Professional Learning Record

By: Karen Kehoe

Date: Sept 14 2021

Title: CSL- Community Service Learning

Presenter: Ama Ouattara

Description: 30 hours community service optional program

Learning Key Points: Sign up starts sept 15- Courriel: aouattar@uottawa.ca

Telephone: (613) 562-5800 (ext. 1730)

Date: Sept 14 2021

Title: OPHEA@OpheaCanada Twitter, Facebook, Instagram

Presenter: Andrea Haefele (she/her) andrea@ophea.org

Description: Physical learning even when online

Learning Key Points: Resources to help incorporate physical learning and movement
into classes – www.ophea.net

Date: Sept 14 2021

Title: Indigenous Walks

Presenter: Jaime Mors

Description: Tours through Ottawa

Learning Key Points: Check @IndigenousWalks in IG and Twitter and FB Indigenous

Walking Tours
Date: Sept 14 2021

Title: TVO Digital Resources

Presenter: outreach@tvo.org

Description: Digital Learning opportunity for students

Learning Key Points: Learning Activities that include reading comprehension. Link to
the Grade 2 Reading Learning Activities on TVO Learn:
https://tvolearn.com/pages/grade-2-language-reading-learning-activity-1

TVO Math & Coding bit.ly/TVOMathCoding TVO

mPower -https://tvompower.com
TVO Mathify - https://tvomathify.com

Date: Sept 28 2021

Title: Ontario Teacher Federation (OTF)

Presenter: Jeffery Barber

Description: Represents teachers voices, acts in benefit of teachers

Learning Key Points: https://www.otffeo.on.ca/en/

OTF website – https://www.otffeo.on.ca/en/

OTF Curriculum Forum – access to 50+ subject and division associations:

https://www.otffeo.on.ca/en/services/curriculum-forum/

Survive & Thrive website for teacher candidates & beginning teachers –
www.survivethrive.on.ca

Safe@School website on bullying prevention, equity and inclusion –

https://www.safeatschool.ca/

Parent Engagement – www.parentengagement.ca

InspireFinancial Learning – www.inspirefinancialliteracy.ca
OTF Connects live webinars “for teachers by teachers” –
https://www.otffeo.on.ca/en/learning/otf-connects/

Date: Sept 28 2021

Title: College of Teachers

Presenter: Bruno Mezzi

Description: Ontario Elementary Board

Learning Key Points:

If ever misconduct charge, contact them.

- never touch a student (exeptions, high five)

-never be alone with a student (have door open, face them with a boundary like a
table between you)
-review your school board’s policy on touching, like hugs
-social media- keep professional, never friend a student or parent
-OTF website – https://www.otffeo.on.ca/en/
-OTF Facebook page: facebook.com/otffeo
-OTF Twitter handles – @otffeo, @otf_pd , @OTFpresFEO
-OTF YouTube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkcSWDBDWNmFvv-QsvokCPw
-Special Education Gateway – www.teachspeced.ca
-OTF Curriculum Forum – access to 50+ subject and division
associations: https://www.otffeo.on.ca/en/services/curriculum-forum/
-Survive & Thrive website for teacher candidates & beginning teachers –
www.survivethrive.on.ca
-Safe@School website on bullying prevention, equity and inclusion
https://www.safeatschool.ca/
-Parent Engagement – www.parentengagement.ca
-OTF Connects live webinars “for teachers by teachers”
https://www.otffeo.on.ca/en/learning/otf-connects
-Inspire Financial Learning inspirefinacialliteracy.ca

Date: October 12 2021

Title:OCT- Ontario College of Teachers

Presenter: Steph Anne and Ryan Reyes

Description: Regulatory board of teachers. Works in public interest

Learning Key Points:

-Accountability and transparency standards, certification, accreditation, discipline

Oct.ca → apply now to become a member and get the information
scholarship opportunity – january, under becoming a teacher tab
416-961-8800, 1888-534-2222, email: info@oct.ca

