Supporting Teachers
Educational psychology is not just for children and young people within the education system. Part of our work here at Valuing Minds is supporting teachers at all stages in their careers.
Change Management
The past couple of years have proved (if proof were needed!) that very, very few aspects of education stand still. Everyone in the sector has been faced with new challenges and ever changing initiatives that need be tackled and embedded throughout the organisation.
Change isn’t always easy to implement – even at the best of times. With considerable experience of helping major public and private sector organisations manage both small and large-scale change, Valuing Minds can help schools and colleges through the change minefield, to ensure that staff sign up to the new ways and that the change is successfully established.
Senior leader mentoring
It can be lonely at the top… and it can be useful to have a mentor who’s outside the organisation to bounce ideas off, brainstorm with or simply to hold up a ‘mirror’ for personal reflection. Mentoring is such a powerful development tool and our mix of business and educational psychology experience means we can work with senior leaders on all aspects of school life.
Usually mentoring relationships last for a fixed number of sessions, typically 6, held at monthly or bi-monthly intervals. The first session is used to set the scene and establish a ‘contract’ between the mentor and the ‘mentee’ concerning the agenda for the sessions, goals, ground rules and so on.
At subsequent sessions, the discussion centres on the issues highlighted in the initial conversation and may involve the mentee carrying out agreed actions in between sessions and reporting back.
Managerial and Executive Wellbeing Survey (MEWS®)
MEWS® is a powerful new measure of wellbeing designed exclusively for senior leaders and their teams. The MEWS® survey taps into the aspects of work and life that have been shown to most impact wellbeing. Drawing from cutting edge research and first hand insights into the stresses and strains of senior leaders’ lives, the tool uses a unique blend of simplicity and sophistication in the questions posed about individual wellbeing.
The MEWS® provokes reflection about wellbeing even before the survey is completed. The MEWS® Personal Reports and MEWS® Team Reports provide comprehensive feedback and guidance on wellbeing priorities for your senior leadership team on an individual and group basis. The tool helps school leadership teams understand what enhances wellbeing and what detracts from wellbeing for the team and identifies priorities for attention to maximise the wellbeing, engagement and performance of the school’s most critical staff.
Senior leadership team building
You’re well aware that effective teamwork at senior levels in a school or college is essential to ensure clear lines of communication, efficient working and mutual understanding and respect between senior leaders, even when they do not share the same perspective, background and approach. You also may wince at the idea of another team building session…
Valuing Minds’ team building events are created to help you understand each other’s ways of working and priorities, so you as the team can present a truly united front to the rest of the organisation. As teams evolve and circumstances change, taking time together to build, or regroup ensures that individuals can play to their strengths and benefit everyone.
Valuing Minds’ senior leadership team building events are always tailored to the specific needs and challenges your organisation is facing at the time. Typically, this involves meeting with the key personnel individually and then holding an off-site team building workshop focusing on the key priorities the team has identified.
We believe that supporting teachers in their work is incredibly important so we also offer training for teachers and support with EHCP applications and reviews. All Valuing Minds’ services can be combined, linked and focussed to your specific requirements – just get in touch with us to see how we can help.