I teach on a module called 'Developing Professional Practice' which covers the planning, teaching, assessment cycle and everything else that is not subject based. We spend lots of time discussing children's learning, motivation and emotional intelligence on this module and I will recommend 'The Primary Learner's Toolkit' during these sessions. I like that the ideas, whilst being backed up by stringent research and theory, are very practical and easy for trainee teachers to pick up and use with their class. I like that the activities will really help the children they are working with to think carefully about their own learning and will help them to become independent learners.

At last a book written for teachers that is easy to read and focuses on what the best education should look like in the 21st Century. With or without the Rose Curriculum, I believe the development of personal, social and emotional learning skills is essential to develop successful learners for life. Jackie`s book will help make the development of these skills manageable for teachers and the MAGIC acronym will be easily accessible and memorable for both children and grown ups.

Another excellent resource to inspire teachers and personal tutors. I particularly valued the sections on improving personal motivation, addressing attitudes and getting to know myself. The resource material can be easily adapted for use with children, young people and adults of all ages.
It will be an invaluable resource for tutors, trainers and mentors seeking to promote aspirations and self worth of individuals.

An invaluable resource for any primary school teacher. It includes exciting innovative ideas, leading to creative work in the classroom. This toolkit is exceptionally user friendly and accessible to all teachers regardless of how long they have taught for - your students will notice if you use ideas from this text.

An easy to read, well set out book which inspires one to fully engage with the SEAL framework for primary schools in an imaginative and fun way. The book is split into four sections and includes projects and lesson ideas with teacher notes to accompany which assist the development of emotional intelligence.

Jackie Beere has adapted her earlier book - The Learner`s Toolkit - for primary aged children. It is intended to support the SEAL programme in schools and therefore the emphasis is on developing self-awareness. It is basically a book of self - empowerment for learners and suggests many techniques that a life coach might teach, but presented in a format that is accessible for young children.

The introduction makes reference to the Primary Curriculum Review carried out by Jim Rose in 2009 and which amongst other things concluded that primary schools needed to create a more flexible and personalized curriculum to replace the `one-size-fits-all` approach of the National Curriculum. It is depressing but perhaps predictable that the recommendations were blocked from implementation following the May elections; Ian Gilbert tells the story as a fairy tale in an amusing foreword which makes it clear that the politicisation of education continues unabated to the detriment of children`s learning and growth. This book is an attempt to carry on regardless - a sort of antidote to Michael Gove if you like -and will no doubt be embraced by creative and imaginative teachers everywhere.

The book is divided into four sections. The first introduces the acronym MAGIC - Motivation, Attitude, Gumption, I-learn, Communication - and each lesson focuses on developing aspects of each through imaginative activities designed to encourage the learner to reflect on his own thoughts and feelings. I particularly liked the section on `Gumption` which focuses on increasing staying power and keeping going when things get difficult. Children really will need to learn this in today`s world!

Section Two suggests projects which encourage learners to put all they have learned to good use and incorporates task sheets to help structure planning; the third section is made up of stories and the final section is a self-assessment tool encouraging learners to reflect on how they managed the tasks. This again encourages thoughtful reflection and the setting of targets for improvement. The book makes reference to National Curriculum learning objectives throughout and Beere is to be commended for cleverly dovetailing the sometimes conflicting demands of this structure and the more holistic approach of the learner-centred teacher.



A CD accompanies the book and allows easy access to the pages within for busy teachers on the move. Highly recommended.

Most people know that children`s school experiences need to be different to meet the needs of the current age. Jackie Beere shows how this can be done.

`The Primary Learners` Toolkit` is full of carefully thought out suggestions for the teacher and children as they seek to develop the learning habits that will bring success. The crafted activities that develop explicit techniques for learning in children are built upon a set of principles that help the teacher recognise the need to move their practice forward.

The structure practises the book`s method of providing hooks for understanding to develop. The five habits are outlined and then expanded in ways that reflect recent thinking in SEAL and teachers who have been working on this agenda will be able to exploit this book.



For the teacher who wants young people who believe in themselves, organise themselves, think they can achieve, and endlessly push their own learning, this is a `must read`...and `must use` book.