About

Louise Porter
PhD, MA(Hons), MGiftedEd, DipEd, BA, BIntStuds

Qualifications

Doctor of philosophy
(University of South Australia 2000). The research was a qualitative study of caregivers’ behaviour management practices with young children.

Master of gifted education
(Flinders University 1999).

Graduate diploma in education
(University of Adelaide 1987). This qualified me as a secondary teacher.

Master of arts (hons.)
in Psychology (University of Canterbury 1981).

Certificate in alcohol counselling
(University of Canterbury 1981). This comprised 750 hours of training and clinical placements in various community and inpatient counselling services for individuals with addictions to alcohol, illicit and prescription drugs and/or gambling, or with eating disorders. As a requirement of the Certificate, the clinical element was supplemented with research into addictions. To that end, my thesis examined the effectiveness of an alcohol education program for drivers with multiple drink-driving convictions.

Bachelor of arts (University of Canterbury 1980)
with a double major in Education and Psychology. The combination of majors in this degree gave me a comprehensive grounding in developmental and educational psychology which has underpinned all my subsequent professional work.

Bachelor of international studies
(Flinders University 2010).

From 1982 to 1984 I completed a family therapy training course under the direction of Malcolm Robinson and Dr Kerry Callaghan. This entailed 60 half-day training sessions on the theory of family therapy and supervised counselling practice. This course was subsequently accredited at graduate level and offered in conjunction with the University of South Australia.

Professional employment

May 2002–present
Consultant psychologist. Other than writing, the majority of my current work entails delivering professional development and conference presentations locally, interstate and internationally. The remainder of my time is spent in part-time private practice.

1986 – present
Private practice. Since 1986 I have maintained a part-time private child psychology practice, focusing on children and adolescents with developmental, emotional or behavioural difficulties, consulting also with their parents, educators and other professionals about these. Since qualifying in gifted education, I have increasingly focused on the needs of gifted children, consulting with parents and teachers about these children’s educational, social and emotional requirements.

1989 – May 2002
Senior lecturer and, previously, lecturer, School of Education, and School of Special Education and Disability Studies, Flinders University.

1986 – 1989
Senior clinical psychologist, Children’s Services Office of the Department for Education, South Australia. This work involved consultation with parents and teachers or caregivers in preschools and child care centres over children’s atypical development and behavioural difficulties. It also comprised designing policy about the delivery of psychological services within the agency as a whole, and overseeing the practice of the five psychologists in the other regions across the State.

1984 – 1986
Clinical psychologist, Intellectual Disability Services Council. In this position, I consulted with parents and teachers about their educational and behavioural concerns for children and young people (aged birth to 20) with developmental delays and intellectual or multiple disabilities. I conducted assessments of the children’s developmental skills, advised teachers and parents on interventions for social, emotional, behavioural or learning difficulties, and conducted family therapy sessions for adolescents with disabilities and externalised behavioural problems, including pyromania and disruptiveness at work and within the community.

1981 – 1984
Psychologist, Crippled Children’s Association. In this position, I worked with children in the preschool and junior primary sections of the Regency Park School for children with physical disabilities. Primarily, I assessed their development, carried out remedial sessions for learning disabilities, and supported their families.

Publications & resources

Books

Porter, L. (2011). A guidance approach to discipline: Theoretical foundations. Brisbane: Small Poppies International.

Porter, L. (2010). A guidance approach to discipline: Practitioner workbook. Brisbane: Small Poppies International.

Porter, L., Winter-Sellery, K. & Jamieson, C. (2008). Teaching parents a guidance approach: A manual for group leaders. Brisbane: Small Poppies International.

Porter, L., Winter-Sellery, K. & Jamieson, C. (2008). A guidance approach to discipline: Parent workbook. Brisbane: Small Poppies International.

Porter, L., Winter-Sellery, K. & Jamieson, C.N. (in preparation) Teaching parents a guidance approach: A manual for group leaders. This is a manual for practitioners who conduct parent education courses, with six modules offering practical activities for parents to understand and apply a guidance approach to raising their children.

