Coaching with Sue has been an eye-opening and liberating experience. Her approach is supportive and gently challenging and has enabled me to approach challenges in my life confidently and to see things through a different lens. Having a safe space to explore and think has allowed me to make positive changes for myself, my adopted son and my wider family. Having my session by phone affords me the flexibility to fit them into my day around work and other commitments. I look forward to my sessions with Sue and the new thinking that comes from them.
My son has been having coaching with Sue since August last year. He thoroughly looks forward to his sessions and comes away with new ideas about himself and his brain (which he sometimes shares with us). He has used the sessions, not only to think and develop his own thoughts, but also to look at his schoolwork when he has chosen to. Sue's approach to coaching is supportive and encouraging and the relationship is at the core of her work with him and this is clearly visible in how he interacts with her. It has had a profoundly positive impact on my son and is a cherished safe space for him to be himself and to think.
Sue's Thinking Workshops opened our eyes to the possibilities and alternatives surrounding how different children think. We also reflected about how we, as educators, can facilitate children's individual styles of thinking. For instance, re-visiting those children who need time to think and the structure of hearing other people's thoughts before sharing their own.
The session highlighted that we need to encourage our children to have more autonomy in the choices they make on a daily basis from how long they want to talk for; how they position themselves; to how they keep their minds active whilst listening.
The 'Thinking Pairs' exercise made us re-evaluate how we listen to children and how much we, as adults, have to control our instincts to use facial expressions and verbal encouragement, which in turn has an impact on the children's thought process.
The workshops gave the children the chance to be more independent in their thinking. They responded positively to the independence involved in getting the thinking circle ready. They appreciated the opportunity to pass when first going round the circle; and identifying at which point different children chose to share was an interesting element of the workshop.
I think something that I will use going forward is showing the children how their response to other people's ideas can be so crucial to how others choose to share. It is so difficult not to react when someone has told you something but the workshop showed how this can have an impact on the next ideas.
The children will be leading groups for younger children, giving them opportunities to share their ideas. It will be interesting to see if they take this idea into their groups and whether they can feel the impact of it.
I think it was also beneficial for the children to see how difficult it can be to not interrupt and add your own opinions/stories but, again, how this has an impact on what others share.
'I liked it when Sue asked us what it felt like in our minds and we were able to say things like rollercoaster or washing machine. You got to hear everyone's thoughts'.
'I liked the fact that we all got to sit in a circle and we all had a chance to say something'.
'I liked listening to things that happen inside other people's heads'.
'I loved how you made it feel grown up and how you helped us to explain our brains. I have already started changing my thoughts. You helped me loads'.
'I will use the 'everyone in a circle' when I am doing group work in future'.
'I liked how you calmed us down by telling us how we can use our brains'.
'My brain is like a washing machine, racing at bed-time. Towels are my emotions'.
'I like how you go into schools and help children with their thoughts'.
'I liked your workshop - it was really interesting. Especially the bit where you said that a fifth of people will never like you no matter what you do and a fifth will!'
'My mind is like a washing machine that lands on a thought and keeps it until the end of the day'.
'I liked it when we had to sort ourselves into a circle all by ourselves!'
'I really enjoyed where I could speak about myself and I could say whatever I wanted'.
'I like how we got to share how our brain feels without any judgement or interruption and I like hearing other people's thoughts'.
It was a real treat to dedicate time to explore a fresh approach to thinking - something rare in a busy school day. Hearing echoes of familiar initiatives - for example; Circle Time, Philosophy for Children, Forest School - built upon and re-imagined in this way. The importance of giving children opportunities to develop thinking skills and the lifelong benefits are not lost on me. I appreciated the equality of all around the table, the open questions and the chance to share ideas freely. I dared to dream how different our children would feel if they had a chance to do the same.
Though brief, the impact you have had has been immense.....You have re-ignited a love and passion for teaching that had lost its way and for that I will be forever grateful! You are fearless, do what is right by the children and put them at the centre of everything you do. That is why we became teachers. Thankyou for your belief, care and straight talking.
Coaching for me was a truly eye opening experience. Exploring my emotions in such a positive way really helped me to understand more about myself. I really looked forward to my sessions and appreciated the comfortable and safe space Sue helped to provide. I also enjoyed the form of the sessions - we focused on what I wanted to focus on and I found it such a supportive environment. I would highly recommend coaching as an approach to anyone and everyone who would love to find out more about themselves!
Sue supported us to look at our provision through fresh eyes. Her careful use of questioning facilitated really productive contributions & deep thinking. Her approach created a safe space for this to take place & the flexibility to take on its own direction. We will definitely be taking time to explore the themes more widely.
