Friday Poster session (during lunch)
Friday, November 1, 2024 |
1:15 PM - 1:55 PM |
Plaza level foyer |
Overview
Poster presenters will be at their posters available to answer any questions during this time.
Speaker
Ms Melanie Nelson
Leader Of Diverse Learning
Hester Hornbrook Academy
Empowering At-Risk Teenagers: Implementing Trauma-aware Practices in Literacy and Numeracy Intervention
Abstract
As educators dedicated to fostering the academic success of at-risk, disadvantaged and neuro and gender diverse young people, we recognize the profound impact of trauma on students' learning experiences. Our tier 1 literacy and numeracy intervention support program operates on the foundational principle of trauma-aware practice, ensuring that every student receives the tailored support they need to thrive academically despite their challenging circumstances.
Trauma-aware practice is not merely a buzzword for us; it is the cornerstone of our approach to education. We understand that many of our students have experienced adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) that can manifest as barriers to learning, missed education and can leave them academically and developmentally years behind their peers. We use evidenced based, built for purpose programs and educational screeners to target, and deliver rich and individualised literacy and numeracy support.
As a team of three leading teachers we resource, develop, and train our ESOs (Education Support Officers) to deliver the screeners and intervention sessions. We also collaborate with classroom teams which consist of Youth Workers and Educators to ensure our ESOs are supported and empowered to do this life changing work.
A noted challenge within the flexile learning space is the ability to both engage young people in intervention programs as well as capture data and measure educational success. We have implemented practices that ensure that live data is collected at multiple points throughout the intervention program, it is regularly evaluated to allow space for student agency, refection on the effectiveness of the program and ensure that young people are met at their point of need. Within the educational research field, there is limited research on effective intervention practices with young people aged 15 to 24. With increased school disengagement, the decline in educational success and uncertain future, successful targeted intervention programs for young people within this demographic is becoming increasingly important.
Our results speak volumes about the efficacy of our trauma-aware approach. We have witnessed significant improvements in students' literacy and numeracy skills, academic engagement and confidence. More importantly, we have seen transformative changes in students' attitudes towards learning and their ability to overcome adversity.
In presenting at the Trauma-Aware Education Conference, we aim to share our program and best practices with fellow educators. Together, we can create a more inclusive and equitable educational system that empowers all students.
Trauma-aware practice is not merely a buzzword for us; it is the cornerstone of our approach to education. We understand that many of our students have experienced adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) that can manifest as barriers to learning, missed education and can leave them academically and developmentally years behind their peers. We use evidenced based, built for purpose programs and educational screeners to target, and deliver rich and individualised literacy and numeracy support.
As a team of three leading teachers we resource, develop, and train our ESOs (Education Support Officers) to deliver the screeners and intervention sessions. We also collaborate with classroom teams which consist of Youth Workers and Educators to ensure our ESOs are supported and empowered to do this life changing work.
A noted challenge within the flexile learning space is the ability to both engage young people in intervention programs as well as capture data and measure educational success. We have implemented practices that ensure that live data is collected at multiple points throughout the intervention program, it is regularly evaluated to allow space for student agency, refection on the effectiveness of the program and ensure that young people are met at their point of need. Within the educational research field, there is limited research on effective intervention practices with young people aged 15 to 24. With increased school disengagement, the decline in educational success and uncertain future, successful targeted intervention programs for young people within this demographic is becoming increasingly important.
Our results speak volumes about the efficacy of our trauma-aware approach. We have witnessed significant improvements in students' literacy and numeracy skills, academic engagement and confidence. More importantly, we have seen transformative changes in students' attitudes towards learning and their ability to overcome adversity.
In presenting at the Trauma-Aware Education Conference, we aim to share our program and best practices with fellow educators. Together, we can create a more inclusive and equitable educational system that empowers all students.
Biography
Brydie Gleeson has been a teacher for 17 years. She has worked in mainstream independent and government schools, and for the past 3 years has worked at Hester Hornbrook Academy. Brydie is a passionate mathematics and science teacher and has leadership experience as a year level leader and a leading teacher. For the past three years Brydie has worked with a team to deliver targeted literacy and numeracy interventions to some of the states most disadvantaged young people. This program delivers interventions programs that have been proven to be effective and uses data to ensure the support reaches the young people in most need in an individualised and respectful environment. As Hester Hornbrook Academy grows and opens more campus this intervention program will be rolled out and embedded at each campus, and will continue to change the lives and pathways of young people.
