Progams available for schools
The Wrap Around Program
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The Wrap Around Program gives schools ongoing support in meeting the social, emotional and behavioural needs of students in small groups and/or whole classes. The program assists schools when challenging behaviours arise or can be used as a whole school proactive, early intervention approach to classroom and student wellbeing.
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The Program supports schools in three main areas:
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Assisting students
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Assisting classrooms and teachers
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Assisting parents and families
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Reasons for having the Wrap Around Program in your school:
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Concerns of bullying behaviour being used among students.
Concerns about challenging behaviour by student/s.
Concerns about student social skills and/or inequalities in student dynamics and interactions.
To build a stronger culture of mutual respect.
To establish effective interactions between students and their teachers.
To help children develop effective decision making and problem solving skills.
To establish a sense of community and cohesion in the classroom.
To improve academic achievement and autonomy.
How does it Work?
In collaboration with the school the Wrap Around Program can incorporate all or some of the following:
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Training of teachers in the positive social-emotional concepts and strategies.
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Incorporating the concepts and strategies in a particular classroom or school-wide.
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Working with teachers to introduce strategies that redirect student behaviour and/or classroom dynamics.
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Introducing and running class meetings with students and teachers.
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Run one or more of the programs described below in a small group or classroom format.
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Specific objectives of the Wrap Around Program include the following:
• Improving communication skills of listening and speaking
• Providing opportunities for insightful, creative, and critical thinking
• Learning the process of respectful interaction and promoting teamwork
• Building and practising the skill of self-control and self-regulation
• Increasing social intelligence such as empathy
• Reducing the possibility of bullying or bullying tactics being used amongst students
• Fostering social skills such as reducing shyness
• Enhancing aspects of character education such as being trustworthy and fair
• Reducing anonymity and promoting feelings of acceptance and being worthwhile
• Building a trusting and caring relationship between teacher and student and among students
• Creating and maintaining an open, trusting atmosphere for risk-taking in learning
• Creating a sense of community by increasing class cohesiveness
• Providing a channel for relevancy where students talk about subjects which interest, affect, or concern them
Teacher Mentoring
Providing support and mentoring to new teachers and teachers with challenging classroom behaviours or classroom dynamics. Assisting teachers in assessing student behaviour and implementing strategies within the classroom environment where required. Giving continued monitoring, observation and feedback within the classroom.
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Teacher mentoring is designed to assist teachers in:
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Creating a classroom climate that enhances academic learning
Using positive encouragement to motivate students
Instilling valuable social skills and positive behaviour through various classroom strategies
Understanding why involving students in solving problems is much more effective than punishment
Understanding the motivation behind students' behaviour instead of looking for causes
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Cool Heads Program
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The Cool Heads program is specifically targeted at individual primary school students displaying
challenging behaviours within the classroom or playground that are causing significant concern and
disruption. The behaviours may or may not be anger related. The program is designed to assist
schools in helping students to discover, legitimise and analyse their behaviour in a safe and trusting
environment.
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The Cool Heads Program involves initial one-on-one individually targeted sessions with the student as
well as sessions with parents (where possible) looking at:
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Behaviour
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Ownership of behaviour
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Understanding the behaviour
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Changing behaviour
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Once this is achieved we can gradually begin to include teachers and the class as a whole, if necessary, in a restorative way to encourage acceptance of the changes being made and creating more positive social connections.
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Playground Assist Program
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Aimed at Year 5 going into Year 6 classes, the Playground Assist program is used as a natural
progression towards the leadership role and expectations that come with it in Year 6. Students are
taken through a 6 session training program giving students the skills to support and assist younger
peers in the playground. Year 6 students are rostered on for playground duty and, wearing a uniquely
designed fluoro vest, they can assist any students who may need their help, such as tying a shoelace,
opening a food item or friendship issues.
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Students are trained in problem-solving, conflict resolution and being supportive. During the first term
of the program the students have debrief discussions around their Playground Assist experiences.
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DRUMBEAT Program
DRUMBEAT engages participants, builds social skills,
increases self-esteem and explores connections between
making music together as a group and the development
of healthy relationships. The program is a structured,
but flexible course delivered across 10 sessions. Each
session focuses on different relationship themes such as
identity and social responsibility, values, dealing with emotions, peer pressure, harmony, communication and teamwork.
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Outcomes
• Increased cooperation, collaboration and cohesiveness in group activities
• Improved relationships with peers and teachers
• Improved interpersonal skills
• Improved problem-solving skills
• Increased emotional regulation
• Increased self-awareness
• Increased self-esteem
• Reduction in anti-social behaviour
• Increased school attendance
5 Core Learning Strategies
1. Learning drum songs: To develop teamwork through a shared experience and increase levels of focus, concentration, and commitment.
2. Playing rhythm based games: Exercises explore peer pressure, communication, and dealing with emotions.
3. Conversations: To promote insight into key relationship issues and connect the group experience to those in real life.
4. Improvisation: A music technique that promotes self-belief, creativity and flexibility in dealing with change.
5. Performance: To recognise achievement and new potential while connecting participants to a broader community.
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What's the Buzz? Social and Emotional Skills Program
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What's the Buzz? is an evidence-based program now used in more than 130 countries to
teach young people (aged 7 to 10) social and emotional intelligence. It is based on the
S.A.F.E. criteria, which permits maximum opportunity for the skills taught to transfer across
into other situations.
The program has become a required text for teachers, counsellors, psychologists, social
work and youth workers in training at many Universities worldwide.
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The program will immerse students in a variety of essential interpersonal skills, stimulated
by the experiences of a character called Archie. In each lesson, the children help Archie
solve the very same social dilemmas that occur in their everyday lives. As they do this,
through activity, discussion, role-play, games, puzzles and quizzes, they learn how-to
express feelings and become a more positive problem solver.