_______ (2008, 2003, 1999) A guidance approach to discipline: Parent workbook.

Porter, L., (2008, 2003, 1999) Young children’s behaviour: Practical approaches for caregivers and teachers. (3rd ed.) Sydney: Elsevier / Baltimore, MD: Brookes.
Take a look inside this book

_______ (2008) Teacher-parent collaboration: Early childhood to adolescence. Melbourne: ACER.
Take a look inside this book

_______ (2007, 2000, 1996) Student behaviour: Theory and practice for teachers. (3rd ed.) Sydney: Allen and Unwin. This text is also published under the title Behaviour in schools (2nd ed.) Buckingham, UK: Open University Press.
Take a look inside this book

_______ (2006, 2001, 1997, 1994) Children are people too: A parent’s guide to young children’s behaviour. (4th ed.) Adelaide: East Street Publications/ Singapore: Marshall Cavendish.
Take a look inside this book

_______ (2005, 1999) Gifted young children: A guide for teachers and parents. (2nd ed.) Sydney: Allen and Unwin / Buckingham, UK: Open University Press.
Take a look inside this book

_______ (Ed.) (2002). Educating young children with additional needs. Sydney: Allen and Unwin. This text is also published under the title Educating young children with special needs. London: Paul Chapman.
Take a look inside this book

Porter, L., & McKenzie, S. (2000) Professional collaboration with parents of children with disabilities. London: Whurr / Sydney: Wiley.

Chapters in books

Porter, L. (in press.) Applied behaviour analysis. In H. Daniels, J. Visser & T. Cole (Eds.) Routledge companion to emotional and behavioural disorders. Routledge Education, UK.
Porter, L. (2011, 2004). Giftedness in the early years. In D. McAlpine & R. Moltzen (Eds.) Gifted and talented: New Zealand perspectives. (3rd ed.) Auckland, NZ: Pearson Education.

_______ (2003) A proposed model describing the realisation of gifted potential. In W. Vialle & J. Geake (Eds.) The gifted enigma: A collection of articles. (pp. 326-345). Melbourne: Hawker Brownlow.

_______ (2003) Teaching considerate behaviour. In E. Dau (Ed.) Enhancing children’s development. (pp. 184-208). Melbourne: Tertiary Press.

_______ (1999) Discipline in early childhood. In L. Berk (Ed.) Landscapes of development: An anthology of readings. (pp. 295-307; 522-524). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.

Booklet

Porter, L., (2005, 1997) Young gifted children: Meeting their needs. Watson, ACT: Early Childhood Australia.

DVDs

Porter, L., (2008) Guiding children’s behaviour. Adelaide: Small Poppies SA. This live recording is a training tool for parents and professionals. In four chapters (Guidance versus control, alternatives to rewards, responding to disruptive behaviour, and a question-and-answer session) it explains how adults can prevent most behavioural disruptions in children by meeting the children’s practical and emotional needs and, in the event of thoughtless behaviour, can deflect emotional outbursts. A guidance approach does not use rewards and punishments, as these tend to excite resistance and rebellion in children. Alternatives include giving positive feedback without praising; and supporting children to regain command of their own emotions, rather than punishing them for becoming out of control.

Porter, L. (2008). Gifted children: Meeting their needs. Adelaide: Small Poppies International. This live recording is a training tool for teachers and parents. Its three chapters comprise: identifying giftedness across various domains, meeting gifted children’s emotional and social needs, and educational provisions for gifted learners. The last section includes gifted learners with disabilities. The final section examines the particular needs of parents and how teachers can collaborate with them in the interests of their gifted children

Journal articles

Porter, L. (in preparation.) A model of human needs: A refinement of Maslow.

(in preparation). Behaviourral guidance in early childhood.

(2004). Principles of guiding children’s behaviour. Rattler, 69, 11-14.

(2003). Valuing children. Australian Journal of Early Childhood 28 (4), 1-8.

(2003). Guiding children’s behaviour without using rewards or punishments. Every Child, 9 (2), 26-27.

(1998). Giftedness in young children. Every Child, 4 (2), 6-7.

(1998). Attention deficit disorder: Is it over diagnosed? Independent Education, 28 (1), 46-47.

(1997). A model describing the realisation of gifted potential. Australasian Journal of Gifted Education, 6 (2), 33-43.

(1997). Selected perspectives on ADD and ADHD. Australian Journal of Early Childhood, 22 (4), 7-14

Keynote and invited papers

National and international conferences

Porter, L. (2011). The attention deficit disorders: What they are, what they are not, their causes and treatments. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 21 May 2011.

