Relationship-Based Pedagogy in Primary Schools: Learning with Love

This insightful book shows how prioritising loving relationships in the primary school between practitioners and children helps secure children’s emotional well-being, improves behaviour and leads to more successful learning. It identifies the fundamental values that underpin effective learning encounters and provides the practical tools and language to realise deep connections with children. Combining theory with personal experience the authors present relationship-based practice as a robust and credible pedagogic approach to teaching and learning. The book offers unique features such as ‘Shared language’ to support and promote a rich, meaningful dialogue and ‘The lens of the authors’ offers practical and realistic contexts to help teachers apply theory and ideas from personal experience. Giving educators the confidence to teach with the relational qualities of love, trust, respect, and empathy, this is essential reading for all teachers wanting to develop authentic relationships with the children they care for. Review "The typical primary-school classroom is a bewildering mixture of children's feelings: hopes, fears, excitement, sorrow, hates and loves. And the relationships with the teacher is central to their happiness and success. Nicki Henderson and Hilary Smith draw upon their vast experience as successful teachers and school leaders to guide you in creating the relationships-based approach which is essential to the learning of every child in your class. But this isn’t just a ‘how-to-do-it’ handbook. Taking you through every aspect of managing children’s experiences and feelings, their advice is based on sound theoretical principles and data from recent research to convince you that the key component in primary teaching is love." Stephen Ward, Emeritus Professor of Education, Bath Spa University, UK "Every child has a right to a good education but school and the relationship with the teacher is so much more than that. Empathy, respect and support that 'sticks with' children is so important in creating the nurturing and empowering environment that helps children grow and flourish." Anne Longfield, OBE, Children’s Commissioner (2015-2021) "This book is about such an important aspect of education. What is good primary teaching if it isn’t done with love, warmth, care and kindness with a passion for the best outcomes for young people? Without that drive the job is too hard." Steve Savory, Chief Executive Officer, Gloucestershire Learning Alliance "As children returned to school following one of the Covid-19 lockdowns and were interviewed by the BBC, many said they were most looking forward to being with their friends and teachers again. Some expressed concern about forthcoming SATs. While assessment and curricular control has obsessed policy-makers for the last thirty years, some in education may have lost sight of what is really important in child development. This book would have been timely at any period, but is especially so as we come to terms with a population of teachers and pupils who have experienced the challenges of isolation, home-schooling and social-distancing. Henderson and Smith focus on the human aspect of teaching and learning, and the importance of relationships, values, positive mental health and well-being. They provide commentaries on their own perspectives, experiences and values, as well as exploring a range of relevant research to underpin practical guidance. They stress the importance of childhood and the ability of children to express opinions and develop the skills and attributes which will enable them to resolve conflict. The role and attitude of the teacher is at the heart of the development of what the authors term relationship-based pedagogy. This is an engaging and thought-provoking book, which should be essential reading for trainee teachers developing their educational philosophies, but it should also be read and debated by school staff who wish to rea