Psychology in the Classroom

In this episode of Psychology in the Classroom, Dr. Lauren Margulieux helps explore why failure isn't just a learning opportunity—but a biologically powerful one. Drawing on neuroscience, Lauren explains how our brains react to failure, the role of neurotransmitters like epinephrine and acetylcholine, and why moderate emotional discomfort can actually prime the brain for better memory and attention. We discuss: How to help students frame failure positively Why emotional regulation is key to learning Practical strategies for secondary teachers to support learning in the face of setbacks The impact of daily cycles, sleep, exercise, and nutrition on focus and cognitive performance Packed with practical tips and grounded in cutting-edge science, this episode is a must-listen for any teacher supporting adolescent learners through challenges—especially during exam season. Resources & Links 🔗Margulieux, Lauren & Prather, James & Rahimi, Masoumeh. (2025). The Biological Benefits of Failure on Learning and Tools to Manage the Fallout. Educational Psychology Review. 37. 10.1007/s10648-025-10013-7.   https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10648-025-10013-7 🔗L. E. Margulieux, J. Prather, M. Rahimi and G. C. Uzun, "Leverage Biology to Learn Rapidly From Mistakes Without Feeling Like a Failure," in Computing in Science & Engineering, vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 44-49, March-April 2023, doi: 10.1109/MCSE.2023.3297750.,(practitioner-focused paper, 5 pages): https://doi.org/10.1109/MCSE.2023.3297750 🔗Learn more about Dr. Lauren Margulieux’s work: https://laurenmarg.com/  

In this episode we explores the impact of perfectionism on exam anxiety, particularly among neurodivergent individuals. Dr. Tracey Donachie, a lecturer in sports and exercise psychology, discusses the components and prevalence of perfectionism, highlighting its psychological and behavioral effects. Maciej Matejko, from the Re-Star Project, shares his perspective on perfectionism in relation to autism, while consultant Julia Gudinchet offers strategies for managing perfectionistic tendencies in individuals with ADHD and autism. The episode provides valuable insights and practical advice for educators and students to foster healthier attitudes towards achievement. Find out more: Dr Tracy Donachie: https://www.ncl.ac.uk/psychology/people/profile/tracydonachie.html Julia Gudinchet, Sunflower Autism Consultancy: https://sunflowerautismconsultancy.co.uk Pomodoro Technique: https://changingstatesofmind.libsyn.com/how-effective-is-the-pomodoro-technique RE-STAR project (Maciej Matejko): https://www.kcl.ac.uk/research/re-star Time Stamps: Expert Insight on Perfectionism (00:01:15)   Dr. Tracey Donachie discusses her extensive experience with managing exam stress and perfectionism & explains two main components of perfectionism: high standards and self-criticism. Prevalence of Perfectionism (00:02:58)   Discussion on the rising rates of socially prescribed perfectionism among students and its debilitating effects. Good vs. Bad Perfectionism (00:06:00)   Exploration of the spectrum of perfectionism, distinguishing between striving for excellence and harmful perfectionism. Long-Term Psychological Effects (00:07:39)   Discussion on burnout and other psychological issues linked to chronic perfectionism. Impact Beyond Academics (00:09:31)   Perfectionism's effects on sports, body image, and interpersonal relationships are examined. Strategies for Teachers (00:13:49)   Recommendations for teachers to help students manage perfectionism and foster a growth mindset. Advice for Students During Exam Season (00:16:15)   Practical tips for students to combat perfectionism during high-stress exam periods.  Understanding Autism and Perfectionism (00:19:00)   Discussion on autism and its relationship with perfectionism, featuring insights from Maciej. Understanding Perfectionism in Neurodivergent Individuals (00:20:02)   Discussion on how perfectionism can stem from positive qualities but become problematic, especially for neurodivergent individuals. Perfectionism as a Coping Mechanism (00:22:20)   Exploration of how perfectionism can serve as a response to social difficulties and low self-esteem. Personal Experiences with Perfectionism (00:23:36)   Insights into the speaker's personal struggles with perfectionism and its draining effects. Advice on Managing Perfectionism (00:29:30): Changing Relationships with Failure (00:30:09)  , Exploring Interests to Reduce Pressure (00:32:14), The Need for Recovery Time (00:34:17), Exploring Neurodiversity (00:35:15), Seeking Mental Health Support (00:38:02)   Final Thoughts on Perfectionism (00:40:07)   Reflection on the need to help students foster a healthy relationship with failure and imperfection.

