About Tara Elie
Psychologist, educator, coach. Committed to supporting the adults who support young people to flourish and thrive.
Tara Elie is a psychologist, educator and coach with nearly three decades of experience in education. Her work is rooted in a lifelong commitment to justice, belonging, and the transformative power of schools. As a child who struggled to be judged fairly, education became the lens through which she explored themes of inequity and identity. It was in the drama classroom where Tara first found a sense of true belonging—an experience that would go on to shape her purpose and her profession.
She began her career as a drama teacher, passionate about giving students the same creative space she had once been given: a space where they could express themselves, feel safe, and be seen. Over time, she moved into teacher training and leadership development, and is now a Senior Lecturer in Education at the University of East London and Professor of Education at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
Tara has spent over ten years training and coaching teachers and leaders in behaviour management and relational practice. Yet, she began to notice a deeper challenge—dedicated professionals working tirelessly from a place of compromised wellbeing and diminished resilience. This realisation brought her to the field of positive psychology, where she completed a Master's degree and reframed her work through the science of optimal functioning.
Her coaching, teaching and research are now all grounded in the psychology of mattering—the belief that people thrive when they feel valued, significant, and supported. Her current research explores Black teacher mattering, aiming to centre and elevate the lived experiences of Black educators within a system that too often renders them invisible.
Tara brings her background in drama and performance to her work as a trainer and speaker, delivering dynamic sessions that are both emotionally resonant and practically grounded. Whether coaching individuals or addressing large audiences, she connects with clarity, energy and purpose.
She has worked across a diverse range of settings—urban, rural, PRUs, international and independent schools—always with the same mission: to ensure that the adults in education feel resourced, resilient, and remembered.
Tara holds the following roles and credentials:
Senior Lecturer in Education, University of East London
Professor of Education, Guildhall School of Music and Drama
EMCC Senior Practitioner in Coaching
Practising Psychologist and Researcher
At the heart of all her work is one clear belief: when teachers feel they matter, they can truly make a difference, because when the adults are well, the whole system shifts.
WhY!
Belonging has always been at the heart of Tara Elie’s work—first as a student, then as a teacher, and now as a coach, psychologist and educator of educators.
When Tara first entered the classroom as an NQT, she was welcomed with open arms. She was treated as a gift to the profession—nurtured, encouraged and given the space to thrive. She progressed quickly, took on leadership responsibilities early, and flourished in a culture of unity and support.
But she also knows the other side of education. She has worked in schools where she felt unseen, where her contributions were undervalued and her wellbeing sidelined. In every instance, the difference wasn’t the demographic of the students or the challenges of the community—it was the culture. The leadership. The climate of trust, or the lack of it. The difference between “we’re in this together” and “you’re on your own.”
Tara knows, from lived experience, that a day in the classroom can be exhilarating and emotional—but it can also be exhausting, demoralising and even humiliating. She knows that leading teams can feel thankless when kindness is perceived as weakness, and where nurture is treated as a risk—particularly in secondary settings.
That’s why she pursued a Master’s degree in Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology—to find evidence-based, practical ways to support all adults in education, no matter their role, experience or setting. Her work is now grounded in the science of mattering—the idea that people thrive when they feel significant, noticed, and valued.
Tara is passionate about helping leaders onboard staff well, creating emotionally safe environments where teachers feel secure enough to be relational—not punitive. She challenges the perception that compassion is soft and instead shows how belonging is not just beneficial—it’s vital to the success of any school culture.
Her mission is to:
- Help leaders embed cultures where belonging is a strategy, not a slogan.
- Support schools to provide true value for money—not just in performance outcomes, but in staff wellbeing and long-term sustainability.
- Empower all adults—whether parents, pastoral staff, headteachers or social workers—to feel confident, supported and emotionally equipped to do the job they came into the profession to do.
- Redefine staff wellbeing as a professional priority, not a personal indulgence.
At the heart of everything she does is the unwavering belief that when adults matter, they can change lives.
Tara is dedicated to improving the lived experience of adults who work with young people in every capacity—because when they are supported, valued and emotionally safe, everything changes.
School Mattering
Mattering: how much I am valued… how much value I add…
Designed specifically for school leaders and teams. This course focuses on building inclusive and nurturing school environments where both staff and students experience a strong sense of mattering and belonging.
Participants will explore:
Inclusive practices that ensure every individual feels they matter
Practical relational strategies for classrooms and staff teams
Positive psychology interventions to enhance belonging and resilience for all
What to Expect
Real-world strategies and tools that can be applied immediately
Opportunities for reflection and collaboration to strengthen school culture
Engaging, research informed team-based training tailored for secondary education contexts
Outcome
Reduced suspension rates and increased student engagement through inclusive, proactive approaches to behaviour and wellbeing.
A stronger whole-school culture that promotes belonging, improves attendance, and reduces behavioural issues through consistent, values-driven practices.
Empowered staff with a shared sense of purpose, shifting perceptions of behaviour and fostering a community where everyone feels they matter.
Empower all staff regardless of role or experience
Keynotes:
Teacher Mattering
Students' mattering
Black teacher mattering
Contact Me
Copyright © 2025 Tara Elie - All Rights Reserved.