Educate Issue 7

BY KIDDO MAG

25 acres. 150+ subjects and co-curricular choices.

The freedom to explore what’s possible.

The middle of the school year feels like a black hole to me; an abyss filled with interim test scores, completed assignments, partially eaten lunches, and the inevitable lost jumper. The kids are comfortable in their school routine but haven’t reached the point in the year where the light at the end of the tunnel of summer school holidays is anything more than a tiny pinprick.

For our family, this year has been a learning curve. With 12-year-old twins starting high school, there was a lot of change afoot: a new school, new uniforms, new friends, new teachers, and a big open door to new opportunities. At least with one child still in primary, I can hold on to the glory days of homework I can actually help with (no one talk to me about year 7 maths please) and a full school week dedicated to Mother’s Day craft, for a bit longer. High school brings new responsibilities and challenges, and honestly, this includes a lot more ironing for me.

Amidst that giant, never-ending pile of shirts to press, we had an issue to put together! For this edition, we challenged ourselves to dive into some topics that hit close to home for

KIDDO MAG

many parents of school-aged children, topics we haven’t explored before. Tricky year 9 has come up in countless conversations, so writer and mum Kate Holland took on the task of figuring out exactly what makes year 9 such a tough year for our kids and what we can do to help. We also got some strategies from Psychologist Madavi Nawana Parker about managing test and exam anxiety, as well as organisational tips for making school mornings manageable in neurodiverse households from clutter queen Georgina Martin.

As we navigate through the whirlwind of school years and parenthood, it’s timely to remember that each challenge faced brings new opportunities for growth and learning, both for our children and ourselves…now if I could just master that windsor knot…

Editor

Publisher Charlotte Chambers

Editor

Olivia Williams

Editorial Contributors

Lyndsey Collins-Praino

Madhavi Nawana Parker

Kate Holland

Dr Terence Sheppard

Karen McDowell Lomas

Renae Plueckhahn

Georgina Martin

Nabula Brdar

Jaqueline Vincent

Art Director

Nicole Jesenko

Sales Manager

Katie Brown

katie@kiddomag.com.au

Printing

Distribution Passing Out

For more education and family content head to kiddomag.com.au @kiddomag

Get in contact: hello@kiddomag.com.au

Start your Princes journey in Year

Year 5 is a pivotal year in a child’s learning. At Prince Alfred College, our teaching is tailored specifically to the active learning style and developmental milestones of boys. By joining our welcoming community in Year 5, families are discovering the benefits of completing primary education in a ‘one school’ environment.

Our Preparatory School boys’ benefit from world-class facilities and teachers who employ a contemporary, researchinformed explicit instruction approach to teaching. This experience is further enhanced through specialist programs in robotics, space and engineering. Year 5 is also the first time our boys go on camp at Scotts Creek – our purpose-built regional campus on the Murray River, perform on stage in the Year 5 Musical, and take on leadership opportunities.

The transition to secondary school can be daunting. At Princes, in Year 5 and 6, our students will have the advantage of our dedicated Year 7 transition program to ensure a seamless induction into this next crucial stage of education.

Come and discover how starting in Princes’ Preparatory School will help your son reach his potential in a caring and tailored environment.

Welcome to Wilderness School’s new Early Learning Centre.

This beautiful space overflowing with light blends a heritage home with modern architecture, creating extraordinary spaces to learn and play. Tailored to the needs of young learners, this home-away-from-home provides the perfect start for all Wilderness girls.

Inspired by Reggio Emilia’s innovative child-centered approach to education, our globally-influenced philosophy fosters collaboration, critical thinking and creativity. Yoga, music and physical education are all delivered by specialist teachers from the Junior School, giving our girls a strong head start.

Discover our new Early Learning Centre. wilderness.com.au

Travelling her own unique path, a Wilderness girl learns to be adventurous, respectful and courageous. A confident global citizen. A TRAILBLAZER. At Wilderness, she will.

Train with the best

South Australian students have a unique opportunity to participate in CBC + Tottenham Hotspur Holiday Soccer Clinics.

