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School BrochureBerry Street Education Model (BSEM)
At Ainslie Parklands Primary School, we implement the Berry Street Education Model (BSEM) from Foundation through to Year 5/6. BSEM is a trauma-informed and strengths-based approach that aims to promote positive behaviour, improve engagement and build academic growth for all students.
As part of our everyday practice, our teachers implement consistent routines across the whole school to ensure safe and predictable classrooms. Therefore, regardless of the year level, all students know what to expect when they come to school.
Each day begins with a structured Morning Circle to welcome and greet each student, set the day’s values and expectations, and make important announcements. To begin the day on a positive note, students then participate in a Positive Primer, which can be a game, a funny song, or any other uplifting activity.
We regularly schedule Brain Breaks to allow students to reset between activities or subjects, or as a self-regulation strategy. This provides students with the certainty that they will be supported to be ‘Ready to Learn’ when at school.
According to the BSEM approach, we aim to foster a positive school climate through several essential domains:
1. Body
Being aware of body signals, signs of escalation, and strategies to regulate (or support through co-regulation).
2. Relationships
Building meaningful connections between teachers and students, and peer groups, through attunement, positive regard, and restorative approaches.
3. Stamina and Engagement
Setting academic or personal goals, using humour and a sense of fun, building emotional intelligence, and developing a growth mindset.
4. Character
Recognising individual and collective character strengths, practising gratitude, self-reflection, and the development of personal and school values.
Various aspects of each domain may be delivered as explicit lessons where students are given direct instruction to build understanding and develop new skills. Alternatively, these domains may involve embedding practical strategies to manage or encourage specific behaviours.
At the end of each day, we reflect upon ‘What Went Well’ or something we are grateful for. Students are then individually farewelled by their teacher and welcomed back for the following school day. At every opportunity, we seek to strengthen our relationships with students and encourage them to feel valued and safe during the school day.