Sue Cowley is an expert in her field and this is such an important read. I started in education in education over twenty years ago and, oh my goodness, how much I've grown and learnt. I just wish this book had been around then. Full of experience, knowledge and practical suggestions. I recommend this to all educators. Thanks to Netgalley.

This is a fantastic entry level guide for adults hoping to support young people with their emotions and executive functions. Although it specifies the classroom environment, I feel it could be used in a variety of settings and for parents to help them support their child. It explains some of the triggers that may lead to tricky situations allowing the reader to develop strategies to deescalate and avoid stressful incidents. The book promotes a trauma informed approach through understanding the challenges some young people face, the reasons why and how to ask sensitive, non judgmental questions to help create an environment of understanding and support. A helpful read for many people.

Cowley offers science-based and experience-backed advice about how to regulate yourself as a teacher and be a great role model, and in return, how to help the learners to regulate themselves.
After about 20% of the book, I found the specific and nuanced advice, the bullet points, lists, suggestions, games etc to be useful.
The focus is on empathy and managing defiance and other situations before they become a problem.

This book is so important!! It needs to be read and implemented widely to support both our young learners and our teachers. It recognises the significance of behaviour in the classroom, with self regulation amongst pupils being essential for learning to take place.

This book deep dives into self regulation with the first half of the book being dedicated to giving an extensive overview of self-regulation, while part 2 is focused more around practical applications and those all-important strategies. The author uses up-to date research to support the information she provides.

In the first half of the book expect some vital content around executive functioning and emotional development. This gives a great foundation for the second half - where strategies and research align for some real solutions that will benefit both learner and students.

Part 2 tackles the many issues that can result in dysregulated behaviour such as difficulties with proprioception, impulse control and ADHD. Practical strategies given are often fun, always boosting of young people’s self esteem and not particularly onerous or impractical in terms of teacher time.

Attention control, emotions and empathy have chapters dedicated to them also, recognising the role these play and again offering supportive strategies to benefit learners.

All in all this is an excellent resource, it recognises the huge challenge that teacher have, where children with a range of different needs make up their classes. Despite having read extensively on this topic, I have found lots of unique strategies in this book - it really is a deep dive into the topic, and as such I can see it being a bible for many many teachers (both primary and secondary). This is a book I 100% recommend.

My thanks to NetGalley, author and publisher for the opportunity to review this book in exchange for an advance copy.