Partnerships in education

ACER researchers Dr Amy Berry, Kellie Picker and Rachel Parker discuss some of the characteristics of playful learning at school, share examples of classroom practice, and explain how Australian teachers can contribute to our understanding of learning through play in the classroom.

At Mossman in Queensland, a local Indigenous language called Kuku Yalanji was at risk of being lost. Now all students at Mossman State School learn the language and in this article, language teacher Sharon Case shares how the language program was developed.

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented some unique challenges for early years educators as they move to a remote learning approach. In today’s article, Dr Deborah Price discusses some practical ways for embracing the teaching and learning opportunities this new environment provides.

Fostering a sense of school pride and meeting the individual needs of every student are just two priorities for Melanie Macmillan, Principal of Warwick Farm Public School. In today’s article she shares how she focuses on community partnerships, visible leadership and student engagement to achieve those goals.

In these uncertain times, how do teachers support students to make sense of the coronavirus pandemic and give them the tools to navigate the challenges we may be faced with? In today’s article, Professor Peter O’Connor from the University of Auckland suggests arts-based approaches to building resilience in students in times of disaster.

Warilla High School in the Illawarra region of New South Wales is on its way to becoming entirely self-sufficient with electricity, thanks to fundraising efforts by students. We find out more about the initiatives students have led and introduced and how much they’re saving the school annually.

Having worked with school communities after the devastating Canterbury earthquakes, Professor Carol Mutch offers valuable insights from New Zealand on successful initiatives to support students, teachers and parents after disaster strikes their community.

Dr Emily Berger, an educational and developmental psychologist at Monash University, joins The Research Files to talk about some of the common principles of trauma informed practice in schools, including the importance of consistency, possible triggers for students, and helping them to regulate their emotions.

Maclean High School has a strong commitment to reconciliation and a proud history of developing deep, ongoing relationships with local Elders and community members. This was recognised in late-2019 when they were named winners of the Narragunnawali Awards from Reconciliation Australia in the schools category.

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 catalogues. This month’s theme is parental engagement.