Parent participation

Parents and families are integral members of a school community, and working with them to improve student outcomes is a key part of an educator’s role. In our latest expert Q&A we speak to ACER Research Officer Simone Griggs and colleagues Greta Rollo, who leads the Primary, Early Childhood and Inclusive Research team, and Research Fellow Dr Kellie Picker, about a resource they’re developing to help practitioners build strong partnerships with families, including how to navigate difficult conversations.

Research shows parents want more frequent communication about their child’s learning, and that communicating both a student’s individual achievement, and learning growth is important. In this article, we speak to one school about their new approach to student reporting.

We know that e-cigarette use among adolescents in Australia has quickly become a pressing issue. So, how can educators empower them to say no to vaping, and work towards the prevention of e-cigarette use among young people? In this episode, we speak to the team behind the Unpacking Vaping in Schools Project about their findings so far.

Any kind of change can be exciting and sometimes daunting, and moving from primary to secondary school is no different. So, what are the worries and challenges for students, and what would help to make the process easier? In this episode we’re discussing the research behind Life Ed’s Guide to Thrive transition program and how student voice has informed the resources.

In today’s article Janie Thompson – Manager and Nurse Continence Specialist at the Continence Foundation of Australia's National Continence Helpline – shares some of the real-life situations faced by K-12 educators who ring the helpline, along with strategies and advice.

‘It's one of those things that people don't feel comfortable talking about. Why is it so difficult to have that conversation when it is absolutely critical for our social wellbeing as well as our health?’ Bronwyn Robinson, Education Manager at the Continence Foundation of Australia, explains not all students start school toilet trained, others need ongoing support, and some who have previously had no problems can start to have difficulties.

In your school, what initiatives do you have in place to engage students in learning about sustainability? At one school in Victoria, sustainability is embedded across the school, and in this episode, their sustainability coordinator joins us to discuss their journey to prioritising sustainability as a school community.

Many of you will be familiar with the concept of buddy programs, designed to support children who are navigating the intimidating step of starting a new school. However, it’s not only students who experience these challenges. For over 5 years, Beaumaris North Primary School have been running a buddy program for new Prep parents to help them find their feet in a new environment.

When students experience prolonged absences from school due to serious illness, it can bring up unique emotional, social and educational challenges for the student, their teacher and classmates. In this article, Year 5 teacher at Waverly College, Jennifer Hoare, shares some strategies the school uses to support students experiencing illness.

In this podcast, we’re joined by Trent Cowley, Principal at Kingston State School. Trent shares what it means to him to be a visible leader, how he’s working to build staff capacity, and the impact that his collaboration with other principals in the area has had on student outcomes.