Neuroscience and Teaching Very Difficult Kids

Teaching students whose behaviour is so ‘out of control’ is a challenge faced by all teachers in modern schools. Contemporary approaches have focused on dealing with the presenting behaviours and attempting to control those. This approach may deal with the problem in the short term but creates no long-term solution.

This work accepts that the majority of extremely dysfunctional behaviour is carried out by children who have suffered early, persistent trauma and/or neglect. Disruptive conduct can be explained by the effect their early childhood environment has had on the neural construction of their brain. These children are not ‘born bad’ but behave this way because of the ‘parenting’ they received in their early life. These are the children who have graduated out of these dysfunctional environments.

Recognising this provides the key to understanding how to deal with these kids. Because the social conditions created these problems, if we change those conditions, over time these children will develop different behaviours to get their fundamental needs met. The solution lies in the fact that everyone acts to get their needs met in the environment in which they live, so it makes sense to present an environment that demands different behaviours to satisfy these needs.

The book provides a description about how the early childhood environment creates the neural scaffold that drives dysfunctional behaviour and how developing a well-defined classroom environment will make a positive contribution to changing that behaviour.

Stillness in Preschool and School

This is a hands-on report on how to find calm in the most stressed out and turbulent of worlds today – preschools and schools. Not a calm out there, but the calm inside all of us, closer than our thoughts and as natural as the air we breathe.

25 years of experience with the Dream of the Good in preschools and schools in all parts of Sweden show very good results. The grown-ups did not believe the kids would take to it.

But the message is, it can be done, and kids of all ages like it – if the practices are simple and natural. Their teachers often didn’t think it was possible, but once they learn they also benefit. Research confirms the positive results: less stress, less psychological problems and better self-image.

The Little Blue Book for Teachers

Jargon free, clear and concise, The Little Blue Book for Teachers provides both new and seasoned teachers with over 50 strategies that will help engage students and keep teaching fresh. The content is wide in scope, covering topics such as lesson planning, questioning, small-group and cooperative-learning strategies, homework, reading, grading, reviewing and more. It is a toolkit for primary and secondary teachers alike with all strategies having passed the most rigorous of tests: they have actually worked in the classroom. Just open the book and get stuck in.

Monologues and Duologues for Young Actors

This collection of scenes offers drama teachers a wide range of topics to explore through characterisation of the moment. There are scenes based on the historical past, these could be linked to cross-curricular activities. Those set in the present seek to draw young actors into a setting with which they can identify and emotionally explore. The author believes that young actors often wish to explore comedy. With this in mind, many of the scenes reflect comedic values. Some of these fun situations hold deeper resonances which the drama teacher would be able to explore with the actor. Each scene contains many different levels for the actor to identify with and emotionally develop. As the words are brought to life, the actor should imagine that they relate to a given set of circumstances; each scene is directly linked to the human situation. A young actor's motto should be: "I will live the words I learn."

The Student Book

Chris Davies is acknowledged to be Britain’s foremost graduate coach. He founded his company, Graduate Coach, seven years ago and, since then, has kick-started the careers of over 300 graduates. As a result, Amazon, Aviva, Bloomberg, Coca-Cola, Deloitte, Facebook, Goldman Sachs, Google, JP Morgan, Lloyds Bank and many other blue chip companies count Chris’s alumni among their employees. So, too, do organisations such as Network Rail and the NHS. Before Graduate Coach, Chris pursued two other careers, in magazine publishing and advertising and marketing. In both cases, Chris built successful enterprises from scratch.

Ground Zero - The Frontline

With over 30 years of working in the healthcare system in two countries, the author showcases the most important skills you need to be able to work with, and care for, the elderly and people affected by dementia.Specially tailored for those considering a career path in this industry, no matter what the position, and for the tireless workers at home lovingly taking care of family members.It outlines the difficulties faced by both worker and patient, giving tips and insight about how dementia and the ageing process works from a frontline point of view.This sets the bar for constructing a solid foundation of knowledge and skills needed in this extraordinary line of work and possibly in your personal life.Ground Zero – The Frontline is about communication, love, compassion, and understanding needed to be a frontline worker. Included are twenty real life scenarios that serve as examples of some of the diverse people that have been the inspiration for this book. It is true. It is real. It is, at times, confronting.