Tell Me What You Can Do: Starting from strength

“Don’t tell me what you can’t do. I want to know what you CAN do!”

My colleague recounted how a parent had confronted a headteacher with these exact words. It was direct, concise and effective.

That single question is really about inclusion, about what a school can still do for a child who is 'waiting'.

A neurodivergent child, waiting for assessment, sitting at the back of the classroom had escaped everyone’s notice until panic took hold and school became ‘too much’.

Today I am sharing ways to strengthen belonging before September and I’ve made you a small, free booklet for building new insights.

When a school leader’s role changes beyond recognition

I’ve watched in amazement as schools have changed music rooms into food banks and second-hand clothing shops, libraries into photocopy rooms, stationery cupboards into nappy changing facilities.

Evolution is important and of course we adapt as fast as we can. Children, even those who seem to be drifting along, are very aware that they too need to adapt.

Last term, in March one eight-year-old child said this to me,

“I’m relieved because now my reading’s better, I know I’ll be alright when I’m in Year 4.”

I admit that I was surprised that a Year 3 child had been thinking about the struggle that they expected to face in the year ahead.

But of course, children are thinking ahead and mapping the future challenges that they expect to face. They are worrying about their progress, even if their ‘game face’ tells a different story. Indeed, the need to adapt can feel very intense as I discovered in my mid-twenties.

Big problems and small changes within your control

A crisis that I had not created had blown my life apart. In a matter of weeks I knew I might lose my home, and my two pre-school children depended on me to find a way through. My options seemed to offer no hope. My sphere of influence seemed insignificant, that is until I read ‘Awaken The Giant Within,’ by Tony Robbins. I read it in one night and put his lessons to work the next morning.

For my situation, the simple solution went like this:

• I changed my mindset. I became aware that I was my most powerful resource.

• I deliberately drew on my breath, my mind, my voice, my time and my actions.

• I opened up and shared what had happened with other mums. In no time I had a support network and we all helped each other.

Here's what happened....

• Within one week I was receiving amazing feedback from parents about my new teaching style.

• Within two weeks, offers of new work came my way.

• Within three months, I was financially secure and able to breathe again.

I had not tried to fix my biggest concern which was losing my home. Rather, I had made lists of all the things that I could change. Have you heard of the saying, ‘If you can touch it, you can change it?’

The things within my control involved speaking with joy to local shop keepers about my work as a musician and music teacher. I upgraded the words I used so that people would remember how I made them feel. I made every second count. These simple action steps were within my ‘sphere of influence’ and I stayed consistent. Dividing my time between school, family and work followed a strict routine and I made sure that every second compounded my efforts. Doing this was enough to start a ripple effect that continued to expand for years afterwards.

Even if in tackling a crisis, we start with the simple things - opening up our mindset, breath, voice, time and actions, we can do things differently.

For instance, let’s think about that Year 3 child, an eight-year-old boy thinking ahead to the beginning of Year 4 when the work may be out of reach at the start of September. Or maybe there’s a parent who wonders how many years they’ll wait before their child has their assessment, gets the support and the access to the curriculum.

One small change and what became possible

When I made a simple change to my teaching style I was amazed by the response from the children and parents. Small tweaks in my approach had created huge change that made my pupils’ parents happy. There was visible progress and excitement about playing music. The children even exceeded my expectations and won prizes, scholarships and awards.

My need to adapt with urgency had inspired my new mindset and became the catalyst for events that influenced so many people’s lives.

And now, I have a gift for you or your colleague. It's called Joyful June - it’s a simple booklet aimed at primary school teachers who are interested in inclusion and gaining deeper insights into the learning differences of their pupils. It is accompanied by a webinar, where I discuss how to use it in class and take questions.

If you are considering Rhythm for Reading for the children on your ‘radar’ in September, this booklet consists of simple games that bring the class together and also help the teacher see the children who could benefit from rhythm-based support in September. It’s a very simple, very light touch approach. And of course it’s free.

Helping children adapt before September

I think fondly of the child who was worried about Year 4 but is now looking forward to it. I hope he’ll enjoy his summer holiday a little more because of this. But I also know that there are many children dreading the step up that September brings, and even the turbulence that lies ahead when schools are closed. One thing is certain, these children will be adapting between now and September.

To support them, we just need to remember that simple steps are effective. And that if we can touch it, we can change it.

Download Joyful June here. You’ll get your pdf with the link to the webinar.