Melanie Nelson has been a teacher for 10 years and has worked in public, independent and Catholic sector primary and secondary schools. Mel joined Hester Hornbrook Academy a year ago and is currently serving in the roles of Leader of Diverse Learning and Out of Home Care Coordinator. She is passionate in ensuring that all young people have equitable access to learning. This includes sharing lived experiences with neurodiversity and supporting young people to overcome barriers to education. This work includes supporting enrollments, carrying out supportive assessment and coaching classroom teams on neuro-affirming practices. Mel works in partnership with Brydie, Paul and the ESO's at Hester Hornbrook Academy to support the Equip intervention programs to deliver targeted Literacy and Numeracy support to at risk young people.
Miss Jordie Bowyer
Queensland University of Technology
School counsellors’ reporting child maltreatment: A rapid review of empirical evidence
Abstract
Within schools, school counsellors are often delegated the responsibility for reporting child maltreatment. In this poster presentation, we present findings of a rapid review of empirical studies investigating what is known about school counsellors’ reporting of child maltreatment. Thematic categories identified include school counsellors’ training, knowledge, factors influencing reporting, and reporting experiences. These themes appear to act independently, in overlap, or collectively as facilitators and barriers to school counsellors’ effective reporting practices. The rapid review findings will guide future education and training initiatives to prepare school counsellors for their work in schools. Directions for future research are proposed.
Biography
Jordan Bowyer is a Bachelor of Behavioural Science/Bachelor of Justice student at QUT. Her research areas of interest include women’s justice, neurodiversity, and trauma-informed practice. To date, she has contributed to research projects exploring trauma-informed practice education and mandatory reporting experiences of school counsellors, and aims to continue pursuing higher degree research.
Mrs Septinda Dewanti
Queensland University of Technology
The school counsellor's role in supporting students who have experienced complex childhood trauma
Abstract
The impact of complex childhood trauma includes physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, severe neglect, and exposure or involvement in family violence. As international awareness of the trauma-informed practice and the importance of the role of the school counsellor grows in supporting students who have lived through complex childhood trauma, it is timely to examine the role of the Javanese school counsellor in this work. This study aims to investigate the role of the high school counsellor in Java-Indonesia in supporting students who have lived through complex trauma by examining the influence of culture on their practice. The research implements an explanatory mixed-method design and uses an online survey and interview for data collection. The participants of this study are school counsellors who work in public high schools and are of Javanese ethnicity in Indonesia.
The first data collection was drawn from a survey with 107 participants. Data analysis results: 37% of the participants have little knowledge of complex trauma and trauma-informed practices, 34% have a fair understanding, 17% have no previous knowledge, 10% are quite informed, and only 2% have an excellent understanding. Data also shows that most of the participants perceived their work in supporting students who have experienced CCT as their priority (n=90, 84.2%), requiring the highest amount of work (n=83, 77.9%), and they mostly value their role in helping the trauma-impacted student (n=88, 82.7%).
Following the survey, interviews with 20 Javanese school counsellors were implemented. Reflexive thematic analysis was conducted to analyse the interview’s result, and three main themes were found: understanding, perceptions, and roles. An understanding of impacts, causes, and punishment and the misunderstanding of students impacted by complex childhood trauma explained the theme of understanding. The theme of perceptions is explained by the strengths and barriers of Javanese school counsellors in supporting trauma-impacted students. The theme of roles is explained by two sub-themes, including the role they have done and the role they want to do if they can. From this study, we understand that Indonesian school counsellors know that helping students who have experienced CCT is an essential part of their roles. However, they need more support to improve their understanding of complex childhood trauma and trauma-informed practices.
The first data collection was drawn from a survey with 107 participants. Data analysis results: 37% of the participants have little knowledge of complex trauma and trauma-informed practices, 34% have a fair understanding, 17% have no previous knowledge, 10% are quite informed, and only 2% have an excellent understanding. Data also shows that most of the participants perceived their work in supporting students who have experienced CCT as their priority (n=90, 84.2%), requiring the highest amount of work (n=83, 77.9%), and they mostly value their role in helping the trauma-impacted student (n=88, 82.7%).
