflect on the question ‘why’ but without judgement of each other. Deeper reflections may span a whole range of perspectives from ‘within person’ considerations, to situational or systemic possibilities. Health or emotional issues can be reflected on alongside organisational or transactional aspects of what is going on for the family. The better the shared understanding the better the strategy or actions which emerge from these meetings. Quality hypotheses with a close fit to reality lead to more effective implementation in the real world. We encourage ‘loose’ thinking, a search for connections, deeper listening, an ‘open mind’, speculation and exploration without moral judgements. From this stance self-reflection as well as reflection on the situation can produce remarkable insights. The quality of theories or new stories generated is directly influenced by family members’ experiences and the models of learning, behaviour and emotion, systems, educational development, change and so on that they have been exposed to.  Learning Objectives To provide opportunities for: Shared problem solving in a safe exploratory climate in which the family will find its own solutions. Individuals to reflect on their own actions and strategies An exploration of whole-family processes and their impact Emotional support and shared understandings of issues at a child, parent, family, school and community level. Feed back to each other on issues, ideas and strategies that are agreed to be worth sharing with them. Who Is It For? Anyone interested in working with families in a way that builds and makes use of their capacities rather than focus on their challenges and difficulties. Social Care teams School staff Community organisers Educational Psychologists Course Content True family empowerment Deepening shared stories and understandings Facilitating groups Problem solving process Handling family group communication Allowing direct feedback and challenge between participants in a safe way Building relationships Process: Family members are welcomed: Introductions are carried out, ground rules and aims clarified whilst coffee is drunk. A recap from the last session is carried out: To follow up developments and reflections after the last meeting. One issue is selected for the main focus Issue presentation: The family member who raised the concern is asked questions to tell the ‘story’ of the issue or problem. Additional questions/information from the group about the problem are gathered: Ground rules may need to be observed carefully here. Individual participants need to be kept focused and prevented from leaping to premature conclusions or to making ‘helpful’ suggestions about strategy. Relationship aspects to the problem are explored. Metaphors and analogies are invited. How would a fly on the wall see your relationship? If you were alone together on a desert island, what would it be like? Impact of previous relationships/spillage from one relationship to another are explored. Eg what situation they are reminded of? For instance, does this situation remind you of any of those angry but helpless feelings you had with your other son when he was an adolescent? This provides opportunities to reflect on how emotions rub off on other people. The parent feels really frustrated, and on reflection we can see that so does the child System/Organisation factors (Family system/school and community systems and so on): What aspects help or hinder the problem? For instance, does the pastoral system of the local school provide space, or time and skilled personnel able to counsel this young person and work actively with their parents? Synthesis. At this stage the Graphic facilitator summarises what they have heard. They then go on to describe linkages and patterns in what they have heard. This can be very powerful. The person doing the graphic work has been able to listen throughout the presentation process and will have been struck by strong messages, emotions and images as they have arisen. The story and meaning of what is happening in the situation may become a little clearer at this point. Typical links may be ‘mirrored emotions’ strong themes such as loss and separation issues, or repeated processes such as actions triggering rejection. This step provides an excellent grounding for the next process of deepening understanding. What alternative strategies/interventions are open to be used? Brainstormed and recorded. ’Either/ors’ need to be avoided at this time also. This needs to be a shared session in which the family member who is presenting the concern contributes as much as anyone. Care is needed to ensure that this person is not overloaded with other people’s strategies. The final selection of strategy or strategies from the brainstormed list is the problem presenter’s choice. Strategies might include: a special time for the young person, a meeting with the child’s parents to explore how she is being managed at home and to share tactics, a home-school diary, counselling, or an agreed action plan that all are aware of, agreed sanctions and rewards and so forth. Strategies may productively involve processes of restitution and restoration, when ‘sorry’ is not enough. Making it right, rather than punishments or rewards, may then becomes the focus. First Steps. The problem presenter is finally asked to agree one or two first steps which they can carry out over the next 3-7 days. It can help to assign a ‘coach’ who will check in with them to ensure they have carried out the action they have named. This is a time to be very specific. Steps should be small and achievable. The person is just ‘making a start’. A phone call, or making an agreement with a key other person not present at the meeting would be ideal examples. Final reflections. Sometimes referred to as a ‘round of words’ help with closure for all involved. Reflections are on the process not the problem. In large families this is best done standing in a circle. In smaller groups all can remain sitting. Passing around a ‘listening stick’ or something similar such as a stone or light heighten the significance of the process ending and improve listening. Finally the problem presenter is handed the ‘Graphic’ this is their record of the meeting and can be rolled and presented ceremoniously by the facilitators for maximum effect! If you liked this course you may well like: Parent Solutions

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Circles of adults is a process that ‘listens deeper’ to generate reflective problem solving that can create lasting behaviour change and effective behaviour intervention plans. This is a particularly valuable process for those looking to enhance their leadership and facilitation skills or to build such processes into their school or team approach to complex pupils. ‘The question is not should they be here anymore. Now it’s how can we figure out how best to include them?’ In this practical workshop session we will explore ways of problem solving around complex situations. The session will be practical and will aim to allow the sharing of experiences and good practice as well promoting innovative approaches to problem solving around systemic, organisational as well as individual inclusion issues. Behaviour problems, relationship challenges and personnel dilemmas can all be worked on with these team oriented problem solving processes. We will introduce participants to a powerful and effective approach. The ‘Circles of Adults’ approach addresses the need for a problem solving process that is able to take an in-depth look at meeting the emotional needs that commonly underlie challenging behaviour in schools. The approach is co-facilitated and is designed to enable the participation of teacher teams to reach a deeper understanding of a young person and to evolve a set of hypotheses and emerging strategies that better accommodate to unmet emotional and learning needs. The approach takes at least 90 minutes and is intended for use with the most challenging young people, those at high risk of being permanently excluded from the regular school system. Learning Objectives Increased confidence regarding problem solving around inclusion in mainstream settings Access to a wider range of practical strategies and techniques to impact on communication, realtionship, learning and behaviour issues Learn new problem solving processes Course Content The course answers the questions : How to set up and run a Circle of Adults process How can we work out how to include this child best? How can we understand what lies beneath their behaviour? Is there a more structured way to run this meeting? Can we explore the emotional impact the person is having on us and still agree strategies? How can I get unstuck from this problem?