From left: Dr Mokgaetji Charity Somo, Prof Noor Davids, Dr Lina Methi, Prof Gert van der Westhuizen and Dr Deliwe Kumalo

Three colleagues in the Department of Psychology of Education, Dr Deliwe Kumalo, Dr Lina Methi and Dr Mokgaetji Charity Somo, had the privilege to attend the research writing workshop and retreat organised by the Office of Graduate Studies and Research from 3 to 7 July 2023 at Riverstone Lodge in Muldersdrift.

The writing boasted facilitators and critical reviewers who are avid publishers, professors and NRF rated: Prof Noor Davids (facilitator and critical reviewer), Prof Gert van der Westhuizen (critical reviewer) and Dr Bothwell Manyonga (critical reviewer). The retreat was a dynamic process that included writing and critical review in real time; participants had the opportunity to write their papers and then sit one-on-one with their reviewers and receive instantaneous feedback.

Dr Kumalo received critical review and support from Prof Gert van der Westhuizen for her writing on "Male Teachers Experiences in The Implementation of Alternative Methods of Discipline: A Case Study of a Primary School". Dr Methi also received support from Prof Gert van der Westhuizen for her work on "The Application of African Indigenous Values in Building the Resilience of Out of School Suspended Learners". Dr Somo received support from Prof Noor Davids for her paper on "The Mental Wellbeing of Refugee Children: Considerations For Trauma Informed Therapy For Educational And School Psychologists". She will be presenting findings from this paper at the European Early Childhood Education Research Association (EECERA) conference in Portugal in August 2023.

The department thanks the Office of Graduate Studies and Research, Prof V Gasa and the critical reviewers for the opportunity to offered to Drs Kumalo, Methi and Somo to excel in their research.