Millner School uses the Berry Street Education Model principles to guide our interactions with students.
The most important component of this model is ‘unconditional positive regard’ which gives everyone a chance to re-set and try again without judgement or bias.
This is a research-based trauma informed practice that has proved very successful in the way we scaffold students to regulate and improve their own learning of their behaviour.
Each classroom or teaching space/lesson will include:
- A chill out space- to take a short break or to re-set
- Ready to learn scale- for our students to identify what they need to do to get ready to learn
- Brain breaks- a short 2-3 minute break involving a short game
- Mindfulness- calming, soothing routines to regulate our senses
All students at Millner School are taught the concept of having at least 2-3 ‘trusted adults’ at school who they can speak to.
Chai our School Therapy Dog
Chai is a trained school therapy dog, working under the supervision of Principal and dog handler Noella Goveas, who works in identified classrooms and with targeted students, according to a structured timetable. Chai assists with separation anxiety, regulation breaks, providing comfort to students in distress and assisting students to understand responsibility and empathy.
