IER Reform - Crystal Tuazon Homebush West PS

25th October 2022 - SDD Twilight

Inclusive, Engaging, Respectful Schools Reform and Policy Implementation

Focus: Inclusive Language Language Matters

Member Notes
Aoife What interested me? Terms used in the past are offensive and
may cause negative outcomes in the future. Such terms are
disabled, handicapped, special needs. Use a person with a
disability rather than disabled person. The empowerment of
inclusive language. Use of person first language I.e. Ava, a student
who is deaf.

What challenged me?

Understanding and using the appropriate terms without negative
connotations for the student, some terms used in Ireland are
different to Australia. Being aware of the language I use with
students and with parents.

Implications for my professional learning include…

Learn more about Social model of disability, further PL on inclusive
language so as a school we are using the same language.

Implications for my practice include…

Being aware of how I speak and the terms I use. Try to use the
student's name more rather than focusing on their disability. Get to
know my students and their passions first. Ask students and
parents what inclusive language they prefer. Embedding inclusive
language in professional dialogues, meetings programming etc.

Carolyn What interested me?

● Inclusive language is respectful
○ Communicating that is accessible and respectful
● Apply inclusive language principles (Not specific phrases)
● We need to model language to our students to create
○ Students mirror your language and behaviours
● ‘Person with a disability’ - Your disability doesn’t define you
● Get to know student first then how they engage with their
disability second.
● Avoid - special needs (implies they are inspiring because of
their disability)
○ They are not object of pity
○ Subconscious has negative connotations
● Be confident when talking to students with disabilities.
● Medical model - “what is wrong with this person” (The
 IER Reform - Crystal Tuazon Homebush West PS

problem is them)
● Social model - removes barriers to support people with
disabilities to exercise choice and have control of their lives
(We create barriers for them)
● “People first language”
What challenged me?
● We can ask students/parents about what language they
would like us to use.
● Really interesting to consider how the use of the phrase
‘special needs’ is actually not as inclusive as we think.
● #Notspecialneeds (They need education - is that special?)
● Our worlds can include or exclude.
● If we don’t use the word ‘disability’, there is an assumption
that it is a shameful word.
● Disability is NOT inability
Implications for my professional learning include…
● Complete further PL on embedding inclusive language as
part of classroom culture.
Implications for my practice include…
● Incorporate a strength-based approach with all students
● Find ways to develop student’s internal motivation
● Don’t make any assumptions of their competence and
capabilities

Deanna What interested me?

Respectful, promotes acceptance, communicates values,
empowers and is dynamic.
Our students mirror our language and behaviour! We play a pivotal
role for ALL our students. Language does matter!
Use a person with a disability. Your disability is not your identity.
They are a person first. Get to know the person.
Each person is different - get to know the person
Encourage the student to speak for themselves.
Don’t make assumptions - ask.
Strengths based and accessible
“I am not wheelchair bound, my wheelchair is an enabler” - People
are more than their disability. Don’t make assumptions.
Disability is not inability.

What challenged me?

Social Model of disability - removes barriers
Medical Model
#NotSpecial Needs informative video.
It is our job to listen.

Implications for my professional learning include…

Further PL to upskill to improve outcomes for students.

Implications for my practice include…

 IER Reform - Crystal Tuazon Homebush West PS

Learn from and with the students about how to best support them.
Check with families and students about appropriate language (what
language they would prefer).
Principles of inclusive practice.
Give students a voice.

Tiffany What interested me?

● Positive language = respectful, promotes acceptance,
communicates values, empowers and is dynamic
● Accessibility/accessible
● Person with a disability (person/people first, then the
disability) or even use their name
● Teachers need to model the right behaviour/language used
● Adapt learning needs
● Understand and know the student
● Be confident
● Be empathetic (how they feel)
● Encourage students with a disability to give it a try
● Exercise choice
● Medical model saying that they are the problem but the
social model is that it is the barrier
● Don’t make assumptions
● Strengths based
● Encourage the student to speak for themselves
● Be conscious of the language used!
● Needs -> requirements = speech is a form of action to use
the correct language
What challenged me?
● Modecial model vs the social model
● Consistency on using the correct language (how people with
a disability feel) - odd incorrect terms are still being used.
● People praising people with a disability for what is
seen/done as normal. Eg. Going to university
● Disability not inability
Implications for my professional learning include…
● Principles of inclusive practise (6 statements)
Implications for my practice include…
● Use and model the correct term when talking about or with
people with a disability = create a sense a of acceptance,
appreciating the person for who they are
● Continue with growth mindset for the students to give it a go
● Strength based

Crystal What interested me?