Date: Oct 12 2021

Title: The Mentoree

Presenter: Teri Rubinoff

Description: Supportive mentoring community

Learning Key Points: Thementoree.com @thementoree

Date: Oct 12 2021

Title: Ontario Elementary Catholic Teachers Association (OAECTA)

Presenter: n/a

Description: Take care of ourselves, mental health is important, outlook is important

Learning Key Points: Well being- physical, social, economic, emotional, psychological,
life satisfaction

Ted talk- Rita Peirson: take care of ourselves to be able to take care of our students
Mental Health supports – 211, crisis lines, Mental health for teachers

Date: October 21 2021

Title: OCSB

Presenter: Julian Daher julian.daher@ocsb.ca

Description: Leveraging Digital with Accessibility in mind

Learning Key Points: Using tech to empower students and have multiple entry points
for learning

5 tech tools: Book creator, pear deck, Equatio, Read and Write for Google Chrome,
Google Forms

Date: November 9 2021

Title: UOttawa Relational Pedagogy

Presenter: Shari Orders sorders@uottawa.ca

Description: Relational Pedagogy

Learning Key Points:

-Fostering relationships while instructing

-high control and high support needed in classroom = restorative – low control high
support is a permissive environment, low control low support is neglectful, low support
high control is punitive.

- Restorative practice: those in positions of authority do things with them, rather than
to them or for them.

-1. listening – active listening, empathetic listening

- circles powerful for encouraging communication and sharing. High and low risk
questions to ask
2. Cultivating Empathy – fuels connection
- Brene Brown on Empathy – amazing video
-children’s book – Tough Guys (have feelings too)
3. Conflict Resolution – conflict can lead to new opportunities and greater
understandings.
-Restorative Questioning “what happened” (chart in pictures with more questions) can
lead to students being able to talk about it more. Restorative Justice -
Restorative Practice in demand in schools
- Ted Talk Dr Brene Brown “The Power of Vulnerability” – Daring Classroom
Second Year Elective- PED Creating Healthy Safe and Supportive Learning
Environments – open to all cohorts and divisions
Date: November 9 2021

Title: OCDSB – Student Achievement Through Equity (SATE) Inquiry

Presenter: Chantel Smith and Jessica Munharvey Chantel.smith@ocdsb.ca

Jessica.munharvey@ocdsb.ca

Description: The belief in every student’s success

Learning Key Points:

-School, family, and greater community supporting students

- dismantling internal and external prejudices
-get comfortable about being uncomfortable – these conversations are hard but
necessary
-SATE is in 11 schools in the public board in Ottawa so far

Date: November 16 2021

Title: Grow! Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Educator toolkit

Presenter: Janelle Abela janelle@diversesolutions.ca

Description: Learn.unlearn.com

Learning Key Points: Educator toolkit

Date: November 16 2021

Title: Teacher Student Relationships and why they matter and why they work

Presenter: David Smith, UOttawa

Description: Key elements to creating successful relationships

Learning Key Points:

Attachment theory- level of sensitivity and attunement of care-giving – secure

attachment vs insecure (anxious, avoidant, disorganized)
-self determination theory- 3 basic needs, autonomy, competence, and relatedness.
Fosters volition, motivation, engagement, results in enhanced performance,
persistence, creativity
-academic performance is directly correlated to teacher student relationships
- mental health and well-being of students
- also benefits the teachers mental health
– studies show that teachers value relationships with students over those with their
fellow teachers
-negative interactions with students amplify negative emotional experience with
teachers – in long term can lead to emotional exhaustion and burnout

Date: Jan 18, 2022

Title: Managing Violent situations in schools

Presenter: Julie Guevremont

Description: A brief overview of teachers’ rights and responsibilities

Learning Key Points:

How to manage violent situations in schools - legislative, reporting, and some ways to
manage in practice. This is an overview.