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The Bounce Back Program
Bounce Back! is a program from Kindergarten to Year 6 which provides students
the skills to ‘bounce back’ when they experience sadness, difficulties, frustrations
and challenging times.
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Each curriculum unit uses children’s literature, thinking tools and cooperative
learning strategies plus a variety of cross-curricular classroom activities to help
students:
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develop positive and prosocial values, including those related to ethical and
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intercultural understanding
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develop self-awareness, social awareness and social skills
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develop self-management strategies for coping and bouncing back
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think optimistically and look on the bright side
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boost positive emotions and manage negative emotions
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find courage in everyday life as well as in difficult circumstances
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develop skills for countering bullying
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use humour as a coping tool
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develop strengths, skills and attitudes for being successful.
The Zones of Regulation
A ten session program designed to foster self-regulation and emotional control.
Provides a guide for students through a set of sequenced lessons, encouraging
them to learn about their own regulation system and how they can adjust it. The
zones use four colours to help students visually and verbally self-identify how
they are functioning in the moment given their emotions and state of alertness.
Lessons are designed to help students understand their different internal
emotions, sesory needs, and thinking patterns that result in each student shifting
from one zone to another. Students explore a variety of tools (sensory supports,
calming techniques, and thinking strategies) that they can use to regulate what
zone they are in and are taught when, why and how to use their tools.
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The Zones of Regulation also incorporates core teachings from social thinking to help students learn more about perspective taking to better understand how being in the different zones impacts others' thoughts and feelings around them. In addistion, The Zones curriculum helps students gain an increased vocabulary of emotional terms, skills in reading facial expressions, insight on events that trigger their behaviour, problem solving skills, and much more.
Connecting Kids
A Social Skills program for children aged 5-8 and 9 - 12
Not everyone naturally ‘gets’ social skills. Some children will find it more difficult to relate to
others, be able to read the social cues accurately, understand or evaluate their own feelings or have
the ability to respond in a positive way. This program is designed to teach pro-social skills to
students who may be experiencing difficulty in particular social settings. It is based on a cognitive
behavioural therapy (CBT) and compassion focused therapy (CFT) model.
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It is hard to argue with the concept that social skills are best learned in a social environment.
Connecting Kids will involve many experiential activities that are intended to help children gain
practice and understanding in most aspects of their social interaction as they relate to their peers,
their parents and their teachers. It will also help them to understand and evaluate their own
feelings, thoughts and beliefs and help them to practice new responses accordingly.
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The program will cover the following areas:
The program will be limited to 6 students and will run for 8 sessions
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· Understanding ourselves, our values and our self-concept
· Communicating successfully
· Being part of a group, equality, compassion and respect for self and others
· Evaluating our thoughts fairly
· The calming practice of mindfulness
· Self-regulation and positive assertiveness
· Managing conflict and respecting opinions
· Mastering problem solving strategies
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ProACTive for children
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A Treatment Program for Children and Young People with Anxiety created by the Department of
Psychological Medicine at The Children's Hospital Westmead.
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The program is aimed at teaching children how to manage their worries. Some of the skills taught
include mindfulness, learning more helpful ways to relate to worried thoughts, gradually facing
fears using fear ladders, social skills and problem solving. Parents are also given information and
skills to help them support their child at home.
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The program can be run once a week for 8 weeks.
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Teacher Professional Development
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Teachers are given the skills and strategies that teach mutual respect, fosters academic
excellence and teaches students the basic skills they need in a structured, experiential
manner.
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The following 1- 1/2 hour Workshops are available for your school, pre-school or childcare.
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Topics Include:
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Creating a school-wide approach to student well-being and behaviour
Introducing methods that involve students in focusing on solutions instead of punishments and
rewards.
Restorative Justice Skills
Gaining skills and strategies that allow children to feel empowered by the opportunity to learn from their
mistakes in a safe environment.
Kindness and Firmness at the Same Time
Focusing on leadership styles that allow children to learn from their experiences, good or bad.
Class Meetings
Giving children an opportunity to express and own their feelings and develop empathy and compassion.
Encouragement vs Praise
Understanding that encouragement tells students that what they do is separate to who they are and that they are valued for their uniqueness without judgement.
Focus on Solutions
How implement strategies that encourage children to focus on finding solutions and move forward rather than being stuck in blame and revenge.
Empowering vs Enabling
Knowing the difference between helping children to feel more empowered or helping them to feel more helpless.
Classroom Management Tools
Helping teachers to recognise what children are trying to communicate through their actions and strategies to redirect challenging behaviour.
The Development of Self-Control
How to help children understand their zones of regulation and how to give them the opportunity to practice self-regulation and self-control
Understanding Anxiety in Kids
Recognising anxiety in children and how to respond.
Asking vs Telling
Focusing on encouraging children to find solutions and practice problem solving steps.
Do vs Don't
Positive approaches to discipline.
Laddership vs Leadership
Strategies to be able to work with others in a way that encourages cooperation.
Six approaches to Classroom Discipline
Looking at the most effective and positive strategies that encourage positive behaviour and self-control in children
School Community Parent Workshops Available (also now via Zoom)
Redirecting Children provide workshops for schools and pre-schools on any parenting topics requested including the following:
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Balancing love and discipline
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Taking care of tantrums
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Sibling rivalry
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Creating a happy family
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Taking care of teens
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Supporting your child at school
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Handling bedtime
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What kids need most
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Parent Q and A
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Wait until your father gets home
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Anxiety in children
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Bully-proofing your child
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