Following the survey, interviews with 20 Javanese school counsellors were implemented. Reflexive thematic analysis was conducted to analyse the interview’s result, and three main themes were found: understanding, perceptions, and roles. An understanding of impacts, causes, and punishment and the misunderstanding of students impacted by complex childhood trauma explained the theme of understanding. The theme of perceptions is explained by the strengths and barriers of Javanese school counsellors in supporting trauma-impacted students. The theme of roles is explained by two sub-themes, including the role they have done and the role they want to do if they can. From this study, we understand that Indonesian school counsellors know that helping students who have experienced CCT is an essential part of their roles. However, they need more support to improve their understanding of complex childhood trauma and trauma-informed practices.
Biography
I'm a PhD student at the School of Early Childhood and Inclusive Education at QUT and also a lecturer at Guidance and Counselling Department at Yogyakarta State University Indonesia.
Ms Kerri Chard
Trainer And Consultant
Little Stars Foundation
Viva Las Vagus - Let's regulate
Abstract
This dynamic workshop is not just for Elvis fans, offering a fresh perspective on managing dysregulated behaviours not just in children, but also in adults, and provides strategies to enhance participants own well-being. This session is ideal for educators, carers and professionals who find themselves perplexed by the challenging behaviours of those they support and are in search of immediate, effective strategies. Additionally, it holds significant relevance for professionals supporting adolescents and adults, equipping them with tools to foster self-regulation and resilience.
Centred around the principles of polyvagal theory, this workshop demystifies the complexities of the autonomic nervous system. Participants will gain an accessible framework that aids in interpreting the subtle cues of threat and safety that our bodies process beneath the threshold of conscious awareness. Understanding these processes is crucial, as it influences our interactions and the way we respond to perceived behavioural challenges.
Expect an engaging, movement orientated session - without the stress of role playing. Instead, we will focus on experiential learning that emphasises the body's innate signals and responses. This approach not only enhances the ability to read and strengthen a child’s (or adult’s) capacity for regulation but also empowers participants to transform their own reactions and become a “Jedi of Calm”.
This workshop provides innovative, playful, and immediately applicable interventions designed to coregulate and stabilise dysregulated behaviours. By participating in “Viva Las Vagus”, attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of the biological functions that govern our reactions and behaviours, equipped with practical skills to apply both professionally and personally. Join us to learn how to harness the power of the vagus nerve, enhance your professional toolkit, and personally thrive by befriending your nervous system.
Centred around the principles of polyvagal theory, this workshop demystifies the complexities of the autonomic nervous system. Participants will gain an accessible framework that aids in interpreting the subtle cues of threat and safety that our bodies process beneath the threshold of conscious awareness. Understanding these processes is crucial, as it influences our interactions and the way we respond to perceived behavioural challenges.
Expect an engaging, movement orientated session - without the stress of role playing. Instead, we will focus on experiential learning that emphasises the body's innate signals and responses. This approach not only enhances the ability to read and strengthen a child’s (or adult’s) capacity for regulation but also empowers participants to transform their own reactions and become a “Jedi of Calm”.
This workshop provides innovative, playful, and immediately applicable interventions designed to coregulate and stabilise dysregulated behaviours. By participating in “Viva Las Vagus”, attendees will leave with a deeper understanding of the biological functions that govern our reactions and behaviours, equipped with practical skills to apply both professionally and personally. Join us to learn how to harness the power of the vagus nerve, enhance your professional toolkit, and personally thrive by befriending your nervous system.
Biography
Kerri Chard is a leading authority in child protection with a background in psychology and over two decades of professional experience in both the non-government and government sectors. Her work includes developing interventions that have been recognised for their innovation and effectiveness, helping schools better understand and address complex developmental trauma, and bringing trauma-informed curriculums into the classroom. Kerri is a trainer and consultant for the Little Stars Foundation, a first-of-its kind education support program designed specifically for children in out-of-home care. Kerri is passionate about fostering trauma-informed and responsive educational systems, with a particular focus on supporting children in out-of-home care.
Mr Benji Gersh
Counsellor
Greater Space
A helper helping helpers to help
Abstract
There is unanimous agreement in the education and helping sectors that supervision is required for safe, effective practice and to support worker wellbeing (Hawkins & McMahon, 2020). Much of the research related to wellbeing in the education sector (for example) speaks to the need for supervision to support teacher wellbeing and discusses the hope for programs to be implemented and appraised for efficacy (Stapleton, Garby & Sabot, 2020). The path seems clear, the agreement that it should be studied is there, and yet, Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) have been offered to teachers, with minimal take up or appraisal. Given teachers are over-represented in terms of mental health issues, and have disastrously low rates of EAP participation (data.cese.nsw.gov.au) - the current approach doesn’t seem to be working.