No 2 situations are alike. debriefing can help you and your colleagues be better
prepared for the next time. Rise in violence during the pandemic - led to disregulated
behaviours and students expressing themselves through violence. There is an
incredible rise in suspensions in high schools since the start of the pandemic. study
has found that women teachers are more likely to face violence in the schools. This
needs to be considered when looking for solutions. School boards - have an online
reporting systems and training. Workplace violence in school boards - report in slides
that will be important to go through. If a student is violent - it needs to be reported and
is documented in OSR. If a staff member gets hurt at work - it needed to be reported.
Before an incident - how can you be prepared? - each school needs to complete a
risk assessment. Need to find out where the hazards are in the building. People can
be a hazard. Who to ask for help or how to get help? - Introduce yourself to the
teachers and admin. Practice how you would react - there is no perfect way. If there is
a safety plan it is important that you follow that safety play. Try to keep calm. Try to
diffuse the situation. acknowledge persons feeling. evacuate students. Make sure
that other students are safe. Talk with them after to help manage feelings. Younger
students - distraction can be a possible de-escalation strategy. Case study 1 - how do
you report it? forms if you have been hurt safe schools form - to document violence of
student.

Date: Jan 18. 2022

Title: Positive Classroom Learning Environment that incorporates class management

Presenter: Gerry Mikalauskas and Christopher Mes

Description: Practical strategies to support classroom management

Learning Key Points:

If you have a positive classroom environment - the end result is student success.

Classroom culture and creating a positive learning environments - your lesson is

worthless without positive environment

Underlying beliefs - all students can succeed, classroom teachers are key for
curriculum and building cohesion, each child has his/her own learning patterns,
classroom teacher needs to support the entire learning community, fairness is not
sameness.

Is your classroom caring? - do you help all students, do you listen to them, do
students care for others, do you create positive learning opportunities (important
questions to consider) creating a welcoming atmosphere sets the stage for learning.
How can you do this? Take into consideration your classroom space - collaboration,
work independently, self-regulation, student movement, student voice, use of
technology, teacher contact (not always concerning learning materials), flexible
seating, vertical spaces for sharing. Importance of greeting your students - What if
you say “I’m happy to see you” instead of good morning. Or something else that is
more personal - what connections can you make to the person. Good morning time -
is a good time to gauge the mood of your students. Is a good time to gather
information for student profile. Helps you have a good understanding of where your
students are coming from. Physical environment is also important - display student
work (so each student feel is important to the development of class), clean walls,
plants, great resources, posters, anchor charts, seating arrangements, learning
centres, inquiry based learning opportunities, vertical learning spaces/flexible seating.
Be welcoming, group cohesiveness. Always role model the behaviours that you want
Get away from teacher centred learning and move toward interactive and
student-centred learning encourage risk-taking and creativity by supporting growth
mindset. accepting all assessment is worthwhile - choice in how students demonstrate
understanding can go a long way. Encouraging student movement so important to
help and support learning. SEL - social emotional learning - learning to self-regulate. It
all comes down to how can I help my students learn. Questions for students (student
success) - Do students know their learning goals? Do you get it? How can you
improve? Do students know where to get help? → Do you have learning goals that
are available for students so they know what they are learning? Ask yourself
corresponding questions so that you know there is an opportunity for student success.
If your classroom is engaging - you will minimize disruptions. Progressive discipline.
Classroom management - set rules and regulations - co-construction allows
buy-in, consistency, fair but firm - respect for all students, follow through, parental
contact, remember you are the adult. Establish contact with parents in the first 2rk for
future conversati weeks - make it positive! so you have groundwoons. Use physical
cues/prompts, reinforce positive behaviour, get students attention before giving
attention, modulate voice/tone, be prepared , arrange class to maximize learning,
remove distractions and use humour.

