Anna-Louise Gregson
Anna-Louise has a huge passion for working with children that stems from doing educational performances at primary schools whilst she was studying at college.
Online Collaboration Course – 4pm UK time
Collaboration skill
Focusing on communication and teamwork, this course helps children aged 8-11 build confidence and explores compromise, flexibility and listening skills. Public speaking and interview skills are also developed. It is made up of 5 x 90 minute online sessions.
Each student will join the online session using ‘Zoom’ software (which can be downloaded) from their home.
Students from all countries are welcome. Course times are based on UK time and all students must be fluent in English.
This course is no longer available to book, please contact us if you would like to find out more about upcoming courses in your area.
Work together to succeed
Learning to work together with others towards a shared goal is essential for success – at school, at work and at home. We believe that confidence, communication and collaboration are the key to working effectively with others. True teamwork is about making your own contribution but also listening to others, recognising your own and others’ strengths, understanding each other, being sensitive to others’ needs and accepting feedback.
Each online Life Skills Course includes access to additional exciting activities for your child to do independently at any point during their day/week. Each of these is designed to be a fun distraction from what is going on around them. These activity sheets will be emailed to you along with a summary of the content shared during the online session each day.
Be a great communicator
Our Collaboration Course focuses on encouraging children to consider the skills needed to effectively work together. Communication is a key part of collaboration. This includes being comfortable with asserting yourself and your ideas. Our Collaboration course includes interview preparation, focusing on confidence and both verbal and non-verbal communication. This is very useful for those approaching and preparing for 11+ or other types of interviews. These interviews increasingly now focus on group work and how your child interacts with others, so developing collaboration skills can be a helpful form of preparation. More and more interactions may now be taking place online; this course is a great way for your child to learn to ‘show their best self’ when communicating online.
Course Breakdown Questions
The 90 minute sessions will be run on a software called Zoom. The children will need to have access to a device that has the internet, runs PowerPoint and facilitates the use of audio and camera (webcam).
Information on Zoom Software
Please note that a free Zoom account and Zoom client software for PC, Mac or Linux is required in order to participate in these sessions. If you have not used Zoom before, please use these links to learn how to download the necessary software and then register an account;
(You can register with your name/email as the parent as during the first session it is possible to change the name displayed on the camera screen to your child’s)
Other notes on the online course:
- Your child will need a quiet space for the sessions and a computer/laptop/iPad with internet connection
- The sessions will be interactive so they will need to be seen (using the computer camera/webcam) and heard (using the computer microphone or headset)
- They will need a pen/pencil and paper during the sessions
- It’s important the children are relaxed and comfortable; if possible please do help them get set up for the first session and be on hand for any technical difficulties.
- Following that, we find these sessions work best when the children are given the independence to complete them alone rather than having other people listening and watching nearby. However please feel free to listen if you would like to!
- The content of the sessions will include discussion, games, watching videos, and sharing thoughts and ideas with the group. The children will at times be required to type using the keyboard and answer verbally
More information will be shared in our pre-course email, which you will receive towards the end of the week before the course starts.
Our Online Collaboration Course features the same content as our offline Collaboration Life Skills Course but is delivered using technology. The content focuses more on the theory behind developing strong collaboration skills, see below for the specific themes covered.
Session 1: Teamwork
Why is teamwork so important? When is it needed? What does a successful team look like? Are we as good at working with others as we think we are?
Session 2: Communication
What does good communication involve? Exploration of the importance of listening skills as well as speaking. How does body language and non-verbal communication impact? What about communication with others online vs offline?
Session 3: Presenting
What do we need to think about when presenting and public speaking? Can we share our ideas confidently and engage others? Includes a range of public speaking challenges and debating activities.
Session 4: Confidence and making an impression
How do we show our best self in an interview situation? When we meet new people and work with a new group, what skills should we draw upon?
Session 5: Teamwork makes the dream work
A series of team challenges for the group to work together to solve. When will we use these collaboration skills in our everyday lives? With family, friends and as we transition to new settings.
- 5 x 90 minute online sessions
- A group of around 8 children will be led by an inspirational Role Model
- Children to join the online session using ‘Zoom’ software (which can be downloaded) from your home. This software is very straight-forward and similar to Skype
- Children will need access to an internet connection and a suitable device (desktop computer/laptop/Ipad)
- The sessions should take place in a quiet room where there is a high bandwidth. The Role Model will run the programme from a quiet space too. It is vital that children are comfortable and able to speak openly
You will learn all about collaboration and explore the types of skills and attributes that allow us to work effectively as part of a team. Do you see yourself as a team player and a strong communicator? We will explore the skills you need for presenting yourself and your ideas confidently so you can do this when you’re with your friends, in an interview or working as part of a team.
