ABSTRACT
New habits take root and pupils develop deep confidence, independence and resilience, which endure beyond the influence of a particular teacher or context. Patrick wanted his pupils to be equipped to deal with challenges independently, rather than giving up straight away or asking for help. One way he approached this was to make simple, relevant resources available to pupils at all times. He put sets of 'self-help cards' out onto the tables for different subjects. 'Self-control enables to set priorities and resist impulsive actions or responses', in the words of Harvard's Center on the Developing Child. The tiny details of pupils' behaviour and personal organisation contribute to how well they do academically. According to Deci and Ryan's 'self-determination theory', intrinsic motivation is a product of feeling autonomous, competent, and feeling that teacher have strong personal connections. As Dylan Wiliam writes, 'activating students as owners of their own learning can produce extraordinary improvements in their achievement'.
