Practitioners
Julie Winlow
"My
two favourite quotes are from Maurice Balson's book Understanding Classroom
Behaviour. 'Encouragement. It is the subtle giant which is always available
to teachers and so desperately needed by students'. And 'a child needs encouragement
like a plant needs water'."
Background Information
Julie Winlow is assistant principal at Huonville Primary School in Tasmania. She coordinates programs to support children with special needs as well as those children needing extra assistance in literacy and those with challenging behaviours. Julie has worked in special schools, integrated settings, regular classrooms and as a support teacher and a literacy officer.
In 2007 Julie accepted the Rosie Award on behalf of Huonville Primary School for Inclusive Practice from the Australian Association of Special Education (AASE), Tasmanian Chapter.
Julie, what is the Rosie Award?
The award is designed to encourage action research and/or recognise excellence on the part of individuals and schools in building inclusive practice. In 2007 the theme was: Teachers Make It Happen: From Research to Classrooms.
What is it that Huonville Primary School is doing to build inclusive practices?
We - the school community - pride ourselves on the range of programs which assist our special needs children to move through our school in the least restrictive way while enjoying quality education and a friendly inclusive atmosphere. Our special needs students include children on the severe disabilities register, children with significant additional learning needs, and those with challenging behaviours.
Our school motto is learning, caring and sharing. We use this as a values focus for promoting and acknowledging the behaviours we desire.
Also, Huonville is a Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support School, and this approach - also known as SWPBS - underpins and guides what we do.
What is Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support and how did you come to be involved?
The SWPBS approach focuses on reconnecting behaviour, learning and engagement to achieve social and academic competence in students whilst preventing problem behaviour - in other words, teaching students 'what to do' rather than getting caught up in what we want them 'not to do'. It enables us to use evidence-based approaches to help us rethink how we do things so that our systems support all of our students.
I heard about SWPBS in a presentation by George Sugai at a principals' conference in Hobart in 2004. I was captivated by its comprehensive approach and success rate, so when the Education Department called for expressions of interest to participate in Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS), our school jumped at the chance.
What's involved in implementing SWPBS?
SWPBS works by creating multiple behaviour support systems using person-centred values, local data to make decisions, and research-based practices. It requires a three year commitment by the whole school community working through three levels (primary, secondary and tertiary) until a full continuum of student support needs is addressed.
In the first year we sent a leadership team - five members of staff including a teacher aide, principal and support leader - to two days of training that included an overview of PBS and tools for getting started. The team then focussed on Primary Prevention which involves rules, routines, and physical arrangements designed to prevent initial occurrences of problem behaviour. This is the most important facet and it's for everyone, all the time.
Over the next three to five years we will build the remaining systems. Secondary Prevention is designed to provide intensive or targeted interventions to support students who are not responding to Primary Prevention efforts. This usually involves small groups of students or simple individualised intervention strategies. Tertiary Prevention focuses on meeting individual needs of students who are not responding to Primary and Secondary Prevention. It involves the individual and the people who know him/her best all working together to promote positive change.
What have been some of the highlights of the process? What outcomes have you observed?
Students are more aware of the positive behaviours that staff are looking for and go out of their way to demonstrate these. For example, when money is found in the playground, students know that by taking it to the office they will be helping the Tassie Devil facial tumour research appeal and will also be recognised in the newsletter as being honest.
Students are also more supportive of each other. For example, when someone is seen crying, others will gather around to give a 'group hug'.
There has been renewed staff energy for positive behaviour support and thinking about our external and internal learning environments.
What would you say to school communities interested in implementing PBS?
It's a big commitment but a great one to stimulate more positive thinking.
More information...
Schoolwide Positive Behaviour Support http://www.education.tas.gov.au/school/educators/health/
wellbeing/positivebehaviour
Bullying. No way! Schools in action case study: Learning, caring and sharing for all our students.
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