CONTENTS
3
Welcome to Issue 2 of the WISEducation Newsletter!
4
Under our masks we have hope: A character strength project
24
Emotion coaching: Building selfregulated brains
7
Identity role models needed: How teachers' identities affirm diverse students' futures
27
How safe are our LGBT+ teachers in the international sector?
9
Healthy eating tips for busy teachers
30
International schools and cultural wellbeing: An international student perspective
One small step to better
32
What is TRE (Tension & Trauma Release Exercises)?
14
Educating in the 'new normal' around the world
35
The importance of unstructured play
16
Anxiety... some ideas
37
Taking the lead: Exploring how schools are developing animal-assisted practices to support children's wellbeing
19
Why art is the most important subject in the world!
12
22
Using technology for mental health and wellbeing
wiseducationblog.com | @_WISEducation
WELCOME TO ISSUE 2 OF THE WISEDUCATION NEWSLETTER!
Welcome to Issue 2 of the WISEducation Newsletter!
By Dr Sadie Hollins, Editor To connect with Sadie: Webpage: wiseducationblog.com Twitter: @_WISEducation Email: sadie.wiseducation@ gmail.com
The aim of the WISEducation Newsletter is to discuss topical issues and challenges that affect the wellbeing of our international school communities. Our hope is that we can positively contribute towards providing spaces that help our students grow into globally minded, socially and culturally conscious young people, who are equipped with the tools and resources that they require to overcome challenges, learn from failures, and achieve success at school and beyond. I am incredibly excited to present all of the ideas and projects that fill these pages and I would like to extend a huge thank you to all of the contributors. After an extremely challenging first half-term of the new academic year, your dedication and commitment to wellbeing shines through these pages, and I hope your stories will inspire other people as much as they have inspired me. Thank you for taking the time to read the WISEducation Newsletter your support really means so much! I hope you enjoy Issue 2!
UNDER OUR MASKS WE HAVE HOPE: A CHARACTER STRENGTH PROJECT
By Kellie The issue's must-read Alexander articles Kellie is the Grade 6 and 7 Health and Wellness teacher at International "Gamified" Exams School, Bangkok. In 1999, Homework Central Kellie and her husband, Justin, packed two duffle bags with a plan to teach at Shanghai American school for two years and they never went home. In 2005 they moved to Tanzania with two children and have subsequently worked in Hong Kong at Chinese International School for eight years, before moving to Thailand in 2016.
There is no doubt that we are living in trying times. The Covid-19 pandemic left many educators and educational administrators in the unique situation of having to develop online programs to support student learning as well as the social and emotional needs of students learning from home. As students return to school, we continue to support reintegration into the classroom and playground while mask-wearing and social distancing rules are in place, all the while assisting the many students who have experienced social isolation, loneliness, and anxiety about the future during the pandemic. At International School Bangkok (ISB), where students, teachers and administrators returned to school in August after 14 weeks online, we have used character strength-based education as part of our Middle School student wellbeing program to help students strengthen their relationships, build positive emotions, enhance personal resilience and optimism, promote mindfulness and encourage a healthy lifestyle. The study of character strengths took shape in 2004 when psychologists Dr. Martin Seligman, often credited as the father of positive psychology, and Dr. Christopher Peterson developed the handbook and classification of character strengths and virtues. They studied core virtues that people across history and cultures agree lead to a meaningful life, and the 24 character strengths that, when practiced and developed, could lead to these virtues.
NOVEMBER 2020 | ISSUE 2 | PAGE 5
Grade 7 students at ISB take the VIA-IS for youth (for ages 10-17) to build awareness and engage
Once we become really good at spotting strengths as a class, we have a look at one
in self-observation of “what is strong rather than what is wrong.” Students learn that the order and combination of their 24 character strengths is what makes each of them unique and by
strength that we would like to grow and nurture, and think about ways that we can build upon this strength, likening it to giving a small seedling water, nutrient-rich soil and sunlight to grow. I
focussing on their strengths, particularly those top “signature strengths” that they use every day, they can learn to use those to succeed,
share my example of growing my bravery, by sharing my knowledge, experience and practice with more of my colleagues. Here I am, writing
develop positive relationships and flourish. According to Dr. Neal Mayerson, understanding our strengths “helps us see what’s best in
this article with the support of all of my students. You can imagine them now. “You finished your article, Mrs Alexander. That was very brave of
ourselves and others and presents us with a choice as to what we will pay attention to...”
you. You’re a good packer!”
Once the students identify their signature strengths, they engage in “speed dating” (grade 7s love that term) with others who have the same strengths, giving examples of how they use or
This year, growing our strengths became very important as we recognized the significance of hope and optimism during the pandemic and upon our return to school. According to Gillham, et al, (2011) developing transcendence (hope,
apply that strength when they are at their best and brainstorming other ways that they could use that strength. Humour, for instance, might be used by one student as a way to diffuse a tense situation or buffer stress, while others report using it as a way to make others laugh or feel
gratitude, humour, meaning and appreciation of beauty and excellence) promotes life satisfaction by developing positive relationships, creating dreams, and finding a sense of purpose. Dr. Lea Waters suggests that using our strength of Hope helps us to cope with an uncertain future by
good about themselves. This is a way of understanding strengths in others and “strength spotting”. Strength spotting helps to build strengths in others by noticing and naming their strengths when they show them. Our students love David Pollay’s “You’re a good packer” story and the Law of the garbage truck. They analyze
pulling us into the future and “[giving] yourself the motivation to move forward.” According to Dr. Waters, it’s important to continue to plan and dream for the future, even if that future looks uncertain. Making small scale plans or considering changes you’d like to make in the future or looking for the silver linings can all
the story of David’s Dad and the Toys “R” Us parking lot and then spot David’s strengths; judgement, perseverance, perspective, creativity, social intelligence, kindness. This year, David became a bit of a cult figure in our class and when the students spotted a strength in others, any strength at all, they all chorused, “You’re a good packer!”
build hope (Guideposts.org).
"Character strengths are influenced by family, community, societal, and other contextual factors. At least in theory, character strengths are malleable; they can be taught and acquired through practice.” ~ Gillham, et al.
NOVEMBER 2020 | ISSUE 2 | PAGE 6
As part of our Hope spotting, we engaged with the Instagram and YouTube posts about the turtle called Hope. Hope was a tiny turtle born with an exposed heart and, at the time of writing, The Dodo video has amassed over 17 million views. As students watch, they consider, “Why do you think that the turtle is called Hope?” What hopes does the turtle’s owner have for the future? What are his small, daily hopes and what does he need to do to make those hopes come true? What is the difference between a hope and wishful thinking? According to the VIA Institute on Character, “hope has to do with positive expectations about the future. It involves optimistic thinking and focusing on good things to come. Hope is more than a feel-good emotion. It is an action-oriented strength involving agency, the motivation and confidence that goals can be reached, and also that many effective pathways can be devised in order to get to that desired future.”Our amazing Grade 7 students brainstormed the character strength of hope and concluded that: Some of our community may be experiencing hardships and worries about the future. Sharing our hopes and optimism for the future, no matter how small, encourages connection and builds our community. Hopes can make a tough situation more bearable by motivating us to take the steps to set goals to achieve them. Being grateful for being back at school can connect us through our optimism as a community.
As the finale to our project, every Grade 7 student and teacher shared a hope, no matter how small, on a post-it which formed part of a community "HOPE for the future" board. Recently parents engaged in the hope project during conferences, where they were invited to share their own hope with their child and in turn, add to the board. It was a powerful moment for many, who were coming to their child’s school for the first time since we left, over six months ago in March. While the past eight weeks at school have been an exciting time for some students, many returned with trepidation about new safety routines, mask wearing, social distancing and fear of losing friendships. Focusing on character strengths, strength spotting and growing strengths during our wellbeing classes has helped develop positive relationships and personal engagement, by adding tools to the students’ resilience toolbox. By focussing on hope as a school community, we have developed a sense of connection and meaning in our quest to continue to be optimistic about a brighter future. Under our masks, we do have hope.
IDENTITY ROLE MODELS NEEDED: HOW TEACHERS' IDENTITIES AFFIRM DIVERSE STUDENTS’ FUTURES
By Daniel The issue's must-read Wickner articles Daniel Wickner (he/him/his) is a classroom teacher at Hong Kong International School and writer "Gamified" Exams on identity in education. Being multiracial/multicultural/multilin Homework Central -gual, he strongly identifies with the complex intersectionality of international school students and communities. His work, in the classroom and out, focuses on centering identity in educational practices to support students' ongoing identity development. For more information, resources, publications, and perspectives visit his website (www.identitycentered.com). You follow him on Twitter: @DanielWickner
I’m a half-Asian, half-White straight cisgender American male without disabilities of Korean-Japanese and Russian-American Jewish ancestry who speaks English, Spanish, Korean, and Japanese. I’m writing this because it matters to my students. My identity matters for how effectively I can reach, support, and affirm each of them. I have written extensively on classroom and institutional practices to support student identity development and student learning. All teachers, regardless of identity, can and must make the strongest effort to recognize, learn about, and provide space and support for the identities of each of our students-- using a wide range of strategies and structures. We cannot only focus on the students who look like us or remind us of ourselves; rather, we must try our hardest to think outside of our own identity and view each child’s world through theirs. Growing this collective ability in education, particularly international education, is my life’s work. But there are limits.
