Who's Who in the REM State Team
Tania Markham B.Ed (Hons)
Tania spent ten years working in the Health and Fitness sector before entering the teaching profession. Whilst working in this area, Tania developed work that looked at the holistic benefits of movement with children aged from 2 to 16, and also with adults, as part of the PULSE programme (Prescribed Use of Leisure and Exercise). Whilst working on the PULSE programme Tania worked with GPs to develop ways of treating common modern health issues such as depression, coronary heart disease and obesity through exercise rather than more traditional medical routes. During this time Tania also worked with local primary schools to inform and motivate children about healthy lifestyles, through the mediums of movement, art and drama.
Tania then went on to gain a B.Ed (Hons) degree at Plymouth University, specialising in Physical Education. It was whilst studying at University that Tania was first introduced to Sherborne Developmental Movement, and began using this form of movement play with groups of children with special educational needs.
Sherborne Developmental Movement continued to play an important part in Tania’s work as a primary school teacher, and she was involved in developing partnership work between her own school and a neighbouring special school. At this time, Tania was seconded to the Personal, Social and Health Education Advisory Team within Devon to support primary, secondary and special schools in achieving the Healthy Schools Award. This award recognises not only the contributions that schools make to children’s physical health, but also their mental, social and affective health and well-being.
Tania then returned to the University of Plymouth as a lecturer in Physical Education and other aspects of initial teacher training. During this time she developed her ideas around the impact that positive physical experiences can have on the development of children’s self-esteem and their ability to make successful relationships. Tania used Sherborne Developmental Movement in her work with students and with children, and became increasingly interested in making links between the work she was carrying out within movement play and the human givens approach to emotional health and well-being.
Whilst lecturing at University, Tania worked as Project Manager on the Take 10 resource, a resource that has been sent into all Devon Schools to support daily physical activity as part of the school day. Tania has spoken nationally and locally about Take 10 (click here for further details), and has taken an active role in developing professionals’ understanding of the benefits of exercise within the school day, and in training the personnel who would be responsible for training schools in Take 10’s use.
Tania is now deputy head teacher at Pinhoe C of E Primary School in Exeter, where she continues to promote physical activity as an integral and important part of the school day, and to run movement groups based on the ideas of Veronica Sherborne. Tania has taken a lead role in continued professional development for staff and is presently working with REM State and the University of Plymouth to develop the staff’s understanding of how the emotional health and well-being of children (and the adults who work with them) impacts on learning and behaviour. Tania enjoys taking opportunities to return to lecture as part of initial teacher training, and is presently involved in developing a research project based on the impact of SEAL materials within Pinhoe School.
