The Queensland Children’s Hospital School (QCHS) has been recognised for developing an online professional development program to educate teachers on how to best support students with health conditions.
The Teacher Talk seminars were initially designed to support teachers dealing with students with mental health concerns in the classroom, but due to their success were extended to include a range of medical conditions.
Developed by QCHS senior teacher Anna Bauer, Deputy Principal Meredith O’Connor and their colleagues, the online training sessions have been shaped by participant feedback and the changing needs of students.
“At the hospital school, we work closely with health clinicians every day, but teachers around the country aren’t all afforded that opportunity,” Meredith O’Connor said.
“The feedback we were getting was teachers in classrooms were looking for advice, particularly with strategies to support students with mental health conditions.”
Teacher Talk delivers free online sessions for Australian educators. Discussion topics include mental health conditions such as anxiety, trauma, self-harm and attachment. In 2024, the seminars expanded to investigate physical conditions such as cystic fibrosis and diabetes.
Ms O’Connor said the hour-long seminars include a presentation from a health clinician and an educator with first-hand experience supporting students with the condition.
“Teachers are briefed on the condition, how it manifests, treatment protocols, current research and strategies to help students thrive in the classroom,” she said.
“We try to make the sessions very practical so teachers can walk away from their session and implement changes into their classroom immediately.”
Teacher Talk was recently recognised at the 2024 Australian Education Awards as a finalist in the Best Professional Learning Program category, which showcases innovative programs for professional learning that also contribute to improved student learning outcomes.
QCHS Principal Scott Medford said it was a wonderful achievement for staff to be recognised by a professional organisation for their innovative work.
“Teacher Talk continues be an oversubscribed professional development for teachers, providing authentic research-based information that not only supports educators, but more importantly helps students reach their full educational potential," he said.
More than 700 participants including teachers, aides and guidance officers registered for the most recent Teacher Talk.
For more information on upcoming Teacher Talk seminars: EOI Registration for Teacher Talk 2024 (office.com)