Teachers gather in Dubbo for a united focus on better well-being

More than 600 teachers gathered at the campus on Monday for a masterclass which tapped into critical areas of interest identified through a survey of regional school staff.

The Senseless Behavior masterclass is a joint link initiative of the Department of Education and NSW Health.

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Mr Dann said the workshop helps to give better context to the children's lives, families and backgrounds and provides teachers with instant useful skills for them to use to help kids get better outcomes.

According to Mr Dann, the interest in the masterclass arose because teachers realised they needed to learn more about the implied well being of students and for the teachers to cope better with certain behaviours.

"It helps to improve teachers practical skill sets to assist students in learning," he said.

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"Teachers who haven't come from the same background as a child can have insight."

Mr Dann said one example of this is trauma.

"We often have students who have had real trauma in their lives," he said.

"And people who've had trauma don't react in a normal way.

"They act how trauma has taught them to act.

"Now that can be violent in a classroom."

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According to Mr Dann, these students are usually disengaged or behave in ways that work against learning.

By providing teachers with this insight also helps their well-being too.

"They learn not to take certain behaviours personally," Mr Dann said.

According to Mr Dann, it's essential to build an understanding between teachers and students because a teacher may be the one constant in a students life.

"If there's a better constant in someone's life, there might be a better outcome," he said.

Dubbo-based Networked Specialist Facilitator, Bianca Smith said the organisers wanted to make high-quality professional learning available.

"We are committed to building staff and school capabilities by supporting them to develop their knowledge and skills to enhance quality teaching," Ms Smith said.

School-Link Co-ordinator for Dubbo Lucinda Nash said she hoped School staff could use the strategies they learn to prioritise their own well-being.

Ms Nash said it's a must for them to continue supporting students with complex mental health issues and behavioural concerns in the school setting.