- Change in language from ‘disabled’ to ‘accessible’
- Use language such as ‘Person with…’ > always think of the
person first then the disability.
- Every student has learned to adapt to their disability in a
 IER Reform - Crystal Tuazon Homebush West PS

different way.
- Get to know the person first and how they learnt to adapt to
their disability differently.
- Strengths based + accessible
- Italian Down Syndrome Commercial - great concept

What challenged me?

- Medical Model vs Social Model
- Not disabled by their impairments but by the world
around them.
- Not “wheelchair bound” but it is an enabler to life.
- Opposite site - not condescending when they do
‘ordinary’ things.
- Agency - Ask students what language they would prefer
- Parents - Ask parents what language they use
- Social - Deliverable language
- Curriculum - Individual goals
- Workforce Capability - Professional learning
- System Inclusion - Embedding language in programs etc

Implications for my professional learning include…

- Read and upskill in policies and procedures -
- Disability Standards of Education
- National Disability Strategy
- Convention on Rights of Persons with Disability
- DoE Disability Strategy

Implications for my practice include…

- Thinking about the ways that students have adapted to their
disability and learning to support them at point of need e.g.
physical disabilities in current class.

Steve ABSENT

Trinh ABSENT
 IER Reform - Crystal Tuazon Homebush West PS

Focus: Mental Health Prevention and Early Intervention for all years

Member Notes
Aoife What interested me?
Specific mental health programs and partnerships applicable to
school context -PAX Good Behaviour Game, SAFEMinds, Cool
Kids and Chilled Out.
Continuum of wellbeing support

What challenged me?

Monitoring of support programs, use of the continuum of wellbeing
support to choose support programs.
Implications for my professional learning include…
Taking a further look at the resource Achieving School Excellence
in Wellbeing and Inclusion and PAX GBG

Implications for my practice include…

PAX GBG could be a worthwhile program to use to promote
student wellbeing. We already use the PAX kernels in classrooms
but I could see the benefit of using a program like this for uniformity
across the school.
● 10 kernels of the PAX good behaviour game - influence a
positive behaviour
● PAX leaders - children and adults identify leaders
(co-regulation and reduces conflict and negative emotions
● PAX vision - collaborate with students on what we want to
see more of and less of
● PAX hands and feet - 5Ls
● PAX Quiet - Harmonica (Bring quietness to the classroom)
● PAX Voices - set expectations in our voice volume (0cm
voice - no silent) - table talk, inside voices
● PAX Sticks - paddle pop stick
● OK, Not ok - Similar to cup (green and red)
● Beat the timer - finish time in a time limit
● Brain breaks (Granny wacky prizes)
● Tootles/tattles - feedback and recognition to others (warm
and fuzzies)
Downloadable checklists of continuum of support.

Carolyn What interested me?

● Supports schools to implement a planned approach
● Linked well with the care continuum (e.g. preventative →
Early intervention)
● Mental Health Programs and Partnerships
● PAX Good behavior Game - Universal preventative
intervention (not a discipline program)
○ Teachers children self-regulation in the classroom
○ Increases learning outcomes
 IER Reform - Crystal Tuazon Homebush West PS

● Safeminds aims to enhance early intervention mental health

support
● Cool kids and chilled out - evidence-based
○ Helps students to manage their emotions
What challenged me?
● The PAX Good Behaviour Game is quite new to me.
Implications for my professional learning include…
● Readings - school excellence framework + NSW Wellbeing
Framework for Schools
● Investigate the mental health programs.
● Paxis Institute - enrol to upskill in embedding PAX GBG in
the classroom
Implications for my practice include…
● 10 kernels of the PAX good behaviour game - influence a
positive behaviour
● PAX leaders - children and adults identify leaders
(co-regulation and reduces conflict and negative emotions
● PAX vision - collaborate with students on what we want to
see more of and less of
● PAX hands and feet - 5Ls
● PAX Quiet - Harmonica (Bring quietness to the classroom)
● PAX Voices - set expectations in our voice volume (0cm
voice - no silent) - table talk, inside voices
● PAX Sticks - paddle pop stick
● OK, Not ok - Similar to cup (green and red)
● Beat the timer - finish time in a time limit
● Brain breaks (Granny wacky prizes)
● Tootles/tattles - feedback and recognition to others (warm
and fuzzies)

Deanna What interested me?

