I was a teacher in mainstream education in England for 23 years. I left to do a MSc in Sustainable Development in Practice. This led me into the EdD. The research I'm doing for my doctorate involves testing a tool which facilitates and structures tricky conversations with everyone who is affected by an issue or a concern. I've been using it with 17-year-olds (A level and BTEC students) and their teachers to tackle the question 'How can teaching and learning experiences change so well-being can flourish?'. The response to the tool has been very encouraging. It's designed to be positive, appreciative, inclusive and ends with an action plan to initiate change in organisations. When I was a teacher, we (teachers) would frequently talk about what we were unhappy with. I'd ask 'so what are we going to do about it?' and that was when the conversation would fizzle, because it was such a big question to answer. Hopefully, my research will help to overcome these barriers and facilitate the challenging conversations we need to have about taking people's well-being seriously by looking at our organisations and how these need to change so everyone may flourish and ultimately be more productive.

Hosting tricky conversations between children, young people, parents, teachers and employers with a view to reaching shared understandings of what needs to change in education and society so well-being can flourish.

I can wiggle my second toe on my right foot!! 🙈

GB

One of my 'challenging' Year 5 classes winning £300 for their school by sharing their ideas for projects involving reusing, recycling and reducing waste.