Book excerpt: Jackie Beere, Head teacher at Campion School, Northants until 2006, is now a consultant, trainer and School Improvement Partner. She spent three years as an Advanced Skills Teacher leading and implementing innovative Teaching and Learning initiatives including KS3 and 4 Learning to Learn and Thinking Skills programmes. She was awarded the OBE in November 2002 for services to education, having trained many teachers and school leaders in the latest theory and practice of learning to learn and emotional intelligence. She introduced Learning to Learn through Opening Minds, a competency-based curriculum at her school in 2006, after a two year pilot project proved very successful. Founder and Managing Director of aptly named Independent Thinking Ltd, Ian Gilbert is the author of the bestselling Essential Motivation in the Classroom. He set up Independent Thinking Ltd to "enrich the lives of young people by changing the way they think". He has worked with thousands of young people, teachers, parents and governors both in the UK and abroad.