Articles

‘How do you respond when leaders opt for optimism, in order to skim over dealing with the real issues that your school and community are cultivating, because it is easier to deny they exist?’ What happens when positivity gets out of hand, and how can we best respond to those who refuse to acknowledge the bad times?

How does walking benefit our physical and mental health? How many steps do we need to do to see benefits to our overall wellbeing? In this article, Postdoctoral Research Fellow Matthew Ahmadi shares the origin of the 10 000 steps per day goal, and how we can still see substantial benefits from fewer steps.

‘Over the Christmas break last year, I decided to commit myself to being active every day for at least 28 days in a row so that I could develop a healthy habit.’ Tamara Smith from St Mary’s Memorial School in South Australia shares how she began walking every day and the positive effect it’s had.

What are the future directions of teaching writing? Do students write differently when supported by ICT? And, how often do teachers teach writing? In this edition of Researching education: Five further readings, we’re sharing resources on the topic of teaching writing that seek to answer these questions.

A primary teacher from Queensland and a secondary teacher from Sydney were last night recognised for their contribution to STEM and agricultural science education by being named winners of the Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching. Here, we share details of the work they’re doing in their schools.

‘Last year offered school leadership teams, amongst other things, the chance to reflect on the hows and whys of education.’ Leon Furze, Director of Learning and Teaching, shares how the leadership team at Monivae College in regional Victoria has made significant changes to the Year 9-12 curriculum.

‘Climate change is likely the biggest test facing humanity. Equipping young people with solid scientific knowledge and understanding of environmental issues is key to their realistic appreciation of the environmental threats ahead.’ In his final Teacher column for 2021, Andreas Schleicher discusses student awareness and knowledge of environment issues, and how schools can develop their sense of empowerment and agency to make a difference.

As Australia marks World Teachers’ Day, a new survey report released to coincide with the celebrations shines a light on school educators’ passion for and dedication to the profession and lifelong learning. But it also reveals how the job is taking a toll on their wellbeing.

What is excellence in Indigenous education? This is a topic that’s been widely explored on Teacher this month and in today’s episode, we run you through some of the highlights. This includes a podcast on delivering Indigenous content in the curriculum, and a submission that explores how Indigenous peoples, school leaders and educators conceptualise what excellence in Indigenous education is or could be.

‘Health and Physical Education (HPE) is fundamental for supporting young people to develop the skills and knowledge that will enable them to engage in lifelong health, movement and physical activity behaviours. Ensuring all young people have the opportunity to develop this knowledge is a crucial responsibility for all physical educators.’ Dr Laura Alfrey and Professor Ruth Jeanes share practical strategies for promoting inclusion in HPE.