How We Do It?
TORA: THE POWER OF PLAY
The Teacher’s Optimal Relationship Approach (TORA) is a school-based, early intervention mental health and wellbeing strategy. The TORA acknowledges the pivotal role teachers play in the lives of children and provides teachers with skills to embed therapeutic qualities and playfulness into their daily relationships in school. Every teacher requires skills and tools to authentically connect with children. Therapeutic play skills may facilitate the teacher-child relationship and therefore could enhance the teacher’s ability to provide the conditions that enable children to engage, learn and grow. The key principles of TORA:
The Teacher’s Optimal Relationship Approach (TORA) is a school-based, early intervention mental health and wellbeing strategy. The TORA acknowledges the pivotal role teachers play in the lives of children and provides teachers with skills to embed therapeutic qualities and playfulness into their daily relationships in school. Every teacher requires skills and tools to authentically connect with children. Therapeutic play skills may facilitate the teacher-child relationship and therefore could enhance the teacher’s ability to provide the conditions that enable children to engage, learn and grow. The key principles of TORA:
- The teacher develops a warm, friendly relationship with the children in their class, in which good rapport is established and maintained.
- The teacher accepts each child in class exactly as he or she is.
- The teacher communicates a sense of permissiveness (where possible) for the child in the relationship so that the children in class feel free to express their feelings completely.
- The teacher is alert to recognise the feelings the child is expressing and reflects those feelings back in such a manner that the child gains insight into his or her learns emotions and behaviours.
- The teacher maintains a deep respect for the children in class’ ability to solve problems given the opportunity. Whenever possible, the responsibility to make choices and institute change is the child’s.
- The teacher follows the child’s lead as much as possible within the class learning environment.
- The teacher does not attempt to hurry the use of the TORA along. It is a gradual process, recognised as such by the teacher.
- The teacher uses Therapeutic Limit Setting (TLS) in class, to keep everyone safe and to make the children aware of his or her responsibilities in their relationships.