Paul Dix - Disrupting behaviour

With the best of intentions many schools find themselves swamped with punishment, ever-increasing, ever-threatening. A headteacher recently told me that he had after-school detentions every day, and on Saturday mornings too. “But it’s not working,” he complained, “the numbers in detention are rising.” I asked him what he thought was the solution. After some thought he had his eureka moment: “Sunday morning detentions!”

Kim Constable - Understanding abuse through Twilight

“As part of the sex and relationship education (SRE) programme we talk a lot about relationships and the identification of non-physical abuse, which can often be mistaken for love. To demonstrate this, I use clips and quotes from the Twilight series of books and movies. According to Women’s Aid, the relationship between Bella and Edward hits eight out of the 10 criteria for abusive relationship; thankfully not physical or sexual abuse, but there are plenty of examples of emotional and psychological abuse.”

Lee Parkinson - How you too can become a leading disruptor

“Most of the training I lead focuses on using technology to raise standards in the classroom. A lot of the time, I talk about how powerful the internet can be as a way of showcasing and sharing work children do in class. This is what happened with me: I started blogging some ideas and tweeting them; next minute I had a school contact me asking to lead a session in their school. Soon after, Alan Peat tweeted me having heard good things, and asked to watch one of my sessions. Now I am in this incredible position, where I get to travel and visit schools all over the place, but still spend some time each week in class at Davyhulme Primary School!”

George Hammond-Hagan - Music as an underappreciated resource

“Getting into a ‘sweet spot’ for learning takes preparation from both the student and the educator, but elements like environment have a part to play. It’s a hard nut to crack as it has many variables and can be inconsistent. Music creates an environment in itself. This is an environment that we’re instinctively attuned to as it modifies our mood, opens our mind, demands attention and transforms anywhere into a focussed sphere of influence. In many ways, with music our mind is hooked emotionally and intellectually to the moment. The brain is ‘hacked’ by music.”

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