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...
School education needs radical reform if students are to thrive in an increasingly complex world, writes Greg Whitby. For the past 150 years, schooling has remained largely unchanged. For many, the launch of the Federal Government’s Digital Education Revolution initiative in 2008 was the first sign...
Teachers, parents and particularly other students are responsible for helping to prevent bullying, says Sam Chadwick. "I was only joking, I didn’t mean it!” How many times have I heard that in my 10 years of teaching? These words are so often spoken by children when...
Nicole Thompson considers how we teach our children that manners matter. A single voice pierced the muffled sounds of the airport terminal, and my ears pricked up instinctively. “Lucy, no! Remember your manners,” the voice shouted. “Say, ‘Please, Mummy’.” My son and I turned to fix...
Professor Helen Wildy explains how assessing children as they start school can have a positive and long-term impact on their education. I am intensely interested in the early years of schooling, particularly now that I have two young grandchildren. I have never doubted that the first...
Amanda Walsh questions why parents are more hesitant to raise problems they have with a childcare centre than they would be with any other service provider. You’re a parent, a partner, a worker, a student – there are an awful lot of titles and roles that...
Gemma Rolleman faces up to the fact she no longer has all the answers to her kids’ questions. It’s a sad day when your eight-year-old son turns to you for help with maths homework that might as well have been written in ancient Greek. For no...
When Eliza Johnson’s son was hit by a car, her first-aid skills steered them through the shock and adrenalin. my first-aid training gave my fear a practical focus. About a year ago, I was paying the restaurant bill while my husband took our one and two-year-old sons...
