The Emotional Curriculum Dr Sarah Taylor-Whiteway

In this episode we speak with Dr Emma Barrow, Educational Psychologist, about the barriers to adolescents seeking help for their mental health.
We discuss how issues such as perceived impact of the help they will receive and stigma about mental health create barriers to adolescents seeking the help they need and also consider what facilitates this behaviour.  We think about the impact these findings have on whole school approaches to mental health and the importance of listening to pupil voice.
You can access the full paper here
Twitter: @emcurriculum
Contact: theemotionalcurriculum@gmail.com
Music: "Moodswing" by Poddington Bear
From the Free Music Archive
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In this episode we speak with Dr Nadia Siddique about her work which has explored the effectiveness of interventions on outcomes for students. 
We discuss her evaluation of the Philosophy4Children intervention in schools and what she learnt from this study.  We talk about the power of using questions in classroom practice and how this can develop a range of skills above and beyond the lesson being taught. 
To find out more about Philosophy4Children visit: Philosophy4Children
You can learn more about evidence based practice at the Education Endowment Foundation: Teaching and Learning Toolkit | EEF (educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk)
Twitter: @emcurriculum
Contact: theemotionalcurriculum@gmail.com
Music: "Moodswing"  by Poddington Bear
From the Free Music Archive
CC by NC

In this episode we speak with Dr Emma Williams, from the University of Surrey, about her research investigating how autistic pupils in mainstream school settings make sense of themselves and what impacts on this. 
Emma discusses her synthesis of studies which found that most autistic pupils appear to make sense of themselves as being different in a negative way to other pupils. This puts them at higher risk of developing low self-esteem and poor mental well-being.  We discuss ways of helping the young people view themselves more favourably compared to other pupils to reduce this risk.
To read this research study click here or to read more about Emma's other work into ASD girls visit Playing A/Part: Autistic Girls, Identities and Creativity - Research at Kent (playingapartautisticgirls.org).  You can watch a powerful, short animated film about this work here
Twitter: @emcurriculum
Contact: theemotionalcurriculum@gmail.com
Music: "Moodswing" by Poddington Bear
From the Free Music Archive 
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In this episode we speak to Dr J. J. Kelly, of 'Unorthdocs Inc.', about how she has taught young people to have the skills to love themselves. 
We discuss J. J.'s use of dialectical behavioural therapy to help people build the skills they need to support themselves.  We touch on some of the unique approaches she uses in her own work, such as mentoring and a focus on values, and consider how these can be applied in schools. 
To find out more about J. J.'s work you can visit her website: About | Dr. J.J. Kelly | Unorthodocs, Inc. (drjjkelly.com)
You can buy her books, here
Twitter: @emcurriculum
Contact: theemotionalcurriculum@gmail.com
Music: "Moodswing" by Poddington Bear
From the Free Music Archive 
CC by NC

In this episode we speak to Dr Lawrence Howells, Clinical Psychologist, about his work which focuses on a move away from diagnosing mental health disorders towards an emotion based approach to well-being.
We discuss how understanding the developmental stage of adolescence is crucial in understanding how best to support adolescent well-being.  We explore how this understanding does not fit with the medical model of diagnosis, which highlights difficulties and difference.  Instead, Lawrence talks about how focusing on the essential human experience of emotions, how these are manageable and how strategies for tolerating these can empower young people to promote their own well-being.
You can find Lawrence's book on the subject here 
Twitter: @emcurriculum
Contact: theemotionalcurriculum@gmail.com
Music: "Moodswing" by Poddington Bear
From the Free Music Archive
CC by NC

In this episode we speak to Deidre McGillicuddy, from University College Dublin, about her research into children's views of ability grouping.
We discuss findings that highlight the negative impact of ability grouping and consider why the practice of ability grouping is still so common.  Deirdre shares findings from her research which found a significant impact of ability grouping on young people's identity, their emotions and their social groups.
To read more about the topic:
"They would make you feel stupid" - Ability grouping, children's friendships and psychosocial wellbeing in Irish primary school
You feel ashamed that you are not in the higher group’—Children’s psychosocial response to ability grouping in primary school
“Turned off” or “ready to fly” – Ability grouping as an act of symbolic violence in primary school
Children’s Right to Belong?—The Psychosocial Impact of Pedagogy and Peer Interaction on Minority Ethnic Children’s Negotiation of Academic and Social Identities in School
You can contact Deirdre using: https://people.ucd.ie/deirdre.mcgillicuddy or on Twitter @deemcgillicuddy
Twitter: @emcurriculum
Contact: theemotionalcurriculum@gmail.com
Music: "Moodswing" by Poddington Bear
From the Free Music Archive
CC by NC