As a qualified teacher and counsellor I have piloted, implemented, reviewed and grown a program of counselling and supervision initially with one school just prior to the pandemic, and now with over 40 organisations from the education and helping sectors. Utilising trauma-informed, person-centred approaches to hold space for helpers to reflect on themselves and their practice, the program has answered the question that research papers hypothesised. The suggestion of research papers that it would be useful, has been demonstrated time and again with phenomenal results both in short and long term engagement.
In this presentation the insights gained into how to effectively supplement and support organisational wellbeing efforts will be shared. The key ingredients that have allowed us to successfully facilitate thousands of sessions with hundreds of clients will be distilled so that participants can think broadly about how to best support their colleagues in their own context. From what type of practitioners are best suited to supervision, to the underlying therapeutic modalities that have been most successful, to some of the key trends that have arisen from the past few years. There are insights and answers that I’ve learned from an innovative approach to the field.
As a qualified teacher and counsellor I have piloted, implemented, reviewed and grown a program of counselling and supervision initially with one school just prior to the pandemic, and now with over 40 organisations from the education and helping sectors. Utilising trauma-informed, person-centred approaches to hold space for helpers to reflect on themselves and their practice, the program has answered the question that research papers hypothesised. The suggestion of research papers that it would be useful, has been demonstrated time and again with phenomenal results both in short and long term engagement.
In this presentation the insights gained into how to effectively supplement and support organisational wellbeing efforts will be shared. The key ingredients that have allowed us to successfully facilitate thousands of sessions with hundreds of clients will be distilled so that participants can think broadly about how to best support their colleagues in their own context. From what type of practitioners are best suited to supervision, to the underlying therapeutic modalities that have been most successful, to some of the key trends that have arisen from the past few years. There are insights and answers that I’ve learned from an innovative approach to the field.
Biography
Benji has worked in schools as a teacher and school leader. He has worked in the education sector as a trainer in trauma-informed practise all over Australia.
He is a registered Neuro-sequential Model In Education Trainer with Bruce Perry's ChildTrauma Academy and is a Critical Incident Stress Management practitioner.
As a registered ACA Counsellor, Benji prioritises the necessity of healthy mental wellbeing for successful work.
Dr Veronica Graham
Teacher / Adjunct Lecturer B JCU
Carinity Education Shalom
Get Real on Wellbeing - a small, practical step to school attachment
Abstract
Get Real on Wellbeing (GRoW) was a deceptively simple school-based program to promote hygiene (in the first instance) which we tried to make as fun as possible. GRoW produced rich two-way learning for both staff and students, and created space for more comprehensive place-based wellbeing strategies that are sensitive to intergenerational trauma and socio-educational disadvantage.
Context
Carinity Education Shalom (Shalom; ICSEA = 698) is school for around 180 Prep-Year 12 students (>90% Indigenous) with connections to Palm Island and remote Queensland. A high proportion of the 31 Year 7-8 students participating in the program had experienced functional or actual loss of one or both parents.
Rationale
Often overlooked in school-based health programs, environmental health and hygiene are lynch pins for reducing inflammatory gum disease and skin infections that contribute significantly to our students’ current and future excess health burden, and that of their children. Childhood and adolescence are also a time to establish nutrition, exercise, and minimal substance misuse. Responsive place-based programs to support these goals depend on a healthy attachment to the school mediated by strong relationships with staff. The organisational and social capital held in schools presents an opportunity to implement strengths-based approaches to promote wellbeing, early in the life course with a view to influencing long-term outcomes.
Implementation
Students were invited to participate in practical oral and skin hygiene workshops, and partners from the local community-controlled health service delivered workshops exploring intimate hygiene and health. The term culminated in a full-make-over and restaurant lunch.
Outcomes
All student participants reported approval for GRoW, including agreement that staff were kind to them.
Staff agreed that the program was acceptable, accessible, and feasible. Moreover, GRoW provided:
1) A safe place-based intervention to model and normalise hygiene behaviours for vulnerable students with limited resources.
2) A format where staff practiced a relational, conversational approach, gaining insight into the realities of vulnerable young people’s lives.
3) A foundation for consultation and partnership to sustain school-based, curriculum-aligned strategies to close gaps in student health.
