Meaning

Teacher activities

  • Pride Wall

    Age: Any

    Overview: Create a wall display with the children with all the things that makes them proud or that they are proud of. Have them refer back to the wall when struggling to find meaning, remind them of the feeling of being proud.

    Resources: Arts and crafts supplies

    Time: 10-30 minutes

  • Share personal stories of how challenges have made you stronger

    Age: Any

    Overview: Share personal stories of challenges you have faced and how these challenges have made you stronger.

    Resources: N/A

    Time: 5 minutes

  • Character strength of the day

    Age: Any

    Overview: Choose a character strength for the day (e.g. empathy, spirituality, etc), explain the strength to the pupils and have them discuss the importance of that character strength.

    Resources: N/A

    Time: 5 minutes

  • Create the ideal class future

    Age: Any

    Overview: Have students map out what their ideal future looks like, what pupils would like to be doing, giving them motivation to make it happen.

    Resources: Pen and paper

    Time: 5-10 minutes

  • Daily Question

    Age: Any

    Overview: Introduce a moral question at the beginning of each day.

    Resources: N/A

    Time: 5 minutes

  • Process Wall

    Age: Any

    Overview: Pupils record challenges they face and how they overcame them on a wall display to show the process.

    Resources: Arts supplies

    Time: 5-15 minutes

  • Classroom Roles

    Age: Any

    Overview: Give your students some roles and responsibilities in class such as book monitor, fire register monitor, homework helpers, Line leader and table leader etc.

    Resources: N/A

    Time: N/A

  • Diversity Awareness Posters

    Age: Any

    Overview: Make a display of diversity awareness posters you have found or created. Teaching children about diversity helps them to understand that people can be different and the same all over the world. It also helps them to build character that will last for their whole lives.

    Resources: There are lots of examples online. Have a look at https://www.canva.com for potential ideas.

    Time:

  • Growth Mindset

    Age: Any

    Overview: Growth mindset refers to a learning theory developed by Dr Carol Dweck. It revolves around the belief that you can improve intelligence, ability and performance. The opposite, a fixed mindset, refers to the belief that a person’s talents are set in stone. Years of research have shown that mindset is malleable. This means that by helping students to develop a growth mindset, we can help them to learning more effective and efficient

    Resources: For more information on how to create a growth mindset see https://www.innerdrive.co.uk/how-to-develop-a-growth-mindset/

    Time: N/A

  • Pupil Passports

    Age: Any

    Overview: A pupil Passport is a summary document about a child that is usually one page. They are a very child centred and should be created by the child themselves.

    Resources: N/A

    Time: N/A

  • Careers Fair

    Age: Secondary

    Overview: Careers Fairs are excellent opportunities for pupils reaching the age of leaving school to better their knowledge of what options are available to them. Having an idea of your career ambitions can bring meaning and room for accomplishment to our lives.

    Resources: N/A

    Time: N/A

  • Immersion Days/ Theme Days

    Age: Any

    Overview: Create a themed day to engage pupils with links to educational, cultural and national events. This could enable students to learn about different cultures in a fun and exciting way. You could also use food festivals to explore cultural cuisines.

    Resources: N/A

    Time: N/A

  • Thought of the Day

    Age: Any

    Overview: Create a thought of the day using inspirational quotes and spend some time discussing and reflecting on them with the class, to create a positive start to the day.

    Resources: N/A

    Time: 5 minutes every day

Teacher books

  • Oh, The Places You’ll Go!: Yellow Back Book

    Author: Dr Seuss

    ISBN: (ISBN-13) 978-0007158522

    Overview: A book that concerns the journey of life and its challenges.

  • Big Life Journal: A Growth Mindset Journal for Children

    Publisher: Eidens INC.

    ASIN: B074T998DC

    Overview: Packed with stories, poems, quotes, illustrations and writing prompts, this guided journal is the world's first growth mindset book created specifically for children. Growth mindset activities help children to recognize their ability to learn and motivates them to harness the power of their own mind. It helps children learn to embrace challenges, to persevere, and how to grow from feedback.

