and the February update programme; but with a twist towards learning and the kinds
of issues children and staff face in schools
June: 'Knowing Me, Knowing You' given a positive review in the Integral Review e-zine.
Commentary: Reviewer Sara Ross was not without some criticisms, though - alleging
heterosexual bias and the projection that the reader can manipulate others with the
knowledge in the book.What was interesting about Sara and Integral Review was that
they invited me to pen a response to her criticisms which they published alongside
her review.
Aug: All 3 A-Level students who had come to me for private tuition in the Spring-Summer
advised that they had reached their target grades.
Aug: 'Knowing Me, Knowing You' given a positive review in 'The Psychologist', the
monthly journal of the British Psychological Society.
Sept: Commenced a 3-days a week job teaching A-Level Psychology and also an A-Level
Sociology module, at Rossett School in Harrogate.
Commentary: Rossett was a school
on the way up from having something of a mixed reputation in Harrogate. (The previous
month had seen the school with its best ever GCSE results - with 75% A*-C.).
While they certainly had a small number of significantly-disruptive students, the
vast majority of young people in the school conformed (to varying degrees!) with
the discipline systems and senior management were certainly aware it was an issue
they needed to keep on top of. As for the 6th Formers, a goodly number of them were
very well-motivated indeed.
Like Psychology at Vermuyden 4 years before, having to study Sociology so I could
teach it had a profound effect on me and I began to explore it in far greater depth
than I really needed to. In 4Q/8L terms, it filled in the detail for the Lower Quadrants
which I had previously tended to reference mostly in terms of their impact upon the
Upper Quadrants. It gave me much more of the 'Socio' for 'SocioPsychology', broadened
my understanding considerably and set in train a number of new threads in thinking.
Rather quirkily, to complete my timetable, I was given a once a week Year 9 group
and asked to design a course in Communication Skills for them. With virtual complete
freedom in my design, I was able to bring in a lot of NLP and psychological concepts
- including Meta-States & the Cognitive Triad, Neurological Levels and the Introversion-Extraversion
Dimension of Temperament.
t from Guiseley School to provide private tuition for his A-Level studies in Psychology.
Commentary:
As I was no longer at Guiseley, there was no obvious *conflict of interest*. I found
I enjoyed one-to-one coaching so much I decided to market my services as a private
tutor formally. I soon found my reputation spreading in the Harrogate area and business
picking up.
Mar: The results from the January exams passed their verdict on my time
at Guiseley, with head of department David Hunter telling me they had "more As and
fewer Us than usual". Also my marking for the Year 13 coursework, submitted for verification
in January, held 100%.
June: Delivered 'For Education Professionals...an Introduction to Integrated SocioPsychology'
at The Kestrel, Knaresborough/Harrogate.
Commentary: Although this was my first workshop
programme outside of the Humber, the Hull connection was still present on this small-scale
course, with 3 participants from Bude Park Primary School on the notorious Bransholme
estate. The bulk of the material covered was drawn from earlier programmes and the
February update programme; but with a twist towards learning and the kinds of issues
children and staff face in schools.
A few photos from this programme can be seen in
the Galleries pages.
June: 'Knowing Me, Knowing You' given a positive review in the Integral Review e-zine.
Commentary: Reviewer Sara Ross was not without some criticisms, though - alleging
heterosexual bias and the projection that the reader can manipulate others with the
knowledge in the book.What was interesting about Sara and Integral Review was that
they invited me to pen a response to her criticisms which they published alongside
her review.
Aug: All 3 A-Level students who had come to me for private tuition in the Spring-Summer
advised that they had reached their target grades.
Aug: 'Knowing Me, Knowing You' given a positive review in 'The Psychologist', the
monthly journal of the British Psychological Society.
Sept: Commenced a 3-days a week job teaching A-Level Psychology and also an A-Level
Sociology module, at Rossett School in Harrogate.
Commentary: Rossett was a school
on the way up from having something of a mixed reputation in Harrogate. (The previous
month had seen the school with its best ever GCSE results - with 75% A*-C.).
While they certainly had a small number of significantly-disruptive students, the
vast majority of young people in the school conformed (to varying degrees!) with
the discipline systems and senior management were certainly aware it was an issue
they needed to keep on top of. As for the 6th Formers, a goodly number of them were
very well-motivated indeed.
