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own worldviews. Non-judgement is the practice of ensuring that we meet an idea or belief relating to masculinity which may challenge our own values with acknowledgement – not outright judgement. It isn’t enough to just lean in; we must be able to acknowledge without drenching that acknowledgement in a large dose of ‘ How could you? ’ or ‘ That is AWFUL! ’. The ideas in questionmay be challenging and problematic, but there are ways of engaging with young men that acknowledge present harms while centring their humanity. Safety , meanwhile, refers to the cultivating of space for exploring different ideas and perspectives, without the need for socially desirable modification. To make room for transformation, young men need to arrive as they are. Finally, congruence is facilitating and embodying from a position of authenticity; to not mask or embrace performativity, but to lead with the intention of modelling one’s humanity. As educators, we must model what we seek from those in our care. To get ‘real’ responses and reflections, we need to embrace the ‘realness’ of ourselves as educators. I speak to this inmore detail in the book, but for now, I’ll leave you with the following observation – that your young people can detect incongruence/‘fakeness’ from a mile away. Holding space effectively requires you to be aware of the space you’re creating with your presence in the room. Centring these four components can present a different pathway to exploration. It makes space for open-ended reflection, rather than top-down instruction. This doesn’t amount to avoiding challenge – but it does mean recognising that adolescent boys are in a life stage of meaning-making, and often lack safe spaces in which to process who they’re becoming. By creating space for exploration, we can widen the scopes through which ideas of masculinity are contacted and conditioned. Final reflections Secondary school boys aren’t finished products. They’re still forming, emotionally, cognitively and socially. Like all of us, they need space to get things wrong, to reflect and to try again. Yes, this work is messy – but in the mess, there’s potential for growth and repair. For newmodels of what it means to be a boy, friend, learner and human being. Secondary schools are uniquely positioned to hold that space. Not because they have all the answers, but because they are places in which relationships grow over time; where young people return day after day, and where trust can be built. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Lewis Wedlock is an educator, social psychologist and mental health professional; specialising in masculinities and young people- centred mental health interventions, Lewis has worked with secondary schools across the UK to help young men explore their ideas of masculinity; for more information, visit lewiswedlock.com PRACTICAL STEPS Here are some principles I regularly share with secondary school teams seeking to develop meaningful work around masculinities: 1 Understand the conceptual landscape 2 Attune to the worlds of the young men you serve 3 Actively engage as educators 4 Model what you seek 5 Frame challenge through care 6 Embrace uncertainty and getting things wrong 41 teachwire.net/secondary B E H AV I O U R