NOVEMBER 2020 | ISSUE 2 | PAGE 8
I felt those limits as a student. Growing up in the U.S. with American teachers, my national identity was constantly affirmed and strengthened by
I will never be their Prof. N because my existence does not (and cannot) affirm the parts of their identities that need the deepest and most
their presence. Likewise, I had plenty of straight, cisgender, White classroom role models. The other aspects of my identity, though, were barely
tangible affirmation. My existence and success do not (and cannot) fully affirm their futures and demonstrate to them that they will have a valued
represented or seen at school. Not a single one of my teachers was Asian and I had to wait until university to catch a glimpse of my first AsianAmerican biracial educator -- a professor with whom I never actually took a course, Prof. N. Just seeing Prof. N around campus had a profound
place in this world. I can talk with them, learn all about them, protect them, mentor and invest in them, care deeply about them, and be there alongside them as they discover and craft their identities-- but I can never truly be with them in the trenches of their biggest identity challenges
impact on me because his mere existence and presence symbolized that there would be space for that part of my identity in the adult world (and in the education field). I have never spoken to him and he does not know who I am, but Prof. N matters to me. He matters more to me than the vast majority of teachers whose classes I sat in
and through the unique obstacles they face. I know it, and they know it.
and whose assignments I completed. He matters more to me because he made my future visible, tangible, and real-- a deeply motivational effect that has been shown empirically. Prof. N exists and thrives, thus I knew that there would be space for me in this world to exist and thrive too. And I feel those limits as a teacher. I know that every one of my students with Korean, Japanese, or other East-Asian ancestry has felt a connection with me, especially those who are also multiracial or multicultural. My presence may even be important to students of those backgrounds that I never directly teach-- just as Prof. N meant a lot to me. International school staff diversity is deeply lacking, and even though I teach in Asia, I may be the only Asian homeroom teacher they have or see for years-- and almost certainly the only multiracial one. Seeing me and knowing me affirmed their futures. But what about my Black, Indigenous, Latinx, South Asian, and Middle Eastern students? My LGBTQ+ students and those with disabilities? Though they may see me as an identity role model in some ways (nationality, interests, personality) and though I work hard to create a safe/brave space for their identity development, provide opportunities for identity exploration and expression, and affirm them daily through a wide range of practices, I know-- deep inside-- that I will never be their Prof. N.
I need help. I need help from educators with disabilities to be identity role models for my students with physical and mental challenges. I need help from openly LGBTQ+ educators to show my students they can be their true selves, express their genders with pride, love who they love, and thrive in all ways. I need help from multilingual and multicultural Black, Indigenous, and other educators of color from all over the world to help my students envision a more just world where all BIPOC can flourish. And I need school leaders to help by recruiting, hiring, retaining, protecting, and empowering these educators to be completely themselves-- to unabashedly share their diverse identities and, with their mere existence, help my students see their futures and know that they are possible. The moment this crack team of Prof. Ns walks through the front door, they have already affirmed our diverse students’ identities and futures in ways I simply cannot.
Imagine the results when they actually get to work.
HEALTHY EATING TIPS FOR BUSY TEACHERS
By Breanna The issue's must-read Baildon articles Breanna is a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist currently working and "Gamified" Exams living outside of Seoul, Homework Central South Korea. Her work focuses on helping educators and international schools incorporate practical nutrition and health habits for sustainable, impactful changes. You can find her at @knowledge.nutritionist on Instagram and at facebook.com/knowledge.n utritionist for all things nutrition, wellness, and self-care.
During these wild times of 2020, you don’t need one more reminder to make time for self-care, or to take care of yourself. You know that self-care is important, but there’s a lot on your plate right now. You might be juggling a new position, bouncing back and forth between in-person and virtual learning, and dealing with all of the stressors that naturally come with the start to a new school year, among other daily responsibilities. So, while advice to prioritize self-care is well-meaning, is it helpful right now? I’ve sat through multiple teacher self-care workshops and sessions that repeat similar, broad tips for self-care and physical wellness: eat balanced, exercise, and get enough sleep. Not the most groundbreaking or applicable advice. This isn’t new, but it is hard to implement and easy to place on that back burner. However, as educators, your daily health habits are extremely important as they impact your energy, mood, and focus, not to mention long-term health. Nutrition and physical wellness can play a key role in keeping you healthy and happy, critical for preventing burnout.
NOVEMBER 2020 | ISSUE 2 | PAGE 10
While that typical advice to eat balanced is wellmeaning, it’s hard to implement for a few reasons. First, it’s broad. Depending on your health and
Protein: Including a source of protein with meals helps with satiety (feeling full for longer), prevents blood sugar
goals, healthy eating looks different for everyone. Second, broad advice doesn’t acknowledge the unique challenges that you face as an educator. You work long days, often without much time to eat during the day, and are likely exhausted once you
spikes (by stabilizing energy levels, preventing the post-meal slump), and ensures your body gets amino acids for fighting off illnesses, supporting muscle recovery, and many other essential
arrive home. Lastly, healthy eating can be
roles. Foods like meat, chicken, and fish
especially challenging in a foreign country. Comfort foods are difficult to find, and there may be a lack of convenient, healthy meal options. When my husband and I moved to Myanmar, it seemed to take over a year to finally figure out how to plan, shop, cook, and eat well.
are good choices, as well as more plantbased options like beans and nuts/seeds. Fat + Flavor: These often ignored components of meals are key for a satisfying and enjoyable meal! Fat not only makes the food taste better, but
This being said, as a registered dietitian and part of the international teaching community, it’s my goal to make eating well practical and realistic. Here are the top three nutrition strategies that not only work well in our home in South Korea, but for my clients who are educators all over the world:
also improves absorption of important vitamins. To add fat and flavor, cook foods in a bit of oil, top meals with sauces, and don’t forget about herbs and spices!
Keep it simple! Nutrition often gets overcomplicated. The conflicting diets and online advice don’t help, either. There is no magic pill that can replace healthy eating, but it also doesn’t require a complex solution. Focus on choosing balanced meals when possible, whether you’re cooking or ordering takeout. For lunch and dinner, aim for your meal to include these three key components: Fiber: This nutrient is found in plant foods such as vegetables, fruits, grains, starches, legumes, and nuts. Fiber can’t be digested, so as it passes through the body it helps with appetite control, steady blood sugar (meaning that you’ll feel full and stay satisfied for hours), digestion, and supporting gut health. Try filling up your plate or bowl with vegetables, swapping meat for plantbased alternatives like beans or soy, and topping meals with nuts and seeds to easily increase fiber.
Incorporate your 5-ADay! Don’t underestimate the power of eating more fruits and vegetables. While this might border as broad, simplified advice, it is important to be sure produce is included in meals and snacks throughout the day. These ingredients nourish your body with essential vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants (especially important now to support your immune system), are high in fiber, and also add a burst of color and texture to meals. Fresh fruits and vegetables are accessible most places around the world, and can provide a great amount of variety throughout the seasons. Here are some tips to help you eat more fruits and vegetables: Purchase with a plan. Whether you’re going to a local market, the supermarket, or ordering online, be prepared with recipe ideas and a shopping list. This helps to prevent the produce from spoiling in the back of the fridge.
NOVEMBER 2020 | ISSUE 2 | PAGE 11
Add extra vegetables to one-pot/pan meals like soups, stews, curries, or stir-fries. Salads are great, but they’re not the only way to eat more vegetables. Snack! Choose fresh cut fruits and vegetables between meal times. Foods like dried fruit, juices, or vegetable “chips” can work in a pinch, but aim to get the real thing. Browse the menu. If you’re eating out or ordering a meal, could you choose one that includes some vegetables, or opt for a side that balances out the meal? Make a smoothie. Fruits like bananas and berries can often mask the taste of vegetables in smoothie. Drinks prepared in a blender are better options than juices, because more of the fiber and nutrients remain intact.
Create a weekday routine. Your busy days aren’t going away anytime soon, so the more systems you can put in place to make healthy eating habitual, the easier eating will become. From strategies like meal planning, meal prepping, using a meal delivery service, utilizing leftovers, and more, create a system that works best for you and your family. I recommend eating familiar meals during the week to limit time in the kitchen and save mental energy from constantly having to answer the dreaded question, “what’s for dinner?”! Eating well is tough, and it does take time and energy to figure out what works best for you. However, putting in the work to nourish your body with balanced, delicious meals is well worth effort. To not only take care of your health, but to gain more energy, stress less, and embrace one of the few things you can control right now.
ONE SMALL STEP TO BETTER
By Sarah The issue'sCole must-read Hailing from the UK, Sarah has articles a background in exercise science, health & wellness coaching and a M.Ed in Educational Leadership and "Gamified" Exams Policy. She has worked as a teacher in healthCentral and physical Homework education Internationally for the past 12 years in Australia, Hong Kong and Singapore. Her own passion for health and well-being grew from her own health battles and experiences. Connect with Sarah on Linkedin Webpage: www.colecoaching.com
The start of this academic year has been really tough for me, how has it been for you? At my school I am teaching face to face with all my students (I’m a PE teacher), with staggered recesses and dismissals meaning additional supervision duties and coverage. The load is high and I am struggling. I felt like a zombie coming in and out of school, with ‘stay in your pod’ and ‘make sure you’re 1m apart’, ‘if you can touch, you’re too close’ and ‘put your mask over your nose’ stuck on loop in my head. But then it got worse. I got a call from the UK (where my family live) saying my younger brother had been rushed into hospital, reason unknown, but it was not COVID related. Then ensued 2 weeks of uncertainty, sleepless nights and trying to hold it together. As teachers we know our job is high emotional labour (Hochschild, 1983) and my surge capacity was already depleted (Haelle, 2020), life became even more of a blur. All my experience and coaching tips and strategies went out the window for those 2 weeks and I ended up having a bit of a meltdown at school in front of my colleagues and vice principal! Not quite what I had in mind for the first 10 weeks back at school. It has been another 2 weeks since that day and I haven’t felt like a zombie or had another melt down (yet!) So what changed?