Summary In this episode Dr. Carolina Guzman Holst is a NIHR Research Fellow at the University of Oxford, discusses her recent paper titled Scoping review: potential harm from school-based group mental health interventions.  Where the authors ‘examine three areas: the types of potential harms and adverse events reported in school-based mental health interventions; the subgroups of children and adolescents at heightened risk; and the proposed explanations for these potential harms.’The conversation explores the rising mental health issues among young people in schools, focusing on universal interventions like mindfulness and CBT. Carolina Guzman discusses her scoping review on the potential negative effects of these interventions, emphasising the importance of understanding their impact on vulnerable groups. The discussion highlights the need for careful implementation and monitoring of mental health programs in educational settings, advocating a tailored approach rather than a one-size-fits-all solution. Links: Guzman-Holst C, Streckfuss Davis R, Andrews JL, Foulkes L. Scoping review: potential harm from school-based group mental health interventions. Child Adolesc Ment Health. 2025 Mar 18. doi: 10.1111/camh.12760. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40101758: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40101758/ Learn more about the Myriad Trial on a universal mindfulness intervention on the Mindfulness Mini Series: https://changingstatesofmind.com/mindfulness-miniseries-1 The link to the DfE technical report mentioned is here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/education-for-wellbeing-programme-findings Key takeaways: Mental health issues among young people are rising. Universal interventions aim to help all students, regardless of need. Mindfulness and CBT are common school interventions. Negative effects of interventions can occur, especially in vulnerable groups. High quality implementation quality is crucial for intervention success. Long-term benefits of interventions are often not well-studied. Schools should monitor the effects of mental health programs. A hybrid approach may be more effective than universal interventions alone. Teachers should consult evidence before implementing programs. Tailored support is essential for students with specific needs. Timestamps 01:45 Introduction to Mental Health in Schools 04:17 Understanding Universal Interventions 07:25 Exploring Mindfulness and CBT Interventions 09:41 Negative Effects of Universal Interventions 16:01 Identifying Vulnerable Groups 19:45 Long-term Effects and Benefits 25:07 Conclusions of the Scoping Review 27:11 Implications for Schools and Teachers  

This month Dr Katy Burgess, Senior Lecturer in Psychology at Cardiff University, talks about her research into students’ learning - what they do and how effective they think this is - this is useful for us, as teachers, to understand how, what we are teaching them in school about learning and revision, is being interpreted and used by students. We discuss the best ways to revise but perhaps more importantly what we should be telling our students to get them to use more effective strategies. Plus additional thoughts on where we could slip retrieval practice when students don’t even notice (some good advice for parents!), forward testing effect and that we need to remember that learning involves an awful lot of forgetting before students actually remember everything they need to know. If you'd like to learn more about Dr Katy Burgess or read her publications you can do so here: https://profiles.cardiff.ac.uk/staff/burgesskv T-FUN Network - https://t-fun.co.uk/

The NEurodivergent peer Support Toolkit (NEST) is a set of free resources for staff in mainstream secondary schools who wish to facilitate peer support for neurodivergent young people. The toolkit was co-created by researchers at the University of Edinburgh, neurodivergent young people and a neurodiverse group of adults who work with neurodivergent young people. The project was funded by the Salvesen Mindroom Research Centre Scientific Advisory Board. In this episode Katie Cebula and Catherine Crompton talk about how the NEST came about, what it involves and how it could support pupils in your school. You can find out more and download the resources here: https://salvesen-research.ed.ac.uk/our-projects/nest-neurodivergent-peer-support-toolkit  

