Feedback about our training
A BIG THANK YOU for everything you did to make the conference such a success
- everyone I spoke to on Friday was still 'buzzing' after it.
I thought you might like to have a note of just a few of the
many, many wonderful evaluations of your speech and workshops
- evaluations for both were 100% successful in terms of content,
preparation and delivery.
Keynote Speech
" It made me think and realise how positive and friendly you have
to be to everyone"
" The Keys to Inclusion was very well delivered. It was very powerful
and extremely thought provoking."
" I will try to find ways for our setting to make all children
feel welcome and have good memories of their childhood
with us."
" It made me really think about my words/actions and impact within
my early years group. The speech was very powerful and
should be heard by everyone!"
" It made me understand how everyday practices may not be inclusive
to all children."
" I'll remember that everyone is an important valued member of
society."
" I'll keep striving to include and encourage inclusion of those
who are often excluded due to disabilities."
" It has given me back some confidence to take back to my setting
after a disheartening experience last year. I realise
it is still better to try."
" It was inspirational. It will make me think about how I interact
with everyone."
" It made me think about how I view life as a whole."
Childminders Conference
'I have just got home from training you provided for childminders in Coventry on 21st june at the techno centre , what an excellent workshop I was amazed how you both were able to get the childminders engaged in the activities. Personally I enjoyed the whole workshop it was fantastic , it certainly made me think about how I provide care and reflect on my practice,and also reflect on how I see myself , and to take on board good criticism and feel positive about myself and what I do as a childminder.I have gain such alot from the workshop and as a support childminder to newly registered childminders I will definetley be recommending your training.I would like to thank you both for providing a most enjoyable workshop I now know what Jackie Hulme was ravin about many thanks - Elaine Ward' ( Chair Coventry City Childminding Association)
After 2 Days on site School Based Work
"Thank you so much for an excellent two days, I was especially moved by the
second evening and all that the team brought to it. I don't think I could
ever have created a vision like that alone or earlier in my time at the
school."
Restorative Justice Training
'I have just done a rough count of children who have been involved in
Restorative Conferences since we completed our training with you and I am
up to about 100 children. We have also had about 12 parents involved in
conferences. We are using the language so much it is second nature and
there have been many more children who have benefited from this I'm sure!
We are really pleased with how it is going and just this week me and Jane
Cunningham (Head Teacher) have held a couple of really successful
conferences where the children have been so on board and positive at the
end of the process it has confirmed to us that we are doing the right
thing!
We have had times when we doubt what we are doing because we are still
struggling to get some staff on board but luckily we have been able to
remind each other of our successes!
We both agree that your training was very inspiring and would like to
thank you for that!
We will keep chipping away at everyone!
Thanks again
Alison
Alison Holmes
Relationship Manager
Seaview Primary'
Workshop
" Very powerful in terms of getting the
message across"
" A thought seeking workshop with lots of interesting things to
do"
" Some parts were heart-rending but thought provoking"
" Excellent"
" Inspirational"
" It challenged my heart and mind"
"
An excellent, powerful, challenging workshop."WOW!
I started the day tired and jaded, not wanting to be there.
I'm leaving motivated
and inspired, to look at and make changes both personally
and
professionally.
Very good, very clear,
and personal life experience added that third dimension which
made it really, and extremely self reflective
Very good, hard hitting, emotional... need more training
like this, best one of the embracing children's needs days
and the
only one to do disability.
It will take time before I reply - but on at a personal note
I have felt reassured that more people are moving forward
in the right direction.
I have felt very involved, and have taken away a lot to
think about .
Made me think a lot deeper than usual
Very rewarding, helps you to tune in to your own
emotions
Content was excellent, embraced emotional needs
of all children and gave practical examples and
resolutions,
Mole and Colin
work well as a Team and the use of personal experiences
made the training
jump of the page and come alive
Excellent course, the trainers were top class
very impressed with delivery of course. Understanding
was brilliant it made me stop and think about
changes I can
make
Feedback from a Secondary Head after a day on behaviour and relationships with the full secondary staff team
Thankyou so much for the excellent traing day you delivered last week. I found the whole expereience quite uplifting and inspirational.
I have always been a great believer in the restorative approach to behaviour management and you provided the evidence that it actually works. The day gave all the staff food for thought and I hope they will now begin to use this approach more.
There was already evidence on the first day of school for pupils that staff were adopting a different approach. Thank you so much for helping us to make a difference.
and from the deputy head:
Today has to have been one of the very best INSET days I have personally been to - full of practical tips and techniques to use in the classroom; and also proof that this approach does work in practice. It really was inspirational and an excellent start to the term.
Feedback from secondary teacher after whole Secondary school INSET day
Although I spoke to Derek right after the course, to express my thanks and offer some immediate feedback, I feel compelled to write to offer a little more of both.
I personally found the whole day immensely rewarding; I often enjoy good INSET days and I am always seeking new sources of inspiration, but, as you revealed early on, many of my colleagues do not share my enthusiasm for such activities. The sustained applause at the end of the session was indeed a powerful testament to the breadth of your 'reach' throughout the staff; I have never known such a full and ringing endorsement of a staff development session, as I said afterwards to Derek. It was only later on in the afternoon, in the staffroom, that I became increasing aware of how wide and how deep the immediate effects were. I heard no negative feedback at all and people who rarely express positive sentiments about anything to do with staff training were engaged in active discussion about the positive feelings which had been released by your input that day. Several of us 'old guard' agreed that we had not witnessed such uplifting staff reaction to anything for a very long time. "It's just like the old days, when we all used to have so much more fun!" said a particularly valued colleague. Thinking back, it was also very noticeable that there was so much discussion during the breaks in the day about the course; this is also relatively rare in my experience. I have no doubt that your course will have much more impact in the longer term.