Date: January 25 2022

Title: Supporting English Language Learners

Presenter: The Ministry of education - Curriculum, Assessment and Student Success

Policy Branch

Description: Provide an overview for TC of the Ontario Ministry of Education policies

and initiatives that support English language learners in Ontario’s publicly funded
schools

Learning Key Points:

Data from 2011: knowledge of ELL is essential to teaching practice. English language
learner policy 2007 - policy was created. Supported development and implementation
for school boards to meet needs of ELL. ELL- learning language at the same time as
other curriculum elements. Ontario set a definition for ELL - first language is language
other than learning. May require focused educational supports to assist them in
attaining proficiency in English. ELL - 2 broad categories - Born in Canada or born in
another country. First language or home language - refers to the language spoken at
home between family/community members. Need to see this as an asset/resource.
Need to learn about the linguistic diversity in the classroom - several strategies for this
in the slides. 2 programs - english as a second language program and english literacy
development program. ESL- programs - could be born in Canada or outside - First
language - have been able to develop appropriate first language literacy skills. ELD
students are newcomers to Canada. Students may have limited opportunities to
develop language skills. Have had limited access to formal education. Wait time is
very important when students are learning new language - to allow for process time.
Accomodations do not always meet the needs of ELL. Need to know who they are
first. It generally takes 5-7 years for ELLs to become proficient in new language. Day
to day language comes within the first year/two. But academic language and more
complex concepts come later (chart in slides of the key differences between everyday
language and academic language). Accommodations - not changing or adapting
grade level expectations. Making changes to assessment strategies, instructional
strategies, and learning resources. Modifications- adjustments to expectations andor
performance criteria (for beginning ELL). Steps to English Proficiency (STEP) -
support classroom teachers in knowing the learners - Is an ongoing assessment
resource to support classroom teachers.

Date: February 1, 2022

Title: So you think you can’t write?

Presenter: Shyam Patel

Description: Interactive and shared writing to put the groove back into the writers
workshop

Learning Key Points:

Basics: What is writing

● Balanced Literacy - phonics based reading vs whole language. Phonics is how

does the letters go with the sounds. And then are decoding. Whole language -
authentic reading opportunities. focus on comprehension
● Balanced literacy - is balance of 2 sides. Includes whole group, small groups,
individual and teacher directed. Includes reading, writing, word work, medial
literacy, oral language goes around all of it. You should be doing all of these.
These areas work in tandem
● Writing - modelled writing, interactive or shared writing, guided writing,
independent writing
● Guiding writing - occurs in small groups usually with students who are having
difficulty
● Independent writing should be happening every day
● The writers workshop - it is framed by the idea that students write best when
they do so frequently
● Writers workshop: mini lesson (10-15 mins MAX) using modelled writing or
guided writing,

● Mini lesson: Connection (the opening of the mini lesson where you remind
students of previous days teaching point ex: adding details to the work - and
then you mention new teaching point. Teaching point might be the same for the
entire week ex: might do WHAT, WHO etc - each question on each day), teach
(you need a teaching strategy - if you are teaching strategy of spelling - you
might tell students of stretching out words - you might model it first. “C-A-T” OR
we look at our word wall words. Why do we need to do this? Teaching is the
WHY we do this strategy), active engagement, link (restate the teaching point)
● Writing workshop - 45 mins is recommended but can do 20mins if that is what
you have time for.
● Definitions
● Assessment should come first - in the first week or so. feel out where their
writing is at. What are they struggling with? What do you need to prioritize

● You need the writing process (what students are doing - editing, publishing etc.
You brainstorm one day (mini lesson), then next is on drafting, publishing ect.
What are you focusing on?) and the writing skill (the component of writing or an
element of writing - like main idea.
● writing strategy - is how you teach them to work on a skill - like stretching out a
word. Or writing skill is organizing- so sentence starters might be what you look
at. Strategy might be first, second, and last.
● interactive writing: teacher and students come up with ideas together. Both the
teacher and students act as scribes, students can share the pen in this
process.
● interactive writing - you are sharing the pen
● shared writing - teacher is the one who scribes but you are thinking together
● A gradual release of responsibility - the teacher writing to model, then jump into
shared and interactive writing. This helps to build confidence in students)
● Video - Interactive writing kindergarten beginning of the year
● candy - 30 seconds and they are all hooked
● students are participating and engaging in some way. helping to write on the
board and also writing with their fingers. Follow along with fingers
 ● Might want to have mini whiteboards so every student should be writing at the
same time.
● Might have wanted to use drawing - how do you start thinking about the topic
you have introduced. Draw about, label it etc
● Video: Whole group writing in PreK: Shared writing about sand

