Associate Professor
Judith Howard

Faculty of Creative Industries, Education & Social Justice,
School of Early Childhood & Inclusive Education
Biography
Judith is a national leader in "Trauma-Aware Education". Judith has an extensive career history with state schooling in Queensland and commenced working for QUT in 2015. She has worked as a classroom teacher (primary), school Guidance Officer and behaviour support specialist. She has held both regional and state leadership positions with the Queensland Department of Education, overseeing policy development and school practice regarding student behaviour and has managing staff and a broad range of programs delivering behaviour support services to schools. Judith's teaching interests include Trauma-Aware Education, child and adolescent development, student behaviour, school and classroom behaviour management, behaviour management policy development and inclusive practice in schools. Judith's main interest involves the impact of early childhood attachment difficulties and complex trauma on the developing child and on future (primary and secondary) school behaviours. She coordinates the biennial "Trauma-Aware Schooling" conference https://traumaawareschooling.com.au/ and runs her popular MOOC: "Teaching students who have suffered Complex Trauma", three times each year. She continues to develop undergraduate and post-graduate education and training options on this important topic. Through her research, training seminars, and consultancy with educators, she continues to encourage schools and early childhood services to adopt a neuroscience informed approach to the behaviour management of students living with the outcomes of complex trauma.Personal details
Positions
- Associate Professor
Faculty of Creative Industries, Education & Social Justice,
School of Early Childhood & Inclusive Education
Keywords
complex childhood trauma, trauma-informed, trauma-sensitive, school, practice, behaviour, student, neuroscience
Discipline
Specialist Studies in Education, Education Systems
Field of Research code, Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC), 2008
Qualifications
- PhD (Queensland University of Technology)
Professional memberships and associations
Member: QUT Research Centre for Child & Family Studies Queensland College of Teachers International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect Australia and New Zealand Mental Health Association
Teaching
Current
- Study Area Coordinator: Graduate Certificate Trauma-Aware Education
- Study Area Coordinator: M. Ed School Guidance and Counselling
- Unit Coordinator
- LCN636: Introductory Educational Counselling
- EUB003: Managing Challenging Student Behaviours Related to Complex Trauma
- EUN252: Trauma-Awareness (M.Teach)
- EUN651: Introduction to Trauma-Aware Education
- EUN653: The Science of Complex Trauma
- EUN654: Learners impacted by Trauma
- EUN655: Leading Trauma-Aware Education
- University Academic for EUQ640: Introductory Educational Counselling
Coordinator
- MOOC, Module and Module Plus (Assessment): Teaching students who have suffered complex trauma.
- International Microcredential: Trauma-Aware Education
Previous Unit Coordinator :
- LCN620: Psycho-educational Assessment; LCN618: Advanced Educational Counselling; LCN619: School Guidance and Counselling Professional Practice; LCN633: School Guidance and Counselling Practicum.
- EDB140 Teaching Strategies and Planning
- EDB170 Creating Positive Learning Environments (2nd year preservice teachers)
- LCB343 - Managing Challenging Student Behaviours Related to Complex Trauma
- LCB670 - Creating Positive Learning Environments (M. Teach)
- EUB103 - Culture Studies: Indigenous Education (2nd year preservice teachers)
- EUN104 - Culture Studies: Indigenous Education (M. Teach)
Experience
Judith regularly engages with key state, national, and international colleagues and stakeholders to promote and develop trauma-aware schooling across Australia. She regularly speaks on the topic in keynote addresses and delivers training and seminars examining trauma-aware school practice and the impact of complex childhood trauma on child development and school behaviour and engagement. She has led the development of the "National Guidelines for Trauma-Aware Education".
Selected publications
QUT ePrints
For more publications by Judith, explore their research in QUT ePrints (our digital repository).
Awards
- Type
- Academic Honours, Prestigious Awards or Prizes
- Reference year
- 2019
- Details
- QUT Vice Chancellor's Award for Teaching and Research Excellence (Individual)
- Type
- Academic Honours, Prestigious Awards or Prizes
- Reference year
- 2004
- Details
- Master of Education High Academic Achievement Award (GPA: 7)
- Type
- Academic Honours, Prestigious Awards or Prizes
- Reference year
- 1996
- Details
- Australian College of Education Award
- Type
- Academic Honours, Prestigious Awards or Prizes
- Reference year
- 1996
- Details
- Queensland University of Technology Medal for Academic Excellence (GPA: 6.9)