27/03/2015
SMG Community Services
SMG Community Services endeavours to provide welfare services
and pastoral care in South Australia for the relief of poverty, suffering
and distress amongst children, young people and their families.
Integrating wellbeing
and learning
We find ourselves celebrating life, seeing people for who they are
and could become, and encouraging life in all its fullness.
Michael Edgecomb
Community Services Manager
Schools are the hub of the community, and as such we work with
schools, as a means to grow and develop the wellbeing of the local
community.
@CServicesSMG
Helping a young generation discover purpose, value and hope
www.thewellbeingclassroom.com.au
SMG Community Services
Objectives
To enhance the wellbeing of children, young people and families
through the minimisation of suffering and distress and the
development of life skills
To encourage a hopeful and empowered community of strong,
healthy individuals and families who contribute to the growth of their
communities
To grow and equip teaching staff, support staff, other professionals,
parents and the wider community to engage in conversation about,
and the development of whole of community wellbeing
SMG Community Services
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27/03/2015
Definition of Trauma
Trauma is the emotional, psychological and
physiological residue left over from heightened
stress that accompanies experiences of threat,
violence, and life-challenging events.
Australian Childhood Foundation
SMG Community Services
Dr Bruce Perry – Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics
Dr Bruce Perry – Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics
Abstract Thought
Cortex
Concrete Thought
Affiliation/Reward
“Attachment”
Sexual Behaviour
Limbic
Emotional Reactivity
Motor Regulation
“Arousal”
Diencephalon
Cerebellum
Appetite/Satiety
Sleep
Sense of
Time
Extended
Future
Days
Hours
Hours
Minutes
Minutes
Seconds
Loss of
Sense of
Time
Primary
secondary
Brain
Areas
NEOCORT
EX
Subcortex
SUBCORT
EX
Limbic
LIMBIC
Midbrain
MIDBRAIN
Brainstem
BRAINSTE
M
Autonomic
Cognition
Abstract
Concrete
Emotional
Reactive
Reflexive
Mental
State
CALM
ALERT
ALARM
FEAR
TERROR
Blood Pressure
Heart Rate
Brainstem
Body Temperature
Autonomic Nervous System Arousal
(Window of Tolerance)
Arousal Level
Safety Level
Dominant ANS System
Hyperarousal
Danger
Sympathetic System
(Fight-Flight)
(Rage-Panic)
Safe
Parasympathetic System
(“Smart” Ventral Vagal)
(Social Engagement System)*
Danger
Regulated
Nervous
System
Optimal Arousal
Dysregulated
Nervous
System
Stephen W Porges Ph.D - Neuroception
Hypoarousal
Safety
Life Threat
Parasympathetic System
(Primitive Dorsal Vagal)
(Immobility-”Freeze”)
(Shutdown)
Environment
Life
Threat
Behaviours
Social
Engagement
Fight/Flight
Shutdown
Wheatley-Crosbie, adapted from Levine, *Porges & Odgen
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27/03/2015
Key Question
One of the greatest needs our
children have is the need to develop
a strong emotional and social
literacy, and an understanding that
each person has inherent worth
We asked “what would it look like if we
placed the explicit teaching of wellbeing in
the centre of the classroom, and rebuilt all
other components around it?”
SMG Community Services
SMG Community Services
Methodology
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Measures Used
Project steering group established and school engaged
A combined Year 2/3 class of 27 children
Aged from 6 years 10 months to 8 years 8 months
In service professional development provided to the teacher on a
regular basis
Teacher modelled self-regulation, emotional and social literacy
Support in the Implementation of both Kimochis and Play is the Way
Information and resources provided to parents and families
Family Learning Evenings
Opportunities for regular supported teacher reflection to assist in
developing best practice
Ongoing support for the teacher and children from the outreach
worker
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Knowledge of feeling words at the beginning of Term 2 and the end of
Term 4
Socio-metric data collected at the beginning of Term 2, and end of
Terms 3/4
Four reflective interviews with the class teacher
Waddington’s Diagnostic Reading & Spelling Tests (2000)
Attendance data for Terms 1 and 4
Recorded responses to the question “What is important to you at
school?”
