Improving Relationships, Developing Skills for Life

Relationships are at the heart of the learning process.

Increasingly teachers are aware of the significance of creating a learning environment that nurtures effective relationships as they support young people in developing skills for life.

This session will be based on an action research model and participants will consider progress in schools with reference to ‘Restorative Approaches’, ‘The Motivated School’ and ‘Being Cool in School’. It will provide opportunities to discuss how the approaches help develop the capacities within ‘A Curriculum for Excellence’ and will briefly explore the significance of ‘emotional well being’ that underpins them.

The Positive Behaviour Team provides support for schools in taking forward a range of nationally recognized approaches to improving relationships. These approaches have proven to be effective in enabling teachers to further assimilate a range of skills and strategies that have a positive impact upon developing the ecology of the learner, and are particularly helpful in supporting young people develop a range of personal and interpersonal skills that help them make good choices.

Derrick Bruce is seconded from Fife Council to be a Positive Behaviour Officer working within the Schools Directorate of the Scottish Government.

The main focus of the work of the team is to support schools and partner services in assimilating and implementing approaches known to improve relationships and that promote positive behaviour.

Derrick has lengthy experience working in and managing ASL / EBD provision across a number of local authorities, most recently as Manager of Fife Council’s Behaviour Support Service.

He has a particular interest in Looked After Children and Young People and in the development of partnership approaches in building better chances for our young people, including our most vulnerable young people.

Other members of the Positive Behaviour Team will assist in delivering the seminar.