On the first day of the school year as a graduate teacher I encountered a slap in the face. My day started brimming with confidence but that all changed when one boy walked through the door. His name was Jacob ...
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Are all teachers secretly writers? Opinion
If you look up the biographies of authors, you will find that many are also teachers, or ex-teachers — Rachael Johns, Josephine Moon and John Marsden, to name a few. While mingling at a writers' retreat and meeting fellow authors, ...
More »Poll reveals how NSW schools are performing in sexual consent education
Young people’s views on sexual consent education in schools were recently revealed in a report released by NSW Advocate for Children and Young People (ACYP) Zoe Robinson. The report was based on an online survey that polled 500 young people ...
More »Growing need for volunteer tutors in Melbourne
Melbournians are being encouraged to join the city’s Adult Migrant English Program Volunteer Tutoring Scheme, after government reforms and the COVID-19 pandemic has seen an uptick in demand for the services from new migrants and refugees. Funded by the Commonwealth ...
More »Poor sleep destroying student behaviour ambitions – opinion
The phone on my Principal’s desk rang and I didn’t even get the opportunity to say “Hello”. “Get down here now!” shrieked my panicked Year 5 teacher, an educator usually calm and highly competent. In the background I could hear ...
More »Unpacking the importance of phonics for early readers – podcast
EducationReview · Unpacking the importance of phonics for early readers The teaching of phonics in the early years of reading has been a contested issue for decades now. While all teachers believe an understanding of the area provides a critical ...
More »More stress, unclear gains: are selective schools really worth it?
Thousands of primary and secondary students in Sydney and Melbourne are preparing for selective entrance exams. If successful, students will gain entry into a selective secondary school, with other high-achievers, or an “opportunity class”, which is an academic stream for years 5 and ...
More »NSW education department is failing on key indicators: 2020 Annual Report
An analysis of the NSW Department of Education’s Annual Report for 2020 has found that the state is not meeting standards it set for itself, and is falling short in areas including HSC results, the proportion of graduating students, wellbeing, ...
More »New experimental game shows why punishment doesn’t always work
Neuroscientists and psychologists from UNSW Sydney have developed a video game that provides insights into punishment and why some individuals will try almost anything to avoid it, while others are undaunted by it. For a long time it has been ...
More »Australia needs an education reboot to counter an ‘engagement epidemic’
An “engagement epidemic” must be addressed in contemporary schools that extends far beyond a couple of curriculum tweaks. What is needed is a complete reboot, argues Australian learning strategist and experienced educator and leader Louka Parry, who will urge school ...
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