The CBC + Tottenham Hotspur Holiday Soccer Clinics offer students in R–7 throughout South Australia a unique opportunity to engage in an elite training program inspired by CBC’s Soccer Curriculum.

This outstanding program is led by the highly experienced and esteemed Tottenham Hotspur Development Head Coach, Gerald Lami in coordination with Marcelo Carrusca, former professional Australian Soccer player and now CBC’s Technical Director of Soccer, bringing a rivalled opportunity for soccer excellence.

Held during the Term 2 and 3 school holidays, the clinics will focus on technical development in 1v1 scenarios, tailored to ignite a passion for the game while supporting and enhancing the development of individual players of all skill levels.

Guided by a team of coaches and members of CBC’s First XI, participants will gain high-level skills developed through the Spurs Philosophy.

The Holiday Soccer Clinics are run as a single-day experience or a more in-depth 3-day program.

This is a unique opportunity for aspiring players to take their soccer game to the next level.

Christian Brothers College cbc.sa.edu.au discover.cbc.sa.edu.au/HolidaySoccerClinics

Strengthening bonds and fostering new friendships

There's always a buzz of excitement when students come together across different year levels and areas of Seymour College. These connections are nurtured right from the start.

The youngest learners, the Infants in the Early Years, eagerly anticipate their weekly visits from their Reception buddies. It's a heartwarming sight as the older students show care for their younger friends, embracing their responsibility of being positive role models. Meanwhile, the little ones demonstrate their growing capability and competence as they develop their sense of self.

Further along the Seymour journey, Year 2 students light up with joy as Middle and Senior Years boarding students read them stories and enjoy a shared breakfast during the special Year 2 Sleepover experience.

On Barr Smith Campus, Middle and Senior Years students eagerly await their Black Watch Buddies time. This innovative initiative groups students across year levels, who meet fortnightly as part of Friendship Fridays.

The buddy groups embark on a journey of friendship and mentorship that will stay with them throughout their time at Seymour and beyond. With fun handshakes and group names, they dive into an array of teambuilding and fun activities designed to strengthen their connections and share valuable insights and friendships.

For students in Years 3 to 6, Clan Connection time is a highlight of their week, offering opportunities for laughter, games, and meaningful interactions. Friendship Days also bring together students from different year levels, fostering the spirit of camaraderie.

As the magic unfolds between older mentors and their younger companions across the College, it's evident that these initiatives create a supportive environment where knowledge is shared and friendships blossom. Seymour College is not only building strong bonds among its students but also instilling values of empathy, collaboration, and mentorship that resonate with both students and parents alike.

Seymour College seymour.sa.edu.au

At Walford, we foster a close-knit community where each girl is inspired to embrace her individuality, strengths, and personal approach to achieving her goals. We instil confidence in each girl to actively design and create her own path to her own success, in a world where she can be, do and achieve, her best, her way.

New Opportunities Available in Years 4 and 5 in 2025 walford school

Walford Anglican School for Girls CRICOS Provider No. 00563J

155 years of empowering young women at St Mary’s

St Mary's College Adelaide celebrates its 155th anniversary this year, marking a significant milestone for the oldest continuously running girls' school in South Australia. Founded in 1869 by seven Dominican Sisters, the college has remained dedicated to empowering young women through quality education.

With a strong tradition of academic excellence and community support, St Mary's College has evolved significantly from its modest beginnings in cottages on West Terrace and Franklin Street. Today, it is a leading Catholic girls' school offering education from Reception to Year 12. The college's commitment to empowering young women is evident in its diverse curriculum and innovative programs, supported by state-of-the-art facilities, including a Centre for the Performing Arts, Library/Resource Centre, Senior Centre, and Gymnasium. Its leadership programs encourage and enable students to positively impact their communities.