NOVEMBER 2020 | ISSUE 2 | PAGE 13
Each day I took one small step towards better. How each person does this is different and what follows were my attempts. The first part was being self-aware and realising my habitual ways of coping and showing up when things get tough. I withdrew, stopped connecting (being a zombie) and instead of being active after work or at the weekend I would sit and watch Netflix so I wasn’t present with my own thoughts and feelings. It’s ironic that as a personal coach many of my conversations with clients uncover their habitual ways of showing up in the world and I knew my habits, yet couldn’t stop myself. Here’s what worked for me. Sleep! With the time difference I was staying up late or waking up in the middle of the night to check if there were any updates. Maybe you are experiencing anxiety, your mind is racing with to-do lists or apprehensive about new rules and procedures. One small step I made was going to bed at the same time each night. The stories I made up were extreme, always put me in the position of victim and yet I turned up to my classes with a smile on my face, not that anyone could see through the mask and I carried on. Are you carrying on through the fatigue? What stories are holding you as a victim? One small step I made was verbalising to my partner
Which brings me to mindfulness and gratitude, which were non-existent for that time. Perhaps the usual timetable with pandemic requirements on top are making you feel exhausted or everything is negative doom and gloom, no space for positivity here. One small step I made was looking up at the sky on my walk to work and smiling.
a story I was having instead of continuing it in my head. As Byron Katie said “taking responsibility for your beliefs and judgments gives you the power to change them”. Once I stopped putting my energy into arguing with reality I stopped the stories in my head and
Once I had a few nights of good sleep, stepped out of my stories, moved my body and treated it to a glorious massage I was able to talk to myself from firm ground. What I mean by that is from
actually spoke to someone, who helped me reality check them.
time and instead of being the victim I had the power to choose differently. This didn’t happen overnight, it was slow and gradual and 2 weeks later I was more like myself.
I certainly didn’t do any exercise as I was too tired after work and although I was playful at work with students, I wasn't present to it. One small step I made, I signed up for a workout event that got me moving and I played tennis for fun. Play is a great way to reset and recharge and according to Dr. Stuart Brown, it “doesn’t have a particular purpose”. Now you might find resistance to the idea of doing something without
responsible ground. The choices I was making (and not making) meant I was giving out all the
Just because you know what to do, doesn’t mean you actually do it. Find someone to talk to and be accountable, set reminders to help you. Some days are still tough but I feel lighter and supporting my students, modeling resilience, is a game worth playing.
purpose or maybe your administration does, but
Why share this less than glowing experience with
bring play and glee into your classrooms for your sake and your students. I am grateful for my
you? If I’m having a tough time, someone else out there is too and maybe just one thing resonates
students, once I became present to the moments of joy and play it helped move me out of
with you and you too can take one small step to better.
zombieland!
EDUCATING IN THE 'NEW NORMAL' AROUND THE WORLD
By Jimena The issue's must-read Licitra articles Jimena Licitra is a translator, editor and teacher with 21 years' "Gamified" Exams experience specializing in Homework Central MFL (Modern Foreign Languages). She currently works as a German and English Teacher at an international school in Madrid.
When lockdown caught me at home teaching with my own computer and resources, surrounded by my four children and sharing wifi with them and my husband, I rediscovered Twitter and got in contact with thousands of teachers around the globe who were striving to survive just like I was. Wellbeing at that time seemed the least of my priorities, I just needed to focus on getting my students to understand the last content of our school year and keeping my own kids on track, as well as handling a 24/7 coexistence with my partner. However, connections helped me go through with it all. During the Summer I spent my time connecting with more teachers and improving my professional development, and I realised that situations around the world for going back to school were so different that I got even more curious, and decided to do some research. I launched several questions to the #edutwitter community and even put together a Google form to gather all the comments. In this article I sum up how teachers are surviving to do their job in different parts of the world in the “new normal”, which I hope you find just as interesting as I do.
NOVEMBER 2020 | ISSUE 2 | PAGE 15
But before I start summing up the most important points of education in the “new normal”, I’d like to thank all the teachers who helped me with my research, dedicating some minutes to answer my questions. I have gathered hundreds of responses from the following countries: United Kingdom, United States, Spain, Russia, Canada, Dominican Republic, Ghana, Japan, Mexico, Dubai, EUA, Seychelles, Pakistan, Ireland, Panama, Italy and Scotland. Please note that if I don’t quote any other countries it is because I don’t have firsthand information from actual teachers. This article only includes real comments from real people, not information we receive from the press. If you don’t see your country and would like to share your situation with us, follow us on Twitter and comment on this article there, so that your voice is also heard. The first important matter to consider about education in the “new normal” to me was whether we started school in person, online or blended (i.e. both online and in person). The majority of the teachers who answered my survey have started school either in person with masks or with a blended approach. Only 12% of teachers (all from the UK) said they are not wearing masks in class because fixed groups of students are separate from others —masks being optional for students and visors provided to teachers who ask for them. As for distance or remote learning, teachers work with their personal devices at home for video calls via Zoom, Teams or Meets, or paper-based lessons for isolated pupils. The second aspect I was interested in was SEL (Social Emotional Learning). Most of the teachers (60%) agreed that their school is not tackling SEL issues with teachers, which I find extremely worrying. Some have even pointed out that stress is creating a toxic working environment, with negative comments or conflicts between teachers and a lot of pressure coming from families, who are not happy with the situation. As for students’ SEL, everything seems to fall on the tutor, who has to make sure parents are informed, technical problems are handled and students feel accompanied on their learning journey.
Finally, after reading all the answers and comments from 17 different countries in the world I wonder, “Has anyone thought about us teachers at all?” And I do not only mean our physical health but also our mental health. How are we supposed to get through a whole academic year if very few people —other than our own students and family, of course— seem to care about us? I guess the answer is always the same: our teaching calling. Kids are our future and we have to help them shape it. For them. For us. For the whole world.
ANXIETY... SOME IDEAS
By Chrissy The issue's must-read Richman articles
The first thing to remember about anxiety is that it is part of a very normal range of human feelings. Experiencing anxiety, or even sometimes a sense of panic does not make you weird or unusual. Anxiety often comes as part of low self esteem.....so I'm going to include some ideas to increase self esteem and reduce anxiety.
Chrissy has over 30 years experience in the counselling sector. Most recently she was the Chief Executive and Head of "Gamified" Exams Therapy of a large charity in the UK, helping over 6,000 people overcome complex life difficulties.
Homework Central
She has advised on UK Government Policy, participating in Think Tank Forums at The House of Lords on a variety of social issues, including women's welfare, drug and alcohol policy and young people's welfare. Chrissy has changed her life many times, living and working in London, Devon, Amsterdam and most recently in Thailand. Find out more about Chrissy's work: https://www.thelifechangepeople. com/online-counselling/
Low self esteem It's really easy, especially during challenging times, to end each day with an awareness of what you've done 'wrong'. This often goes along with thoughts like: "I wish I hadn't said ........" "People probably saw me as stupid/nerdy/strange". "I'm not as attractive/intelligent/articulate/popular as other people" and other negative thoughts about yourself.
NOVEMBER 2020 | ISSUE 2 | PAGE 17
One really simple but effective way to build self
Another way of dealing with feeling tense and
esteem is to:
anxious, is to lie down and tense each part of your body, and then release the tension. So you could start by scrunching up your neck and shoulders and then being very aware of relaxing
1. Buy a hardback notebook or create a file on whatever technical thing you use. 2. List every achievement you can remember in your life so far... small and big. These don't have to be academic achievements... think about times
them. Move on to one arm at a time, etc. until you get to your toes. 2. Breathing exercises. These are particularly
when you've been a good friend, supported someone, read and understood a difficult book, behaved in a way that you respect, (or would
useful if you have physical symptoms of anxiety, and can also help if anxiety interferes with sleep, or your ability to concentrate on work or study.
respect if you saw someone else behaving in that way), as well as trying your best in any area of your life.
Take a slow, deep breath, in through your nose, to a count of 10. Then let the breath out slowly... this time through your mouth, also to a count of 10. Concentrate on your breathing and also the
3. Start a 'Success Journal" and every day, write at least two things that you've done well. The only person who decides on what you've done well is you. So... it could be a good mark for homework... but doing something you've been nervous or worried about, is just as good. Keep your journal for at least three months, and you will notice a change in the way you appreciate yourself. Many people keep these journals for
counting. Some people find it helpful to visualize the anxious feelings leaving you as you breathe out.
much longer.
will increase your confidence and reduce your anxiety.
