About Dr. Lauren McNamara

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. When children's sense of connection and belonging goes up, bullying and social conflict go down. It's an inverse and predictive statistical relationship. But HOW do you increase connection and belonging on the schoolyard? Filled with examples and grounded in science, Lauren shows you how. Great for educators, school councils, trustees, school leaders, and schoolyard designers.

Filled with photos and stories, this is where Lauren bridges science and design. She details the rationale behind the design decisions of a well-designed schoolyard - and importantly - she shows you how you can make the most impactful design decisions on a variety of budgets. This talk is a favorite! Great for school councils, trustees, school leaders, and schoolyard designers.

Increasing and improving opportunities for unstructured play during the school day is one of the best investments you can make in school engagement. This is where Lauren talks about the role of play in mental health, antibullying efforts, confidence, physiological development, inclusion, stress and coping, behaviour regulation, Article 31 (The Right to Play), and much, much more. Great for educators, school councils, school leaders, and philanthropy organizations.

Here, Lauren brings schoolyards to the foreground in the conversation of healthy schools. Guided by a diverse body of research, she highlights three areas for thought: 1) Equity, Well-being, and School Engagement, 2), Universal Design Principles, and 3) Policy, Standards, and Professional learning. Participants learn how to mobilize innovation and change at district, provincial, and national levels. Great for senior leaders, trustees, and community organizations.