Wilson McCaskill – Founder/ Director
After a decade working as a drama specialist, it became profoundly obvious to Wilson that too many children lacked self-awareness, had disturbingly low levels of self-control, found it hard to see things from the perspective of others and their poor communication skills made it hard to cooperate and collaborate.
These were certainly essential skills in drama, but they were essential in life and learning as well. Drama of course helped to develop these skills but with too much to do in too little time it was obvious something more was required.
Schools needed a methodology to help them develop personal and social capabilities in all areas of learning and at every stage of a student’s schooling. This was essential if meaningful and lasting development was to be achieved.
No matter the type of school or the country in which he worked the focus of education was on academic achievement over and above social and emotional development. And the older the child the greater the focus on academic outcomes and the more worrying their lack of social and emotional competencies became.
The absence of a dynamic, action driven approach to social and emotional development was Wilson’s invitation to harness his unique skill set and create a games based approach to social and emotional learning.
A further decade of experimentation, guided by research and common sense, in Australian primary schools led to the behaviour education methodology he has aptly named, Play Is The Way®.
Importantly, it’s a hands-on, active and a participatory way to learn, absorb, strengthen, practise and master the social and emotional competencies of self-awareness, social awareness, self-management and social management…skills considered essential if children are to fulfill their potential.
For Wilson, the mission of primary schools must be an holistic education that ensures emotional intelligence and character are developed in lock-step with academic progress. Anything less changes nothing and carries a price too high for society to bear.
Retired from holding workshops since the beginning of 2024 and confidently passing the baton onto Marlene Campbell and Leroy Slanzi, Wilson is sure that his near 30 years of work with teachers in every type of school and countless games sessions with students from every walk of life, has shaped an ever evolving process for behaviour education that is up to speed with science, child friendly, realistic, relevant, necessary, and as good for the teacher as it is for the student.
“Behaviour is shaped by the sum total of regular and frequent lessons that create small but meaningful changes over a long and sustained period of time. Therefore, let us as teachers, look not at the time and effort change takes, but all the benefits that change brings.”
Wilson McCaskill
