Relationship-Based Pedagogy in Primary Schools: Learning with Love

Nicki Henderson · Hilary Smith

Dec 2021 · Routledge

About this ebook

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.

About the author

Nicki Henderson is a former teacher, Local Authority consultant, Lecturer in Early Years and PGCE Programme Leader at Bath Spa University. Her most recent role was headteacher of a nursery and primary school where she used a relationship-based approach to drive positive changes to the school’s reputation, experience and outcomes.

Hilary Smith is a retired teacher and lecturer with extensive experience in primary and early years education. She is an education consultant, and Associate with Kate Cairns Associates, providing training for schools and early years settings on attachment, trauma and resilience, and emotion coaching.