Product reviews for Positive Reinforcement

Peter Clutterbuck`s newest title is a welcome addition to the field. As someone who works closely with schools in promoting mental health it is heartening to see resources which are easily accessible to busy teachers and particularly in the field of personal and social education. The development of Social and Emotional Aspects of Learning (SEAL) in schools is to be encouraged as the emotional well-being of children is everybody`s concern, not just that of health professionals. However, for busy teachers whose main concern is the planning and delivery of teaching and learning, it can feel daunting to venture into an area which can become a bit of a minefield if not approached within a supportive school structure which allows time for reflective and thoughtful planning.

Positive Reinforcement is basically a series of class based lessons, divided into two sections. The first is concerned with developing children`s awareness of self and each lesson begins with an introductory activity or sometimes a story or quotation. This leads to group discussion and Clutterbuck offers guidance for managing this in the form of specific questions the teacher can ask. There is then a worksheet based activity which encourages the pupil to reflect on his or her own personal experiences, thoughts and feelings around the theme. The second section follows the same format with the focus on developing awareness of others and leads pupils toward developing a concept of community and what it means.



This is a very practical book and includes a CD containing the worksheets. It appears to be aimed at the mainstream classroom teacher and the introduction makes it clear that it is designed to complement the SEAL programme. Its prime intention is to help children build skills toward developing resilience - the ability to cope with negative feelings and experiences - and as such has to be welcomed as a useful tool in helping young people cope with the pressures of life in the twenty first century.