A social enterprise providing education and information to protect and enhance the mental health of young people
The probability of school closures to slow the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19) is a major challenge for senior school students. It is tempting to view this as an extended holiday with time for crashing out on the couch, watching squillions of episodes of Games of Thrones (again), spending endless hours messaging friends and consuming [...]
Kareem El-Ansary completed a marathon listening tour last year, visiting 56 locations from around Australia and conducting 233 consultations at a diverse range of organisations, from schools to non-profits to juvenile detention centres. The issues raised were as varied as the young people themselves, but one key message remained constant; supporting us better starts with [...]
Research shows anxiety levels are high for many students in year 12 as they focus on academic goals that may determine their future. The way you pursue your goals can be the difference between maintaining happiness or feeling stressed. When setting and pursuing your goals, try to keep these four things in mind. 1. It’s [...]
Every disease outbreak brings an accompanying outbreak of fear. Already we’re seeing coverage on the spread of coronavirus fear which leads to misinformation, an effect on the economy and, perhaps the most alarming, xenophobia . Social stigmatisation and xenophobia are, unfortunately, well known features of disease outbreaks. And there is potential for xenophobic sentiment to [...]
Parents are a child’s first and most important teachers. Parent involvement in their child’s learning can help improve how well they do in school. However, when it comes to helping kids with homework, it’s not so simple. While it’s important to show support and model learning behaviour, there is a limit to how much help [...]
It’s the end of the first year of school for many children and proud parents. Some children may be reading quicker than their classmates, others slower; some can add double digits, others only single. What’s normal? Not all babies talk, walk and are toilet-trained by the same age and it’s the same thing as the [...]
Regardless of whether you teach in remote, rural, regional, or metropolitan schools, you can expect to come across a child in your classroom who has experienced trauma. Understanding the impact of trauma on learning capability may assist you to create trauma-sensitive learning environments. What is trauma? Adverse childhood experiences (ACE) are stressful or traumatic events, [...]
The Australian Bureau of Statistics shows children are mostly likely to start studying music between the ages of nine and 11. Researchers in a 2009 UK study suggested the dramatic drop in music tuition after age 11 was linked to children starting high school. The study also revealed the main reasons for children ending music [...]
When I was younger, I decided to learn Greek. I learnt the letter-sound correspondences and could say the words – the sounds, that is. But although I could and still can decode these words, I can’t actually read Greek because I don’t know what the words mean. Being able to make the connection between the [...]
The transition from preschool to school is a big deal for many children and parents. Over the next few weeks, many preschoolers will take part in a transition program, designed by their teachers, to prepare them for school. They’ll meet their foundation teachers, spend some time in a classroom and hopefully make some new friends. [...]