Reflective journals of outreach worker and final year early childhood
student
Interviews with six parents in December 2013
SMG Community Services
Table 1: Year 2 Socio-metric data, frequencies for one way and mutual choices by children
Findings
•
•
•
•
SMG Community Services
Play is the Way and Kimochis are effective tools for promoting
improved emotional and social literacy
Children who had been repeatedly excluded or suspended, or who
ran away, or who were bullied or rejected by others became more
able to express and safely manage their feelings and behaviour
Number of feeling words known increased from an average of 6.75 to
11.33 post intervention
Increased mutual relationships leading to a more positive social and
emotional climate
SMG Community Services
Pseudonym
Term 2 One
Way Choice
Fred=
1
0
Term 2
Mutual
1
Term 3 One
Way Choice
0
Term 3
Mutual
1
Term 4 One
Way Choice
0
Term 4
Mutual
John-
7
1
5
3
3
1
Sue-
3
0
Absent
-
0
0
Dean=
2
1
1
0
2
0
Steve=
0
0
1
1
1
1
Giles++
3
0
5
2
4
3
Luke++
1
0
2
1
7
3
Kev+
1
1
2
1
3
2
Tom=
0
0
0
0
1
0
Totals:
18/9
3
17/9
8
22/9
10
SMG Community Services
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27/03/2015
Table 2: Year 3 Socio-metric data, frequencies for one way and mutual choices by children
Pseudonym
Term 2 One
Way Choice
Term 2
Mutual
Term 3 One
Way Choice
Term 3
Mutual
Term 4 One
Way Choice
Ally+
0
0
1
0
2
1
Val+
2
0
1 (absent)
0
3
1
Charles++
2
0
2
1
5
3
Anne++
2
0
6
2
4
2
Jill+
1
1
2
2
3
2
Bill+
Not at
school yet
-
2
0
2
2
Sandra-
5
3
2
2
1
1
Helen++
1
0
4
3
3
2
Tanya+
2
0
4
2
4
1
Vicki-
2
1
1
0
1
0
Totals:
17/9
5
25/10
12
28/10
15
Findings
Term 4
Mutual
•
•
•
•
•
•
Play is the Way and Kimochis are effective tools for promoting
improved emotional and social literacy
Children who had been repeatedly excluded or suspended, or who
ran away, or who were bullied or rejected by others became more
able to express and safely manage their feelings and behaviour
Number of feeling words known increased from an average of 6.75 to
11.33 post intervention
Increased mutual relationships leading to a more positive social and
emotional climate
Renewed sense of community and partnership
Parents welcomed the exposure to new resources and strategies to
help them better understand and respond to their child’s feelings and
behaviour
SMG Community Services
SMG Community Services
Parents & Community
Findings
•
•
•
•
•
Over 70 people attended each family learning evening
Parents want to be included in conversations about the wellbeing of
their children
Optional parent teacher interviews saw over 15 parents attend,
compared to 1-3 for every other class on the site
Teacher commented that this has reignited his faith in parents wanting
to be involved with their child’s learning
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
SMG Community Services
Play is the Way and Kimochis are effective tools for promoting
improved emotional and social literacy
Children who had been repeatedly excluded or suspended, or who
ran away, or who were bullied or rejected by others became more
able to express and safely manage their feelings and behaviour
Number of feeling words known increased from an average of 6.75 to
11.33 post intervention
Increased mutual relationships leading to a more positive social and
emotional climate
Renewed sense of community and partnership
Parents welcomed the exposure to new resources and strategies to
help them better understand and respond to their child’s feelings and
behaviour
The outreach worker’s contribution was essential to establishing and
sustaining the project
Children see a diverse range of things as important to them
SMG Community Services
Findings
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Play is the Way and Kimochis are effective tools for promoting
improved emotional and social literacy
Children who had been repeatedly excluded or suspended, or who
ran away, or who were bullied or rejected by others became more
able to express and safely manage their feelings and behaviour
Number of feeling words known increased from an average of 6.75 to
11.33 post intervention
Increased mutual relationships leading to a more positive social and
emotional climate
Renewed sense of community and partnership
Parents welcomed the exposure to new resources and strategies to
help them better understand and respond to their child’s feelings and
behaviour
The outreach worker’s contribution was essential to establishing and
sustaining the project
Children see a diverse range of things as important to them
The interventions did not adversely affect children’s academic progress
SMG Community Services
SMG Community Services
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27/03/2015
SMG Community Services
Website – www.thewellbeingclassroom.com.au
Twitter - @CServicesSMG
Integrating wellbeing
and learning
Michael Edgecomb
Community Services Manager
@CServicesSMG
Helping a young generation discover purpose, value and hope
www.thewellbeingclassroom.com.au
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