I could go on to list all the aspects of your course which made it so successful, but I think you are well aware of these already. I will just offer two bits of feedback which were not appropriate to give at the time:
1. We found it painfully difficult to come up with a title for the "vision" and what we arrived at was unsatisfactory. Perhaps this was partly because we were trying to label something at the start of the process, before any of us knew what it was going to be. (This was about the only thing which niggled me during the day)
2. On a purely personal note I was really shocked that there was so little true idealism (as I would define it) in people's vision of an 'ideal' future. My older colleagues tell me that few people bring any idealism into teaching today, which would greatly sadden me if it were true. That activity would seem to bear this out (but perhaps there is a more straightforward explanation why so many things suggested were pragmatic rather than idealistic?)
I've taken enough of your time. I'd just like to say a really sincere THANK YOU to both of you.
Feedback from a Young Person
Dear Colin and Derek,
Many people have helped me with my problems over the years, but no-one has helped me as much as you (and The Circle) have.
Without the Circle (Your own very brilliant invention), I don’t think I’d have made it into year 11 let alone the sixthform.
The Circle has tought me much about respecting other people and their wishes and now I send my respect to you Colin and Derek
Thankyou very much for the Circle.
Jason
Legal Work feedback
Your report is brilliant. my advocate is very impressed. When
it is put into court it will show up the false reports and
incompetent
reports of all of the fake " expert witnesses." There
are a number of important principles in your report writing
( taking advice from parents, pursuit of the child's interest
first and foremost as opposed to that of the authority involved
) that of which hopefully the Judge and LEA will take notice
Thanks once again.
Keys to Inclusion feedback
The feedback was stunning and with some really heartfelt comments.
Thanks so much for such a thought provoking and challenging
day. Many people have come up to me this morning and commented
on the value of the day to them both personally and professionally.
We will have an organizing team debrief and agree where we go
next. I liked the idea of producing a feedback booklet for participants
which includes themes, photos and comments from the day - so
we will discuss this idea and you would be able to get a copy.
We have an early years and childcare newsletter which goes out
quarterly, so we will definitely have an article and photos
in that - I can send you a copy of that for starters.
We will definitely be looking at a session for childminders
- probably next financial year - but will be in touch. About
that.
A flavour of some of the comments:-
'Brilliant'
'An unforgettable day'
'The vision we all dreamed of today is not a possibility but
a reality if we all work together and support each other'
'The whole day had a big impact on my day to day attitudes,
responsibilities and awareness of the community around me'
'Visual and auditory aids were particularly interesting'
'Being able to share views and opinions on what it means to
run an inclusive provision/setting'
'Reflecting on the meaning of inclusion, I was able to visualize
the past and the focus of future work'
'I have learnt a lot about people, team work, friendship, and
kindness and strength together'
Thanks again!!
'Extremely inspiring'!
HEADING FOR INCLUSION: Conference feedback
'A wonderful day and
great to hear stories about such inclusive practice happening
all over!! Keep it up!!'
'An inspiring day which has refreshed
and invigorated my belief in inclusion' 'Thank you'
'Inclusive practice has become more
daring, more radical, more inspirational = more inclusive. How
exciting and encouraging!'
'What a moving and energising day -
there is so much we can do together'
'Thank you to everyone involved in presenting
yet another motivational, inspirational, enjoyable, emotional
day of learning. I feel I have been treated to a banquet!'
'Oh yes. We are getting there together'
Teaching Assistants Conference
Many thanks for your input at the Plymouth TA Conference on Friday 18th
November. The feedback on the day was excellent and I have now had a chance
to look through the evaluation sheets.
Almost every delegate gave you a 1 as their rating and comments included -
Inspirational / absolutely first class / thought provoking and involving /
all teachers should be made to attend this session / excellent, wish the
whole school could have heard it / best presentation I have been to / A+ /
entertaining morning / fun and thought provoking / made me think about my
approach to SEN children / refreshing and creative!
Your input was very much appreciated - again very many thanks!
Working with Parents feedback
"Overall a great day",
"Made me more aware of how to approach parents and carers",
"It (the conference) couldn't have been improved. All the speakers were good",
"I'll have a more positive approach to welcoming people"
"It will encourage us as practitioners to listen and think a little more",
"We have so much more to put into practice as a reult of the day"
"Lots of ideas to take back to my setting"
"Made me more aware of how to work with parents effectively"
"Will go back to my setting with a more positive attitude"
Circles of Friends Training
The course has made me think that everyone feels excluded at some time in their life, including me. Previously I have thought disability and inclusion is something that is happening around me and this course has made me realise I am a big part of that, particularly with my family and friends. |
Having a good circle of friends myself it has made me understand what it must feel like to have that circle taken away. Therefore I will in future not judge anyone and make more of an effort to find out people’s thoughts and feelings both in my work and my private life and offer help to school and encourage people to attend future Kindred Spirits courses. |
|
It makes me want to go out there and get a more ‘hands on’ job with children and regret not training to be a teacher. |
The Circle of Friends day was brilliant and I feel like going out to every school and enforcing them everywhere! |
I shall be going home and telling my 8 year old son all about it and I hope he’ll spread the word to his teachers. |
International Training
I am a Greek secondary school teacher who attended the seminar that Derek Wilson and Colin Newton gave at Piraeus at Kaiti Laskaridou's Libary on the 29th and 30th of March and I was really impressed. I have attended many courses of a similar kind but none was so well organised and so well understood. Most of them were purely theoretical with no practical hints or guidelines about what to do in practice.
'The work of Inclusive Solutions was for me, the most memorable and dynamic. Their success was in making me really feel for those that are disabled in any way and the importance of caring enough to be active in creating systems/solutions with them and on their behalf.'
