John Thewlis Email & Phone Number

Hi, I'm a qualified behaviour lead, art, design and food technology HOD with vast experience teaching and raising self esteem in students with SEBD, Autism and extreme challenging behaviour in primary, secondary and F.E. Since qualifying in Positive Behaviour Support last year, I have developed and delivered interactive training sessions. These training sessions are designed to empower staff to deescalate, help regulate and reduce physical interventions with students, many of whom have suffered significant Adverse Childhood Experiences. The bespoke training sessions have focussed on ASD, Pathological Demand Avoidance, ADHD, Narcissistic Personality Disorder, ODD and Attachment disorder offering adaptive solutions that meet the student and schools needs. I started out as a painter specialising in paint effects, Trompe l'oeil and portrait painting (ardacarr.com) to include commissions in the U.S.A and Barcelona. After gaining a degree in Art and design and a Cert ED in FE. I started teaching P&D Interior decoration, Paint effects and mural painting at Walsall T.C. in 2004 then I progressed to teaching SLDD and NEETs giving them the opportunity and belief to enter the world of work. In 2006 I moved to BMet and as well as teaching painting and carpentry, I began teaching cooking, drama and gardening to students with a wide variety of needs physical, mental, emotional and limited life expectancy. In 2009 I began teaching Art and design technology at Spring Hill high school and in my time there we've helped some of the most damaged, challenging young people in the country (staffing ratio's upto 4:1) I have developed truly student centred learning, using functional analysis as a baseline to help and devise Positive Behaviour Support Plans to help them overcome very significant personal barriers to learning and negative behaviours. In my teaching practise, I have notably specialised in quickly developing working relationships with the often oppositional students ensuring the students feel safe and listened to 'they don't care what you know, until they know you care' being a good starting point. Once a working relationship is established, bespoke lessons informed by the individuals EHCP and Short term outcomes are delivered to promote self esteem and academic outcomes. One notable case being tutoring simple magic and basic illusions to a complex student who as informed by their EHCP, needed to to socialise appropriately giving the student the positive attention they need and deserve.

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  Behaviour Lead (Pbsp) Hod Art, Food And Design Technology

  Springhill High School

  Jun 2023 - Present - United Kingdom