  • The Little Box of Big Questions: Philosophical and Meaningful Conversations with Children and Young People

    Author: Professor Irvine Gersch, Dr Anna Lipscomb

    ISBN: (ISBN-13) 978-1909207172

    Overview: Children/young people need time, space and kindness to speak openly about the things most important to them and listening can help facilitators understand better the root of children's thinking and behaviour and can give an insight into how to better support them to reach their potential. Use these cards to provide prompts for a meaningful, stimulating and positive conversation about the 'bigger picture' in life.

  • You Are Awesome: Find Your Confidence and Dare to be Brilliant at (Almost) Anything

    Author: Matthew Syed

    ISBN: 9781526361158

    Overview: This positive and empowering guide, by bestselling mindset author Matthew Syed, will help boys and girls build resilience, fulfil their potential and become successful, happy, awesome adults.

  • Salt in His Shoes

    Author: Deloris Jordan

    ISBN: 978-0689834196

    Overview: A story that teaches perseverance and self-determination. Michael feels the reason he isn’t very good at basketball is because he’s short. His mother suggests he put salt in his shoes and say a prayer to help him grow. But months go by and he still isn’t any taller. Finally, while talking to his father, Michael learns that being taller isn’t everything – it’s practice, determination and giving your best will that really make the difference. And the rest of Michael Jordan’s story is history…

Teacher resources

  • Safesupportivelearning.com

    The National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments is funded by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Healthy Students (link is external). The Center offers information and technical assistance to states, districts, schools, institutions of higher learning, and communities focused on improving student supports and academic enrichment. We believe that with the right resources and support, educational stakeholders can better collaborate and serve students and families.

    This website serves as a central location for the Center. In particular, it includes information about the Center’s training and technical assistance, products and tools, and latest research findings. We welcome you to explore and discover, ask questions, and share your perspective.

  • naee.org.uk

    The Association’s purpose is to promote all forms of environmental education, and to support all those involved in its delivery, so that together we can understand and act on the need to live more sustainably in order to protect the future of our planet.

    We believe that young people have a right to first-hand educational experiences in their local environment, because these are critical in helping people understand the importance of the biosphere to all life on the planet, as well as being a source of wellbeing and fulfilment, and a motivation towards sustainable living. The Association is committed to campaigning for a strong focus on environmental and sustainability issues across the school curriculum.

    NAEE is an Incorporated Charitable Organisation [Charity No. 1166502] that is run by its members and volunteers who care passionately about environmental education and education for sustainable development. Our charitable object is to provide a public benefit by advancing environmental education within early years settings, primary and secondary schools, and institutions responsible for teacher education within the UK and elsewhere, in particular but without limitation by facilitating curriculum development through the provision of resources, information and ideas for teachers, providing financial support for pupils to visit outdoor education centres, and collaborating with organisations that have related objectives.

  • ThinkGlobalSchools.org

    THINK Global School challenges learners, through firsthand experiences of global travel, to become compassionate individuals who are curious and knowledgeable about the world and motivated to effect meaningful change.

    To guide us on our journey and help us achieve our goals, we follow a set of core values and promises gathered from nations around the world.

  • Globaldigitalcitizen.org

    The Global Digital Citizen Foundation is a non profit organization creating exceptional resources for educators and dedicated to cultivating responsible, ethical, global citizens for a digital world—learners who strive together to solve problems that matter to create a bright future for all.

  • WWF-UK.org.uk

    Our world is under threat like never before. We need a global deal for nature and people to reverse the decline. WWF is a charity dedicated to campaigning for change for a safe climate.

  • TheSchoolOfLife.com

    The School of Life is designed to help you live a calmer, wiser, more fulfilled life.

  • Understood.org

    Parents want the best for their children. We do, too. For the first time ever, 15 nonprofit organizations have joined forces to support parents of the one in five children with learning and attention issues throughout their journey. With the right support, parents can help children unlock their strengths and reach their full potential. With state-of-the-art technology, personalized resources, free daily access to experts, a secure online community, practical tips and more, Understood aims to be that support.

  • Sustainable schools alliance.org.uk

    The Sustainable Schools Alliance aims to provide a clear and compelling offer of support to all schools in the country, and help them to put sustainability at the heart of what they do. The evidence for the benefits of Sustainable Schools is stronger than ever. However, the government’s focus on greater school freedom means local and civil society organizations must act to help schools to pursue sustainability.

