P. M.T.S - a unique scheme to set up a listening service in secondary schools

Time to Listen

The idea for this initiative arose from my experience within secondary schools.  Many teachers find they never have quite enough time to listen to the needier students. The  influence of peers and older students on students is powerful, and the benefits can be harnessed to useful effect

Over several years I developed a training programme to facilitate older students listening to younger students. This has now progressed into a training package that enables a school to set up a listening scheme.

Many schools have a simple mentoring scheme where year 10 students provide support for younger pupils.

 

Bullying

Mentoring provides emotional support for students facing a problem. Issues such as bullying are far more likely to be disclosed to a mentor than a member of staff. A mentor will be trained to refer more serious issues on to staff. However many worries that occupy a younger student can be effectively dealt with by talking to older students.

By providing a space for them to explore and talk through concerns, the younger students are better able to focus and concentrate on curriculum issues.

 

 

What the Scheme Entails

This scheme trains year 12 and 13 students in basic listening skills. This acts as a stand alone qualification for these young people and can be used in their UCAS  application. It can as easily be used to train suitable year 10 and 11 students. The scheme then works with the school to help set up a listening service that will pick up issues causing anxiety to young people which ultimately take up a lot of staff time. The scheme is carefully constructed to provide support and guidelines to the year 12 students and clear routes of referral.

The schools that have taken up this scheme have found it invaluable for uncovering issues such as bullying that hadn't necessarily come out before.

Background

My experience and qualifications cover three areas.

1. Teaching - I have taught in secondary schools since 1979, both in mainstream and E.B.D. schools.
2. Training  -  I was a Relate Trainer for five years running assertiveness, self-esteem and counselling courses for a wide range of people. I now work as an independent trainer, running these and a variety of other courses.
3. Counselling -  I was a Relate counsellor for fourteen years, have worked in a G.P surgery and am currently working in a Complementary Health Centre.