Year 1 and Year 8 can be surprisingly tough transitions (if your child is struggling, they are not alone), write Nina Van Dyke and Cynthia Leung. When we talk about “school transitions”, we generally refer to three specific points: starting primary school, starting secondary school, and...
Cassy Dittman asks how should parents respond? The new year often means a new season of kids’ sports. Many families may be pondering whether to commit to another season or discovering their child is now saying they’d like to quit their usual sport. My husband and I...
Australian parents want schools to teach more sex education topics and teach them from an earlier age, writes researcher Jacqueline Hendriks Decades of research have shown when relationships and sexuality education are delivered well, it can improve the sexual, social, and emotional health of young people....
Our research shows how, writes Gavin R. Slemp, Dianne Vella-Brodrick and Jacqui Francis About three quarters of Australian teachers experience substantial stress in a typical work week, according to a 2021 survey. Another 2019 Australian study showed more than half suffer from anxiety, and about one...
Aussie parents and carers from Parramatta to Perth and Townsville to Tassie will be breathing a sigh of relief! From a hilarious podcast about the human body, a detective series that investigates killer butterflies and glow worms, to art-curious kids who study what freaky snakes have...
– but what teachers in New Zealand really want are clear guidelines and expectations, writes Christine Braid Anyone watching the debate over the NZ National Party’s recent curriculum policy announcement could be forgiven for thinking there is a deep divide in education philosophy and best practice...
Open-plan classrooms are trendy, write Anika Stobart and Jordana Hunter but there is little evidence to show they help students learn. If you step into a newly built school these days, chances are you will see classrooms that look very different to the classrooms most of...
My child is in a composite class this year. Is this a good thing? Katherine Bates looks at the pros and cons. The majority of classes in Australian primary schools are made up of children from the same grade. The philosophy behind this is students of...
Why is this a problem? Teresa Swist, Fiona Suwana, Kalervo Gulson and Terry Flew look at 10 questions parents should ask. A Sydney high school recently introduced fingerprint technology to "help narrow down" students who were vandalising school toilets. Under the plan, students needed to scan their...
Personalised learning is billed as the ‘future’ of schooling, writes Maya Gunawardena: what is it, and could it work? It is not uncommon for kids to complain about school, but studies show significant numbers of Australian students are actually disengaged with their education. A 2017 Grattan Institute...
