Are you Paying Attention?

Presented by Kim Bence, Head of Campus, Wesley College St Kilda Road Campus and Leonie Abbott, PESA Chair and Head of Student Wellbeing, Wesley College St Kilda Road Campus.

In today's digital age, our ability to pay attention and obtain student attention is under constant attack in schools. This session challenges your understanding of attention, inviting you to reflect on how your school is addressing this growing issue. We explore the impact of mobile devices, apps, and social media on student attention, while considering strategies to enhance in-person connections. Kim and Leonie share insights from their own efforts to rethink their school policies in light of compelling evidence by Jonathan Haidt (2024), Frances Haugen (2023), and Nancy Kline (2020).

Last updated: 12/11/2024

Acknowledgement & Copyright Notice

We are incredibly grateful for the generosity of the presenters contributing to PESA's digital PD & Learning Program, and their commitment to sharing their knowledge, expertise and experience.

Please note these presentations include our presenters’ intellectual property, which has taken many years to build. Presentations are available for viewing by PESA members only, and proper attribution to the presenter/s must be made. Members are not authorised to share presentation links without prior written consent from the relevant presenter/s.

Related Resources

Explore more resources >

Research Summary

Student Flourishing in Australian Christian Schools

A landmark report exploring what helps adolescents flourish in Christian secondary schools across Australia. Drawing on one of the largest studies of its kind - a longitudinal survey of 22,092 students in Years 7–12 across 57 schools - the research identifies the conditions, practices and priorities that support students to flourish holistically: intellectually, socially, physically and spiritually. Author: Iselin, D.J. (2026). Student Flourishing in Australian Christian Schools Report. Christian Schools Australia. Canberra, ACT. Summary by PESA

Access Resource

Website Display

Curiosity Check and the Ask Approach

The Ask Approach is a framework from author Jeff Wetzler built on a simple premise: the insights we need most often already exist in the people around us, we just need to ask well. The five-step approach (curiosity, safety, quality questions, listening, reflection) offers practical tools for surfacing honest feedback and building trust, skills directly transferable to relational practice, staff culture, and leadership in schools and in the classroom. Author/ source: Ask Approach by Jeff Weltzer

Access Resource

Webinar/Video Online PD 2026

A Whole School Approach to Restorative Practices

Presented by Michelle McKersey: Deputy Head of Secondary (Students), Moreton Bay College. Shifting from rules to relationships and from conflict to connection.

Access Resource

Article PD Wrap Up

2026 PD Wrap Up: A Whole School Approach to Restorative Practices

Building on our Term 1 focus on creating a strong community from day one, we welcomed Michelle McKersey, Deputy Head of Secondary at Moreton Bay College to explore a whole‑school approach to restorative practice. In this session, Michelle contrasted restorative, relational approaches to behaviour with traditional punitive models and highlighted Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS) as a proactive, preventative strategy within a restorative framework. Author/Source: PESA and Michelle McKersey, Moreton Bay College.

Access Resource

App

Smiling Mind App

A free, psychologist-designed Australian app that builds mental fitness through five evidence-based skillsets using practical daily wellbeing tools for students, educators and families. Author/Source: Smiling Mind

Access Resource