Student welfare

A primary school in Melbourne will be implementing a new four-week program for incoming Foundation students next year to better prepare them for learning following disruption to their kindergarten year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

What bullying policies and procedures are in place at your school? Do you have a specific anti-bullying education program? In this podcast we talk to Dr Lesley-anne Ey about her work with early childhood teachers in South Australia to identify problems with bullying in their own school context and co-design tailored activities and strategies.

Secondary school students in New South Wales will be participating in a trial of a social and emotional learning course, which includes the use of virtual reality. The immersive course aims to equip students with tangible skills to increase their emotional fitness and here, we speak to the school involved in the trial.

‘In a year that has seen a great deal of disruption to classes, the relationship between students and their teachers has become far more important.’ In her new column, Dr Sue Thomson explores the latest report from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) and offers insights into how Australian students perceive their teachers.

New data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) show Australian students report having high levels of self-efficacy and competence, particularly in the face of adversity. In today’s article we take a close look at the new report that explores students’ experiences at school and how they relate to student performance.

In his latest Teacher column, Andreas Schleicher explores PISA data on teacher support and enthusiasm, school climate, student satisfaction with life and parent participation. ‘[The] most interesting lesson from PISA is that a higher sense of student wellbeing does not need to come at the expense of lower academic outcomes.’

During the period of remote learning in New South Wales, Mathematics teacher Holly Millican from South Grafton High School used several activities to keep her students engaged and accountable, and in today’s video, she shares them with Teacher readers.

What is biophilic design? How does it differ from sustainable design? And why should schools be taking a lead from early childhood settings in adopting this approach for projects and programs? Architect and author Sarah Scott discusses biophilic design and its benefits in today’s article.

A recent survey conducted by Mission Australia highlights how the experiences of young people with a disability differ to young people living without disability. Topics included inclusion, issues of personal concern and post-school plans. Here, we look at how some of their responses compare.

‘These are unprecedented times and teachers have done an incredible job adapting to the many challenges the pandemic has presented.’ In her latest Teacher article, Julia Gillard discusses how Australian schools have been putting a greater focus on mental health and wellbeing, and shares advice and resources to support staff, students and families.