1st Edition
A Practical Resource for Understanding Behaviour and Emotions
For effective use, this book should be purchased alongside the storybook. Both books can be purchased together as a set, Feel, Think and Do with Ruby, Rafa and Riz: A Storybook and Guide for Understanding Behaviour and Emotions, 978-1-032-05939-6.
Written as the adult accompaniment to the Feel, Think and Do with Ruby, Rafa and Riz storybook, this resource explores behaviour with strategies for supporting children who struggle to manage their responses and behaviours; and the role of the adult in recognising signs, de-escalation, connection and reflection.
Designed to assist adults in introducing children to their inner world and connecting that world to the world around us in an emotionally safe space, this guidebook contains six sessions that can be delivered to children in a large group, as a class, in smaller groups or individually. These sessions provide the context and landscape of the emotional health of children and what can affect their wellbeing, such as:
- risk factors and protective factors
- principles – emotional intelligence, emotional regulation
- emotions and learning
- creating emotionally safe spaces
- the imaginary iceberg – our feelings and thoughts are hidden; our behaviour is on show.
Full of opportunities for children to talk about and discuss both the events in the story and their own feelings, thoughts, opinions and ideas, this book enables teachers, support staff and all those working directly with children to expertly cover topics such as the hidden nature of feelings and thoughts, the fact that behaviour is the bit on show, and how talking about feelings and thoughts can help to explain and understand behaviour.
Introduction
Session 1 Similarities and Differences
Session 2 Ruby’s Story
Session 3 Rafa’s Story
Session 4 Riz’s Story
Session 5 How Am I Feeling and What Am I Thinking
Session 6 The Imaginary Iceberg
That’s Not Me
Appendices
Biography
Liz Bates is an independent education consultant. She supports both primary and secondary schools in all aspects of Emotional Health and Wellbeing, and Safeguarding, including whole school approaches, training staff and delivering talks to parents. Liz is a Protective Behaviours Trainer, a Wellbeing Award Advisor for Optimus and a regular contributor at national conferences.
"The 'Ruby, Rafa and Riz' story book and the 'Understanding behaviour and emotions' guide for teachers together provide a valuable resource for promoting children's healthy social and emotional development. In a warm and engaging way, teachers are encouraged to think about and explore with children the subtle links between their emotions, thoughts and behaviour. The relationship-based activities enable children to reflect on the challenges of their everyday family and school lives and develop strategies to manage them more positively. All children can benefit from this approach, but troubled children in particular would benefit from the extra help and confidence that this theoretically driven but practical resource can offer, in order to enjoy learning, build positive relationships and fulfil their potential."
Emeritus Professor Gillian Schofield, University of East Anglia, UK