Anxiety First... think about how you experience anxiety. Do you have a physical reaction? Stomach pains or fast breathing, feeling your heart beat, or neck pain are very common... but it could be different for you. Next... list the situations which often make you feel anxious. They may include social occasions, exams, contact with someone who you really
3. Worst scenario. When you are anxious about a particular situation, imagine the worst things that could happen... and think about how you might cope with each one. Just thinking about taking control of the problem and dealing with it,
4. Distraction. Is there any activity you can lose yourself in which distracts from your anxiety? Some people think that they should "conquer" their anxiety, rather than distract themselves from it. This creates unreasonable expectations of yourself. Distraction is a good way of dealing with anxious feelings. Many people find reading, listening to music, doing a crossword or sudoku puzzle work really well. There has been research recently which shows that colouring pictures, making origami figures and stroking a pet, have
want to like you... anything really.
a real effect on anxiety levels. Try some of these... and your own ideas, and make a list of
There are several ways of coping with anxious feelings, see if one or more of these works for
what works for you.
you: 1. Physical exercise. Some people find that regular exercise of any kind... swimming, yoga etc. has a big affect on their level of anxiety. It is also possible to reduce anxious feelings by doing something when you feel them... go for a walk, do some Tai Chi or yoga or kick boxing... anything that diverts the energy that it takes to feel anxious, into something else.
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7. Understand your limits. Nobody has super powers. Try not to have unrealistic expectations of yourself. There is a very useful quote; "accept the things I cannot change, have the courage to change the things I can and have the wisdom to know the difference". 8. 'What worked today? Journal'. Another journal! Each day, if you notice anxious feelings, write down the situation and mark your anxiety out of 10. 10 out of 10 is super anxious, 5 out of 10 is pretty anxious etc. Then take one of the actions suggested above. Whether it's a breathing exercise, distraction... or anything else. Mark yourself again out of 10 for how much you have decreased your anxiety. 5. Happy Place. Create either an imaginary place... or visualize a real place, where you feel safe and calm. It could be your bedroom or you could invent/imagine a room, beach, mountainside, river... or any scenario which you can think of as your 'happy place'. In any situation where you feel; anxious, insecure, scared or not as good as others, imagine yourself in your happy and calm place. You may want to write the details of this place down... or draw it, or find a picture to represent it... or it's fine to just keep it in your mind. It's your place, you can go there whenever you want to. 6. Take care of yourself. This may sound obvious... but many people don't think of it. Look after yourself, in order to believe that you are worth looking after. Very practically, this means making sure you eat well, drink enough water, get enough rest. It can also mean talking to someone you trust if you are not OK.
At the end of the day take a short time to note in your journal: 1. Today I was anxious when ........ 2. I took the following action ....... 3. I succeeded in decreasing my anxiety by 1, 2, 5, 8... or however many points.
WHY ART IS THE MOST IMPORTANT SUBJECT IN THE WORLD!
By Susan The issue's must-read Speller articles Susan Speller holds degrees in Fine Arts, Education, and "Gamified" also Law. SheExams is currently working as an art educator Homework Central in an international school in East Asia.
My title is what could be termed as ‘clickbait’ (content whose main purpose is to attract attention and encourage visitors to click on a link to a particular web page on the internet). But wait, there is actual content here and more about clickbait later... I am an elementary art teacher. Surprise! I teach children aged from about 6 to 11. Generally, being taught art in schools is viewed as valuable and enriching and part of a holistic education but it is an adjunct to the main core subjects. It is extra. I am called a “specials” teacher, other “special” subjects, include physical education, music, computers and a language, to name the most common. I firmly believe that art shouldn’t be viewed as a bonus extra but integral to education, particularly now. Why? Well, I could now talk about how art teaches children problem solving, working collaboratively, resourcefulness, empathy, presentation skills and how it gives children a time to relax in between the standardized testing and memory game that is still a huge part of global education. It also enlivens any school campus; who doesn’t like a child’s drawing and painting? I could add that it gives small children motor skills as they lose the ability to use pens and scissors, deftly, because they are so used to swiping. I could also talk about how in further art education I learnt technical skills, welding, carpentry, printing to name a few and how literature was embedded into my courses but these are not the main reasons why I value art so much.
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So let’s first look at what a good art education at school can produce. Creativity is actually the least of it. What is important in a good art
Art also gives us a chance to look from another’s viewpoint, quite literally, and see what he or she sees in that bare, empty room with a bed and a
education is that students learn to express themselves and each expression is valuable, because it is theirs. There is no right or wrong answer in art. I think this point makes Fine Art, Modern Art, Abstract Art, at times so infuriating
window. It can transform the ordinary into something fascinating. It takes a moment in time, a snapshot, and presents it to you so that you see in a different manner . You wonder about that person and their life and you look at
to people. Is it art? What is that? I could have
your own. There is no right or wrong. There are
done that! Without the clearly defined 2 + 2 = 4 parameters of what is right or wrong we are only left with our own opinions. Do we like it? Yes? Why? No? Why? All those answers are deeply personal and tells us more about our own life and our opinions and behaviours than it does the actual artist (famous or your artistic child’s)
perspectives. Rather like when your child forces you to look at ants crawling on the wall and you reluctantly go and look (I am a lazy parent) and suddenly you remember how interesting and fascinating they are, they have made you look with their eyes. The same can be said for paintings. They allow you to look at a view in a
viewpoint.
new light with different eyes.
Today, we need this with an imperative urgency when opinions are becoming increasingly polarized, and we find ourselves more segregated. We need to find value in each and every person’s opinion, we need empathy and tolerance, we need conversations and we need to understand who we are and how to express that.
I remember when I was younger, going to an art gallery in London. I think I was studying art at the time and I walked into a darkened room and saw a Mark Rothko painting hanging in there. I was never very keen on his paintings, I had seen them in books and thought they were boring, two or three big splodges of colour on a canvas.
Things are not only black and white in art and if they are, they encompass all the shades of grey in between and they all have value. In fact, an art term for a variance of shades is indeed called “value”. How nice. An art education should teach you to look
Dull. When I walked into the room, there was the painting, big and the colours which were dark and not dissimilar from one another, and it kind of hummed. I don’t know if it was the lighting or the size of it, or the particular hues against one another or indeed, something I had eaten that day, but nevertheless I felt something ominous or
differently. Our brains will fill in the gaps and skim over what is not considered important and works faster than any computer in assessing and presenting that picture to you. A table is a rectangle. Wrong. Look again. Unless you are suspended like Tom Cruise above a table it is not
weird and I loved it. I couldn’t explain why, but it made me experience something I was not expecting and I didn’t understand it. I have never studied him before or since, never sought out his work since that time but I am grateful for the moment, for showing me something I thought
a rectangle it is a skewed diamond from most perspectives. It makes us look more intently and with fresh eyes, we stare at that group of objects before us and try and figure out how to replicate it. What colours can we see? Where is it placed? What shape is it really? This is quite hard to do. To really look, for more than a millisecond but once we begin to learn this skill it is hard to unlearn and you would be surprised at the results of even 5 and 6 year olds once they begin to really look.
was dull, giving me a powerful reaction when I least expected it and making me change my mind. Thank you art.
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There are no mistakes in art, I say. We all veer away from mistakes, all want to make something ‘worthy’. Art can teach us deliberate mistakes, fun with mistakes. I asked one class to splat paint, Jackson Pollack style, on large pieces of paper. We were going to cut them up and use them for another project. I just wanted colourful splats and marks instead of boring whiteness. One girl began to cry, paralyzed with fear. I asked her what was wrong and she told me she didn’t know what to do, or how to do it properly. I said, "are you scared of making a mistake?" she said "yes". I said, "you can’t, it’s impossible, we are just splashing paint about". She couldn’t, she was worried. I said "let me make a mistake first to start you off," and I dumped a load of paint on the paper. She was happy then and joyfully made splats and splodges galore. There is less time for mistakes and exploration nowadays, but all perceived errors are a way for us to explore something new and interesting and unusual. It’s a fork in the road or a springboard to somewhere else. Art is a peaceful journey, tripping up, staying a while, looking, thinking and questioning. Even when artwork can be violent or confrontational, you can look and think, or not, the choice is yours. In a class of 20 students they will all produce totally different work, even if you wanted them to produce the same picture, they couldn’t, it’s impossible. They will all think differently and express themselves uniquely. I think that’s wonderful, the surprise of it all and the gentleness. It creates conversation, it opens the doors to explore and to expand your own world view. We understand our differences as well as our similarities.
Art gives us something entirely different than most other core subjects, it teaches us about ourselves and how to create and express something so uniquely individual as you. Jack Ma, the famous businessman says:
“If we do not change the way we teach, 30 years from now we’ll be in trouble. The things we teach our children are things from the past 200 years - it’s knowledge-based. And we cannot teach our kids to compete with machines, they are smarter…. I think we should teach our kids sports, music, painting - the arts - to make sure that they are different. Everything we teach should make them different from machines.” In an unprecedented era of manipulation through algorithms and high tech companies clamoring for your time, for your attention, in order to sell you and your children to advertising companies, we are being sucked into this make believe world that is committed to keep you scrolling in suspended animation. Just sitting, not moving, except our finger. Eyes glued to the screen. Click bait! Look here! Don’t put down your phone! Noone understands what will happen, least of all those companies, but it is growing exponentially and we need to take the time to stop, think, create and look carefully. We need to share ideas, empathize, be vulnerable, be honest. We need to value ourselves, each other without filters or likes or popular opinion. We need to cherish our uniqueness and explore it. We are not rectangles, neatly fitting together, we are imperfectly skewed diamonds, each and every one of us, messily crammed together, trying to figure things out. Creativity allows us that, it encourages that and really… is there anything else more important?