● what makes it shared writing - students to the talking and sharing, teacher does
the writing. She asked a specific student - differentiation - she may have asked
particular student for a reason. This comes across as a brainstorm
● JR classroom - might want it to be interactive writing, less phonics
● How do you connect all of this to reading?: you can make connections to
stories you have read etc…

● Video: shared reading followed by shared writing (title: first grade interactive
(writing ). Teacher read a book and the book is used to springboard interactive
writing.
● Idea: if you read about it - you are writing about it. It can launch topic or writing
skills (from the writing rubric)
● strategy: Message Time Plus (THIS IS A TRAINING - something to look up) -
writing with students and then reading with students. Shared reading and
writing at the same time
● Some ideas: Morning meetings - with a morning message - shared writing if
you are short on time and you can do interactive writing during writers
workshop. Practice phonics - can someone come up and circle a word that
rhymes with…, find a word within a word, → make it fun and engaging
● Notetaking or scribing - think science - ex: living and non-living ideas where
students give you ideas and you write or that students come up to write

Date: February 1, 2022

Title: Best Teaching Practices for Multimodal Learning: Online Teaching and Learning

Presenter: Krystina Raymond, Zein Abuosbeh, Michelle Chin, and Diana Burchell

Description: Online Teaching

Learning Key Points:

Concerns around language development during online learning. Identify target words
(word wall)

● Explicit instruction - provide definitions, provide examples, discuss, allow time

● Use audio/visual aids - pictures and gestures, songs
● Think, pair, share - create questions or short stories and provide questions.
Have them discuss it with each other. This can be oral or written activity.
● How to plan an effective intervention for students who are behind their peers in
their language abilities. Explicit instruction one one or 2 phonological
awareness skill
● Small groups help students learn from each other
● Response to intervention - Tier 1 (core classroom instruction) - targeted small
group instruction (tier 2), Tier 3 - Intensive individual intervention - clinical team
or outside support)
● Strategies to support struggling readers - make sure that the child can hear
what you are saying, point out different letter combinations (chart on slides)
● Teach words that children know meaning
● Assess children in kindergarten in first language, begin phonologically
based interventions for struggling readers immediately, use first language
during early intervention, monitor children’s progress and adjust support
accordingly, collaborate with school personnel in implementing the intervention,
take advantage of opportunities for professional development
● timing rhyming interventions - daily for 3-4 weeks - syllable interventions (daily
1-2 week)
● syllable segmentation examples for complex words - can be a useful strategy

● oral language - using oral language assessment can be very effective for some
students
● Skills you develop in oral language - conversation, narrative
expository/procedural
● In person - students talk more, Online - students talk less. If you are evaluating
conversation they may not be speaking as much online. Online students were
using shorter sentences
● Narratives seem to be the most reflective of in person language skills

Date: Feb 8, 2021

Title: Mental Health and Well-being

Presenter: Sandy Yep, Paul Nalli, Virginia Rutledge

Description: Increase confidence related to mental health and well-being

Learning Key Points:

A specific image comes into mind that might actually be closer to mental illness

Mental health is a positive state that we need to nurture just like physical health

● impacts overall experience in school and in life

● You are a caring adult. Early interventions lead to better outcomes.
● Sometimes you need to wait for students to be ready for your support.
● Recognize that everyone has been going through the last 2 years, and the
situation is still unfolding.
● How can I lead and teach with compassion. Listen to what they are saying and
what they are not saying.
● Let students know that you are grateful for them.
● Learning environment is the third teacher
● What is the role of schools?
● A caring adult at school is often the first to notice a change in students.
● Parents and teachers who take care of themselves are better able to take care
of their children and students
● Sometimes educations view it as equity or the curriculum instead of equity in
the curriculum.
● Social emotional learning is now in the mathematics and health and physical
education curriculum
● Culturally responsive social-emotional learning - Authentically caring about
every child in your classroom.
● Students don’t care what you know until they know that you care. It all comes
down to caring.