Porter, L. (2011). Invited presentation, ‘Guiding children’s behaviour’ and panel discussion. Australian Parenting Conference, Darling Harbour, Sydney, 24 and 25 February 2011.

Porter, L. (2010). Invited presentation, Children with additional needs. Independent Schools Foundation Academy, Hong Kong, 11 October 2010.

Porter, L. (2010). Invited presentation, Children’s social and emotional needs. International Montessori School, Hong Kong, 6 October 2010.

Porter, L. (2010). Invited presentation, Teaching children resilience. International Montessori School, Hong Kong, 7 October 2010.

Porter, L. (2010). Invited presentation, Bullying. Chinese International School, Hong Kong, 9 March 2010.

Porter, L. (2010). Keynote address, Gifted children’s social skills. Hong Kong International Gifted Children’s Association, 4 October 2010.

Porter, L. (2010). Keynote address, ‘Valuing children’ and major presentation ‘Guiding children’s behaviour’ National Early Childhood Council Conference, Christchurch, NZ, 9 May 2010.

Porter, L. (2009). Invited address, ‘Promoting children’s self-esteem’, National Grandparent Carers Conference, Bond University, Gold Coast, 5 November 2009.

Porter, L. (2009). Invited presentation, Guiding children’s behaviour. Canadian International School, Hong Kong, 15 September 2009.

Porter, L. (2010). Invited presentation, Guiding children’s behaviour. Independent Schools Foundation Academy, Hong Kong, 12 May 2010.

Porter, L. (2009). Invited presentation, Guiding children’s behaviour. International Montessori School, Hong Kong, 14 May 2009.

Porter, L. (2008). Keynote address, ‘Valuing children’ and major presentation, ‘Guiding children’s behaviour’. NT Children’s Services conference, Darwin, 8 November 2008.

Porter, L. (2007). Invited paper, ‘Fostering resilience in children’, World Forum on Early Care and Education, Kuala Lumpur, 15-18 May 2007.

(2007). Keynote address, ‘Valuing children’ and major presentations ‘Guiding children’s behaviour’ and ‘Facilitating children’s social skills’ National Early Childhood Council Conference, Christchurch, NZ, 30 March-1 April 2007.

(2006). Invited presentations, ‘Guiding children’s behaviour’, ‘Meeting children’s emotional needs’ and ‘Collaborating with parents’ to The Zionist Federation National Jewish Education Conference, Melbourne, 18 August 2006.

(2006). Invited presentation, ‘Guiding children’s behaviour’ to the International Democratic Education Conference, Sydney, 10-16 July 2006.

(2006). Major address and follow-up session, ‘Guiding children’s behaviour’ to the National Family Day Care Conference, Messages from the heart Alice Springs, 17-20 May 2006.

(2006). Keynote address, ‘Meeting children’s emotional needs’ and follow-up address on ‘Guiding children’s behaviour’
to the National Early Childhood Council Conference, Rotorua, New Zealand, 28 and 29 April 2006.

(2004). Keynote address, ‘A guidance approach to discipline’ to the Early Childhood Australia Conference, Rediscover the magic, Sunshine Coast, QLD, 29-31 October 2004.

(2004). Invited paper, ‘Social and emotional needs of gifted children: What we know and what we think we know’ to the Tenth National Conference of the Australian Association for the Education of the Gifted and Talented, Creating environments for developing talent, Melbourne, 15-17 August 2004.

(2004). Keynote address, ‘Guiding children’s behaviour’ to the Parenting Symposium, Raising your child in a dynamic world, Singapore, 6-7 March 2004.

(2003). Keynote address, ‘Collaboration with parents’ to the Fourth National Family Day Care Conference, Building a bright future, Sydney, 10-13 September 2003.

(2003). Keynote address, ‘Valuing children’ to the Australian Early Childhood Association Conference, Children: The core of society, Hobart, 10-13 July 2003.

(2002). Keynote address, ‘Issues unique to gifted young children’ to the George Parkyn National Centre for Gifted Education Conference, Being gifted: The first six years, Auckland, New Zealand, 17-18 August 2002.