Like Psychology at Vermuyden 4 years before, having to study Sociology so I could
teach it had a profound effect on me and I began to explore it in far greater depth
than I really needed to. In 4Q/8L terms, it filled in the detail for the Lower Quadrants
which I had previously tended to reference mostly in terms of their impact upon the
Upper Quadrants. It gave me much more of the 'Socio' for 'SocioPsychology', broadened
my understanding considerably and set in train a number of new threads in thinking.
Rather quirkily, to complete my timetable, I was given a once a week Year 9 group
and asked to design a course in Communication Skills for them. With virtual complete
freedom in my design, I was able to bring in a lot of NLP and psychological concepts
- including Meta-States & the Cognitive Triad, Neurological Levels and the Introversion-Extraversion
Dimension of Temperament.
rkshop programme outside of the Humber, the Hull connection was still present on
this small-scale course, with 3 participants from Bude Park Primary School on the
notorious Bransholme estate. The bulk of the material covered was drawn from earlier
programmes and the February update programme; but with a twist towards learning and
the kinds of issues children and staff face in schools.
A few photos from this programme
can be seen in the Galleries pages.
June: 'Knowing Me, Knowing You' given a positive review in the Integral Review e-zine.
Commentary: Reviewer Sara Ross was not without some criticisms, though - alleging
heterosexual bias and the projection that the reader can manipulate others with the
knowledge in the book.What was interesting about Sara and Integral Review was that
they invited me to pen a response to her criticisms which they published alongside
her review.
Aug: All 3 A-Level students who had come to me for private tuition in the Spring-Summer
advised that they had reached their target grades.
Aug: 'Knowing Me, Knowing You' given a positive review in 'The Psychologist', the
monthly journal of the British Psychological Society.
Sept: Commenced a 3-days a week job teaching A-Level Psychology and also an A-Level
Sociology module, at Rossett School in Harrogate.
Commentary: Rossett was a school
on the way up from having something of a mixed reputation in Harrogate. (The previous
month had seen the school with its best ever GCSE results - with 75% A*-C.).
While they certainly had a small number of significantly-disruptive students, the
vast majority of young people in the school conformed (to varying degrees!) with
the discipline systems and senior management were certainly aware it was an issue
they needed to keep on top of. As for the 6th Formers, a goodly number of them were
very well-motivated indeed.
Like Psychology at Vermuyden 4 years before, having to study Sociology so I could
teach it had a profound effect on me and I began to explore it in far greater depth
than I really needed to. In 4Q/8L terms, it filled in the detail for the Lower Quadrants
which I had previously tended to reference mostly in terms of their impact upon the
Upper Quadrants. It gave me much more of the 'Socio' for 'SocioPsychology', broadened
my understanding considerably and set in train a number of new threads in thinking.
Rather quirkily, to complete my timetable, I was given a once a week Year 9 group
and asked to design a course in Communication Skills for them. With virtual complete
freedom in my design, I was able to bring in a lot of NLP and psychological concepts
- including Meta-States & the Cognitive Triad, Neurological Levels and the Introversion-Extraversion
Dimension of Temperament.
SocioPsychologist!
Jan: Accepted part-time post teaching A-Level Psychology and Key Stage 3/4 Religious
Studies at Sherburn High School in North Yorkshire, covering a maternity leave.
Commentary:
Sherburn was a surprisingly tough school (but then its catchement area did include
some wards high in the deprivation indices). The Key Stage 3/4 classes at times seemed
almost as difficult as the last year at Vermuyden (though I doubt they really were!).
The 6th Form, while containing some potentially-very capable students, generally
lacked aspiration.
Given the very mixed student population they had - with lots of disrupted PURPLE
and strong but unhealthy RED - the school did very well to get the results it did.
But really it needed stronger disciplinary systems than it had available at the time.
The more successful teachers tended to be those whose RED was very strong - ie: they
got their students to behave through sheer force of personality.
My biggest regret in leaving Sherburn was losing the excellent working relationship
I had formed with Claire McIntosh, the acting head of department, whose support on
the RS was invaluable! It also has to be said that, in and amongst, there were some
delightful students who were truly committed to their own success.
Jan: Delivered half-day workshop, 'Conflict - running away or engaging in effective
strategies?', as part of the Yorkshire Leadership Programme of Wakefield College
Services to Business.
Commentary: With over 20 participants from local businesses
attending, this was one of the Yorkshire Leadership Programme's most subscribed sessions
and clearly a 'hot potato'! While the half-day format was somewhat restricting, the
session went down very well with the participants and the College asked me about
repeating the session in a future programme and developing an 'advanced' session
as a follow-on.