Date: September 22 2022

Title: Hiring Process- How Do I Get a Job?

Presenter: David Hogg - dhogg@uottawa.ca - Email him if any questions, or to look
over your professional resume

Description: Interviewing and teaching resume

Learning Key Points:

● Will have many interviews in this process to permanent position

● Update teaching resume
● Have to practice being interviewed to get good at it. Practice with friends
● Always thank them after the interview
● Leave everything on the table, only get 1 shot, say everything
● Apply/interview for OT list, then repeat for LTO list
● Get experience with kids- extracurriculars, tutoring, volunteer
● If something positive or negative happens, jot it down for interview examples
● Don’t be late, for deadlines too. Deadline submitted 1 wk before, interview 30
mins early
● Don’t put same thing in 2 spots on resume. Extracurriculars go with experience
at schools
● Put ATs as references. Ask first. Someone else in school, someone you
volunteered with, Profs if they saw you teach
● Practicum under work experience, experience with kids after, kids camps etc
● Anyone who has seen you teach = good reference, strongest choice
● Other work experience at bottom
● Be confident in what you say
● Don’t say “very difficult”, use “high energy”, variety of personalities
● I believe in kids, in giving them every opportunity to be successful → examples
instead of “I’m good at classroom management”
● Put pony club volunteering on, still relevant to being with kids
● Don’t use students names in interview, just say a student in grade x
● Differentiation is huge- show examples in your lessons
● Bring printed lesson plans to the interview
● Practicum reports valuable as well. Just the final one
● Send whatever needed 1 wk before interview
● Positive learning environment - still rules but positive reinforcement and
support - not negative discipline

Date: September 22 2022

Title: 4 Seasons of Behaviour

Presenter: Bruce Hoey - author of Creating Positive Behaviour: 1 Tip at a Time

Contact: creating.positive.behaviour@gmail.com

Description: Classroom management and set up for success

Learning Key Points:

● 1st season = heaviest season - Sept-Oct

● Who, What, When- Who are your students? Talk to admin, past teachers, EAs
custodians, LSR
● Be mindful to take negativity with a grain of salt. Ask about positives as well.
Mental Health struggles? FInd out about family, phone call to introduce
yourself. Ask when behaviours happen, 1st thing? Transitions?
● Have class meeting - introduction, talking piece (meaningful, needs to carry
respect). Get to know them, let them know you, expectations, building
community
● Circle- let them sit where they want. Set clear expectations with talking piece.
Ask them: their interests, what are you looking forward to? Tell me something
you are scared of
● Let them know a little about you too, your interests. Be a part of the circle
● Expectations for the class, make together at class meeting
● Weekly class meetings, check ins, talk about upcoming things
● Allow passing for anxious kids
● 90% of teaching is relationships
● Kids don’t learn from people they don’t like - Rita Pierson Ted Talk
● Instead of marking a test out of 20, -18, mark as +2 - reward the success
● Building clear expectations - lining up, raising hand, follow
instructions/directions, being respectful, being a good helper, work/play safely,
keep work area tidy, stay in your work area, work quietly (define for them, no
talking, whispering, quiet voice), practice practice practice (do it over and over -
lining up, noise level)
● Have helpers- high fliers love helping
● Call home- find something positive to tell parent within first 3 weeks
● Build parent relationship at beginning, you might need them later - ask them
their preferred contact method
● Transitions - should always be treated as separate activity
● Step 1- give warnings and clear expectations. This is where we are
going/doing, this is what it should look like, have student explain or show
● Step 1- follow through with the transitions
● Step 3- give feedback (repeat if needed)
● 2nd season: November/December (1st season is most challenging)
● Physical Environment
● Black background, items pop in foreground
● Only have relevant items on the walls
● Be cautious of too much colour/stuff. Unless referring to, don’t have mantras or
extras
● Setting up room- display student work, mantras you refer to often, avoid clutter,
colours (simple, avoid having too many), visual aids (take down ones not
using), natural light (don’t cover windows), bulletin boards (solid colour with
solid border)
● Alternative lighting- turn off fluorescents, have lamps and windows
● What drives behaviour? Everything has a reason. Sick? Hungry? Struggling
with a subject? Family struggles? Bullying? Society (racism?)? Go after the
reason, not the behaviour
● Holidays: High fliers may have school as their safe space- losing that for 2
weeks. Any events at community centre? Remember different cultures have
different traditions.
● Mental health critical for students/colleagues over holidays. Say to everyone I
am excited to see you when you get back. Coming back after, excited to see
you, and to get started with the new year together.
● Coming back after- back to basics. Class meeting again. Refresh expectations
from September
● Your classroom = your turf. Lower your tone, circulate the classroom, clear
expectations. Stay calm. Meet at door to set the expectation for entering the
room
● Rob Plevin- “The Noisy Classroom”
● 4 voice levels: 4 =outside 3=table talk 2=partner talk/whisper 1=no talk. Have
them practice the levels
● Have recess toolbox for indoor recess - lego, building blocks, board games,
clay, variety of toys
● Week before March Break= toughest week. Keep your structure. Any free
camps over the break?
● April/June- Spring Cleaning. Get rid of unnecessary things. Seating Plan
change - semi circle with seats on inside. Turn around for work, everyone
facing out.
 ● 30 minute challenge for teacher- only use nonverbal prompts- thumbs up, facial
expression, modelling
● May- plant seeds for September –.> if you know your students next year, start
getting to know them
● May/June- Don’t stop now. Don’t lose structure. Transitions and expectations
cannot waver. Don’t forget to smile, stay positive

