In this episode of If I Were the Minister for Education, I explore how behaviour support in Irish primary schools has shifted from corporal punishment to rewards and consequences, and now toward restorative practice, nurture spaces, and Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS). I’m joined by Dr. Ross Greene, founder of Lives in the Balance and author of The Explosive Child, Lost at School, and The Kids Who Aren’t OK, and by Ruth Edie, principal in Dublin 18 and a certified CPS trainer. We discuss CPS’s focus on solving the unsolved problems behind concerning behaviour through proactive, collaborative Plan B conversations, including the ASEP process and practical “drilling” strategies. We also compare CPS with restorative practice, address concerns about time and “letting kids off,” and share resources (livesinthebalance.org/ireland). I dedicate the episode to my late deputy principal Emer and HSE psychologist Toby.

00:00 Welcome and Overview

00:39 Behavior Shifts in Schools

01:59 Discovering CPS

03:10 Dedication and Intro

03:48 Meet Ross and Ruth

05:18 Ross Green Background

06:26 Ruth Eadie Journey

10:05 What Is CPS

13:14 ASEP and Unsolved Problems

15:06 Plan B Conversation

19:47 Drilling Strategies

21:09 When CPS Starts

22:49 Handling I Don’t Know

24:33 Ireland Context Setup

25:17 Piloting CPS in Ireland

25:50 Tribute to Toby and Emer

27:12 Restorative Practice vs CPS

29:16 What CPS Adds for Teachers

30:18 Finding Time for CPS

32:48 Common Pushback and Myths

35:56 Where to Learn CPS

38:05 Minister for a Day

41:48 Final Resources and Farewell