The Positive Education Podcast With Ash Manuel

Episode #69 | Natalie Coote - Creating Safe Spaces: Supporting Students with Additional Needs

In this episode with Natalie Coote, we dive into how wellbeing is embedded into the everyday experience at Riverland Special School, and what it truly looks like to support young people with additional needs through connection, structure, and personalised care. The conversation reinforces that wellbeing is not something extra, it is built through consistent actions, relationships, and understanding each student deeply. Key Takeaways Wellbeing is about students feeling safe, connected, and part of a genuine community, not just delivering a program. The way students are welcomed each morning sets the tone, with small consistent moments helping staff quickly understand how each student is feeling. Emotional regulation is taught intentionally, helping students recognise their feelings and use strategies before they are ready to learn. Every approach is personalised, with learning, support, and pathways adapted to the individual rather than a one size fits all model. Giving students a voice, especially through communication supports, builds confidence, connection, and a stronger sense of belonging. Success is defined differently for each student, and growth can be seen in both big achievements and small moments of confidence.

Episode #68 | Damian Hill - Aleda: The Coaching Skill Every School Leader and Teacher Needs

In this episode with Damian Hill, we dive into how better questions can transform the way educators lead, teach, and support students. From coaching conversations to classroom practice, this episode is packed with practical ways to shift from telling to empowering others to think for themselves. Key Takeaways Better questions help build ownership, allowing students and staff to take responsibility for their thinking and actions. Coaching is about unlocking thinking rather than giving advice, leading to deeper learning and more sustainable outcomes. The person with the problem should do the thinking, rather than relying on others to solve it for them. Non-judgmental questions create trust and open the door for more honest reflection and meaningful conversations. These questioning approaches can be used across classrooms, leadership, staff conversations, and even at home to build empathy and accountability. Pausing and allowing space for thinking leads to better responses and stronger problem-solving.

Episode #67 | Hugh Stagg & Darcy Bailey - Focus Forward: Building Confident and Resilient Young Males

Key takeaways Many young males today feel a lack of direction, especially when sport, school, or identity goals feel uncertain. Without strong habits or routines in place, motivation can drop quickly. Social media comparison and the expectation of quick results are major pressures for boys, contributing to low confidence and impatience with long-term growth. A consistent male role model or mentor can make a profound difference, particularly for boys who don’t have someone they feel they can relate to or confide in. Daily check-ins and accountability create momentum. Small, achievable tasks completed consistently build self-belief, responsibility, and resilience over time. Being part of a team, club, or shared activity provides belonging, identity, and positive connection, all powerful protective factors for young males. Simple habits like morning routines, hydration, movement, and self-awareness check-ins help boys experience early wins that compound into long-term confidence and wellbeing.

Episode #66 | Laura Brodie - Albinism in the Classroom: What Teachers and Parents Need to Know

In this episode with Laura Brodie, we dive into her lived experience of albinism and low vision and how that journey shaped her work supporting teachers and parents to create calmer, more inclusive classrooms. As an educator and mindfulness practitioner, Laura shares practical tools to move from overwhelm to clarity, confidence, and belonging. Mindfulness doesn’t remove challenge, it changes how we respond to it, creating space between reaction and choice. Belonging is not accidental; it is built through small, consistent acts of inclusion and invitation. Exclusion can leave deeper scars than we realise, often shaping confidence long into adulthood. Practical adjustments in classrooms are not “extras”, they are the difference between coping and thriving. When kindness is made visible and intentional, it becomes contagious. Lived experience, when embraced, can become a powerful compass for leadership and advocacy.

Episode #65 | Gavin McCormack - A Story That Will Move You [Warning there's a fair chance you'll be teary]

In this episode with Gavin McCormack, we dive into one of the most moving stories you'll hear. It's a story about danger, hope, heartbreak and humanity and what happens when you decide you can’t unsee something and choose to act. From a treacherous journey into remote Nepal to rebuilding a forgotten school for orphaned children, Gavin shares the moments that broke him open and reminded him what truly matters. This story is incredible. It had me with a tear in my eye on more than one occasion.