Reflecting on its legacy, St Mary's College embraces innovation while staying true to its core values and beliefs. This anniversary celebrates history and reaffirms the college's dedication to nurturing students ready to make a meaningful difference in society. As St Mary's College looks forward to the future, it remains committed to inspiring and supporting generations of young women to achieve their full potential, carrying forward the vision of its founding Dominican Sisters over a century and a half ago.

St Mary’s College stmarys.sa.edu.au

Exceptional new spaces designed to enhance wellbeing, collaboration and innovation at Wilderness School

As Wilderness School celebrates 140 years of exceptional education the future is brighter than ever, with the recent opening of an architecturally outstanding new Early Learning Centre and a new Lower Junior School and innovation centre on the way.

Blending heritage features and sophisticated modern design, the beautiful new spaces will enhance learning for girls from ELC to Year 12.

The ELC is the result of a collaboration between educators and architects to craft a space specifically suited to the needs of young learners.

Mixing soaring ceilings and inimitable heritage features and brimming with natural light and abundant green space, the ELC is truly one-ofa-kind.

The ELC philosophy is inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach to education — a child-centred approach focusing on innovative teaching methods that foster creativity and critical thinking, emphasising the importance of the environment.

The development of the Lower Junior School will offer Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 students a warm and inviting environment where remarkable learning experiences are activated in flexible learning spaces.

The reimagined Margaret Brown Building will be a vibrant hub in the heart of campus, giving Wilderness girls access to a global network of partners, acting as an ecosystem for innovation in education.

Wilderness School wilderness.com.au

Join us for a fun and educational soccer experience led by Tottenham Hotspur Coach, Gerald Lami

Open to ALL students from R–7, you can choose to participate in the full 3-day clinic or a single-day experience!

Visit: discover.cbc.sa.edu.au/HolidaySoccerClinics or scan the QR Code to register

discover.cbc.sa.edu.au/

No phones, now what?

"No phones now what?" Perhaps this was a question that flashed through the minds of many students late last year. Now this is rarely a question. The impact of no mobile phones in the school yard in particular, has led to the need for alternative options for students.

Celebrating diversity St Aloysius launches stunning community art wall ?

Lunchtime clubs, the use of the library spaces and equipment borrowing from the sports shed have always been highly utilised. But what else could there be? What else could this prime opportunity provide to increase both outdoor play and physical activity? Both being outdoors and/or engaging in physical activity, have well researched and well known positive social and emotional and physical health benefits.

At Endeavour College, this opportunity has been seized upon with the addition of outdoor and activity based options for a range of ability and interest levels. The playground is currently being upgraded to include a bouldering wall and climbing apparatus. The outdoor table tennis tables have been enormously popular as a fun and social activity regardless of your skill level. If volleyball is your thing, a new more permanent volleyball net and court has been added to one of the grassed areas. These options have already reaped many benefits for students, with more ideas and options being considered all of the time.

“No phones? Now what?” – not even a thought!

Endeavour College endeavour.sa.edu.au

St Aloysius College (SAC) recently launched a vibrant Community Art Wall which provides a colourful entry to The Village, a new flexible learning space located in its CBD campus, which is being utilised while parts of the College are modernised. The artwork was designed and painted by students and staff to represent the beauty of SAC’s cultural diversity and the many helping hands of the inclusive College community. Over several weeks, they collaborated to produce the mural.

Mia, in Year 5, says, “the artwork represents to me all the kind and caring students that come to SAC.” Year 7 student, Joy, agrees, explaining how, “the artwork represents Mercy and the different communities that all come together in one place. The SAC community has always been inviting no matter who you are and what you are like.”

You can experience SAC’s Mercy hospitality and see the Community Art Wall for yourself by joining an upcoming school tour!

St Aloysius College sac.sa.edu.au

Connecting STEM learning to the real world at Prince Alfred College

It is evident that we live in a rapidly changing world where we cannot predict what adulthood will be like for our children. However, research is clear that contemporary education requires students to develop deep knowledge and acquire transversal skills that can be applied to unknown situations in the future. Learning STEM is important for a diverse and capable science, technology, engineering, and mathematics workforce in the future, whilst being something that ignites the interests of boys today.

