Eileen Murphy Consultants delivered two training days for fifty-one East Lothian secondary staff. On a scale of one to ten 95% of delegates rated the training- “a perfect ten”. The trainer has the personality and skill to engage the most difficult, “hard-bitten”, secondary teachers. By the end of each session all participants were enthusiastic and keen to try out solution focused approaches in all aspects of their work from the classroom to whole school staff meetings. The solution focused approach is a method which changes the emphasis from dwelling on the problem to finding a positive way forward. It is a system which can involve parents, teachers and pupils working together in a non-threatening way where everyone feels valued and has an equal contribution to make. Dunbar Grammar School is aiming to give all of its staff-from the janitors to the headteacher- an awareness of solution focused approaches with a view to becoming a “Solution Focused School”.
Sheila Ainslie
Assistant Headteacher for Dunbar Grammar School in East Lothian