Does the use of positive, consistent language across the school impact relationships at St Joseph’s School, Murray Bridge?

Project Focus

Research would acknowledge the variety of generations within the teaching profession within St Joseph’s and identify the characteristics, motivations and strengths that each of the generations bring to the teaching profession, specifically those working within school.  In doing this we acknowledge that the register of language has changed over the past 40 years. Research would then explore the characteristics of language used to motivate and inspire students.

This research would then draw on a data set established prior to any conversation with children. The Class questionnaire would focus on the impact of teacher language on students and the emotions evoked from this language, be it positive or negative.

The research would explore what Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) programs are used at St Joseph’s and more broadly with the Kids Matter Survey findings.  This honest evaluation would also establish how often SEL programs are taught and whether we witness students using this knowledge independently.

Fullan (2012) would suggest that a leader has the potential to enable change, suggesting that there are various levers of change that a leader can employ to engage staff to improve learning outcomes.  Fullan recommends Motion Leadership as a style of leadership to engage entire systems of mixed age employees to have moral imperative to want best outcomes for students. If characteristics of language are known to whole school staff then it can be used in their daily conversations, pedagogy and interactions to positively impact students and the community.

The nucleus of the project is to develop a whole school language that is multilingual which builds community that is positive and consistent, where relationships are nurtured.

TRAUMA SENSITIVE SCHOOLS Making Space for Learning Murray Bridge SA.pdf