SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) helps students learn the competencies and skills they need to build resilience and effectively manage their emotions, behaviour and relationships with others. Social and Emotional Learning forms part of the Personal and Social Capability within the Victorian Curriculum.

Social and emotional learning involves students having opportunities to learn and practice social skills such as:

cooperation
managing conflict
making friends
coping
being resilient
recognising and managing their own feelings

SEL supports students in becoming creative and confident individuals with a sense of self-worth, self-awareness and personal identity that enables them to manage their emotional, mental, spiritual and physical wellbeing, with a sense of hope and optimism about their lives and the future. On a social level, it helps students to form and maintain healthy relationships and prepares them for their potential life roles as family, community and workforce members.

At Reservoir Views Primary School positive and resilient behaviour is fostered by implementing strategies from the Berry Street Education Model.

The Berry Street Education Model is a trauma-informed positive education initiative. It comprises five domains or pedagogical lenses: Body, Stamina, Engagement, and Character, all anchored by Relationships. Classroom practice and planning are framed by these five domains. Teachers use a range of strategies from these domains to teach resilience and self-regulation so that children are ready for learning. Regular activities include brain breaks, tracking the teacher and mindfulness.

Students learn to recognise their signs of stress (escalation) and practice self-calming such as deep breathing, rhythmic moving and chilling out.

At Reservoir Views PS, we have a dedicated allied health space where our Allied Health team, consisting of a psychologist and a speech pathologist can be located. They work alongside our teaching and support staff to ensure all students are able to access the learning.

Our Allied Health team support our staff by delivering professional development for our staff including behaviour management, specific learning disorders, autism and attention deficits. They also work closely with the students to ensure they are well supported.

We also welcome external Allied Health professionals to come to our school and work with the students. Doing this creates a wholistic approach to the student ensuring they can be the best version of themselves possible.

Aamna Shah - psychologist Atha Kolovos - speech pathologist

If you would like any more information about our Allied Health team, please contact the school.