USING TECHNOLOGY FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING
By Joanna The issue's must-read Whitehouse articles Joanna has a degree in English Literature and a masters in Librarianship. She is an experienced school librarian, "Gamified" Exams having worked in schools in the Homework Central UK and abroad for over 15 years. Joanna is currently the Head of Library Services at an international school in Thailand and is passionate about the benefits of Reading for Pleasure. You can follow Joanna on Twitter: @mslibrarian77
If you read any sensible advice on mental health and wellbeing, it will tell you to limit your use of technology, particularly screens. This doesn’t mean that screens are all bad, just that we sometimes need to switch them off and take a break for our wellbeing. A fantastic resource for the teenagers in your life is a book called The Teenage Guide to Life Online by Nicola Morgan, and it is packed full of useful information, resources and research about the pros and cons of being online and how to manage it. Don’t dismiss it just because you’re an adult though - this might be aimed at teenagers, but the information really applies to anyone. Sometimes adults are just as bad (or worse!) at switching off from screens. Nicola Morgan has some very sensible advice for when to turn off screens and how to know when we need to: 1. If you’ve been using a screen (any screen, including smartphone) for the last hour, take a break. Switch off, get up and go and do something else for a few minutes. 2. Has your phone been in your hand or in your sight constantly for the last hour? Switch it off, put it out of sight and go and do something else for a few minutes.
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3. Have you spent an hour (at least) today on any of
The app is called Woebot, and the idea is that it is a
these things: reading a book, chatting face-to-face with friends, sport (watching live or participating), physical exercise such as walking, cooking, or a hobby of any
robot that helps with all your worries and woes (do you see what they did there?!). Woebot checks in with you every day and you have the opportunity to record how you are feeling, and also to write down
sort? If not, do one of those things or something like it, something that doesn’t involve a screen – you need it. 4. Is there something going on online that’s making you feel stressed/angry/upset/jealous/worthless? Switch off, walk away and get your mind engaged on something offline – book, hobby, sport, friends, even TV. (I know TV is on a screen but the problem with some screens is that they bring stressful messages: TV doesn’t.) 5. Do you have work to do that you want to do well and quickly or something you need to concentrate on? Switch off everything that you don’t need for that work and close down all non-relevant Apps: you WILL do your work better and more quickly. All the evidence shows this. 6. Are you with a friend who wants to talk to you or that you want to talk to? Switch off. Having a phone present makes the conversation shallower and is distracting. 7. Are you getting ready for bed or intending/wanting to in the next 1.5-2 hours? This is one time to switch off.
How many of these guidelines do you follow? I know that this is good guidance, however, seeing all these written down makes me realise that I rarely follow this advice myself, and usually because I am looking at my phone through habit rather than necessity. So many times I pick up my phone to look at the time, become distracted by messages and notifications, and then realise I still don’t know what the time is! As an educator I feel like I should be setting an example to students, yet I understand how difficult it can be. Whilst researching and writing this article I suddenly lost internet connection. I was totally floored. I had so much work to do, and yet it was all online, I had no way to continue with anything and I felt stymied. For our students though, it’s not just work, it’s their social life, their world! It’s unrealistic to think that any of us can give up screens, they are part of everyday life, but as adults we have to find the right balance to maintain our wellbeing and educate our students to learn how to do so too.
any problems or issues you are having. Because it is a robot, it doesn’t feel like you are confessing your troubles to someone, instead you are chatting with a being that has no judgement. It does have some really useful tools to deal with all kinds of mental health issues, based on therapy programmes. The creators of the app claim that they “train Woebot to address a broad range of mental health challenges through clinically-validated approaches including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Interpersonal Psychotherapy and Mindfulness”. That might all sound a little scary or weird, but actually Woebot begins to feel like a friend you can chat to at any time. He has a kooky sense of humour, and often tells you stories about his other friends and colleagues who are having problems, such as Tina the Toaster who is anxious about burning people’s breakfast! There are sometimes exercises to work through a particular issue, or videos to watch and think about, but nothing is compulsory and there is always the option to write down your thoughts without having to do anything about them. I only downloaded this app so that I could review it, but I have actually found it really useful at times. I like being able to track my moods and emotions over time, and I have used it when feeling anxious to work through my feelings, gain a little perspective on things and work out where my thoughts are coming from. And if, like me, you get anxious or sad and feel like you need to talk things through with someone, but then get anxious about bothering people, then with Woebot you don’t need to worry about disturbing friends or family. Woebot doesn’t mind if it’s the middle of the night, or if you are experiencing the same problem again and again. He doesn’t get upset about your issues, doesn’t have problems bigger than yours and is never too busy to have a chat!
So, having said all that, I am now going to recommend an app to help with mental health and wellbeing! I read about this app a couple of months ago and thought it sounded really helpful for students, so, I thought I would download the app and give it a go.
So, if this sounds good to you, check out the app: https://woebothealth.com/the-app/ . I have finished writing this article now, but I don’t think I’ll be deleting the app just yet!
EMOTION COACHING: BUILDING SELF-REGULATED BRAINS
By TheAkane issue's Yoshida must-read articles Akane is a Learning Support teacher with a decade of experience supporting children "Gamified" in international Exams schools. She currently works at an Homework Central international school in Thailand. As a certified practitioner trainer in Emotion Coaching with Emotion Coaching UK (www.emotioncoachinguk.com), she has trained parents, educators and psychologists across the world on how to foster resilience and empathy in children and young people. Contact her at akane.yoshida@yahoo.com.
In any given week in my work as a Learning Support teacher, I will have several conversations with parents and colleagues about the same set of problems that crop up time and again. The children struggle to exercise impulse control. They have trouble delaying gratification and sustaining focus. They experience emotional dysregulation, and have difficulty self-soothing when upset. They lack empathetic thinking. The sum total of all of this is that they struggle mightily - academically, socially and behaviorally. Interestingly, these problems are all aspects of executive functioning, which is presided over by our prefrontal cortex. Our prefrontal cortex, compared to other, more primitive parts of our brain, is the last part of our brain to mature (reaching full maturation at 25 years old) and is the newest development in our brain architecture, evolutionarily speaking. It sets us humans apart from other species, and wires us to need to live in social communities for emotional and physical survival - a need that is being existentially threatened, ironically, by the very ubiquity of social media.
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Emotion Coaching is an evidence-based approach that capitalizes on what we know about the brain from the last decade of neuroscientific research to provide a simple, effective strategy for promoting the development of our “human” brain. Based upon the extensive research of John Gottman, Stephen Porges and Daniel Siegel, Emotion Coaching is predicated on the idea that effective behavior regulation lies in understanding the communicative function or emotional source of problematic behavior, rather than focusing on the behavior itself. Big feelings are recognized as inevitable, evolutionarily necessary functions of our human brains, and challenging behaviors are viewed as opportunities for meaningful interaction between a child or young person and a trusted adult. The more that we as adults can model the act of recognizing and labelling feelings, as well as thinking through solutions to problems, the more a child or young person can learn from these experiences to develop the neural pathways in their own brains that lead to sustainable internal regulation. But first, a little background: When clinical psychologists John and Julie Gottman were conducting their landmark research on what makes successful marriages work, a by-product of their interviews with couples with children was uncovering the range of ways in which parents both together and separately - communicate with their children about emotions. Drs Gottman and Gottman found four main parental approaches to dealing with big feelings in the family: Emotion Dismissing: This parent uses distraction techniques to attempt to disengage the child from what they consider to be negative emotions. They may fear certain emotions or believe that dwelling on them would be unhealthy. They have a tendency to use “waiting it out” as a cure-all, rather than guiding the child through a problem solving process. Emotion Disapproving: Similar to Emotion Dismissing but more punitive, authoritative and critical, this parent is mainly concerned with discipline and largely unconcerned with the emotions underlying their child’s behavior.
Laissez-Faire: This parent is endlessly empathetic and overly permissive. They treat emotions as a matter of hydraulics; let the child blow off steam, regardless of the behavior, and hopefully they’ll get over whatever caused the outburst in the first place. Critically, this parent offers little guidance about problem-solving or understanding emotions. Emotion Coaching: This parent recognises challenging moments as opportunities for connection. They are attuned to their child’s emotions, take the time to empathise with and validate their child’s feelings, help their child to label their feelings and set limits where necessary as they support their child in solving problems. It should be mentioned at this point that all of us have the capacity to utilize any one of these styles in our interactions with children and young people at any given time. The aim of this article is to increase awareness of all of these, and to advocate for Emotion Coaching as the preferable approach to handling moments of challenging behavior, regardless of whether your role is that of a parent or a teacher. So why does Emotion Coaching work so much better than the other styles of communication? 1. Because emotions are hardwired into our brains. Dr Paul Ekman’s research has identified 6 universal human emotions that transcend language, culture or ethnicity - anger, sadness, joy, fear, disgust and surprise. The theory is that these emotions have been vital to our survival as a species. Understanding and accepting the full range of human emotion is a crucial step in developing effective responses to challenging situations and, by extension, building up the neural pathways in the prefrontal cortex that allow these responses to become more automatic.
