Teaching and Learning Focus Module Reports

Brisbane 26-27 October 2011
Queensland’s State Project Officer at the time, Jane Taylor travelled to Brisbane to facilitate the Teaching & Learning for Engagement professional development workshop at the Novotel. Twenty eight participants from state, independent and catholic education facilities attended the workshop that highlighted the link between mental health and student learning outcomes. The workshop reflected on the needs of young people and the educational and mental health connections.

S.M.A.R.T. outcomes chosen to work on from the workshop included:

seeing students enjoying and learning in English
Increasing attendance of disengaged students into class
seeing SEL implementation at their school for 2012
providing a Whole Student Approach
encouraging positive feedback & understanding in all situations within their work area.

Mooloolaba 19-20 October 2011
Fifteen participants from eleven educational facilities in the North Coast region of Queensland attended this focus module facilitated by Queensland’s State Project Officer at the time, Jane Taylor at the popular Surf Club in Mooloolaba. The Teaching & Learning for Engagement workshop highlighted the link between mental health and student learning outcomes and explored a range of methodologies to create positive relationships, safe environments and ways to engage students in learning.

Feedback from the workshop included:

‘Really found it invaluable to get a deeper understanding of engagement.’
‘Excellent resources and implementation of strategies.’
‘Invaluable. Wonderful resources, high quality, particularly because of “useable stuff” and referenced information.’

Toowoomba 7–8 June 2011

Eight educational organisations participated in the Teaching and Learning for Engagement Focus Module held at the Downs Club in Toowoomba on June 7 and 8. This two day workshop reflected on the needs of young people, the importance and nature of pedagogies that engage them and the educational and mental health connections.

Feedback included:

‘Wonderful, insightful, refreshing, thank you, one of the best PD’s I’ve been to.’
‘This was a confirmation of my beliefs about Teaching and Learning. This has armed me with ’data‘ and a toolkit.’
‘Very valuable – can take it away, in a realistic sense, with the ability to achieve.’

Mooloolaba 26–27 October 2010
Educators from seven schools with secondary enrolments and the Department of Education attended this focus module facilitated by Queensland’s State Project Officer, Jane Taylor. Held at the Surf Club, the module reflected on the needs of young people, highlighted the link between mental health and wellbeing, and student learning outcomes, and explored a range of methodologies to create positive relationships, safe environments and ways to engage students in learning.

Feedback included:

‘It is a flexible course which is useful for self-development as well as education and many other areas.’
‘This was an excellent PD. Loved how the strategies built upon each other – then repeated for reinforcement.’
‘It was very worthwhile. Thank you. I look forward to sharing this at school.’
‘Valuable. Practical. Useful.’

Brisbane 24-25 August 2010
Twenty-five educators and future educators from schools, colleges, universities and regional education offices attended this session. State Project Officer Jane Taylor highlighted the link between mental health and student learning outcomes, and explored a range of methodologies to create positive relationships, safe environments and ways to engage students in learning.

Participants chose the following topics for further reflection:

how to encourage student independence and assist them to set goals for success
enhancing engagement in the classroom
detecting and dealing with 'STARs'
continuing to create a supportive atmosphere either at home, in the classroom, or in the community
learning to authentically give and take feedback to and from students
initiating staff responses to implementing aspects of MindMatters within the curriculum
building relationships
adapting teaching strategies to the needs of students
focusing on the social and mental needs of students.

Townsville 17-18 August 2010
Jane Taylor facilitated this module reflecting on the needs of young people, the importance and nature of the teaching strategies that engage them, and the links between education and mental health.

Participants chose the following topics for further reflection:

how to engage all children, every day
the social and emotional aspects of learning in a classroom setting
engaging behaviourally challenged students
encouraging schools to consider adopting MindMatters’ approaches.

Ipswich 28-29 July 2010
Participants from educational facilities in Queensland's metropolitan region attended this two-day focus module, which was facilitated by Jane Taylor, State Project Officer for MindMatters in Queensland. This session highlighted the link between mental health and student learning outcomes. A range of methodologies designed to create positive relationships, safe environments, and ways to engage students in learning were discussed.

Feedback included:

that the information was presented in an easy-to-understand manner
that the module added to the skills and knowledge of participants.

Bundaberg 9–10 June 2010

Participants from six educational facilities in the education region of Wide Bay Burnett attended this focus module facilitated by Jane Taylor at the Bert Hinkler Comfort Inn. The module highlighted the link between mental health and student learning outcomes, and explored a range of methodologies to create positive relationships, safe environments and ways to engage students in learning.
Participants at the workshop were asked what outcome they had chosen to work on, and responses included:

mentoring and modelling positive mental health; curriculum mapping into my own program
encouraging others to take on the MindMatters idea in school
a peer-support-type program for a holistic school approach.

Cairns 10–11 March 2010

This workshop, facilitated by Jane Taylor, State Project Officer for MindMatters Queensland, highlighted the link between mental health and student learning outcomes, and explored a range of methodologies to create positive relationships, safe environments, and ways to engage students in learning. Participants travelled from as far as Thursday Island to attend this workshop held at the Rydges Tradewinds.

From the workshop, participants chose the following to work on:

‘Increasing awareness of MindMatters within the school.’
‘Utilising strategies discussed in the workshop.’
‘Staff wellbeing to improve Teaching and Learning for Engagement.’
‘Spreading these fantastic resources and website in a way that people may take this on board or at the very least have in their ‘toolbox’ of resources.’

Yeppoon 23–24 February 2010

Fifteen participants from eight educational facilities in the Fitzroy-Central West region of Queensland attended the two-day workshop at the beautiful Capricorn Resort. This workshop, facilitated by Jill Pearman, National Team Coordinator for MindMatters, highlighted the link between mental health and student learning outcomes and explored a range of methodologies to create positive relationships, safe environments and ways to engage students in learning.

Feedback included:

‘Very inspiring – as a teacher I really can make a difference if I keep trying.’
‘Fantastic. Great to meet other people and discuss. More ideas to take back and use!’
‘Enjoyed it very much. Gave me a lot of effective teaching strategies and opened my eyes to a number of issues students may be dealing with and how to cater for them.’
‘Very relevant, interesting. So good to take back to our school – Superb!’