  • Youngmoney.org.uk / young-enterprise.org.uk

    Young Money (formerly pfeg), is a trusted and valued provider of knowledge, resources and training to anyone teaching young people how to manage money.

  • redcross.org.uk/get-involved/teaching-resources

    Explore our free teaching resources to help enrich curriculum subjects and connect human crisis with human kindness.

    Schooltools.info:

    We give educators and students the tools to resolve conflicts at school and throughout their lives.

Teacher apps

  • Explain Everything

    Explain Everything is a screen-casting app with a ton of possibilities. Similar to Educreations, students can use it as a whiteboard to write and explain their thinking. So much more can be done as well. Slide presentations, websites, YouTube videos, and various other media can be embedded into the student's project. Students can build outstanding presentations and record their explanations as well.

  • Plag-Information Network Analysis

    “Plag is an essentially different way to spread information. The idea for Plag is to create a perfect medium for spreading information as wide as it deserves to be spread, without any boundaries. Plag works like a virus. When you spread information, it goes to the users who are closest to you physically. The infected users can spread information exponentially further or they can resist the epidemic by keeping the information to themselves. Everyone has a fair and equal chance to be heard by the whole network right from the start – there is no friending or following on Plag. If your information is interesting to people, it can eventually spread to the entire world.”

  • Block Earth

    “Block Earth is an app for building, browsing and sharing worlds and mini-games. It works in a Minecraft-style world of blocks, with realistic animals and advanced shading. Download to explore thousands of readymade worlds and games, or build your own. Ride horses or even dragons, if you can land on one. Build a railway or a roller coaster to ride.”

  • Opposing Views

    “At Opposing Views, we report the news and let you debate it. We deliver the day’s most pressing, important and unbiased news. Instantly access news that will make you think, laugh…”

  • Game of Life

    “Game of Life is a cellular automata simulation based on the well known Conway’s Game of Life.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conway%27s_Game_of_Life

  • TinkerBox HD – Autodesk Inc

    “If you can imagine it, you can build it with TinkerBox. TinkerBox is a fun, free-to-play physics puzzle game. While it is full of interesting science facts and teaches basic engineering concepts, TinkerBox is more than just educational! Take the tools in your hands to explore your creativity and imagination with Invent mode. Build outrageous machines, share them with your friends, or download popular inventions online. Stretch your brain through the devious Puzzle mode. Get immersed in physics-based puzzles and mechanical concepts, where your only hope for success is your creative problem solving.”

  • Alien Assignment

    Cute storyline for problem solving; great family fun.

  • The Great Cookie Thief - Starring Cookie Monster

    New version of classic book has kids solve the mystery.

  • Go Go Games

    Go Go Games is an iPad app specifically aimed at helping young children — particularly those with autism spectrum disorders — learn basic visual differential skills in a fun, colorful atmosphere.

  • Busy Water

    Busy Water is a critical thinking puzzle game based on amazing water physics. The objective: use pipes, spray, paddle wheels and blocks to help Archie the fish get back to his tank.

  • Breathe, Think, Do Sesame

    Breathe, Think, Do with Sesame is intended for parents and caregivers to use with their young children (ages 2-5) to help teach skills such as problem-solving, self-control, planning, and task persistence.

  • DreamyKid

    The DreamyKid meditation app offers meditation, guided visualization and affirmations curated just for children & teens. It uses proven techniques that teach your kids methods to guide them towards a happier life through mindfulness.

  • Your Fantastic Elastic Brain

    An interactive book with games can be bought in iTunes and teaches children that they have the ability to stretch and grow their brains. It also delivers a crucial message that mistakes are an essential part of learning and introduces children to the anatomy and various functions of the brain in a fun and engaging way.

  • Headspace

    Creators have made a child friendly version of the app to help kids with meditation, build on their focusing skills and self awareness. With short, animated instructional videos, kids can choose from short guided and unguided sessions (3-minutes long) categorized by types of feelings. It also includes visualization exercises that will teach children about openness and generosity.

  • Azoomee

    Supported by the NSPCC , a portion of the £4.99 per month subscription fee is donated to the NSPCC. This app includes a range of games, videos and audiobooks that develop a range of skills including; nature, the world around us, problem solving and science.