This is the 7th podcast from the RE-STAR team and Professor Edmund Sonuga-Barke and Dr Georgia Pavlopoulou share the findings from work package one. This episode explores how the RE-STAR team has collected qualitative data through innovative methods that really allow the voices of young people with ADHD and Autism to be heard. They also share the findings about the upsetting experiences of young people with ADHD and Autism, what these experiences are (and if you are a teacher you might be surprised) and the intensity of those emotional experiences and as well as how these differ for neurotypical, ADHD and Autistic groups. The team is also considering the long term impact of this emotional burden on depression and anxiety.  If you would like to hear more from the RE-STAR team please do take a listen here: https://changingstatesofmind.com/re-star-project If you would like to read the paper the link is:  https://acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/jcv2.12287 A second paper is also available: https://osf.io/preprints/osf/dras7 Why do attention-deficit/hyperactive disorder and/or autism traits place adolescents at risk for depression? Protocol for a longitudinal comparison of the mediating role of deficits in emotional processing and control versus emotional burden  

In this week’s episode Purvi (Vi) Gandhi shares her knowledge about implementing effective and evidence based strategies to improve mental health or mental fitness in schools. Vi has recently published a book 'A little guide for teachers: Student Mental Health' with lots of ideas of how teachers can support the mental health and fitness of the young people in schools. In this interview we discuss the language we use around mental health, why mental health is so important in school and how we can support our pupils to thrive and much more.  If you would like to find out more about her book here is the link: uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur/author/purvi-gandhi If you want to hear more podcasts on mental health from Psychology in the classroom here is the link: https://changingstatesofmind.com/mental-health-%26-wellbeing

On World Mental Health day 2024 Psychology in the Classroom discusses Mindfulness. We eschew the ‘Crystals and Muesli’ version and reframe it to ask how to be more attentive, calmer, more grounded, more aware, more responsive, less anxious. Willem Kuyken and Maggie Farrar join me to discuss, how we can make moments in our day to be mindful and how this can help us align ourselves better with our personal values.  You can find the podcasts on the Myriad Trial into Mindfulness in schools via this link: https://changingstatesofmind.com/mindfulness-miniseries This is the link to Willem’s website and book: https://mindfulnessforlife.uk/ This is the link to Maggie’s website and book: https://www.empoweringleadership.co.uk/  

In this final summary interview with Prof. Dr. Suzanne Narciss, we review all our learning about failure over the last few months. There is much we can do to encourage our students to learn from errors, including interactive formative assessment and feedback strategies, prompting reflection and adaptive strategies for dealing with errors and using other people’s errors. As teachers we need to help students overcome their fear of failure by creating a positive error climate and supporting students to develop a more positive error mindset. But this is an area that is challenging to research and we still have much to learn. 

More than one in 10 children ‘almost always’ or ‘often’ fear failure. But where do they learn this from? This fear can often pass from parents to children. Parental communication about failures and setbacks plays a critical role in shaping a child's perception of mistakes. In her research Dr Elizabeth Peterson found that: Clear action plans without discussion of collaborative resources increased children's fear of making mistakes.  When mothers acknowledged their child's emotions and discussed collaborative problem-solving, there was a notable decrease in the child's fear of mistakes. Many mothers minimally acknowledged or dismissed their child's emotions (40%), rarely discussed action plans (55%), or collaborative resources (79%). Effective parental communication involving emotional acknowledgment and collaborative problem-solving can help reduce children's fear of making mistakes. In this interview we discuss the consequences of this research for the classroom and how we as teachers can have positive conversations with our students about failure. You can find Elizabeth’s paper here: Peterson, E. R., Sharma, T., Bird, A., Henderson, A. M. E., Ramgopal, V., Reese, E., & Morton, S. M. B. (2024). How mothers talk to their children about failure, mistakes and setbacks is related to their children's fear of failure. British Journal of Educational Psychology. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjep.12685 https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bjep.12685  