‘It gives you a chance to relate to the students on a different level…
and for them to see you as a person not just as a teacher.’ Teacher, 2023
Conclusion
The GRoW pilot demonstrated Shalom’s opportunity to promote health literacy, reduce stigma and address the social and environmental determinants of health among its most vulnerable students.
Context
Carinity Education Shalom (Shalom; ICSEA = 698) is school for around 180 Prep-Year 12 students (>90% Indigenous) with connections to Palm Island and remote Queensland. A high proportion of the 31 Year 7-8 students participating in the program had experienced functional or actual loss of one or both parents.
Rationale
Often overlooked in school-based health programs, environmental health and hygiene are lynch pins for reducing inflammatory gum disease and skin infections that contribute significantly to our students’ current and future excess health burden, and that of their children. Childhood and adolescence are also a time to establish nutrition, exercise, and minimal substance misuse. Responsive place-based programs to support these goals depend on a healthy attachment to the school mediated by strong relationships with staff. The organisational and social capital held in schools presents an opportunity to implement strengths-based approaches to promote wellbeing, early in the life course with a view to influencing long-term outcomes.
Implementation
Students were invited to participate in practical oral and skin hygiene workshops, and partners from the local community-controlled health service delivered workshops exploring intimate hygiene and health. The term culminated in a full-make-over and restaurant lunch.
Outcomes
All student participants reported approval for GRoW, including agreement that staff were kind to them.
Staff agreed that the program was acceptable, accessible, and feasible. Moreover, GRoW provided:
1) A safe place-based intervention to model and normalise hygiene behaviours for vulnerable students with limited resources.
2) A format where staff practiced a relational, conversational approach, gaining insight into the realities of vulnerable young people’s lives.
3) A foundation for consultation and partnership to sustain school-based, curriculum-aligned strategies to close gaps in student health.
‘It gives you a chance to relate to the students on a different level…
and for them to see you as a person not just as a teacher.’ Teacher, 2023
Conclusion
The GRoW pilot demonstrated Shalom’s opportunity to promote health literacy, reduce stigma and address the social and environmental determinants of health among its most vulnerable students.
Biography
Veronica Graham has been working as a science teacher at Carinity Education Shalom for three years. She completed her PhD at James Cook University in Public Health focusing on realist evaluation of community-based substance misuse intervention in remote Indigenous communities. Veronica was born and raised in Townsville and has worked in Cape York. She is passionate about applying a public health lens to education, in particular to support young people's mental health and wellbeing.
Dr Emma-Lee Steindl
Academic, Counsellor, and Educator
Queensland University of Technology
Harnessing Curiosity and Joy to Shift Identities of Education Students in High Stakes Maths Testing
Abstract
We demonstrate how an engaging and inclusive program run at the Queensland University of Technology supports undergraduate Education students in Maths by addressing traumatic educational and learning experiences. You will experience a hands-on workshop from this program and learn actionable strategies to promote curiosity and joy in your trauma-informed learning environment.
Education students across Australia are required to achieve the standard in the high stakes Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education (LANTITE) prior to finishing their university degrees. Since 2019, Education students at the Queensland University of Technology have participated in a multi-faceted LANTITE preparation program run by the Student Success and Teaching Advancement team. The program incorporates online and in-person workshops, self-paced learning, a supportive online learning community, and individual sessions with students in-person and online. Within the Numeracy workshops, it is a regular occurrence for students to share beliefs that they are not good at Maths, do not have Maths brains, or hate Maths. These beliefs are often linked to negative and sometimes traumatic experiences with teachers, parents, and other testing environments. Sometimes there are undiagnosed learning difficulties that are only being recognised in the high stakes and pressured world of university.
While on the surface the LANTITE workshops, programmes, and one-to-one sessions look like pure content and knowledge practice, there is a deeper lesson being explored. In our sessions, the unhelpful mindsets and core beliefs around Maths and the identity each student holds about themselves as a learner are discussed and reframed through nurturing rapport and trust with educators. Students need holistic support and content delivered at their level of understanding. By incorporating curiosity and joy as part of this process, negative and fixed mindsets can be reframed. This entails providing connections for students within a strengths-based educational environment, and challenging long-held beliefs about their capabilities as a learner. Empathy and understanding from peers, educators, and family plays an integral role in developing student well-being and fostering confidence and resilience. By opening a window into a worldview of Maths which sparks curiosity and joy, educators can encourage shifts in identities and foster success in higher education.
