Whether it's completing homework assignments, preparing for exams, or being required to study remotely during the COVID-19 pandemic, teenage students often need to complete school work at home. But, how many have access to a desk and a quiet place to study? What about those from the most disadvantaged backgrounds?

A new study involving students in Grades 1 and 2 from three primary schools in Melbourne has assessed the impact of implementing active breaks throughout the school day on the focus and learning of students.

‘The sense of achievement I feel when a messy, weedy garden bed is turned back into a neat and tidy patch makes me happy.’ Victorian educator Donna White shares her passion for gardening with readers, explaining why her garden is both a form of escapism and a sense of pride.

In Creating Trauma-Informed, Strengths-Based Classrooms, Dr Tom Brunzell and Dr Jacolyn Norrish share what they’ve learned about working with students who present unmet learning needs in the classroom, including research, theory and lots of practical tools and strategies for educators to use and adapt to their own context.

‘The change over the last 20 years in what and how students read has emphasised the importance not only of assessing students’ capacity to read, but also what they have learned about the credibility of what they read.’ In her latest Teacher column, Dr Sue Thomson delves into international PISA 2018 data on reading literacy and digital literacy skills.

How many adults experience sleep problems? What are the financial and health costs? And, what can help to improve our chances of getting a good night's sleep? Find out in this infographic.

In this monthly series, we take a look at some further readings available on a particular topic, including open access research papers from various online databases, and Teacher archive content you might not have come across yet. This month we’re looking at teaching spelling.

‘I started out teaching with my heart and soul overflowing, committed to the success and wellbeing of my students. But over time I became conflicted.’ Teacher and counsellor Anne Miller shares how for years she struggled with the administrative demands of teaching, and why she’s now an advocate for valuing the importance of a teacher’s heart and soul.

In their series for Teacher on Virtual Reality in education, Dr Susan O’Donnell and Adrian Rayner have explored the potential of VR technology and five elements of a successful school program. In this final instalment, they share feedback from students and staff who have been using the technology in their learning and teaching.

We know that getting a good night’s rest is important for our overall health and wellbeing, but are there certain foods we can eat that will actually improve our ability to sleep? We ask Dr Chris Irwin, an Accredited Practising Dietitian and Senior Lecturer in Nutrition and Dietetics at Griffith University.