(2000). Invited paper, ‘Explaining their giftedness to children’. In Conference proceedings of the 6th Asia-Pacific Conference on Giftedness, Beijing, 16-20 August 2000.

(1999). ‘Curriculum differentiation for gifted young children’. In Conference proceedings of the 3rd Biennial Australasian International Conference on the Education of Gifted Students. Melbourne, August 1999.

(1998). ‘Counselling young gifted children and their families’. In Conference proceedings of the 7th National Conference of the Australian Gifted and Talented Association. Hobart, June 1998.

Statewide and local agencies

Porter, L. (2010). Invited address, ‘Social and emotional needs of gifted children’, NSW Association for Gifted and Talented Children, Sydney, 21 June 2010.

Porter, L. (2010). Keynote address, ‘Valuing children’ and major presentation ‘Guiding children’s behaviour’ Community child care and OSHC Conference, Melbourne, 27 May 2010.

Porter, L. (2010). Keynote address, ‘Guiding children’s behaviour’ Early Years in Education Society Seminars, Kalgoorli, 5 May 2010 and Perth, 7 May 2010.

Porter, L. (2008). Invited address, Collaborating with parents, Early Childhood Teachers’ Association Conference, Brisbane, 28 June 2008.

Porter, L. (2008). Keynote address and major address, ‘Building solutions’ Kindergarten Parents Victoria conference, Together we grow, Melbourne, 30 May 2008.

(2007). Invited presentations, ‘Guiding children’s behaviour’, to the NSW Family Day Care Association’s Annual Professional Development Conference, Embracing the future together, Sydney, 5 & 6 November 2007.

(2007). Keynote address ‘Guiding children’s behaviour’ and major addresses ‘Meeting children’s emotional needs’ and ‘Valuing children’ to the C & K Centenary Conference, Brisbane, 18-20 May 2007.

(2007). Invited papers, ‘Meeting children’s emotional and social needs’ and ‘Guiding children’s behaviour’ to the Early Years in Education Society Conference, Are we there yet?. Perth, 7 & 8 May 2007.

(2007). Keynote address ‘Social and emotional needs of children’ and ‘Guiding children’s behaviour’ to the Children’s Services Professional Support Network One-Day Seminar, Bundaberg, QLD, 10 March 2007.

(2006). Keynote presentation on ‘Children’s emotional and social needs’ and address on ‘Guiding children’s behaviour’ to the Kimberley and Pilbara Children’s Services Conference, Journeys in learning together to create change, Port Hedland, 25-27 August 2006.

(2005). Invited presentation, ‘Communicating to meet children’s emotional and social needs’ to the Communities @ Work 2005 Communication Forum, More than words: Communicating effectively with children, families and each other, Canberra, 18 & 19 November 2005.

(2005). Invited presentation, ‘Behavioural Guidance’ to the Victorian Preschool Field Officers’ Association Conference, Melbourne, 25 November 2005.

(2005). Keynote address, ‘Guiding children’s behaviour’ to the Lady Gowrie Conference, Discover, explore, enrich: An interactive early years conference Adelaide, 29 October 2005.

(2005). Keynote and follow-up addresses, ‘Valuing children’ and ‘Guiding children’s behaviour’, to KU Children’s Services annual seminar, Enriching children’s lives, Sydney, 29-30 July 2005.

(2005). Invited presentations, ‘Behavioural guidance’ and ‘Meeting children’s social and emotional needs’ as a visiting scholar for Edith Cowan University, Perth, May 2005.

(2005). Presentations, ‘Guiding children’s behaviour’ to faculty and parents of the Hong Kong International School, Hong Kong, May 2005.

(2004). Invited presentation, ‘Applying PET to a new generation: Research and a new perspective’ to the Muster of the Effectiveness Training Institute of Australia, Brisbane, 15 October 2004.

(2004). Keynote address, ‘Guiding children’s behaviour’ to Early Childhood Educators of Tasmania Conference, Standing tall for the future, Launceston, 6-7 August 2004.

(2004). Keynote address, ‘Guiding the behaviour of children with ADHD’ to the Attention Deficit Disorder of Queensland Conference, Shedding light on attention deficit disorder, Brisbane, 30 July 2004.

(2004). Invited address, ‘Collaboration with parents’ to the Country Children’s Services Association of NSW Annual Conference, Navigating the maze: Connecting policy and practice, Mudgee, June 2004.