Today's discussion focuses on our perceptions, as teachers, of failure. When as a teacher we watch our lessons back on film where do we see failure and how do we respond? Reflecting on our own relationship with failure could be important in informing our practice in the classroom. For example our personal relationship with failure will inform how we respond to student failure and this in turn could hinder or facilitate student growth and learning. In this episode Dr Amber Simpson and Dr Alice Anderson discuss their paper 'Identifying and shifting educators' failure pedagogical mindsets through reflective practices'. The details and link to the paper is here: Simpson A, Anderson A, Goeke M, Caruana D, Maltese AV. Identifying and shifting educators' failure pedagogical mindsets through reflective practices. Br J Educ Psychol. 2023 Dec 23. doi: 10.1111/bjep.12658. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 38140824.  Informalscience.org Failure in Making: https://sites.google.com/binghamton.edu/failureinmaking/home?pli=1

How students and teachers navigate and prioritise different learning processes after encountering impasses during learning can be complex. Recognising that failure moments can be multifaceted, today’s episode explores how classroom discourse reveals varied valued learning processes, such as problem-solving, preventing future issues, and developing troubleshooting skills. The research being discussed identifies five valued learning processes in debugging: resolving the immediate issue, preventing future bugs, developing skills for novel problems, engaging with authority, and calibrating self and collective efficacy. It explores the tensions between pursuing different learning outcomes and how these decisions are negotiated between teachers and students. It also addresses the classroom culture, including fostering growth mindsets and addressing racial inequities in learning environments. DeLiema D, Hufnagle A, Ovies-Bocanegra M. Contrasting stances at the crossroads of debugging learning opportunities. Br J Educ Psychol. 2024 Feb 16. doi: 10.1111/bjep.12666. 

How errors are handled in the classroom is an important aspect of teaching and has a variety of consequences for students' own dealing with errors, their learning and their performance. In classrooms with a negative error climate, students are more likely to experience fear of making mistakes and feel alienated from their teachers. Teachers' unsupportive behaviours, such as negative reactions to errors, may increase students' alienation. Unsupportive teacher behaviours may also indirectly contribute to the development of fear of failure by influencing students' self-beliefs and motivation to do well in school. Positive and supportive student–teacher relationships have been shown to alleviate school alienation, suggesting that student–teacher interactions have a strong impact on academic as well as social learning experiences. In this episode we will learn how to ensure we create a positive error climate where students feel safe and that reduces the chances of alienation. Steuer G, Grecu AL, Mori J. Error climate and alienation from teachers: A longitudinal analysis in primary school. Br J Educ Psychol. 2024 Jan 2. doi: 10.1111/bjep.12659.  https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/bjep.12659 If you would like to learn more about alienation please do take a listen to my podcast with Dr Ben Looker (20th June 2022) about student-teacher relationships.

In order to learn from errors it is important that pupils regulate their emotions. The emotions that they feel when they make an error is underpinned by their Error Learning Orientation - whether they see errors as positive and an opportunity to learn or as a negative thing that brings shame. In this interview Rahel Schmid discusses her paper about emotions pupils feel when they make errors and how this may be linked to error learning orientation. This episode includes lots of great tips to help teachers develop a positive error learning orientation in their pupils. Schmid R, Smit R, Robin N, Strahl A. The role of momentary emotions in promoting error learning orientation among lower secondary school students: An intervention study embedded in a short visual programming course. Br J Educ Psychol. 2024 Mar 19. doi: 10.1111/bjep.12681. Available : https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/bjep.12681

This week find out how you can encourage students to persist with learning and engage with metacognitive strategies when they make mistakes.  Dr Maria Tulis talks about her experiments that aimed to find a causal link between beliefs about errors, how these beliefs maintain motivation and how students then adapt their actions to effectively analyse and correct errors. In study two during learning students were given encouragement to persist and prompts about what action to take immediately after they had made the error. Might this increase persistence, metacognitive control and effort? What are the implications for our classrooms?  Paper and link: Tulis M, Dresel M. Effects on and consequences of responses to errors: Results from two experimental studies. Br J Educ Psychol. 2024 May 8. doi: 10.1111/bjep.12686 https://bpspsychub.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/bjep.12686