Square Pegs: Inclusivity, compassion and fitting in – a guide for schools

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For the good of every child and, indeed, of educators themselves (most of whom want to provide the best possible learning experiences and strive to do so in spite of our one-size-fits-all model for education), it’s time to listen to the canaries in the cages – the children who simply cannot cope, let alone thrive, within our restrictive, reductive system. Change made for those who suffer most will benefit the whole school community.

This is an outstanding book in terms of content, awareness and relevance of the issues facing schools with increasing numbers of learners falling by the wayside. The authors enable the reader to reflect on real issues that arise and ways forward to promote potential. The book will be a major asset for teachers and lecturers at all levels to develop confidence, awareness, and personal safe practice to promote change. In particular, it serves as a reminder to all senior managers to change the mind set from re-shaping the square peg to broadening the round hole.A book for educators who find themselves torn between a government/Ofsted narrative around behaviour, attendance and attainment, and their own passion for supporting square pegs and their families.

Over and above this emotive aspect, which one might expect from a book on compassion, there are also many innovative and outside-the-box ideas for supporting “square peg students”. However, the authors don’t always take into account ever-shrinking school budgets. One chapter even states explicitly that “it is not about the money”. For many schools today, the sad reality is that it very much is. The book is set out in five parts, covering insights into individual cases, legal issues, relationships, mental health and alternative options. The story of the Square Peg is a book every parent who has a troubled child should read. There are so many parents out there who have forgotten what it means to be a kid, especially being a kid in today's times. I'm not sure when it happens, but it seems that as soon as adults turn into parents, they lose all sense of reality and common sense. They like to believe that what they are doing is best for their kids, when sometimes it is not. This book explains the trouble the author had growing up because of all the trouble he got himself into. His impulsivity always made him look like a kid with no future and no chance of doing anything good with his life. Boy, did he prove them wrong. But while the variety of voices and stories is one of the book’s strengths, it is also one of its key limitations. With 53 different perspectives, some of which offer contradictory views and others that repeat what has already been covered, the book at times left me feeling a bit muddled, wondering which viewpoint was the most valid or credible and whether repetition lent certain arguments more weight. The other issue he mention in the book was using medication. His mom was concerned about it and he provided his thoughts on it as well. Of course, medication should never be used on a child, just because the parents don't have the patience for handling their child's unlimited flow of energy, doesn't make it ok to sedate them just because. There are plenty of books on how to cope with children who are hyperactive. I choose not to say ADHD because it is a label that is often abused and used on a child who shows the slightest sign of being hyper. Can you imagine if some of the greatest minds of our history were medicated as children, where we would be today? Exactly.....think about that for a minute.We should all be grateful to Square Peg for all they do to advocate for children who need most help, and for showing how schools and parents can work together with children to provide a positive environment to learn. Every child deserves the best start in life, and positive outcomes for all children must be at the heart of a successful education system.

This is a short, compelling book that education leaders should read. The author was a hyperactive, disruptive, mostly unlikable child. He flunked out of school. But he went on to be accepted to Harvard. How does that happen, and what can we learn from his experience? In an engaging, thought provoking and practically realistic analysis, Fran Morgan, Ellie Costello and their wide range of associates have unravelled the implications for learners of all ages who fail to ‘fit in’ or ‘conform’ within certain schools and colleges. They highlight the continuing inadequate responses to promote effective access, inclusion and strategies for engagement and progress for a growing number of learners.

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The authors and their contributors champion the needs of all children who are ‘square pegs’ and write with passion about the ways in which the school system often fails to meet their needs and to recognise their strengths.The book provides personal and professional insights into an alternative, positive vision of education. Our high-stakes, test- and exam-focused system is failing too many children. It literally fails those who struggle to attend school or are marked as failures in exams. It metaphorically fails those who attend and get their grades, but at a personal cost to themselves, their love of learning and their families. This will continue to be the case for as long as schools are judged in the main on test and exam results, placing the burden of whole-school success or failure on children’s shoulders. attended the inaugural conference of INSA (the International Network for School Attendance) in Oslo in October 2019, and now sit on two INSA committees Bringing different perspectives and expertise together in one place, Square Pegs aims to help school leaders and staff support children (and their families) more effectively. The authors cover a wide variety of topics – including school attendance, building relationships, trauma-informed practice, and behaviour management. Featuring contributions from more than 50 individual authors, this is an accessible, dip-in, dip-out book – perfect for busy school leaders.

The conventions prevailing today in most schools throughout the world, in which rote memorization is still, anachronistically, prized originated in early-nineteenth-century Prussia, where the compulsory school system was designed to churn out loyal and obedient soldiers and factory workers. The model was never meant to nurture individual potential or creativity, but rather to instill uniformity and compliance." (p. 16) Since establishing Independent Thinking 25 years ago, Ian Gilbert has made a name for himself across the world as a highly original writer, editor, speaker, practitioner and thinker, and is someone who the IB World magazine has referred to as one of the world's leading educational visionaries. assisted with a BBC news story and secured national coverage ( BBC Breakfast, regional TV, local radio) in September 2019Making schools more inclusive is essential to ensuring the well-being and ability to thrive of every young person. Creating a sense of belonging and using trauma-informed strategies to help the system welcome the square pegs, rather than continuing to force them into round holes, is clearly the way forward. The current government one-size-fits-all approach, particularly to SEND and behaviour, needs a rethink. Overall, "Square Pegs" is a valuable resource for those working in schools. The book provides insightful and empowering perspectives on the experiences and challenges faced by individuals who do not fit ordinary school criteria. It is a thought-provoking read that challenges readers to reconsider their views on inclusivity, compassion, and fitting in. This book is a must-read for educators and school leaders seeking to create a better future for our students. To be generous to it, this scattergun approach does get you thinking and encourages you to form your own opinions. But while showcasing so many voices lends the book some weight, I can’t help but feel that it’s lost without a clear sense of where and how to apply it. A more coherent and aligned set of views would have allowed for a clearer and more impactful message.