Mental health programs and partnerships (Be You: Beyond Blue)
on the Department website.
PAX Good Behaviour Game - preventative, integrated into the day
to day routine. A collection of trauma-informed, evidence based
behavioural strategies for families and communities to promote the
development of self-regulation of the children in their lives.
Reduces negative emotions.

SAFEMinds: Schools and Families Enhancing Minds: Enhance

early intervention
Cool Kids and Chilled Out: for students with significant anxiety

What challenged me?

Domains: Cognitive, physical, social, emotional and spiritual

10 Kernels - PAX leaders, PAX vision, PAX hands and feet, PAX
Quiet, PAX Voices, PAX Sticks, OK, Not ok, Beat the timer, Brain
breaks, Tootles/tattles
 IER Reform - Crystal Tuazon Homebush West PS

Continuum of wellbeing support (includes Smiling Minds)

Implications for my professional learning include…

Read and upskill through the following:
- NSW Wellbeing Framework for Schools
- Achieving School Excellence in Wellbeing and Inclusion
- Inclusive Education for students with disability policy
- Continuum of wellbeing support

Implications for my practice include…

Look further into PAX and potentially embedding this into day to
day practice. ‘10 Kernels’
Using visuals on tables - Im okay, I’m not okay
Further research into - Cool Kids and Chilled Out: for students with
significant anxiety

Tiffany What interested me?

● Happy, healthy, engaged and successful environments
● Achieve school excellence in wellbeing -> school excellence
framework, NSW wellbeing framework for schools (2015 for:
cognitive, physical, social, emotional and spiritual)
● Inclusion tool -> webinar for “Inclusive education for
students with disability policy”
● Mental health programs and partnerships -> Be you, can be
found under ‘student wellbeing’ on the intranet, PAX Good
behaviour game eg. PAX GBG = self regulation, PAX
PARTNERS = refine and strengthen the implementation of
the PAX GBG and PAX TOOLS = trauma-informed evidence
based behavioural strategies for all to promote the
development of self-regulation
● Supports and professional learning and resources: seasons
for growth (change and loss education program), the
mackillop institute and stormbirds (natural disasters, how it
may impact their lives).
● Safe minds through headspace for teachers
● Inclusive education hub
● Notice/Inquire/Plan
● Using cook kids from aged 7-12 years -> 8 online sessions
by parents and children over 10 weeks. Refered by the
counsellor
What challenged me?
● PAX GBG game = ten keernels. Hands and feet (what is
expected), pax leaders (co-regulation, reduces conflict), pax
vision (nurturing environment), PAX quiet (harmonia,
nurturing enivonrment), PAX voices (different types of voices
eg. O sound), PAX stick (names out of a cup), granny’s
wacky prize (brain breaks), toodles (recognition as a leader
 IER Reform - Crystal Tuazon Homebush West PS

to others), okay or not okay (stickers)

Implications for my professional learning include…
● Explore the hub to understand and view what is needed for
my classroom
● 2 hr online PL on PAXs on the intranet

Implications for my practice include…

● Inclusive education hub for primary aged students
● Being aware of self-regulation tools
● Keeping in mind NIP

Crystal What interested me?

- School Excellence Framework connections to the tool in
Wellbeing and Inclusion
- The Wellbeing Framework for Schools - still relevant
- PAX - common language for parents, teachers and students.
Provides support, courses and strategies.
- 10 Kernels of GBG:
- PAX Hands and Feet
- PAX Leaders
- PAX Vision
- PAX Quiet
- PAX Voices
- PAX Sticks (paddle pops)
- OK not OK
- Beat the Timer
- Tootles (opposite of tattles)
- Granny Wacky Prize (brain breaks)

What challenged me?

- PAX Good Behaviour Game - implemented into everyday
classroom instruction > possible support for bounce back
- One day professional learning course - Increase
learning outcomes by decreasing depression, anxiety
ADHD etc
- Safe Minds - Notice, Inquire, Plan.
- Wellbeing Support:
- Universal Support e.g. Smiling Minds
- Guided Support e.g. Cool Kids/Counsellor
- Strategic Support e.g. Psychologists external

Implications for my professional learning include…

- Mental health programs and partnerships including - Beyond
Blue etc
- Helps provide specific programs for students

Implications for my practice include…

- Exploring the programs and partnerships to substitute for
outdated programs such as Theragames.
 IER Reform - Crystal Tuazon Homebush West PS

- PAX Good Behaviour Game: Paxis Institute

Steve ABSENT

Trinh ABSENT