The key academic skill you’ve probably never heard of – and 4 ways to encourage it
SolStock/Getty Images When parents think about their child’s education, they probably focus on basic skills and exam results, the amount a child is trying and their wellbeing. But there is another significant factor influencing their success at school. This is metacognition. What is it? Why is it important? And how can you help your child […]
A new study shows little kids who count on their fingers do better at maths
Sydney Bourne/ AAP If you ask a small child a simple maths question, such as 4+2, they may count on their fingers to work it out. Should we encourage young children to do this? This seemingly simple question is surprisingly complex to answer. Some teachers and parents might say, yes, it seems to help young […]
Will social workers in schools stop young people committing violent crimes?
The Victorian government has announced it will send social workers to 20 of the state’s schools to try to reduce violent youth crime. It will spend A$5.6 million on “targeted” schools next year. The aim is to “intervene early in the lives of children who are heading down the wrong path […] drifting towards violence, […]
57% of young Australians say their education prepared them for the future. Others are not so sure
Justin Lambert/ Getty Images When we talk about whether the education system is working we often look at results and obvious outcomes. What marks do students get? Are they working and studying after school? Perhaps we look at whether core subjects like maths, English and science are being taught the “right” way. But we rarely […]
A cancer specialist explains why parents should not be too worried about coloured sand recalls
Schools have been shut in the Australian Capital Territory after children’s play sand was recalled due to asbestos fears. Almost all Canberra primary schools were closed on Monday, with Education Minister Yvette Berry conceding it could take “days” for schools to be declared safe to open again. The sand has also been used in schools […]
‘I do get quite anxious’: why so many students are applying for early offers to uni
An increasing number of Australian school students are applying for an early offer to university, before they have their exam results back. Last Thursday, nearly 16,000 students in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory got an early offer through the University Admissions Centre, after a 3% growth in applications from last year. This […]
Nappy changes are not just a chore to rush through. You can use them to teach consent
Vera Livchak/ Getty Images There has been a lot of focus on the need to teach older children about consent. But parents should not wait until kids are teenagers to talk about appropriate touching or how everyone has the right to say what happens to their body. In fact, the earlier parents talk about this […]
How can you help your child prepare to start high school next year?
Tang Ming Tung/ Getty Images Moving from primary to high school is one of the biggest transitions in a child’s education. For some, it can be a really daunting time, moving away from friends, travelling to a new place and starting very different routines. Preparations to start high school can begin long before the end […]
A safety expert explains why you should stay in Australia for schoolies and avoid overseas
Wendy Wei/ Pexels At the end of November, official schoolies celebrations will begin for the class of 2025. While the Gold Coast, Byron Bay, Lorne and Victor Harbour are still popular, young people are also choosing to travel internationally to celebrate the end of school. Last year, an estimated 8,000 school leavers went to Bali. […]
Removing Treaty responsibility from school boards undoes decades of progress
Getty Images Te Pāti Māori’s descent into personality politics meant it missed the government’s recent announcement about changing school board obligations under te Tiriti o Waitangi/Treaty of Waitangi. This is important: like last month’s refendums on Māori wards in local government, which the party also seemed not to notice, the schools issue goes to the […]