- You will be on a video call (like Skype or Facetime) led by your Role Model and around 8 other children your age
- You can wear comfortable clothes and have a drink nearby in case you need it
- It will be a fun session of games, talking, watching some videos and thinking together with the group
- We would love you tell us your ideas and feelings during the session, so talking and participating is definitely encouraged! But if there’s anything you don’t want to do, you can just sit and listen
- We can’t wait to meet you and learn some awesome new skills together!
Our courses are not designed just for children who struggle with collaboration; we believe everyone should be developing this important life skill on an ongoing basis. Your child may already be a ‘team player’ but maybe needs to develop their communication skills or their sensitivity towards the needs of others. Developing the skills of collaborating and communicating is a great way to boost general self-confidence and self-awareness. The course is also a great way for children to explore being outside of their comfort zone within a fun and supportive environment.
Our highly experienced team of Role Models are passionate about both education and social & emotional wellbeing. They’re energetic, engaging, and curious. They’re adept at combining educational rigour with fun, to create active learning environments that children love. All have been interviewed by our Recruitment Team and are reference and DBS checked.
Meet Brigid:
- Online course – 5 x 90 minute interactive online sessions
- Post session email – these emails summarise what your child covered so you can discuss this with them
- Top tips – daily tips from Louise, our Head of Character Education, on how parents and carers can support the development of life skills at home
- Offline activity – daily fun and thought-provoking activity sheets for your child to complete in their own time
- Certificate – a branded, official certificate to congratulate your child for completing the course
The Role Models Life Skills programme includes 8 different courses for children in Years 1-6 (ages 5-7 & 8-11). These separate courses can be completed in any order, or on their own.
Our courses follow an education framework developed by teachers, education experts and business leaders. This framework, based on the work of the Partnership for 21st century learning, defines the skills and knowledge that children need to thrive at school, at home and beyond. Our courses have been written by our Character Education team who are highly qualified educators. Our course content emphasises the importance of developing life and career skills alongside academic attainment. You can read more about the other courses which we offer here and you can read more about the partnership for 21st Century learning here.
What our parents say
Marion - a London parent
The Online Programme makes it accessible for everyone who cannot get to a course in person and enables them to have valuable and important sessions during term and weekdays. The quality of your programme is great- interactive, strong life tools. I can see it was well prepared and this made a huge difference. The content is there. The confidence you bring to the kids. They feel understood, listened and valued.
Mara - a Switzerland parent
The structure of the session was very helpful in warming up the kids, the selected stories were awesome and memorable, the teacher was fun and engaging, it was great for my daughter to hear the stories and experiences of other kids and realising how her difficulties are shared by others. A+++++
Sarah - a London parent
She has thoroughly enjoyed the resilience course. Critically from our perspective, it has given her space, language and tools to explore how to stretch herself beyond her comfort zone in a no-shame / self-empowering way. The associated parent support has also been very helpful. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend.
Betty - an Italian parent
Thanks for this follow up email, Alma greatly enjoyed the session yesterday - it was entertaining, well-paced and illuminating, and although English is Alma’s second language she managed to understand everything and express herself. Please say thank you again to Louise for her encouragement and inspiration.
Ella - Online course participant
It was very helpful and exciting, it taught me about comfort zones and growth mindset. I found the comfort zones to be the most helpful, I will use the learning when I try something new. I thought learning online was very good because it was exciting to use. It was also good to learn to deal with situations.
Hana - a Jordan parent
Hashem is in the middle of his class and he is absolutely LOVING it!
Sarah - a London Parent
I wanted to thank you for the great session that my 9 year old attended this afternoon. We were having a dreadful day at home school and the session really lifted his spirits (and gave me some time out!). Thanks once again, very much appreciated.
Amanda - a London parent
I just wanted to say another huge thank you for this session. I was so impressed with the way it was structured. You captured their attention immediately and the content was so relevant for my kids with some great take homes which we will hopefully work on embedding into the everyday. Your resources are great. Such a positive 2 sessions for them. Thank you so much. I'm so glad I found your website. I would highly recommend you guys!
Meet our inspirational Role Models
Isabella Raven
Studying Religion, Ethics and Philosophy at King's College London gives Isabella a mind that thinks 'out of the box' and so encouraging and stimulating new ideas and conversations is something that she loves.
Brigid Shine
Brigid is an Irish actress and teacher now based in West London. Brigid has taught in primary schools and special needs education throughout London, and has also spent a year in Qatar as head of Performing Arts in an international primary school.
Ryan McBride
Ryan left the army in 2015 to pursue a career in teaching but quickly realised that he is much more interested in supporting children away from their academics and instead developing their independence, confidence and resilience.
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