Date:

Title:

Presenter:

Description:

Learning Key Points:

Date: November 10 2022

Title: Creating positive behaviour - 1 tip at a time

Presenter: Bruce Hoey

Description: Behaviour first aid

Learning Key Points:

● It starts with relationships

● 95 percent of being a teacher
● Difference between being the best in the world and the best for the world
● Video- student tapping in class. Teacher spoke to him after class, maybe you
are a drummer, goes on to be a professional drummer
● No student wants to be bad
○ External factors, mental health, physical health, peer pressure, gangs,
hunger, etc
● Mental health- kids have stress too. So much could be going on, “teenage
brain” brain is not fully developed, so behaviour is not a rational decision. Add
mental illness to that, and it escalates from there
● ODD - resist being controlled, argues with adults, loses temper easily and
often, defiant with an audience, sees direction as controlling, angry, resentful,
spiteful, blames others, unwilling to accept blame, positive reinforcement is
perceived as manipulation, stubborn, unwilling to compromise, persistent in
testing limits, is very bright, often related to other mood disorders (ADHD,
anxiety).
○ Cautions to avoid- responding emotionally, don’t match energy, Trying to
convince them, threatening (if you make a threat, there MUST be follow
through), increasing consequences, having interactions in front of an
audience, remaining in talking with them too long
○ Strategies: build relationships, target interests, simple directives (we
need to go the office, if you want I’ll go with you), offer choices (2), be
brief and direct, walk away and break eye contact (maintained eye
contact will result in a power struggle and no one wins), deflect blame,
quiet reinforcement, use CPS to ‘fix it’ rather than a consequence, use
non verbals
● Anxiety- affects people of all ages and social backgrounds, often described as
an emotion caused by unidentifiable dangers that often pose no threat, a small
amount is realistic for children and adolescents, often hereditary, estimated that
half of children and adolescents with anxiety suffer from other mental health
disorders such as OCD, depression and PTSD
○ Don’t have the student not do something because they are anxious
about it, show them how to do it in an attainable way. Build confidence
● Video- the cycle of anxiety. - cycle of avoidance. 1. Anxiety, develop symptoms
of anxiety. 2. Avoidance, symptoms get too much so we avoid, physical
avoidance, emotional avoidance 3. Short term relief from anxiety- by avoiding,
symptoms go away. Relief is short lived and has consequences 4. Long term
anxiety growth- by avoiding long term, anxiety goes from mild to moderate to
extreme. The more you avoid, the more likely you are to avoid again and again
○ Every time you face a fear, and it is a success, you grow and anxiety
lessens. Start small and build up, and you can overcome your anxiety.
● Anxiety strategies
○ Patience, positive, accepting and pressure free environment, relaxation
and meditation, role playing in small groups with trusted people/peers,
worry box (can be a personal one or a class jar), distraction (count how
many blue things there are on the wall), exercise, medication (does not
work alone, need strategies as well for success), acknowledge feelings
(and answer questions without lingering on them or taking them
personally)
● Non compliant student
 ○ Refuses to work, questions the educator, ignores prompts
○ Pick your battles. Is the student disrupting others? Can anybody get
hurt?
● Video- de-escalation technique for parents/teachers. Mirror and match.