The newly developed STEM program at Prince Alfred College incorporates the explicit teaching of knowledge and skills in these areas whilst providing opportunities for boys to apply high-level, complex skills such as computational thinking, design thinking, and project-management skills in exciting, hands-on challenges that connect to the real world.

Preparatory School boys at PAC apply this knowledge and skills as they get their hands dirty in the garden while learning vermicomposting, lifecycles, and food chains; test and apply different variables and race model small-scale F1 cars; and work with rocketscientists from SA in the burgeoning space sector.

PAC understands what is needed for boys’ success in the future, and how to make learning fun for them today.

Prince Alfred College pac.edu.au

Mercedes College New Arts and Sports Precinct

This Term, Mercedes College opened their highly-anticipated new Arts and Sports Centre, adding a superb new Precinct to their sprawling, botanic Campus.

Boasting a built-for-purpose performing Arts Space, an Atrium and Gallery, state-of-the-art highperformance Gym, plus multiple indoor and outdoor tennis and netball courts, this new addition to the College will provide a range of spaces for students to learn, grow, perform and play.

The indoor Gym and training space is the centrepiece of the new development and has been named the Yitpi Centre. Yitpi comes from the Kaurna language – meaning ‘soul and seed’ - which reflects the College’s commitment to helping all students to grow and flourish, in all aspects of their learning, as well as their passions in sport, drama, performance and music.

Known for its strong sense of community, this new space will bring families, staff and students together to celebrate key moments on Campus, which is the perfect way to celebrate 70 years of Mercedes College.

Visit mercedes.catholic.edu.au to book a College Tour to see this unique schooling environment.

Mercedes College mercedes.catholic.edu.au

Discover the University Senior College difference

University Senior College is an independent school for Years 10, 11 and 12, located on the campus of The University of Adelaide. USC is different. Not only are USC students enabled to achieve their best academic results, they are well prepared for university and life beyond school.

USC students learn to take responsibility for their education and discover how to work independently and with others. They benefit from a strong culture of learning and are inspired by passionate teachers who offer ongoing support and mentoring via oneon-one sessions. USC’s unique partnership with The University of Adelaide enables USC students to meet and learn from staff at The University, and to utilise their state-of-the art facilities. This takes learning to the next level.

USC provides a structure that prepares students for university. The USC timetable allows students to complete most of their independent study during the school day, so they have time for out-of-school interests or work commitments. The adult learning environment starts with simple things, like no school uniform and addressing staff by their first name. These behaviours assist young people to develop independence, confidence, and maturity within a diverse learning environment.

USC students are encouraged to develop and maintain a good study schedule to reach their personal best and maintain a balanced, healthy lifestyle. All USC students are assigned a mentor

USC provides a flexible and exciting opportunity for students who require acceleration and challenge in a rigorous learning environment. Most importantly, USC fosters an environment in which everyone wants to learn. If you are commencing Year 10, 11 or 12 in 2025, book a tour of USC.

SCHOLARSHIPS

A scholarship is a tuition fee remission awarded to a student based on their academic achievement, demonstrated aptitude in a broad range of areas or excellence in a specific field.

Each year University Senior College offers places to students who embody the College’s values of trust, integrity, mutual respect, inclusivity, and diversity, and exhibit a desire to be community minded while striving for personal excellence.

University Senior College invites prospective and current students to apply for a range of scholarships available to Years 10, 11 and 12 students in 2025. The College seeks aspirational young people with a diversity of interests, abilities, backgrounds, and a natural curiosity of the world who wish to contribute to the community.

teacher who helps them plan their study schedule, manage their workload, and support their wellbeing.

Learning through play

EMPOWERING EVERY LEARNER

At St Peter’s Woodlands, developing confident and resilient learners is central to the school’s core values. A commitment to Inclusive Education celebrates diversity and ensures every child has the opportunity to thrive. Led by Tina Day, St Peter’s Woodlands’ Head of Inclusive Education, the dedicated team—including a school Psychologist, instructional coach, and intervention specialists—works tirelessly to create an environment where all students feel valued and supported.