Education students across Australia are required to achieve the standard in the high stakes Literacy and Numeracy Test for Initial Teacher Education (LANTITE) prior to finishing their university degrees. Since 2019, Education students at the Queensland University of Technology have participated in a multi-faceted LANTITE preparation program run by the Student Success and Teaching Advancement team. The program incorporates online and in-person workshops, self-paced learning, a supportive online learning community, and individual sessions with students in-person and online. Within the Numeracy workshops, it is a regular occurrence for students to share beliefs that they are not good at Maths, do not have Maths brains, or hate Maths. These beliefs are often linked to negative and sometimes traumatic experiences with teachers, parents, and other testing environments. Sometimes there are undiagnosed learning difficulties that are only being recognised in the high stakes and pressured world of university.
While on the surface the LANTITE workshops, programmes, and one-to-one sessions look like pure content and knowledge practice, there is a deeper lesson being explored. In our sessions, the unhelpful mindsets and core beliefs around Maths and the identity each student holds about themselves as a learner are discussed and reframed through nurturing rapport and trust with educators. Students need holistic support and content delivered at their level of understanding. By incorporating curiosity and joy as part of this process, negative and fixed mindsets can be reframed. This entails providing connections for students within a strengths-based educational environment, and challenging long-held beliefs about their capabilities as a learner. Empathy and understanding from peers, educators, and family plays an integral role in developing student well-being and fostering confidence and resilience. By opening a window into a worldview of Maths which sparks curiosity and joy, educators can encourage shifts in identities and foster success in higher education.
Biography
Emma-Lee and Sky are STEM Educators working with the Faculty of Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice, specialising in Science and Mathematics. Emma-Lee and Sky have extensive research and teaching experience across psychology, counselling, the health sciences, and STEM education. Together they have worked in educational contexts for a cumulative 30 years. Emma-Lee is particularly interested in student engagement, developmental psychology, transgenerational trauma, and culture. Sky interests lie in inclusive STEM pedagogies, robotics, and origami. Additionally, the duo has partnered with academics, industry partners, and volunteers to implement effective programs of learning and teaching while supporting students' well-being and education. Both educators are passionate believers that anyone can be a mathematician, and seek to inject curiosity, creativity, and collaboration back into mathematics learning wherever they can.
Mrs Kristy Elliott
Director
Restorative Pathways
Circle Pedagogy: Nurturing our nervous systems and our wellbeing for safe, connected classrooms.
Abstract
Circle pedagogy is a collaborative, democratic, and participatory model of teaching and learning. The practice of circles helps to build and maintain healthy classroom communities where educators and students feel safe, respected, and connected. Circles are a flexible pedagogy that can be used to teach curriculum content, to establish classroom expectations and norms, to build relationships, to model and support inclusion, to review and reflect on learning outcomes, and the list goes on. Importantly, circle pedagogy is a wellbeing strategy for schools as the structures used are rhythmic and predictable; when circles occur routinely, they contribute to the regulation of our nervous system.
Trauma-aware schools and educators understand that one of our greatest resources is the ability to regulate our nervous system and emotions. Regulation is a skill that is learned through patterned, repetitive experiences and opportunities to grow and develop in safe, supportive environments, first with trusted others (co-regulation) and then by us (self-regulation). Dan Siegel explains that our capacity to self-regulate aids us in navigating stress and challenge while remaining within our ‘window of tolerance’. When we lack this skill, we are more likely to find ourselves operating outside of our window where our stress response system activates a flight, fight, freeze or fawn state.
Individuals exposed to adversity and traumatic events may experience a narrowing of their window of tolerance; their nervous system becomes hypervigilant and overreactive to stressors. Using circle pedagogy with students is a strategy that can aid in widening our window of tolerance and supporting a student’s nervous system to regulate. Furthermore, it aligns with the principles of neuro-sequential processing. As Dr Bruce Perry explains, our brains are wired to process information from the bottom up – from the brainstem, through the mid-brain and finally reaching the cortex. In other words, our brains need to regulate and relate before we can reason.
In this experiential, hands-on workshop Kristy will guide participants through a flexible circle structure (adaptable for varying developmental levels), demonstrating by doing, the clear alignment between circle pedagogy, neurobiology, regulation, safety, and connection.
