Professor Gordon Tait argues that teachers are now expected to shoulder the burdens that others will not. The concern is that teachers are now to be regarded as de facto therapists and since somebody has to be responsible for children’s behaviour, it is teachers who...
Christine Wellfare steps back and lets her children learn on their own. I first learned about plagiarism in Year 3. My homework task was to write a poem about an Australian animal. It’s funny, but 26 years later I can still remember the poem (“The ringtail...
Parents use all manner of criteria to choose the best school for their children, writes Lucinda Bertram. It was one of the most stressful decisions of Leanne Jeffs’s life. “I think there is a lot of pressure on parents today to find ‘the right school’ for...
Professor Ian Chubb, AC, served as Chief Scientist of Australia from 2011 to 2016. Here he emphasises the importance of scientific knowledge and skills to our children and society. In a rapidly changing world where new jobs and even new industries will continue to be...
Just released for April reading are some meatier books for older readers, including a series that is being developed into a major film and two new picture books for the littlies. Kids Who Did: Real kids who ruled, rebelled, survived and thrived by Kirsty Murray (Allan &...
A wide selection of new books have come out this month and here are a few picture books for 0-8 year-olds that are worth looking at. Mummy Cuddle by Kate Myers, illustration by Sara Acton (ABC Books, HarperCollins Children’s Books, hardback, RRP$19.99) Age group: 0-3yrs. Out March...
The National Asthma Council Australia has just released (07/03/2019) major updates to Australia’s go-to asthma guides – the Australian Asthma Handbook for primary healthcare professionals and the popular My Asthma Guide for people living with asthma. “Australia has one of the highest prevalence rates of asthma...
Amazing Evolution: The Journey of Life by Anna Claybourne & Wesley Robins, Illustrator (Ivy Press, Murdoch Children’s Books, HB, RRP$29.99) Age Group 9-12 years This book is fascinating—clearly organised and illustrated in a very informative way. From Chapter 1: What is Evolution to Chapter 4: Evolution in...
Deb Hunt explores how involvement in theatre and youth arts can make a big difference in young people’s lives. “There’s a place for every kind of personality in theatre. Some kids are ready to be big, while others have soft voices and quiet personalities, but they...
Dr Melissa Kang contemplates how sex education is treated in Australian classrooms, homes, media and peer groups. Research & curriculum implementation Since 1992, national surveys about the sexual health of students in Australian secondary schools have been conducted. We now have a body of evidence about young...
