Staff were engaged in a Professional Learning day during the Student Free Day held in Week 6.

Teaching staff spent the day networking and collaborating with their peers centred around learning design, moderation and reporting. We were fortunate to have Lauren Haggis from Learning Improvement Division link in and deliver a session on learning design.

Ancillary staff were involved in Records Management and Information Sharing training, and finished the day with a Pain Free Desk Worker Clinical Somatics wellbeing session lead by Leanne Weigall.

The session included safe easy somatic (how the body feels internally) movements practised seated at a desk.

The practice was about releasing muscles that become chronically tight and sometimes painful due to sitting. It is a learning modality that engages the brain. The brain controls the muscles and retains information about the way your muscles adapt to sitting for long periods of time. This can become a problem when you sit in a certain way for long periods of time, the muscle tension is reset into a new normal and the brain forgets how to relax those muscles. We need to remind the brain often that our muscles can move in all ranges so we don’t get stuck in a pattern of contraction that can cause discomfort and pain. The movements are simple, body patterns that refresh the brain and also aid in creativity and stress reduction.

Leanne is featured in our 'Get to Know Our Staff' segment so be sure to have a read!