Paul Kenna

@JerryPlains Happy to make up the numbers H

@SOLEAust Well done PK 👏 might be the longest victory speech in awards history

Very stoked to represent Belle Vue Park PS as a finalist in the 2024 Victorian Education Excellence Awards in the Primary Principal category. I’ve been Principal for 20 years & it’s been an amazing & fulfilling journey with great relationships & a positive culture of inclusion.

@JerryPlains Cheers H😊

All teachers have their own preferred teaching styles which they always rely on. Over time, students & society have drastically changed and we all need to adapt in order to reach all students. Great teachers realise this & embrace discomfort in order to benefit their students.

Critical knowledge for leaders & teachers are the effects of trauma on a child’s brain. This includes the ability to form relationships & trust; hyper-vigilance/defiance; capacity to hold & retrieve information; impulsive outbursts & heightened emotions. Understand/Prepare/Adjust

Stress & anxiety are associated with changes in the limbic system which regulates our emotions & connections to the pre-frontal regions of our brain associated with higher order thinking skills. Great teachers understand this & create strong relationships & supportive classrooms.

Them: US nuclear scale-up is vital & urgent You: We have a reactor to deploy? Them: Well yes You: What’s next for scale-up? Them: We’re not working on that You: What? Them: We think small reactors are better You: We’ve built one here? Them: No You: But they’re scaling elsewhere? Them: Not much yet but possibly soon You: Oh. But they’re licensed? Them: Working on it You: Sounds uncertain, but modularization is a big plus Them: Well to be clear, some are modular, others not You: Oh. Well at least they’ll be lower cost. Them: We hope so. We’ll see You: When will we know? Them: Hopefully within a decade

Great opportunity for myself, @GregMcmahon16 and @BrettMillott to catch up with @cleary_jp who is currently in Melbourne, to talk all things education. Enduring friendships created through the @AusSchoolsPlus Fellowship. Gotta love that!

Many teachers for whatever reason place greater emphasis on compliance, class control/management over the learning & the environment. Initially teachers need to provide both, but as the classroom settles into a routine or flow compliance should be replaced with trust & engagement

Opportunity, equity & access to a great education is a sham in ‘the land of opportunity’. The most needy, disadvantaged students & schools require extra resources & funding to succeed… but they don’t get it. Jane Caro nails it!✅ thesaturdaypaper.com.au/comment/topic/…

Neuroscience reveals how emotions & learning are interconnected & the effects these have on teaching, the learning environment & social/emotional climate in schools. Teachers & Principals must understand the brain & how to develop positive relationships with peers & students. 🧠

@OECDEduSkills Self Organised Learning (Environment SOLE) help nurture collaboration & confidence in learning as well as a sense of agency, voice & choice. soleaustralia.com

🗣️Students who feel safe at school say ☑️They feel more confident about their capacity for self-directed learning ☑️They feel more satisfied with life overall How does inequality affect learning outcomes? Read the latest PISA results ➡️ bit.ly/49GgRjd

The interdependence between cognition & emotion in the brain; the importance of emotion in guiding successful learning & the critical role of teachers in managing the social environment in classrooms leads to the optimal emotional & cognitive learning conditions to thrive & grow

Recognizing the amazing contributions women make to our lives every day in all countries & to the efforts of many to achieve equality. The United Nations theme is ‘Count her in: accelerating gender equality through economic empowerment’. Equality and Agency for all.

@EduSum @cleary_jp …and the beat goes on in the NT with the NTLC continuing to lead the way on student voice, choice & agency.

We've been doing this for nearly 10 years. We're yet to have a sensible photo taken; maybe because we're not interested in being "sensible". It's hard work, bold work and good work and seriously fun work! We love the Learning Commission! #NTLC @cleary_jp

Authenticity is Everything. Being true to your core values is as important in teaching as it is in life. In teaching you need to enjoy interactions with students. You can’t fake genuine interest; you can’t fake kindness or positivity. The best of you must come to the fore.

If a child is reacting poorly to a situation or is frustrated or angry, is it b/c they have difficulty in meeting expectations? Identify the gaps & proactively work together on a solution & some skills. Focus on what they need, not their behaviour. Involve them in the solution.

The learning & emotional environment we create in our schools shapes the culture. This is the foundation of healthy cognitive, social & emotional development. Kids need a safe place where they are supported, nurtured, have a voice & feel they belong. Everyone is responsible.

As an initial focus teachers need to develop simple, consistent, agreed expectations & nurture positive relationships & a sense of belonging for all. A sense of worthiness, voice & agency helps create a culture of collaboration in your classroom which allows moments of connection