Wilson McCaskill trained in theatre at East 15 Acting School, London in the early 70’s and furthered his education in children’s theatre by working with the prestigious Cannon Hill Puppet Theatre in Birmingham, UK.
Upon his return to Perth, Western Australia, in the late 70’s, Wilson established KAFF Acting School and for over two decades liberated the creativity of adults and children in an innovative, self-devised theatre training program based on interactive play.
With the founding of Play Is The Way® in 1998 Wilson was able to use his many skills to develop games specifically for the development of positive social behaviour in primary aged children. By constructing five concepts to guide behaviour, a simple self-reflective language to facilitate self-control and teachiing six key virtues that form a pathway to empathy, Wilson elevated his games to essential tools for social and emotional learning.
The Play Is The Way® behaviour education methodology continues to evolve and develop in response to science, research and direct interaction with students and teachers; thereby maintaining its relevance to schools, educators and communities.
Wide spread concern for preparing children to thrive in a complex, challenging and rapidly changing world, that can all too easily adversely affect mental health and well-being, has seen Play Is The Way® grow in New Zealand, Canada and other regions.
Wilson is the author of “Children Aren’t Made Of China” and other quality resources that support primary school educators in their noble mission to develop independent, self-managing, self-motivated, empathetic life-long learners.
“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