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2. Because our brain architecture is promoted through repetition, experience and modelling from others. Developments in magnetic resonance imaging in the past decade have taught us a great deal about the brain that supports the Emotion Coaching approach. Namely, that existing neural pathways can become more deeply established or be pruned away, depending on how often we practice a skill; that our brains have the capacity to develop new pathways for the whole duration of our lives; and that the mere act of watching another person perform a task or skill will encourage the same neural pathways in our own brains to fire. What all this means is that there is tremendous scope for us as adults to
Emotion Coaching involves four steps that are neither surprising nor complicated to put into practice, and that come naturally to many of us: Step 1: Recognizing a child’s feelings and empathizing with them. Step 2: Validating the child’s feelings and labelling them. Step 3: Setting limits on behavior (if necessary). Step 4: Problem-solving with the child. The overwhelming feedback that I have received from parents and educators who have consciously
encourage the actual wiring of the brains of the children and young people in our care. A child whose typical response to a difficult event is to melt down can, with consistent Emotion Coaching, learn more effective methods to cope and establish these methods as their automatic response to stressors. Research conducted by Gottman and replicated by Bath Spa University has shown that a child who is Emotion Coached
tried putting Emotion Coaching into practice is that Emotion Coaching not only supports children and young people, but also supports us adults. It helps us to be more sensitive to our children’s needs, helps us to create more consistent responses to behavior, and helps us to feel more in control without being controlling. This ultimately promotes more positive relationships, and sustainable emotional and behavioral well-
even 40%-60% of the time will receive enough input to”rewire” their neural pathways.
being, in all of us.
3. Because our stress response system dictates how we react to difficult events. Dr Stephen Porges calls this the Polyvagal Theory; in a nutshell, our body has a primitive mechanism for dealing with situations we find too upsetting, called the fight-flight-freeze response. However, we also have a more evolved function to our stress response system that allows us to look to other humans for signs of safety and calm. There are times when the primitive response is called for, but in some children or young people, this becomes too easily triggered for various reasons (leading to meltdown, dissociation, and the like). In these circumstances, the child needs to be taught how to look to other humans for safety cues. Through Emotion Coaching, children and young people experience empathy and validation from trusted adults, which soothes an overactive stress response system over time and allows for higher order thinking to take place in times of need.
HOW SAFE ARE OUR LGBT+ TEACHERS IN THE INTERNATIONAL SECTOR?
By Jared The issue's must-read Cawley articles Jared Cawley is a primary school teacher working in an international school in "Gamified" Exams The Netherlands. He is Homework Central passionate about making an inclusive and diverse school culture for everyone. He is currently researching the experiences of LGBT+ teachers in the international sector. You can follow him on Twitter: @JaredCawley
How often do we consider the safety of our LGBT+ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender plus) teachers? I am not talking about falling or tripping here or receiving a cold call about an accident at work. What I mean is, do our LGBT+ teachers feel safe at work to be their authentic selves? Being a heterosexual teacher, you never have to consider ‘coming out’ or questioning whether your colleagues, students or parental community will accept you or hold unfair assumptions about your sexual orientation or gender expression. Being a cisgender* heterosexual teacher is the default. So, when this is not the case, we as educators must think about how to make our schools a safe environment for our LGBT+ teachers. This is particularly pertinent in the international sector, where LGBT+ people are not protected in more than half the world’s workplaces (Stonewall, 2018a). It is paramount that we all feel safe and secure to provide the best versions of ourselves and give the best education to our students.
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What is ‘Feeling of Safety’?
A Global Perspective
It is quite the task to try and describe a teacher’s
Across the world, there are 72 countries that do not
feeling of safety but let me give it a shot. To define teachers feeling safe, I would say that you feel secure, you work in a trustworthy
recognise consensual same-sex relationships and tragically, there are 8 countries that have the death penalty for being homosexual (ILGA World, 2016).
environment, there exists a harmony between you, your identity and school, that you as an individual are celebrated and not just tolerated, and that you have an opportunity to thrive professionally as well as personally. On the other hand, if you feel unsafe, I believe your
Some may argue that your sexual orientation or gender expression is something personal and should not be a topic for discussion in the workplace – so what does it matter?
working environment is filled with uncertainty, anxiety and that there is an immediate fear of being harassed and discriminated against. Ultimately, when you feel unsafe, your wellbeing will suffer. An unwell teacher is not productive nor safe. How many LGBT+ Staff work in International Schools?
My Experience It matters because in my first two years as a teacher I chose to hide my sexuality. One of the reasons for this is that I saw my personal life and professional life as two separate entities. It was a daily battle to try and keep this a secret and the stress it caused drove me into a deep pit of anxiety and shame. How
The International school market is growing exponentially. The ISC Research reports that in 2020 there are presently 11,451 international
often have you heard at school, “What did you get up to at the weekend?”, “How was your girlfriend’s party?” or “Congratulations on your engagement” or “Sir, do you have a girlfriend?” You soon realise that the workplace is an inescapable place to discuss your sexuality, and the idea of trying to
schools globally. That is a 343% increase in 20 years. In those schools across the globe are approximately 573, 000 staff educating our young people (ISC Research, 2020). It is estimated that more than 10% of the population identify as LGBT+, this means there could be more than 57,300 LGBT+ staff working across
keep your personal and professional life separate is almost impossible. This constant hiding who I really was, was not manageable. Therefore, I decided to ‘come out’. Once I ‘came out’ to myself, my friends and family, and eventually professionally, a weight was lifted from my shoulders and I started the journey of becoming my authentic self. One of the
the international sector.
most conflicting contradictions I had as a ‘closeted’ teacher was that I thought I was a fraud and not living to my true values. As teachers, we want to be good role models to our students. However, by hiding my sexuality I was perpetuating a role model of shame – saying that being gay was something to hide. Thankfully, in my current international post I feel safe, accepted, and use my voice to support other LGBT+ staff.
In most of the literature and small-scale research projects on the experiences of LGBT+ teachers across the world, most conclude that harassment, discrimination, and lack of job security are prevalent themes Jackson, 2007; Meyer, 2010; Wright et al. 2019; Lee, 2020. The research suggests that some LGBT+ teachers do not feel safe, do not feel respected and do not feel accepted to be their authentic selves in the workplace. By not feeling safe, some teachers choose to hide their sexuality as coming out is too risky. In the UK alone, the LGBT+ charity Stonewall has reported that over a third (35%) of LGBT staff have hidden their identity in the workplace for fear of discrimination (Stonewall, 2018b). If that is the case in the UK, LGBT+ teachers working in countries where their human rights are not protected may feel even more unsafe.
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What LGBT+ Teachers Need to Consider When considering whether to ‘come out’ in the work environment and being your authentic self, it must be safe. You need to ensure that your colleagues and senior leadership team are going to support you. When moving abroad and working in the international sector there are many things to consider. For everyone, choosing a career overseas is exciting, as well as daunting. But, for LGBT+ teachers, I would suggest going through the following checklist: LGBT+ Teacher Checklist Check out the map on the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association’s (ILGA) website which shows potential dangerous countries and LGBT+ laws and protections. Find out the local laws and social attitudes on homosexuality and gender expression on your government’s website. Here is the British one I use - The Foreign Travel advice pages. Ask your employer, normally your Headteacher and/or HR how they support LGBT+ staff at their school. Ask to speak to a teacher or an LGBT+ person who already works at the school and ask about what life is like for the LGBT+ community living there. Research LGBT+ organisations that are in the country and maybe send them an email for information. There may be an ‘underground’ LGBT+ community – ask if there is one, particularly in countries where LGBT human rights are not protected.
Does the school have an LGBT+ support group for staff and students? Do any of the displays in the school celebrate diversity? Does the school’s curriculum reflect our diverse, international society? It Is Everyone’s Responsibility All stakeholders have a responsibility to ensure our schools are safe for our LGBT+ staff. It is not just the responsibility of the Headteacher or the Senior Leadership Team. When the school climate is and feels safe, everyone can be their authentic selves. *cisgender refers to people whose gender identity and expression matches the biological sex they were assigned to at birth.
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS AND CULTURAL WELLBEING: AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT PERSPECTIVE
By Barali The issue'sand must-read Bonita articles Burford "Gamified" Exams
Homework Central
My twin sister and I spent the first 10 years of our childhood growing up in Laos. Being half Thai and half Australian, my parents made the decision to send us to an international school, and again when we moved to Bangkok and later Chiang Mai. Despite all being international schools, each varied in terms of the students, community and culture. It feels as if all these factors have played a hand in developing my identity and who I am as a person. However, with such an array of cultures sometimes I'm a little lost, identifying with many and yet not belonging to any. This doesn’t apply to every individual, but for me, attending international schools for the entirety of my life has meant I’ve been exposed to many cultures but also feel somewhat segregated from my own.
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All international schools present themselves as
From my own experience, each schools’
institutions offering curriculums from overseas as well as simultaneously respecting local traditions and festivals. In my last 4 years of school, I followed a British curriculum with
community was distinctly their own. In Laos, the majority of students were Lao and despite getting along quite well, there was a slight language and culture barrier present. My Thai
teachers from a range of English speaking countries. Academically, the British curriculum worked, but for lessons like PSHE I feel a different approach, more catered to Thailand
was sufficient enough to understand and respond to what everyone was saying, yet it was not Lao. This played a hand in a small separation between me and the local students. In Bangkok, the
could have been taken. PSHE was a good example where the teachers taught what they knew but it wasn’t always as applicable for us. I
majority of students were full Thai and despite being half Thai, my Thai was yet again not good enough. Even though English was supposed to be
remember we had a cooking lesson for PSHE once and the dish we cooked was meant to be cheap and easy, yet for us it was anything but. The main ingredients were canned vegetables which cost almost nothing overseas, but here in Thailand can be even more costly than fresh vegetables. After the class, I think a lot of us
the main language spoken, all the Thai students elected to speak in Thai. Needless to say, I was intimidated and so I did not speak one word of Thai in school for the next two years, dramatic as it may seem. When we arrived in Chiang Mai, the new school had more students who were half Thai- half something else, like us. It was nice
agreed that the recipe wasn’t the most suitable but we understood that for the teacher it had been a good recipe when he was at university. The mentality that I think we adopt is that sometimes we learn things that aren’t applicable to us here and now and so we just
having more friends in a similar boat where we all were surrounded by a range of cultures that we simply accepted and all identified as international school students. This reduced my little identity crisis for the time being and it was easy to forget that I did not fully identify with
file it away as knowledge about different cultures or for the future.
both of my cultures... until it was time for university applications. With the international school community it’s easy to feel at ease, but upon leaving this bubble it isn't hard to feel alienated. Too westernised amongst the Thai community, yet not Australian enough in Australia, a little stuck in between with one foot in each culture, trying my best to find my footing. Naturally, starting university already raises many concerns about the workload, moving to a new place and making new friends but I’m also guilty of overthinking whether I’d fit in or not as I’m not really sure of who I am and what culture or cultures I belong to. Regardless, I think not knowing is okay even though it does seem unsettling at times. One of my friends took into consideration how large the Thai community at each university was to ensure she would have a safety net of friends and a sense of belonging despite being in a foreign country. I feel like when making friends we gravitate to the things we have in common, and when you’re from the same country and culture, it reduces a step or two. Therefore, growing up around a variety of cultures in international schools is both a blessing and a challenge I’m glad I have experienced.