(2003). Keynote address, ‘Gifted young children’ to the Early Childhood Australia NSW Branch – North Coast Regional Group, 2003 North Coast Conference, Ballina, 30 October-1 November 2003.

(2003). Keynote address, ‘Fostering considerate behaviour’ to the Eastern Riverina Children’s Resource Service Fourth Annual Early Childhood Conference, Buurraay: Beyond the boxes, Wagga Wagga, NSW, 25 October 2003.

(2003). Invited address, ‘Teaching children compassion’ to the Peace symposium: Pathways to peace, Brisbane, 27-28 September 2003.

(2003). Keynote address, ‘Guiding children’s behaviour’ to the Queensland Council of Social Service Indigenous Children’s Unit Conference, Our place: Our dreaming, Townsville, QLD, 23-24 September 2003.

(2003). Keynote address, ‘Overview and critique of major approaches to behaviour management’ to the Northern Territory University Conference, Behaviour management, Darwin, 8-10 May 2003.

(2003). Keynote address, ‘Parenting: Guiding children’s behaviour’ to the Community Child Health Conference, Parenting: The number one priority, Halls Gap, VIC, 27-28 March 2003.

(2002). Keynote address, ‘Debates about discipline: The case against the use of rewards and punishments’ to the Early Years in Education Society conference, Open the window, Perth, 6-7 September 2002.

(2002). Keynote address, ‘Guiding children’s behaviour without rewards or punishments’ the APS College of Clinical Psychologists (Queensland Branch) Conference, Clinical psychology: Under the microscope, Toowoomba, QLD, 24-25 August 2002.

(2002). Keynote address ‘Guiding children’s behaviour’ to the Hunter Children’s Services Forum Conference, Children, families and communities growing together, Newcastle, NSW, 25 May 2002.

(2002). Keynote address, ‘The emotional wellbeing of gifted children’ to the Tasmanian Association for the Gifted Conference, Gifted education: Building connections, Hobart, 3-4 May 2002.

(2001). Invited address, ‘Teaching young children considerate behaviour’. In Proceedings of The Early Childhood Conference, Our children: The future, Adelaide, 13 May 2001.

Porter, L. and Terrill, M.L. (2001). ‘Professional collaboration with parents’. In proceedings of SPELD: Dyslexia: What’s new? Adelaide, 27 April 2001.

Porter, L. (2000). Keynote address, ‘Children need coaches, not cheerleaders’ to the Child and Youth Health Conference, Barossa Valley, SA, 9 August 2000.

(1999). Invited address, ‘Stereotypes about giftedness’. In Mixed blessings: The dilemma of being gifted. Flinders University, Adelaide, 1 May 1999.

(1999). Invited seminar, ‘Recognition and assessment of giftedness’ for the NSW Gifted and Talented Children’s Association, Sydney, 31 October 1999.

(1998). Invited paper, ‘Teaching young children considerate behaviour’ for the Annual Conference of the Australian College of Behavioural Optometry, Helping children with learning and behavioural problems: A multidisciplinary approach, Adelaide, 30 May 1998.

(1997). Invited papers, ‘Giftedness in early childhood’, ‘Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder’ and ‘Discipline in early childhood’. InConferenceproceedings , Delve into diversity: Fourth National Conference for Supplementary workers (SUPS) Children’s Services Workers. Aboriginal Resources and Management Support Unit, the Multicultural Child Care Unit and the Special Needs Network, Adelaide, September 1997.

(1991). Invited paper, ‘Behaviour management for young children’. Department of Education, Training and Employment Regional Conference on Children with Special Needs, Clare, SA.

(1990). Keynote speech, ‘Social and emotional needs of children’ for the Department of Education, Training and Employment Regional Conference on Children with Special Needs. Naracoorte, SA.

Other info about Louise Porter

Consultancies

I am patron of the Hong Kong International Gifted Children’s Association established in 2010.

In 2000, I completed a consultancy for the Department of Education, Training and Employment in which I was asked to report on and make recommendations about their behaviour management policy for their early childhood sector.

During 2001 I was the early childhood consultant to the New Zealand Ministerial Working Party on gifted education, which developed a new national policy for gifted education.

