FAJT PD Takeaways by Melissa Chin

Looking ahead to the next semester, what is one goal that you have to support the current needs of your students, and what support do you need to get there?

chin_pei_san_melissa — 2026-05-26 01:50:49 UTC

2026-06-23 02:47:35 UTC

1) How to Replace and Restore? The importance of unpacking takeaways from what undesired behaviours have happened and supporting one another in the classroom

2) Supporting Students Based on Needs Most students can progress and learn given quality instructions in the classroom

3) Understanding the Teachers' Role in Suicide Prevention: Listen and Support Teachers are not problem-solvers but active listeners to encourage continued help-seeking

2026-06-23 02:59:55 UTC

1) To help a student who is highly stressed by the parents who emphasize greatly on academic success, I would focus feedback for her on 1–2 key improvements instead of many corrections

2) Follow-up on misbehaviours after class:

Short conversation (2–3 minutes)
Focus on behaviour, not character:
- “What was happening just now?”
- “What should you do next time instead?”

Then reset relationship quickly.

3 Things learnt:

2026-06-23 19:08:59 UTC

1) Some strategies to defuse inappropriate behaviour in students:

a)Positive prompts (empathy and praise)

b) Directive prompts (clear instruction about expected behaviour)

c) Cool down time

2) SEN students can face more challenges in learning but they can be motivated to learn if the right strategies are used in teaching.

3) Quiet and well-behaved students who appear to be okay, can also face challenging situations which they are unable to cope with.

2 Approaches

2026-06-23 19:28:31 UTC

1) Strengthen Teacher-Student Relationship so that students will come to me for help when needed. Be willing to listen and non-judgemental in the interactions with students.

2) To help SEN students learn better and improve retention skills, consistent bite-sized review of learning is important. Celebrate little successes and achievements to motivate students to learn. Can get students to help one another in their work.

2026-06-23 19:31:45 UTC

Working more closely with parents. Give more regular updates in students' learning progress, especially positive feedback. Encourage parents to affirm students at home too.

2026-06-24 03:35:54 UTC

Dealing with SEN students

intervention based on needs rather than diagnosis

Diagnosis tells me what might be an issue. Need assessment tells what is an issue right now, in this subject, with this task.

Two students with the same diagnosis eg autism might have different needs.

2026-06-24 03:44:42 UTC

Intervention based on needs, not diagnosis.

Observe the behaviour and name the need.

Plan for

1) Differentiated task

2) Strength based task

2026-06-24 03:56:11 UTC

Better engagement from students with SEN

2026-06-24 04:53:49 UTC

As teachers, we spend a lot of time with our students and are able to identify early signs of suicide ideation. Building strong teacher-student relationship helps to build the trust so students will come to us for help. We seek to listen and understand the needs of students instead of telling them what to do.

The victim needs support. The bully also needs support.

2026-06-24 04:56:58 UTC

The bully needs guidance and opportunities to develop empathy, self-regulation and positive relationship skills.

2026-06-24 04:57:14 UTC

1) Verbal and visual instructions as different students have different needs.

2) Address inappropriate behaviors as a class without naming the students involved.

2026-06-24 04:58:16 UTC

Working towards understanding individual student's needs.

Mindful Breathing Technique & Inhouse video on Routines (Prepared by Seno)

2026-06-24 05:12:01 UTC

The slide contains useful information about when to utilise the breathing technique. By and large, the technique ultimately aims to create a safe, respected and enabling environment for all students.

As for the in-house video from SENO, it is definitely helpful as structured mornings help students transition into school smoothly, improve focus and be ready for learning.

Moving Forward...

2026-06-24 05:13:56 UTC

Work harder on improving TSR.

2026-06-29 02:11:00 UTC

1) Not being judgmental while defusing the conflict.

2) Ask questions that give the student a chance to think about his actions and consequences and the best solution to restore.

3) Students may or may not display symptoms explicitly for suicide tendencies. Be sensitive to any signs that show suicidal tendencies.

2026-06-29 02:12:18 UTC

1) Making sure the environment is calm and not distracting others while trying to defuse the conflict.

2) Use mindful breathing to calm the student down before engaging with him.

2026-06-29 02:14:47 UTC

Look for underlying reasons on certain undesirable behaviours such as latecoming, not doing homework. Spend more time to find out the root cause and address. E.g. Family issues, use of devices at home, rather than just dismissing it as laziness.

2026-06-29 04:06:50 UTC

Prioritize regular student wellness checks and maintain open communication with parents regarding strategies for managing academic stress and expectations

2026-06-29 05:00:36 UTC

1) Students at Risk :

I need to act as a safety net. Spot warning signs early, offer immediate comfort, and safely connect them to school counselors.

2) SEN Students:

I can attempt to change the tools and environment, never the goal. Focus on building routines, managing emotions, and making students feel safe and loved while helping them reach their full potential.

3) Diffuse inappropriate behaviour:

Keep cool during the problem, talking it out after, and start the next day with a completely clean slate.

2026-06-29 05:13:01 UTC

1) Try pairing directive prompts ("what to do") with cooling-down strategies ("how to calm down") hoping to stop the disruption quickly without damaging relationship with the student.

2) Try restorative questioning to shift the conversation from "What rule did you break and how should you be punished?" to "What happened, who was hurt, and how can we fix it?" Instead of lecturing the student, will try to get them to active-think, taking ownership of their actions and learning how to self-regulate.

2026-06-30 04:41:36 UTC

I have better understanding that students need not only academic guidance but also social- emotional support, resilience and positive relationships to thrive.
As teachers, we can use meaningful conversations and the ECG advising approach to better understand students' strengths, interest and needs.
I understand the importance of recognizing warning signs, having caring & non-judgemental conversations.

2026-06-30 04:53:05 UTC

Using active listening and open- ended questions during conversations with students helps build trust, encourages students to share their thoughts & feelings and allows me to better understand their needs.
Focus on students' strengths while supporting their social- emotional development as recognizing their strengths builds their confidence and resilience while teaching values and coping skills help them make responsible decisions and overcome challenges.

2026-06-30 04:58:30 UTC

more regular one-to-one conversations with students to help me build trusting relationships, better understanding of their well-being and needs and provide timely support when needed.

2026-06-30 07:12:21 UTC

I now have a deeper understanding that students need more than academic guidance. They also require social-emotional support, resilience and positive relationships to help them succeed.
I have learnt that meaningful conversations and ECG advising approach helps teachers to better understand students` strength, interests and individual needs.
I now appreciate the importance of recognizing early warning signs and engaging my students in caring, empathetic and non judgemental conversations to provide timely support.

2026-06-30 07:25:45 UTC

I would like to use active listening and open ended questions during conversations with my students. This helps build thrust, encourages them to express their thoughts and feelings and allows me to better understand their needs.
I would like to adopt a strengths based approach by recognising and affirming my students strengths while supporting their social emotional development. This can boost their confidence, build resilience and help them develop positive strategies.

2026-06-30 07:32:09 UTC

Moving forward I hope to look beyond students' behavior and identify the underlying reasons behind issues such as lateness, incomplete homework or disengagement. By taking time to understand possible contributing factors - such as family circumstances, emotional well-being or challenges with devise use at home. I can provide more appropriate support instead of making assumptions about their behavior.