For me, coaching has helped change the way I think completely - I’m more self aware, I’m more curious and I’m able to manage negative thought patterns that I’ve struggled with for years. Coaching is a breath of fresh air in that it’s very client led, instead of the practitioner being the one who’s asking you questions (although they are always there if you do need that extra support), you’re the one who gets to interrogate your own mindset and freely express your thoughts - you’re the one making the progress, and at the end of it, you’re the one who gets to feel proud of yourself.
Staff morale was low, the school environment felt tired and the focus appeared to be on a results-driven approach to teaching and learning. Sue came in with fresh eyes. She quickly identified areas that could and should be improved and she wasted no time getting to work. The child was placed at the centre of their education and teachers were given the autonomy to adapt their classroom environments to suit individual learning needs. With a cohort of 50% SEND learners in my class, this approach was like a breath of fresh air. I was given the green light to change my teaching methods and to introduce continuous provision into my Year 1 classroom. I shaped the teaching environment to match the needs of the students and the results spoke for themselves. Behavioural issues decreased and the classroom became a calmer, happier and more productive learning space. With Sue's guidance and support this transformative effect took place throughout the school.
My son Leon struggled when he started middle school. Things got so bad at the beginning of this year he refused to attend school. In June, Leon started coaching sessions with Sue each week. These helped him to interact with others and the Lego was a winner! Through these sessions Leon began to engage more. This helped my son’s anxiety, and it’s helped me understand his needs better. The good news: Leon is now in week 3 at his new school, part time, but I must say if he hadn’t attended these coaching sessions he would have found the transition back into school much harder
My coaching sessions helped me to go through a process of decision-making that led me to who I am now. Coached sessions are useful in the way they lead you to understand your doubts and help you to get a clear image of the situation you are in. They helped me to develop greater confidence and self-awareness. I am more motivated and less worried about my future and life in general. In my opinion, the best bit of coaching is that you can express your thoughts without interruption or judgement. That helped to clear my head from the mess I’ve created from my thoughts.
I very much enjoyed being part of the discussion around thinking skills and their importance in the education system. It was a refreshing reflection on our own practice and how changes over the years have impacted on what we offer children now. Sue was incredibly talented at helping our conversations get us to the root of the issues, rather than continue down the usual predictable paths. She gently guided us in different ways to encourage some lateral thinking, which came up with some very interesting questions. We will take this further and use these questions to further develop our curriculum and create well-rounded thinkers, as well as educationally able pupils.
Coaching has been really helpful in helping me tackle my negative thinking and making me realise that I CAN do things - instead of me assuming that I can’t. I am putting what I have learned towards an interview and I will take the skills learned into the rest of my life. Thank you so much for the opportunity, I am truly grateful!
It's hard to put into words the impact you have had on the school, the children and myself in the short time I've known you. The school is a happy, vibrant and fun place to be again and the children are excited about their learning. The joy they have in their learning makes teaching a pleasure again. You have also given me back my confidence as a teacher and allowed me the chance to fall in love with teaching again.
Sue was patient and understanding. I felt that I could talk about anything I wanted to - from work to personal grief, which I have struggled to open up about in the past with people close to me. I never felt uncomfortable, which I have done previously when speaking to others. It was emotional and valuable and I would highly recommend Sue and her coaching.
Sue’s coaching style is supportive and caring - it was transformative to me. It helped me to develop the ability to find clarity and solutions in the challenges I faced at work. It built my confidence and our sessions were the perfect outlet for me to challenge my ways of thinking and assumptions. I loved the process and found the sessions highly valuable. They helped me realise what I wanted to achieve in my personal life and I am really grateful for Sue’s expertise.
Your strategies helped us through the worst time as a family and encouraged our children to learn and grow through the situation. Your strategies for learning and nurture have been invaluable (I still think you are changing the world one school at a time!!!)
I have learned many things during these sessions but one thing that stands out is how to reach my full potential and ignore distraction. I also learned what sort of environment I like to work in. If you lock something really precious in a safe and forget the code, you try and try to remember it but you get down because you've lost it. Then one day someone comes up to you and tells you the code - you can finally get it out.
The school is a much kinder, more joyful and reflective environment since you 'touched' it. Flair, creativity, vision, kindness and of course the love and care you brought will not be forgotten!
Thankyou for making school more stable again and for taking us back to what education and schools should be all about - the children! Thankyou for believing and trusting in me to get Class 2 to where they need to be and most importantly to get the children to love learning again!
You have opened my eyes to many different styles of teaching and what a gift it has been! Thankyou for letting us be creative, individual and inspiring teachers again. You have helped us more than you will ever know!
The time you've spent here has been like a breath of fresh air. Your kindness has given me the courage to stand up for myself and makes me feel like I can have an opinion of my own.
You have given us all the freedom to be who we are without fear! You will be missed!