Improving classroom dynamics to support students' learning and social inclusion: a collaborative approach

Doveston, Mary; Keenaghan, Marian

doi:10.1111/j.1467-9604.2006.00393.x

Cited by 20 publications

(19 citation statements)

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“…Although PP research has concentrated predominantly on student samples, researchers have also called for the application of positively oriented science to be applied to school staff as well as students (Calabrese, Hester, Friesen, & Burkhalter, 2010;Doveston & Keenaghan, 2006). For example, Waters (2011) advocated that positive psychology needs to be 'woven into the DNA of the wider school culture' (p. 85) so that its effects reach beyond students to also include teachers, non-teaching staff, parents and school leaders.…”

Section: Adopting a Pp Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

Positive Education for School Leaders: Exploring the Effects of Emotion-Gratitude and Action-Gratitude

Waters

Stokes

2015

The Educational and Developmental Psychologist

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This qualitative study describes the effect of two gratitude interventions designed to trigger emotion-gratitude (gratitude diary) and action-gratitude (gratitude letter) in school leaders. Case study methodology was applied to analyse reflective journals of 27 school leaders. The gratitude diary served to foster a more balanced view of the positive and negative events that occur at school, to engage in more appreciative problem solving (with respect to their role as mediators), to see the value in relationships, and to experience positive emotions such as hope, happiness and optimism. However, the gratitude diary also triggered a frustration in school leaders who were dealing with the paradox of having to look for things to feel grateful for at school when their role required an emphasis on fixing problems. The gratitude letter prompted emotional catharsis, a desire to invest in professional relationships, greater use of gratitude in leadership roles, and sparked reciprocated gratitude from staff and students (as reported by the school leaders). On the downside, the gratitude letter created feelings of vulnerability and concern for the potential ill-ease that the letter might cause for the recipient. Gratitude was not only used during the 'good times' of leadership but was also drawn upon to deal effectively with the difficult aspects, such as conflict. The results suggest that both types of gratitude interventions have value for school leaders and that leaders need to mutually attend to the emotional element of gratitude and the action element of gratitude.

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Section: Adopting a Pp Approachmentioning

confidence: 99%

Positive Education for School Leaders: Exploring the Effects of Emotion-Gratitude and Action-Gratitude

Waters

Stokes

2015

The Educational and Developmental Psychologist

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“…As the first Growing Talent for Inclusion (GTI) project (Doveston & Keenaghan, 2006) appeared to make a real difference to the social dynamics within a Year 8 class (12 to 13‐year‐old students) in a middle school, the model has been used and developed in other schools where the social dynamics within a particular class have been identified as barriers to learning and the development of positive peer relationships. These include a Year 3 class (7 to 8‐year‐olds) and a Year 5 class (9 to 10‐year‐olds) in two different primary schools, a Year 7 class (11 to 12‐year‐olds) in a middle school and a Year 8 class (12 to 13‐year‐olds) in a secondary school.…”

Section: The Contextmentioning

confidence: 99%

Growing Talent for Inclusion: using an appreciative inquiry approach into investigating classroom dynamics

Doveston

Keenaghan

2006

Research in Spec Educ Needs

Self Cite

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This paper reports on an Appreciative Inquiry project called ‘Growing Talent for Inclusion’ which has been running since 2002. The project grew out the authors’ work in a Local Authority Support Service assisting schools to meet the needs of pupils with a range of additional educational needs. Faced with a large number of individual referrals, many relating to the emotional, social and behavioural needs of pupils, it was considered that an eco – systemic approach was required and that a priority was to support pupils and teachers in developing more effective and satisfying interpersonal relationships in the classroom. ‘Growing Talent for Inclusion’ uses Appreciative Inquiry to investigate a management change process which has been used within large organisations and communities but less commonly at classroom level. It is a type of action research which is solution not problem focused and therefore lends itself well to a research focus of improving classroom dynamics. The paper introduces a 4‐D Cycle of Appreciative Inquiry: discovery, dream, design and deliver, as advocated by Cooperrider and Srivastva, 1987, which guides the identification, acknowledgment and amplification of skills pertinent to improving social dynamics within the classroom and discusses the methodological issues which arise from this collaborative, participative form of inquiry. A combination of qualitative and quantitative methods has been used to identify and track the development of attributes for improving working relationships in four different primary and secondary classrooms in three schools. 76 pupils and four teachers have been involved in the project since its inception in 2002 with classes in a further three primary schools using the approach during the academic year 2005–2006. Findings from the project show an increase in the number of pupils with whom other pupils are happy to work, a reduction in the number of pupils identified as socially excluded at the beginning of the project and enhanced capacity of the group in terms of the talents identified for growth. Feedback from staff and students also suggests that the process of noticing and acknowledging strengths has contributed to improvements in working relationships.

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“…Researchers now suggest that the school experience needs to include specific interventions and activities that provide students with opportunities to explore friendships outside their social comfort zones (Doveston & Keenaghan, 2006;Leming, 1997). Salmivalli, Ojanen, Haanpaa, and Peets (2005) found that extracurricular mixing was the strongest determinant of students' ability to make friends across social boundaries.…”

mentioning

confidence: 98%

Teaching Tolerance With Mix It Up!: Student Reactions to an Unusual Lunch Period

Kindzierski

Leavitt-Noble

Dutt-Doner

et al. 2013

Childhood Education

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Improving classroom dynamics to support students' learning and social inclusion: a collaborative approach

Cited by 20 publications

References 0 publications

Positive Education for School Leaders: Exploring the Effects of Emotion-Gratitude and Action-Gratitude

Positive Education for School Leaders: Exploring the Effects of Emotion-Gratitude and Action-Gratitude

Growing Talent for Inclusion: using an appreciative inquiry approach into investigating classroom dynamics

Teaching Tolerance With Mix It Up!: Student Reactions to an Unusual Lunch Period

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