○ Use your body to mirror. Mirror neurons to help both of you feel calmer.
○ Big feeling matched with big feeling. Big posture, open palms. Validates
the feelings they are having, but not being confrontational. Words can be
calm, but your body gets big. As you connect, slowly relax your body
and hopefully their body also softens and the goal is to get smaller and
smaller. Eventually sit down and then if they are able to sit with you then
you are 2 people talking and you can get to the root of the problem
○ Mirror matching also builds relationships. It may take time to
de-escalate, but it helps validate their feelings and calm them
● Addressing behaviour in front of an audience-
○ Attention seeking students - we are giving them centre stage
○ Anxiety students- will harm relationship
○ Defiance students - now you have an audience too, you have entered a
battle that no one wins and others witness this power struggle
● How do you take a student out of a classroom? If you have to call admin, call
admin. Have them teach your class and you take the student into the hall to
de-escalate
● Use non-threatening words
○ I need your help… I need you to… I want to help you… I’m not angry
with you
● Give options. Never more than 2 choices, more it becomes a negotiation
● Be brief when responding - give time and space for them to process what you
are saying, use positive language (can be positive non verbal, humour but not
sarcasm), break eye contact. Let awkward silence ride, ask them a question
and wait for a response. They will eventually respond.
● Plan A, do this now, plan B park it do it later, plan C call them out, I have
noticed this, what is that about?
● Dr Ross Green - CPS
● Take home messages: 1. Pick your battles 2. Avoid the audience 3. Offer
choices 4. Choose your wording
● This is a guide. This will not work for every student. These are just tools for
your toolbox
● The acting out child :
○ Increase in these today after being online for so long
● Determine the external factors- time of day, transition time, during class time
● Remove the audience - students are scared that others are going to be hurt.
 ○ Try to remove a few students at a time if possible. If not safe, then you
have to take the risk of it escalating by evacuating everyone at once
● Call for help. One system: Red card in class, student runs it to next class over,
teacher there knows to call for help for that other teacher. Could be behaviour
or medical
● Stay calm - give the student time to vent. Take a step back (give us time to plan
a strategy), think about words to use, don’t get emotional
● For safety’s sake- remain 1.5 metres away. Have an exit. Do not block the
student’s exit, do not close the door on them.
○ None of us come to work to get hurt
● Connect, correct, contain. The three C’s
● If BMS training available, take it - behaviour system management
● De-escalate 1 step at a time. “I am not angry with you”, “ I can see that you are
upset” “I really want to understand that”
○ Mirror and match technique, give processing time, limit your talking
● When the student calms.
○ Use non-threatening directives.
○ They know they are in trouble and in a hole. Help them get out of it
○ “The classroom needs to be cleaned up, if you want I will help you”
● Take home message:
○ Remove the audeint
○ Get help
○ Allow the student to vent
○ Mirror and match
○ Help the student out of the hole
○ Don’t forget to debrief - these can be emotional. Day of, acknowledge it
happened but do not debrief that day. Go home, reset, 24 hour rule.
Debrief next day.

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Date:

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