In this first episode of 2019, I read a chapter from a wonderfully thought-provoking book by Jesse Itzler called 'Living with the Monks' in which he narrates his decision to go on a month-long retreat to overcome his addiction to his mobile phone and the frenetic pace of his life. Itzler is also a believer in the importance of having a 'life resume' which is something I've talked about previously on this site.

I also explain why there has been a hiatus in producing resources on this site and how I aim to approach 'tests of Life' in 2019 - enjoy!

As the festive season approaches, the chances are that alcohol will be flowing and we'll be toasting the New Year and absent friends. Alcohol is here to stay and is engrained into our culture - so what does that mean for young people? How can we help them to navigate the pressure they feel to drink at parties, and how can, we as parents, manage events which we host for our sons and daughters? Do we insist on 'dry' events or cave into demands and keep our fingers crossed that they will drink sensibly? In this episode, I provide a basic introduction to alcohol awareness and the kinds of issues that families might discuss to give young people the best chance of making deliberate choices, based on the best information available.

This episode emerged from a presentation I recently gave to the pupils in my school who are preparing for their mock GCSE examinations in the new year. The focus was on how to manage their anxiety levels in the build-up to the exam period, having already completed a busy and tiring term of work. The talk was wide-ranging and explored mindset, sleep hygiene, revision techniques and stress management strategies. I have reproduced it here in the hope that the message might prove useful to a wider audience.

MeeTwo is a multi-award winning app which provides a digital space in which young people can support one another in having conversations about difficult things. In this episode, I interview co-CEO and co-creator of the app, Kerstyn Comley. We explore the origin story of the app, why it is so ground-breaking and how it is re-shaping our understanding of how teens think and manage the most challenging aspects of their lives.

In this episode which comes just ahead of National Anti-Bullying week, I offer my thoughts on why schools should look at bullying as an opportunity for growth rather than something we should be committed to stamping out. The rest of this week's recording is an extract of a longer interview I conducted 18 months ago with bullying expert Brooks Gibbs who advocates for a two=pronged approach to managing bullying - that we should empower our pupils to develop a tough skin and a tender heart and apply 'the Golden Rule'.

Most of us never tap into the true potential of our memory. We have a supercomputer sitting between our ears but it's like we have misplaced the manual and have not idea how to get the best out of ourselves. Study skills are essential to success in school and with a little know-how, you can make a quantum leap in your ability to progress across the subject range. In this, the first episode in a series on Study Skills, you'll learn the secrets of the 'Link' and 'Journey' methods for learning facts with instant recall.

How we frame failure and rejection is a better predictor of long-term success than our IQ, our environment or our talent. In this episode we explore what you can do to reframe your relationship with struggle and setback; top performers in every walk of life say that failing fast and often provided them with the route map for their success - tune in and find out why!

More than half of all teens will be a victim of cyberbullying at some point growing up and yet there is so often a conspiracy of silence when it comes to reporting and discussing online bullying. In this episode, I offer my thoughts on managing cyberbullying and include an interview with the cast of 'Game of Secrets' - an innovative devised performance piece created by 4 of our Sixth Form students.

Bullying is an unfortunate but enduring aspect of many pupils' school experience. In this episode, we look closely at the psychological phenomenon of 'the bystander effect' and what, if anything, we can do to create a culture of 'up-standers' instead. I draw from my two-year study of 'everyday heroism' and suggest four competencies which, if purposefully developed as part of the curriculum, can turn the tide and create a community founded on compassion and acceptance of difference.

One of the biggest challenges that pupils must manage as part of their educational journey is not what happens in the classroom, but what they must carry away with them at the end of each day. Homework! It can be a source of tension in the family home, a stressor on top of an already challenging day for young people and a barb for teachers, trying to develop a good working relationship with their classes.

In this episode, we will be taking a look at the habits and strategies that pupils can use to make sure they stay on top of their workload and use homework as a launching pad for success, rather than a barrier to achieving their academic potential.