Trauma-aware schools and educators understand that one of our greatest resources is the ability to regulate our nervous system and emotions. Regulation is a skill that is learned through patterned, repetitive experiences and opportunities to grow and develop in safe, supportive environments, first with trusted others (co-regulation) and then by us (self-regulation). Dan Siegel explains that our capacity to self-regulate aids us in navigating stress and challenge while remaining within our ‘window of tolerance’. When we lack this skill, we are more likely to find ourselves operating outside of our window where our stress response system activates a flight, fight, freeze or fawn state.
Individuals exposed to adversity and traumatic events may experience a narrowing of their window of tolerance; their nervous system becomes hypervigilant and overreactive to stressors. Using circle pedagogy with students is a strategy that can aid in widening our window of tolerance and supporting a student’s nervous system to regulate. Furthermore, it aligns with the principles of neuro-sequential processing. As Dr Bruce Perry explains, our brains are wired to process information from the bottom up – from the brainstem, through the mid-brain and finally reaching the cortex. In other words, our brains need to regulate and relate before we can reason.
In this experiential, hands-on workshop Kristy will guide participants through a flexible circle structure (adaptable for varying developmental levels), demonstrating by doing, the clear alignment between circle pedagogy, neurobiology, regulation, safety, and connection.
Biography
Kristy Elliott, a seasoned educator, has over two decades of experience in teaching, consulting, and training. She holds a Bachelor of Education from the University of Canberra, and a master’s degree in Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Melbourne. These qualifications inform her work in schools, where she fosters positive, healthy and connected environments for students, educators, and school communities.
Kristy is the founder and director of Restorative Pathways, a Melbourne-based business helping schools build relational, thriving cultures through wellbeing science and restorative practices. She offers customised professional learning on Restorative Practice and wellbeing for school staff, students, and families. Her services also include restorative peer mediation training, in-class coaching for educators, policy development, strategic planning, and collaboration with school leaders to enhance team psychological safety.
Kristy’s extensive experience in Australia and Asia, underlines her passion and commitment to partnering with schools to create environments where everyone can thrive.
Mr Graham Pringle
Director
The Emu Files
Constructing a complex trauma-informed pedagogy
Abstract
The workshop will show how Stanley River EEC, built a complex trauma-informed pedagogy and will provide a model, and a kick start, for teachers and school leaders to construct their own.
Graham will provide an evidenced framework designed to reflect world leading complex trauma-informed processes in a pragmatic, framework that is readily adapted by schools and teachers, to suit their local needs. The framework Empowers, Motivates and fosters Understanding (EMU) which enables cultural change and whole of school contribution to the school mission.
Andrew will show how Stanley River adapted the practice framework to their centre. This framework and pedagogy was co-created by community, particularly the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Custodians of Country through which Stanley River operates. Copies of aspects of the framework and pedagogy will be provided, with a template to guide pedagogical planning.
The workshop will move from cutting-edge complex trauma theory through a worked example, to a plan for each participant's adaption. This workshop will inspire and suggest opportunities to get in front of behaviours and community concerns. Andrew and Graham will show how participants can create a home away from home in the educational setting.
Graham will provide an evidenced framework designed to reflect world leading complex trauma-informed processes in a pragmatic, framework that is readily adapted by schools and teachers, to suit their local needs. The framework Empowers, Motivates and fosters Understanding (EMU) which enables cultural change and whole of school contribution to the school mission.
Andrew will show how Stanley River adapted the practice framework to their centre. This framework and pedagogy was co-created by community, particularly the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Custodians of Country through which Stanley River operates. Copies of aspects of the framework and pedagogy will be provided, with a template to guide pedagogical planning.
The workshop will move from cutting-edge complex trauma theory through a worked example, to a plan for each participant's adaption. This workshop will inspire and suggest opportunities to get in front of behaviours and community concerns. Andrew and Graham will show how participants can create a home away from home in the educational setting.
Biography
Andrew Travis (B.Ed, Cert IV Outdoor Leadership) is an Outdoor Educator and Principal of Stanley River Environmental Education Centre, who has been involved in the Bunya to the Bay River Ambassadors Project since 2014. Andrew seeks to inspire everyone learning on Country.
Graham Pringle (PhD submitted, MA Outdoor Ed, BA, Dip Ed, Dip Soc Sci (Psych)) is a Director of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation, Youth Flourish Outdoors and The EMU Files. The last organisation is a product of his doctoral research at Griffith University, through which he helps organisations become complex trauma-informed. Graham helps to tailor whole of school processes; from the front gate to the Mparntwe declaration, and from the maintenance team to the Principal.
