10.00-1.00 Improving integrated services workshop. This was a workshop for representatives from primary and secondary schools, education department staff and children's services staff. I was asked to introduce the event. I used the 5Cs – consistency, continuity, collegiality, creativity and collective responsibility to explore how integrated services could be improved. We have recently identified some quality indicators to enable us to judge the effectiveness of integrated working in each of our clusters. I also referred to the notion of unconditional positive regard and the challenge that presents for our service
We then split up into groups to consider some examples where strategies to support children have been successful. Nancy Gordon -HT Cockenzie Primary – spoke about how her school are implementing a strategy called
Behaviour Recovery I was really taken by some of the strategies being employed – contact Nancy for more info' – it seems to be very effective. Gordon Fruish talked about an example from his own school – Musselburgh Grammar – the key to the success of their strategy was "not giving up on the kid" – for me this is the key to unconditional positive regard – thanks Gordon and Graham Forrest.
After this session we looked at some examples where we have failed to properly support children. One of the common characteristics was where an adult – sometimes a teacher – failed to act appropriately towards a vulnerable child thereby stimulating a negative response from the child. School leaders then found themselves in a situation where they had a situation where a child had done something quite inappropriate e.g. sworn at the teacher. The dilemma facing the manager is often, support the teacher – perhaps where you suspect it was their behaviour which initiated the negative response – or support the child – which has the potential to undermine confidence in the school management from other members of staff. I have to admit that on a number of occasions in my career I have found myself supporting the indefensible due to the negative impact it would have upon the school if a child wasn't punished for their behaviour despite suspecting it wasn''t their fault – a rock and hardplace right enough!! Perhaps if we tried to live up to the principle of unconditional positive regard then such behaviour would be less acceptable.
Now if your reading this and thinking this is a recipe for disaster I'm not advocating any notion of going soft on discipline – in fact quite the reverse – I believe in a zero tolerance approach and that we need to make our expectations very clear and respond consistently to unacceptable behaviour. I was impressed by Nancy's description of their approach towards poor behaviour – yet it was done in a way which was underpinnned by a unconditional postive regard for the child.
The last point emerging from our discussions was the impact of parents. In the vast majority of cases we are supported by parents but what happens when parents don't engage with the school to help improve their child's behaviour? I suggest two things – firstly make more use of home visits – schools bring back so many negative memories for some parents that we need to come up with other ways to engage with them in less threatening environments; secondly – we need to "confront" some parents with their responsibilities. This is a dangerous word but it kind of captures what we need to do with some parents who know everything about their rights but accept none of the responsibilities that go along with them.
We intend to hold a series of similar seminars with a view to developing strategy based upon successful practice –
a grounded strategy
2.30 Investors In People feedback – we were successful!!! – our success is due in no small part to the hard work done by Gillian Reilly – thanks to all the team
3.00 3.30 Julia Robertson – met with Julia Robertson to discuss the end of her forthcoming secondment to the department.
4.00-5.00 Met with Sheila Ainslie to discuss a nmber of issues relating to Pupil Support.