It's Not The What It's The Why! with Alison Knowles
The SENDcast
Alison Knowles, Emotional Therapist, joins me today to discuss ‘it’s not the what, it’s the why’. Alison tells us that assumptions often arise when we focus solely on behaviour, leading to a lack of understanding. “Actually getting to the root of what's going on rather than focusing on the bit that isn't going to change.” Alison Knowles Alison emphasises that all behaviour serves a purpose, but merely focusing on the behaviour itself won't lead to real change. Instead, it’s essential to understand why individuals engage in certain behaviours. This approach shifts our focus from...
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Alternative Provision with Veena Virahsammy
The SENDcast
Alternative Provision (AP) can often look ‘fluffy’ from the outside, leading to misconceptions about its true purpose. To clarify and raise awareness, Veena Virahsammy joins me to give her insight on ‘Alternative Provision’. After her son faced exclusion from school, Veena established her own AP to support him and others in similar circumstances. In our conversation, she shares her experiences launching this initiative and emphasises the vital role that AP plays in education. “All I was fighting for was for my son to have a full-time education”. Veena Virahsammy Over the past...
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SEND Parent Partnerships with Danise B. Grant
The SENDcast
Parents of SEND children face numerous challenges, including feeling unheard, overwhelmed, and stressed when trying to get their child’s needs met. They often find themselves at loggerheads with institutions, grappling with systemic failures such as inconsistencies across local authorities, the postcode lottery, and the inadequacies of Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). As Danise Grant aptly states, “It shouldn't be such an uphill battle for people to get what they need.” In this episode, ‘SEND Parent Partnerships’, Danise joins Dale to share her unique perspective as a former...
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Dyslexia Myth Busting with Louise Selby
The SENDcast
This Dyslexia Awareness Week (7-13 October), we are excited to share our latest podcast episode featuring dyslexia specialist Louise Selby! We tackle some of the most common myths surrounding dyslexia, shedding light on the misunderstandings that persist in education and beyond. There’s a significant debate about whether dyslexia even exists, and it’s concerning that many educators and parents still lack a clear understanding of this condition. A shared understanding could lead to better support for students, ultimately focusing on providing high-quality teaching. In this episode, we...
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Autism: My Personal Experiences and Advice for Professionals with Joe Fautley
The SENDcast
We're excited to announce that in this week’s episode of the SENDcast, we welcome Joe Fautley to share his invaluable insights in “Autism: My Personal Experiences and Advice for Professionals.” In this open and honest discussion, Joe offers a unique perspective as a young adult growing up and living on the Autism Spectrum. He shares his personal journey, highlighting the needs, strengths, achievements, challenges, and aspirations of children and young people with SEND. Joe's experience as an Autism advocate shapes his approach to making education more accessible and comfortable for...
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Why Movement Matters with Chloe Plummer
The SENDcast
Many of us take everyday tasks for granted, like standing up from a chair. However, for individuals with physical disabilities and complex needs, this simple act can be a significant challenge that not everyone can accomplish independently…yet. This week, we delve into the crucial role of functional movement in the lives of children with physical disabilities and complex needs. Our guest, Chloe Plummer from MOVE Europe, discusses ‘Why movement matters- the importance of providing functional Movement Opportunities Via Education’. She tells us how their innovative programme empowers...
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Reconstructing the Students' Brain using The Person-Centred Approach to Learning with Dr Susie Nyman
The SENDcast
All students benefit from personalised learning. By empowering them in a person-centred manner, they can engage openly with educators, making essential connections between subject content and their own experiences. This approach enhances their ability to remember and recall key information for future examinations. We're thrilled to welcome back Dr. Susie Nyman in this week’s episode for another engaging discussion on personalisation and the person-centred approach for SEND students. Her insights are rooted in her work at The Sixth Form College, Farnborough, including her involvement with the...