Roshelle Weir
CEO
Switch4schools
Is emotional intelligence the key to everything?
Abstract
What does the research say is more important than IQ, socio-economic status, personality, cultural background or school prestige in determining academic results and life success? Emotional intelligence. The ability to perceive, understand, manage and use emotions. But when traumatic experiences trigger such strong emotional reactions in our students subconsciousness, is it actually possible to rewire their brains to help overcome this threat response? How do we encourage emotional control in those who seem to be beyond any self-regulation. And how do we do this in a way that doesn’t require specialist teams of psychologists to intervene, particularly when access to such services is rare or non-existent?
For more than 10 years, psychologist Phil Slade has taken this challenge head on, developing tools and resources (including the powerful Switch4Schools platform now uses by more than 25,000 Australian school students every day) to empower parents, teachers, and other adults already in the students trust circle to help shift the dial on emotional regulation.
In this session we will go through the neuro-science of emotions and decision making, pick through the research behind the real-life application of this work, and look at practical strategies that can be used immediately for significant impact across the board. This is translational research in action, creating learning loops for maximum impact.
For more than 10 years, psychologist Phil Slade has taken this challenge head on, developing tools and resources (including the powerful Switch4Schools platform now uses by more than 25,000 Australian school students every day) to empower parents, teachers, and other adults already in the students trust circle to help shift the dial on emotional regulation.
In this session we will go through the neuro-science of emotions and decision making, pick through the research behind the real-life application of this work, and look at practical strategies that can be used immediately for significant impact across the board. This is translational research in action, creating learning loops for maximum impact.
Biography
Roshelle Weir is the CEO and Co-Founder of Switch4Schools, an innovative organisation dedicated to fostering trauma aware education. With a rich background in learning and development, including instructional design, Roshelle has been instrumental in creating the Switch4Schools app. This groundbreaking tool empowers students to build emotional intelligence, enhance wellbeing, and develop critical life skills. Switch4Schools’ ethos is rooted in a compassionate, whole school methodology aimed at helping every student thrive, regardless of their past experiences.
Ms Fiona Waites
Tci Portfolio Manager
TACT Training and Consulting
Crisis Prevention: The Ecology of Caring and Responsive Classrooms
Abstract
Creating a sense of safety in the classroom is the first step to creating a true learning environment. Considering ecological systems theory, as well how this can be applied in both the school community and specific classroom settings provides teachers and administrators skills and direction to prevent crisis. Factors which impact the ecology of a caring & responsive classroom are external to the space as well as internal, also considering the unique individuals within the classroom. Therefore, caring and responsive classrooms are created by assessing the physical, social, cultural, emotional and ideological space where students and adults engage.
Journey through each of these spaces found within a caring & responsive classroom, gaining insight into the aspects to be mindful of, with examples from Carinity Education of how to adjust the conditions in each space to prevent crisis.
Put the information into practice as you reflect on your own classroom, aiming to make challenging behaviour and traumatic stress responses less likely to occur.
Journey through each of these spaces found within a caring & responsive classroom, gaining insight into the aspects to be mindful of, with examples from Carinity Education of how to adjust the conditions in each space to prevent crisis.
Put the information into practice as you reflect on your own classroom, aiming to make challenging behaviour and traumatic stress responses less likely to occur.
Biography
Fiona Waites has worked with in-crisis youth throughout her career in out of home care child protection, homeless youth shelters and youth organisations. From study within psychology, community services and governance through to outdoor based education, her focus has always been on equipping and empowering others. Having been exposed to Therapeutic Crisis Intervention early in her career, she is dedicated to supporting organisations to equip not only staff, yet also leadership, families and children in thriving to empower each other. In recent years, Fiona has moved full-time into support Schools and Organisations implement Crisis Prevention & Intervention Systems. Fiona is focussed on providing practical tools alongside theoretical understanding to empower others.
Lyn Harland, Principal of Carinity Education Rockhampton, is a force for change, leading a school that transforms over 100 students’ lives. She has been Principal at the school for over 5 years.
Beyond the school walls, Lyn actively engages with local facilities, community groups, and rehabilitation programs as a member of the Rockhampton Community-Based Crime Action Committee. Her leadership style, emphasises kindness, resilience, and the importance of family.