Editorial board membership

I am a member of the book review panel for the Journal of Family Studies.

I have been a member of the editorial board of the Australasian Journal of Gifted Education.

I have also reviewed research articles for the International Journal of Practical Approaches to Disability and regularly review submitted articles for the Australian Journal of Early Childhood.

I have reviewed book proposals and manuscripts in the field of early childhood for publishers Allen and Unwin, MacLennan and Petty and Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.

Professional development activities

Over the past ten years as a consultant psychologist, in addition to the conference presentations already listed, I have offered a considerable number of professional development sessions for early childhood teachers and caregivers within early childhood and school, with psychologists, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, child health nurses, social workers, community health workers and other diverse professionals frequently attending my sessions. My leadership within the discipline has spanned many community agencies, as listed below.
Topics on which I present include behavioural guidance, social or emotional needs of children, giftedness, assessment and programming for children with disabilities, or collaboration with parents. Sessions are sometimes overviews or they might examine specific issues such as management of children with the attention deficit disorders, aggression and bullying, curricular differentiation for gifted students, identification of giftedness, or policy development in any of these areas.

Government departments

• Departments of Education, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, Pilbara, Sydney
• Office of Child Care, Canberra
• Preschool Services, Canberra
• Department of Community Services, Coffs Harbour, Port Macquarie, Penrith NSW, Dubbo, NSW (delivering sessions in rural NSW: Dubbo, Brewarrina, Cobar, Nyngan, Broken Hill, Gulgong, Coonabarabran, Coonamble, Gilgandra)

Generic children’s services agencies

• Creche and Kindergarten Association, Queensland
• Children’s Services, Albury City Council
• Moreland City Council, Victoria
• Glen Eira City Council, Victoria
• ECTARC, Wollongong, NSW
• The Lady Gowrie Centres, Sydney, Melbourne, Hobart, Adelaide
• Playgroup Associations in South Australia, Victoria and Christchurch, New Zealand
• Family Day Care training schemes in Adelaide, Eyre District, Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Cairns, Tweed Shire
• Hunter Valley Children’s Services, Newcastle
• Blue Mountains City Council, Katoomba, NSW
• Penrith City Council, Penrith, NSW
• Marrickville Council, Sydney
• Early Childhood Management Services, Melbourne
• Campbelltown Council, Melbourne
• City of Casey, Melbourne
• Knox City Council, Melbourne
• Darebin City Council, Melbourne
• Moreland City Council, Melbourne
• City of Melbourne
• Boroondara Council, Melbourne
• City of Whittlesea, Melbourne
• Early Childhood Organisation, Adelaide
• Community Child Care Cooperative, Sydney
• Victorian Preschool Field Officers Association
• Parenting KI, Kangaroo Island, SA

Special needs agencies

• Special Needs Network
• SUPS programs, Sydney
• State Associations for Gifted Children in Adelaide, Tasmania, Sydney, Alice Springs, Darwin, and Perth
• Resource Unit for Children with Special Needs Inc (Perth, WA)
• Early Intervention Association
• CARE Inclusion Support Team in Ballina, Byron Bay, Grafton, Lismore, NSW
• Fairfield Children’s Resource Centre, Liverpool Early Childhood Training and Resource Centre, Wollongong and Nowra
• Children’s Services Support Team, Campbelltown, Sydney
• Resource Link, Canberra
• Children’s Services Resource and Advisory Program, Canberra

Community health agencies

• Child, Adolescent and Family Health Service, Adelaide
• Child and Youth Health, Adelaide
• Northside Community Centre, Canberra
• Ethnic Child Care, Family and Community Services Co-operative, Sydney
• Domestic Violence Services in Adelaide and Sydney
• Melbourne City Mission
• Anglicare SA, Adelaide
• Uniting Care, Melbourne, Tasmania, Wimmera

Universities

• Macquarie University
• Edith Cowan University
• Northern Territory University
• TAFE, Sydney

Schools, preschools and child care centres

• Jewish Preschools Association, Sydney
• Catholic Education Office, Adelaide
• Lutheran Schools Association, Adelaide
• Melbourne Montessori Preschools
• Individual child care centres, preschools and schools in Adelaide, Port Lincoln, Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra, Brisbane, Hobart, Launceston and Devonport.