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Ask Don't Tell with Alison Knowles
The SENDcast
How often do you ask children what they think about something instead of simply telling them your opinion based on your own experiences? Often adults give answers based on their model of the world and views which aren’t necessarily right. In today’s podcast, Alison Knowles, Emotional Therapist, joins Dale to discuss ‘Ask don’t tell’. Alison tells us that by asking WHAT? and HOW?, you can transform your conversations with children. These simple questions not only build their confidence but also show them that you genuinely care about their thoughts. Encouraging...
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SEND Briefing Preview: What will the new Government mean for SEND? with Jane Friswell
The SENDcast
Ahead of Jane’s FREE SEND Briefing on 24 September, she joins Dale for this special episode to give an insight into what she will be presenting in her session ‘What will the new Government mean for SEND?’. “I think what we’re going to see from this government is a real push down that early intervention route.” Jane Friswell Listen to hear Jane’s thoughts on the government changes, focus on inclusion, early intervention, resource allocation and more…… Useful Links Vote for B Squared at the Education Today Awards: B Squared Website – ...
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Positive Psychology (PP) Wellbeing & SEMH with Dr Rob Long
The SENDcast
Often, when children are labelled with a 'problem,' they are perceived as different or failing, which can create a cycle of negativity. This can lead to challenges such as anxiety, low self-esteem, and depression, as the brain tends to hold onto these negative perceptions. In the last 10-15 years, the field of positive psychology has emerged as a valuable counterpoint to the traditional focus on fixing mental health issues. Dr Rob Long, a Chartered Psychologist, joins us to discuss how positive psychology can offer a transformative approach to supporting children and young adults, particularly...
info_outlineAlison Knowles, Emotional Therapist, joins me today to discuss ‘it’s not the what, it’s the why’. Alison tells us that assumptions often arise when we focus solely on behaviour, leading to a lack of understanding.
“Actually getting to the root of what's going on rather than focusing on the bit that isn't going to change.”
Alison Knowles
Alison emphasises that all behaviour serves a purpose, but merely focusing on the behaviour itself won't lead to real change. Instead, it’s essential to understand why individuals engage in certain behaviours. This approach shifts our focus from symptoms to the underlying emotions and motivations that drive those actions.
She pointed out that children often resort to negative behaviours to gain attention, especially if they feel overlooked when they are behaving well. It's crucial for parents and caregivers to recognise this pattern and provide attention and validation in positive ways.
Listen to this discussion to find out the importance of understanding emotional motivations behind behaviours and the necessity for effective communication and supportive parenting.
About Alison Knowles
Ali is a practising emotional therapist, author of the Ollie and his Super Powers series of books, public speaker and creator of the Ollie Model. Ali’s strength is the unique way she views the world and her instinctive ability to empower you or your child to find the solutions from within.
We recognise the uniqueness and individuality of every client we see. We know they don’t fit in boxes and that labels can be very generic.
We don’t take months and months to help you move on, Ollie Coaches encourage you to take charge by empowering you with our skill sets so that you can make the changes that will make all the difference to make the difference at a pace that is right for you.
We believe you have everything you need inside you. We show you how to access your immense knowledge and skills so that you can be in control of your emotions rather than being controlled by them.
You can contact me if:
- you, a member of your family, a staff member or a child in your school needs 1-2-1 emotional resilience support to overcome a limiting belief, fear or phobia, a habit you would rather not have or an emotion that is making decisions for you.
- you are interested in having us run an introductory Ollie workshop for your group, team or staff.
- you need help with conflict resolution, change management, communication breakdowns.
- if you would like more information about having an Ollie Coach in your school or having staff trained in the Ollie Model
- you would like to find out more about becoming an Ollie Coach and joining Ollie’s Army.
Ollie is currently active in the corporate world, schools, universities alternative provision, foster and adoption.
Contact Alison
https://www.facebook.com/OllieandhisSuperPowers
https://www.instagram.com/ollie_and_his_super_powers
Useful Links
- B Squared Website – www.bsquared.co.uk
- Meeting with Dale to find out about B Squared - https://calendly.com/b-squared-team/overview-of-b-squared-sendcast
- Email Dale – [email protected]
- Subscribe to the SENDcast - https://www.thesendcast.com/subscribe
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