Dianella Heights Special Programs

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Social Emotional Learning

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is the process through which children and young people acquire the knowledge, attitudes and skills associated with the core areas of social and emotional competency.

SEL programs set out to explicitly teach a range of skills, including those necessary to:

• understand and manage emotions
• set and achieve positive goals
• feel and show empathy for others
• establish and maintain positive relationships
• make responsible decisions 

These skills are dynamic and inter-related and underpin both personal resilience and healthy relationships.

(Durlak et al. 2011, CASEL, 2013; Frydenberg, 2010; Hromek & Roffey, 2009)

These understandings and skills can be grouped into five key areas:

1. Self-awareness
2. Self-management
3. Social awareness
4. Relationship skills
5. Social decision making

Benefits of an integrated, whole school approach to SEL include:

• Resistance to negative peer pressure
• Improved social behaviour and cooperation
• Decrease in antisocial and risky behaviours
• Decrease in emotional problems (anxiety and depression)
• Increase in health and improve academic success

Dianella Heights Primary School researched and trailed a program, Friendly Schools Plus, which suited the needs of our students and wider community. Friendly Schools Plus is an evidence based, internationally and nationally recognised SEL program.

Virtue Awards

Virtues are behaviours, which show the highest moral standards. Starting in 2016, Dianella Heights Primary School will be introducing a reward system, which acknowledges exemplary behaviour around the school. Promoting specific desired behaviours helps promote these positive and desired actions. There are eight virtue focuses for 2016, these include:

1. Friendliness
2. Responsibility
3. Perseverance
4. Tolerance
5. Assertiveness
6. Honesty
7. Cooperation
8. Courage

You will find virtue posters around the school and in classrooms; providing a definition of the virtue and examples of what it looks like in action. Students will be rewarded with a slip acknowledging their positive behaviour and one winner from each phase will be announced at assemblies.

BUILDING A PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY

Improving teacher knowledge through professional learning has been key to achieving continual school improvement. Developing evidence based teaching strategies for all teachers has been a priority with targeted professional learning for teaching and school support staff.  We have developed an extensive three year professional learning plan that includes all of the essential elements for embedding a performance development culture. These include:  highly successful instructional coaching and instructional rounds programs; sharing best practice teaching with schools across the state and interstate; ongoing opportunities for staff collaboration and mentoring and an extensive induction program for new staff members.

A WHOLE SCHOOL ASSESSMENT PROGRAM

The school has developed a whole school approach to assessment including up-skilling staff to understand and implement a range of quality formative and summative assessments. The emphasis has been on developing assessment tools and strategies that assess student progress and which inform future teaching and learning. Teacher judgements about this assessment data is valid, reliable and  informs classroom planning.

A whole school assessment plan and ongoing frequent progress monitoring have been integral to significantly reducing the percentage of students in the bottom 20% of Australian students.

LEADERSHIP PROGRAMS

Student Leadership Opportunities

Senior students at Dianella Heights Primary School are provided with numerous opportunities to develop and display leadership qualities and attributes. Among the opportunities afforded to students are the roles of Student Councillor, Faction Captain or ICT Technician. Senior Teachers, Deputy Principals and the Principal work closely with these students to guide them through their roles and responsibilities to ensure they reach their leadership potential. School Leaders are also encouraged to be proactive, by individually seeking out leadership opportunities and providing recommendations for new school initiatives at regular meetings.

Teacher Leadership Program

The Leadership Team is committed to building a culture of shared leadership within the school. There are opportunities for teachers to take on curriculum leadership and coaching roles. The Associate Principal oversees the development and implementation of a Teacher Leadership program which includes a series of workshops, individual leadership Action Plans and targeted professional learning in the forms of mentoring and coaching to support teachers in their leadership development.