S.T.A.R.S. for settlement and learning

In order to succeed at school, students from a refugee background need to feel safe and to establish positive and nurturing relationships. They need to feel connected with their community. They need to learn new skills and a... [ view full abstract ]

In order to succeed at school, students from a refugee background need to feel safe and to establish positive and nurturing relationships. They need to feel connected with their community. They need to learn new skills and a new language in order to participate, to find connections, gain confidence and become competent in their new environment. One way to view the needs of students from refugee backgrounds during resettlement is described in the S.T.A.R.S. model, which proposes that the key elements for successful settlement are Safety, Trust, Attachment, Responsibility and Skills (UNICEF, Margaret de Monchy, 1999).
The S.T.A.R.S. model informs the STARS in Schools: supporting students from a refugee background professional learning currently being delivered in NSW public schools. This course assists school leaders and teachers in developing whole school approaches and teaching practices that help refugee students feel safe, develop trust and attachment, take responsibility and develop the skills needed for participation and learning at school in Australia.

This session looks at how the S.T.A.R.S. model is explored within professional learning and used at Fairfield Primary School to inform whole school practices, pedagogy and classroom environments that assist students from refugee backgrounds to recover from trauma, engage successfully in learning and participate actively in the school community.