If your tween or teen doesn’t know how to swim, it’s not too late for lessons
Marcos Castillo/ Shutterstock New figures show shocking numbers of Australian kids are not achieving basic swimming skills. Royal Life Saving Australia data estimates 48% of Year 6 students cannot swim 50 metres and tread water for two minutes. For those in high school, the results are even more worrying. Teachers estimate 39% of Year 10 […]
Amid claims of abuse, neglect and poor standards, what is going wrong with childcare in Australia?
On Monday, an ABC’s Four Corners investigation reported shocking cases of abuse and neglect in Australian childcare centres. This included examples of children being sexually abused, restrained for hours in high chairs, and fed nutritionally substandard meals such as pasta with ketchup. While acknowledging there are high-quality services operating in the community, the program also […]
Trump is surveying Australian academics about gender diversity and China – what does this mean for unis and their research?
Shortly after taking office, US President Donald Trump issued executive orders banning federal funding on so-called “woke” research. This is part of his broader ban on all diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies, grants and programs in the US government. These orders are massive in scope, impacting studies as varied as stroke recovery, computing and […]
Language is a ‘central element in being Māori’ – using structured literacy to teach te reo misses the point
Laiotz/Shutterstock Since the start of this year, all New Zealand schools have been required to use structured literacy to teach reading and writing – including the country’s 310 primary and intermediate Māori-medium kura (schools that teach in te reo Māori). This curriculum change was part of the National-led government’s plan to lift educational achievement. At […]
We spoke to kids after the Lismore floods. To recover, they told us they need support, time and hugs
Many children in Queensland and northern New South Wales have had their lives disrupted by ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Schools were closed (about 14 were still shut as of Thursday afternoon), families hunkered down and then the clean-up and repair efforts began. For students in Lismore, the past week will have likely brought back memories of […]
‘They eat snacks during class and swing on chairs’: the worrying, sexist behaviour of some young men at uni
Shutterstock/ Matej Kastelic Researchers have been reporting a disturbing rise in sexist, misogynist behaviour from students in school classrooms. This includes Australian studies which show how the extreme views of the “manosphere” (online anti-women and anti-women’s empowerment communities) have infiltrated schools. Last year, my colleagues and I reported on abusive behaviour of male students towards […]
What can you do if your child is being bullied?
MPIX/Shutterstock Bullying is one of the top concerns Australian parents have about their children’s health. Unfortunately about one in four Australian students between Year 4 and Year 9 report being bullied at least every few weeks. The federal government has recently set up a six month “rapid review” to look at what schools are doing […]
How can parents talk to their kids about Cyclone Alfred?
Cyclones and floods are terrifying and unpredictable. The stress of ensuring your family’s safety, worrying about what might happen and then coping with the aftermath can feel overwhelming. Some parents are also managing kids and young people through the crisis. You may be worrying about how these events may impact your kids going forward. The […]
Underfunded? Overfunded? How school funding works in Australia
Getty Images During the federal election campaign we can expect to hear candidates talk passionately about school funding. This is one of the most contentious areas of education policy – and one many families and voters care deeply about. You may hear some parties talking about how they are “fully funding” schools and other commentary […]
NSW has finally struck a school funding deal. What does this mean for schools and students?
The federal government and NSW government have announced a new funding deal for the state’s public schools. This will see the Commonwealth contribution jump from 20% to 25% of the schooling resource standard (on which school funding is based) by 2034. The NSW government will contribute the rest. This follows more than a year of […]