WHAT IS TRE (TENSION & TRAUMA RELEASE EXERCISES)?
By Lori The issue's Ann must-read Arsenault articles Lori Ann is the Founder & CEO of Freedom Within Co. Ltd. and the TRE® ShAkE uP! "Gamified" Exams (Shakeups), a Global TRE® Homework Central Certification Trainer and a Mastering Aliveness Coach. She has been building and leading a blossoming TRE® community and attracting trainees from around the globe in Thailand since 2013. She also serves on the TRE for ALL Board of Directors. Prior to her TRE® work, she worked 20 years in Human Resources for the Government of PEI, Canada.
Did you know getting acquainted with your Nervous System is the secret to being the calm in middle of any storm and enjoying your life more than you ever imagined?!? Here's why! Our nervous systems are carrying years of repressed and built up stress, tension/trauma, keeping us living in a state of survival that has become normal. Stress is taken in from many sources including the people we deal with each day, all we see on the internet/TV, and our deep social conditioning of not being "enough". Knowing and understanding our sources of stress and talking about them keep us in a loop... It's time to let our body do the talking!
"The imprint of trauma occurs in the reptilian brain, not in the neo cortex so a treatment for the primitive parts of the brain are needed as for the cognitive part of the brain." ~ Dr. Bessel van der Kolk
NOVEMBER 2020 | ISSUE 2 | PAGE 33
It's time to go inward and realise our truest
The revolutionary and simple practice of TRE®
potential! There is nowhere else to go outside ourselves.
TRE® is practical, simple and proven to be very effective. It's a 15-minute practice that can be done on our own at home. It is highly
We live in an age where living in survival mode has become normal. We don't even know what levels of grounding, calm and connection are available to us until we get to feel and experience
recommended to learn how to do it in a selfregulated way first with a provider. The reason for this is that we approach everything in our lives based on where we are in our nervous
it. We are caught in cycles of beliefs and behaviors that keep us in the same cycles with no way out. As soon as we feel like we have things under
systems. So no doubt we'll approach our TRE® practice as we do everything else in our lives. For example if we are someone who goes hard and
control something happens and we lose control again and go into overwhelm all over again. This is because most of us are attempting to deal with stress from the neo-cortex/head level. Thinking
pushes ourselves without listening to our bodies in most of what we do or someone who shies away and isolates when feeling uncomfortable, we are sure to approach our TRE® practice in this
our way through things, convincing ourselves we are ok, managing and controlling our external environment. We continue to seek outside of ourselves and try to "figure" things out. There's nowhere else to go outside of ourselves. It's time to to go inward and allow our body's wisdom to release years of built-up stress and tension/ trauma to make space within ourselves to make true change. Nothing outside of us will ever return
way, which can stand in the way of us truly releasing and freeing ourselves from these patterns and truly returning to a state of aliveness and freedom within.
us to the true peace, calm, and joy we already are. When we have more space within us, we can more clearly see what "we" truly want and need vs. what we've been taught we need and want. We can trust ourselves more and stop the race of life.
returning back to a place of safety within ourselves and a more balanced homeostasis.
The biggest benefits people report in the beginning are deeper more restful sleep, a calmer mind and relief from physical pain caused by stress. Long term benefits are a true sense of
TRE® (Tension & Trauma Release Exercises, Berceli
TRE® along with some guidance on self-regulation and grounding is a very powerful vehicle that can result in real transformation from the nervous system-level out, putting us in the
2005) is a practice that naturally grounds one's nervous system and releases deep tension patterns from the body. Dr. Berceli, who spent many years in worn torn countries discovered that mammals are innately designed to tremor/shake to return to a balance homeostasis after a threatening or
driver's seat of our wellness and life. Grounding our nervous system in a regulated way brings about a level of peace and space in our lives, allowing us to see more clearly our needs and wants and to better trust ourselves. It deepens our connection with ourselves leading to deeper
highly stressful event and that these tremors are evoked in our brain stem / instinctual brain. He
connection in relationships with others, experiencing more compassion and trust.
realized that us humans have been socially conditioned to stop this automatic healing mechanism because we've been taught that shaking makes us look weak. Dr. Berceli developed six simple exercises that evoke this tremor mechanism and once done a few times, our natural tremor mechanism is re-activated, allowing us to release years of built-up stress and tension, including adrenaline and cortisol that keep us in a constant high state of arousal, compromising all our systems including digestion and immunity. Imagine how it would feel to free up all that energy keeping us in a low-state survival mode! it's a true feeling of aliveness, wellness and centeredness.
NOVEMBER 2020 | ISSUE 2 | PAGE 34
I worked in human resources for 20 years where I continued to be shocked at human behaviour, particularly during very stressful times. I was a
I founded my company here in Chiang Mai in 2016 called Freedom Within, and guiding people inward to realize their truest potential through
why person and many of my whys were never answered until I decided to leave my very lucrative salary and lifestyle in PEI to travel the world on a one-year's leave. Just before I left I was introduced to TRE® and practiced it during the
practicing TRE® and getting acquainted with their nervous systems and feeling safe within themselves again has become my life. We are now an evolving and growing team of seven people gaining more passion for this work and
entire year. This brought about many big changes
inspired by the results of our clients every single
as I became much more aware of what I truly desired verses what I was taught to desire. I ended up moving here to Chiang Mai, Thailand 11 years ago and trained to become a TRE® provider so I could share this practice with as many people as possible. When I learned about the theories behind TRE® such as the polyvagal theory, I finally
day.
understood human behaviour through understanding the nervous system. The mystery was decoded and this, along with my own personal TRE® practice, freed me at a level I didn't think was even possible.
Our approach at Freedom Within is one of practicality, enjoyment, authenticity and acceptance. We meet people where they are at and help guide them inward in realizing there is nothing wrong with them, to see and acknowledge their perfection in their imperfection, and to feel and experience deeper levels of grounding and trust within themselves... The path to true freedom within. Sound good?!
Guiding humanity inwards to realize our truest potential Several years later after teaching TRE® to thousands, I trained to become a global TRE® certification trainer of this revolutionary practice that is now sweeping the planet, having been introduced to over 67 countries and five million people.
We will never get tired of consistently witnessing people reach deeper levels of grounding and connection with themselves, and realizing they have all within them already.
Join us!
THE IMPORTANCE OF UNSTRUCTURED PLAY
By Nicole The issue's must-read Smith articles Nicole is an experienced early years teacher and family therapist who finds synergies between these Exams caring "Gamified" professions and her personal Homework Central interests - health, balance, mindfulness and creativity. She is a school counsellor at an international school in Thailand and received her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy from an American University. She has over 8 years experience in teaching and pastoral positions in Europe, America, and Asia.
Throughout my experience working with families and parents, most families with younger children understand the importance of play and can see the rapid growth of language and social/ emotional development it provides. However, when families transition to having school-aged children they can sometimes overlook the importance of play. "Serious stuff" like essay writing to templates and other highly structured activities can come to occupy the foreground of "what is important". I can’t begin to tell you how common it is for me to ask students about their weekend and they respond with a list of classes they attended - and how little free time they have to enjoy themselves. It is great that children have the opportunity to be involved in various extracurricular activities, and other forms of enrichment, but like all things in life... there needs to be balance. There has been a lot of research on the cognitive and social/ emotional benefits of play - good old fashioned (unstructured) play. The kind where kids are left free to their imagination and creativity.
NOVEMBER 2020 | ISSUE 2 | PAGE 36
Unstructured play is a set of activities that children imagine on their own without adult intervention. This type of free play rarely has predetermined
From studies such as these Play Therapy emerged as a psychotherapeutic model to help children ages 3-12 express their repressed thoughts and
goals or objectives but instead allows children to create their own rules and establish their own limits.
feelings. Dr. Yogman also suggests that play deprivation may be associated with the "increasing prevalence of attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).”
This provides a way for children to express themselves and their feelings through a natural,
In our globally digitalized world where academic
self-guided process. As children’s experiences and knowledge are often communicated through play, it becomes an important vehicle for them to know and accept themselves and others. Unstructured play also helps children to have better relationships with peers, to become more socially integrated, to improve their growth and
pressures are increasingly intense, home-life often increasingly hectic/unboundaried, and stimulation often one-dimensional (i.e. technology based, video games etc.), perhaps we have all lost sight of a much simpler tool for success that comes naturally to children and brings cognitive, social, and emotional benefits
development, and to learn to regulate their emotions.
that extend beyond the walls of the classroom play!
