How Cultural Norms Shape Student Behaviour | Maureen Brettell

In this episode, Clare talks to leadership coach and behaviour consultant, Maureen Brettell, about how cultural norms shape student behaviour.

They talk about some of the barriers to developing ‘cultural competence’ and the distress that can be caused to children and young people when trying to navigate their own and others’ cultures. They discuss how this can lead to masking behaviour that impacts student wellbeing and behaviour.

Maureen also highlights how cultural norms can sometimes affect interactions between students and staff, and lead to misunderstanding and conflict.

Maureen is a leadership coach and behaviour consultant.  She is the also Director at Good Gift Coaching & Education Services and has been a Team Teach trainer since 2016.

​She trained as a secondary school teacher in 1995, and subsequently spent 21 years in headship, leading specialist schools and provisions that support young people with social, emotional, and mental health needs.

She was President of the National Organisation for Pupil Referral Units and Alternative Provisions (PRUsAP) between 2016 /17. Maureen is a keen Parkrun volunteer and describes herself as a life-long Spurs sufferer.

You can find out more about Maureen on LinkedIn and on her website, Good Gift Coaching & Education Services.

Maureen also shares three tips during the episode:

• • Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you are unsure how to approach issues around race; it’s ok not to have all of the answers. You can’t know everything, but you can look for ways to find out.

• • Reasonable adjustments do not have to be onerous to plan for and implement.

• • Avoid placing a value-judgement on a response that differs from your own cultural norm or experience.

The Team Teach podcast shares the latest thinking in behaviour, all in handy 15-minute(ish) bite-sized chunks. Each episode features a new guest chatting about a different aspect of behaviour and leaves you with three handy tips to use in your setting.