From the Principal's Desk

Every second year the Resurrection School Staff participate in a 2-day Conference. Our 2023 Conference was on May 18th and 19th. These 2 days are invaluable for staff to spend time together to learn and reflect.

This year the Conference focused on Relationships which are central to all that we do and are. During the Conference we built our toolkit and broadened our perspectives about understanding others and their personal journey. Why? As Maya Angelou, an American memoirist, poet, and civil rights activist, wisely said, “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better”. Our aim is to continuously improve ourselves and our work within the Resurrection School community- we are always striving to do better.

The first day of the Conference was led by an expert in trauma-informed practice. Fr Brian led the second day.

Being trauma-informed

According to the Australian Childhood Foundation: Trauma is the emotional, psychological and physiological residue left over from heightened stress that accompanies experiences of threat, violence, and life-challenging events.

Traumatic experiences overwhelm the capacity to cope. That same capacity is influenced by hundreds of personal variables which helps us to understand some of the differences in the way individuals respond to similar levels of trauma or similar traumatising events.

In these circumstances, children are overwhelmed with the internal reactions that race through their brains and bodies. They do anything to survive, not because they want to but because they need to. They may shut down their feelings or push away memories of pain. They might stop relying on relationships around them to protect them or stop trusting and believing in others.

Even after the stressful or traumatic situation has passed, children’s brains and bodies continue to react as if the stress is continuing. They may become self-protective and spend a lot of their energy scanning their environment for threat. Their bodies act as if they are in a constant state of alarm. Their brains are endlessly vigilant.

Trauma experienced during a time of development can have significant impacts. Since children and young people are very vulnerable to the effects of trauma because of their brain’s developmental immaturity.

Trauma-informed practice focuses on how teachers, school- based staff and leaders can better relate to and support the wellbeing and learning of children and young people who have experienced change or trauma.

Schools and teachers play a significant role in students' lives following change/trauma by re-establishing routines and providing a sense of safety, security and belonging.

Attentiveness to student wellbeing and engagement is foundational to ensuring that students have an opportunity to learn. Significant change and/or traumatic events can create a marked disruption to learning continuity and student wellbeing. Trauma-informed practice guides teachers to reflect on their teaching practice to better support students who may have experienced trauma. There are valuable classroom practices that can help to manage the effects of trauma by fostering supportive and responsive learning environments where students feel safe. It is important to consider the ways in which the regular routines for learning can be established and maintained for students.

As a whole staff we now know more about trauma and its impact, so we can work together using this knowledge, especially with children and adults who have experienced any form of trauma.

At Resurrection School, wellbeing is central to all that we do.

Please contact the school if you need support at any time.

Jane Dunstone

PRINCIPAL