Michael Yogman, Assistant Clinical Professor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, wrote a clinical report, “The Power of Play: A Pediatric Role in Enhancing Development in Young Children”, which details a long list of researchbased benefits of play, including improved
Needless to say - as recent documentaries like Netflix The Social Dilemma have illuminated - this may involve some intervention on our part to keep our children away from device-addiction, and in the play-zone. More broadly, it is the responsibility of policy-makers, administration,
executive functioning (i.e., cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control, and working memory; kids with ADHD, for example, struggle with ‘executive functioning’), early language and math skills, social development, physical and mental health, and personal agency. In particular, play facilitated by parents and adult caregivers may also help
educators, and parents to keep free play as an important part of the school curriculum and school day and heed advice from child psychologists - that one of the most powerful ways to help our children learn and thrive is to simply give them the freedom to play—with us, their peers, and on their own.
children deal with stress and trauma by helping “build the safe, stable, and nurturing relationships that buffer against toxic stress; and build socialemotional resilience.”
TAKING THE LEAD: EXPLORING HOW SCHOOLS ARE DEVELOPING ANIMAL-ASSISTED PRACTICES TO SUPPORT CHILDREN’S WELLBEING
By Dr The issue's Helen must-read Lewis articles Dr Helen Lewis is a Senior Lecturer in Swansea University School of Education. She has worked as a primary school "Gamified" Exams teacher, education consultant Homework Central and teacher educator. Her research interests include exploring animal-assisted interventions in education, and her own dogs have been trained to support student wellbeing. Her co-authored book, ‘Tails from the Classroom: Learning and teaching through animalassisted intervention’ published by Crown House is out soon. Twitter: @HEL71_
I am a self-confessed animal lover. Over the years my home has welcomed a range of furry and feathered friends. As well as two teenage children, I currently live with two dogs and two cats and I’m certainly not alone in this. Surveys suggest that worldwide there are as many as 470 million dogs and close to 370 million cats in homes. There is no doubt that many of these are a member of the family, with global spending on them increasing rapidly. There are TV channels devoted to entertaining dogs left home alone, bespoke food delivery services for pampered pooches and even dating apps designed specifically for animal owners. I am particularly interested in the role that animals are playing in our lives during these challenging times. Internationally, the outbreak of the coronavirus has had a major impact on people’s way of life, and concern over wellbeing has increased. Numerous reports identify how animals have provided valuable emotional support to many during these unpredictable days. I have found my own animals to be a source of companionship during lockdown, and have found moments of light relief in long online meetings when colleagues are joined unexpectedly on screen by their animals.
NOVEMBER 2020 | ISSUE 2 | PAGE 38
In this article I will explore the role animals can play in supporting the wellbeing of children and young people. Although a wide variety of
In one early childhood setting, we found the regular presence of Honey the dog impacted on learners in a number of ways. One young boy
animals are involved in these practices, I am going to focus on the involvement of dogs. They have been our loyal companions for many
with a diagnosis of autism found interacting with Honey easier than forming relationships with peers or adults. He developed confidence
thousands of years and there is no other species with which we share quite the same bond.
In our recent international survey of nearly 500
working with Honey, for example when making independent decisions about what treat she might like to eat. Honey has helped learners talk about their feelings. When Honey had an operation the children were encouraged to be kind and gentle with her. Honey’s presence also
schools, approximately half reported involving animals in their daily practices. In nearly 40% of these a dog was regularly present. These dogs are of various size, breed and age, some are rescued, some are pedigree. Some visit for a few hours on a fortnightly basis, others are in school all day, every day. The dogs work with a
provided opportunities to consider physical wellbeing – for example, the children discussed how she needs daily exercise and a suitable diet to be happy and healthy. Honey brings her own bag with her, which includes her toothbrush, toothpaste and wipes, through modelling the use of these the children can see examples of good
range of learners of all ages. But there were many similarities in why the dogs were there, with 61% of responses suggesting that the dog’s primary role was to support pupil wellbeing. The dog was seen to be a ‘reassuring presence’, providing support and comfort for learners.
personal hygiene.
Having a dog in school was also seen to be beneficial to staff, with one head reporting that their staff team nearly all enjoyed spending a quiet five minutes with the school dog to ‘gather thoughts, regroup and relax’.
themselves experience emotions, they do not hold grudges or harbour resentment. Dogs read our emotional cues and respond accordingly. When the dog responds to gentle touch by wagging its tail or moving closer, the child gets immediate positive reinforcement. Similarly, if a child demonstrates loud or unpredictable
The rise of the school dog
What are the potential benefits of having dogs in school? Animals fascinate many children and research suggests that interactions with animals can impact on social, emotional, behavioural, physical and cognitive outcomes for learners. For example, dogs have been found to contribute to children’s emotional stability and to positive attitudes towards school, they can contribute to children’s self-esteem by providing a ‘friend’ to bond with, and children may become more attentive, responsive and cooperative with an adult when a dog is present in the classroom. There may also be physical benefits, since the simple act of stroking a dog releases the 'happy' chemicals (serotonin and dopamine), which act as a calming influence.
"Having a dog in school has transformed our community for the better."
Dogs can also provide friendship, acting as an accepting, non-judgmental and comforting audience. Dogs provide a safe sounding board for the sharing of feelings. While dogs
behaviour the dog may move away, providing instant feedback and helping children understand the consequences of their behaviours. Animals may act as a ‘security blanket’ during challenging times, such as transitional periods. In the past, nine year-old Bea, who has autism, experienced anxiety associated with attending school. When she enrolled at Peterhouse School in the UK during lockdown, staff wanted to ease her transition. They made the most of her interest in animals, with Paisley the school dog ‘sending’ messages of welcome and appearing in videos about the school for Bea to watch. After lockdown, Bea was encouraged to attend school and to walk Paisley around the school grounds. Now school has reopened, Paisley plays an important role in Bea’s everyday routine. When she arrives, Bea greets the dog and spends time during the day with Paisley for company. Because of Paisley’s calm and constant support Bea is now happy to come into school every day.
NOVEMBER 2020 | ISSUE 2 | PAGE 39
A ‘paws’ for thought
Buying a puppy with the intention of it becoming
However compelling the evidence base, animal assisted practices are not a solution for all learners. Wellbeing is complex and multi-
a school dog is risky, as temperament and personality vary hugely, and this is not always easy to assess in a young pup. Puppies grow and change at an amazing rate, and have some very
faceted, and, whilst spending time with a dog may indeed alleviate some children’s immediate anxieties, this is not a quick fix. The dog should not be the latest pedagogical fad, and within the literature there is a need for a more robust evidence-base.
specific needs. Their routines do not always fit neatly with a busy school day. Conclusion So, if having a school dog is something that you are interested in, I advise starting with some
There may be medical, religious or other reasons why an individual may not want to interact with a dog. For example, dogs are unlikely to appeal to all children with autism.
searching questions about whether your school environment can genuinely offer the right conditions for a dog to thrive in. If you think that it is achievable, then research and prepare as
The noises, smell and behaviours, such as sniffing and licking, can be overwhelming. Despite the popular press, no dog is truly hypoallergenic, and so health and safety and risk management must be considered. No animal can ever be considered 100% reliable in how it behaves.
much as you can, and refer to appropriate standards of practice. It will take time to find and train a dog for work in school, and it will take time to educate the children and staff how to interact safely around a dog. However, when the situation is right, the rewards can be enormous.
We must also meet the physical and emotional
Acknowledgements
needs of the dog. There is increasing recognition by researchers such as Rise van Fleet that we should ensure the ‘voices and choices’ of animals are heard. If we recognise that not all people will enjoy interactions with dogs we must also be aware that not all dogs will enjoy interactions with children. Some will find the
Thanks to June and Mac Allen and Honey; and to Conny Brandt (School Business Manager), Lesley Fleming (Autism Lead), Bea and Paisley from Peterhouse School for their contributions. You can read more about Paisley on her blog:
sensory overload of a school overwhelming, whilst some will enjoy every minute of the school day. Some will settle immediately, some will adjust in time, but some will not be suitable, no matter how wonderful a family pet they may be.
https://www.peterhouseschool.com/paisleyspage-our-school-dog-blog/
Different dogs will bring a different element to any interaction, one size does not fit all. For
our questionnaire: https://swanseachhs.eu.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/
example, my own dogs interact with people very differently. Carlo is enthusiastic in his
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interactional style. Many of my students who are missing their own dogs while they are away at university love to spend time with him. He will roll over for tummy tickles and if they sit on the floor will try to get on their laps – he is a 35 kilo dog! My smaller dog, Scarlet is less exuberant with a more reserved interactional style. My students who want to stroke a dog but who are less confident tend to engage well with her and she helps them gain confidence.
Are you working in an educational context? We would love to hear your views on the involvement of animals in schools, whether you agree or disagree. Please consider completing
WRITE FOR US @_WISEDUCATION Thank you to all of the contributors for taking the time to write their articles and for you the reader for checking out the second issue of the WISEducation Newsletter. Also, a huge thanks to Laura Davies (Assistant Editor) and Joanna Whitehouse (Copy Editor) If you are interested in contributing an article for the next WISEducation Newsletter in February then please send an email to sadie.wiseducation@gmail.com. You can also check out more articles at wiseducationblog.com