Before students start school, the team builds a holistic picture of their abilities, crafting individualised learning plans for a smooth transition into school life. St Peter’s Woodlands’ Multi-tiered System of Support (MTSS) monitors progress from Early Learning to Year 6, allowing the team to identify and address any challenges promptly. Support (intervention) may include programs delivered in-class by classroom teachers or ESOs, out of class programs delivered by intervention specialists, or perhaps referral to one of the many Allied Health professionals who provide therapy support on-site at SPW.

The reading revolution at St Raphael’s School

At St Raphael's School, cultivating a love of reading is central to their educational approach. New Principal Emma Fowler emphasises the importance of instilling this passion early on, recognising it as a vital gift for students.

The school's reading program is woven into daily life, with purpose-built reading spaces and tailored literacy programs to meet each child’s need. They utilise the evidence-based "Science of Reading" approach, covering key areas like phonics, fluency, and comprehension.

Beyond classroom instruction, the school encourages students to explore a range of texts and genres to discover their reading preferences as well as encourage the use of audio books to ensure all children can enjoy the rich language you only experience through books. Parental involvement

Beyond academics, SPW prioritises social and emotional development. School Psychologist Stephanie Eustice actively engages with students, fostering relationships crucial for wellbeing. The school’s lunchtime Hub offers a supportive space for children needing a break from the schoolyard’s demands, further illustrating a comprehensive support system.

Inclusive Education at SPW isn’t just a policy; it’s a culture. By addressing the diverse needs of students, the school ensures each one knows they are a valued member of the community, empowering them to become independent, lifelong learners.

St Peter’s Woodlands spw.sa.edu.au

is encouraged as parents serve as reading role models and are crucial in creating shared reading experiences with their children.

St Raphael's School is also launching a new "What Happens When I Go to BIG SCHOOL" event series, with the first session focusing on literacy held on May 15th. A second is scheduled for this year focusing on numeracy.

To register your interest please contact Katrina Tucker at the school: ktucker@raph.catholc.edu.au or 8274 4900 or raph.catholic.edu.au

Introducing Walford’s Wonderland

Walford’s Junior School playground has undergone a transformation with meticulous care and detail. Designed in collaboration with our Junior School students, the finished space transports each girl into the whimsical world of Alice in Wonderland, a realm of magic and curiosity. Every corner unveils surprises from an oversized teacup to toadstools to ‘Alice’s Workshop’. It invites imagination and exploration while intentionally including opportunities for the development of gross motor skills and upper body strength.

Walford unveils heritage building refurbishment to expand learning spaces

Walford Anglican School for Girls proudly announces its latest project to reimagine and revitalise the historic Mabel Jewell Baker House into modern learning spaces that honour the building’s rich heritage and quiet elegance. Beautiful, forwardthinking and technology-rich learning spaces have been designed to facilitate academic excellence, flexible learning, and meaningful collaboration.

“Mabel Jewell Baker House holds a significant place in our school’s story as the literal and symbolic heart of our Middle and Senior School campus,” says Principal Dr Deborah Netolicky. “The transformation of this iconic building into modern learning spaces for future Walford students marks an exciting chapter in the growth of Walford.”

With over 100 years of history, Mabel Jewell Baker House stands as a testament to tradition and innovation,

evolving from its origins as the ‘Woodlyn House’ estate into a cornerstone of educational excellence. The House has served various roles throughout its storied past, from a principal’s residence to a boarding house and a hub for arts and learning.

The project will extend to transforming the Wait Building by creating light-filled Visual Arts studios, and welcoming Year 12 Common Room spaces designed to foster students’ independence, scholarship, and sense of community.

The transformation of Mabel Jewell Baker House will be realised through a collaborative effort with Matthews Architects.

To help you discover Walford, you are welcome to contact the Head of Enrolments, Chelsea Skene at admissions@walford.asn.au or (08) 8373 4062.

Excellence in Middle School Education

The Montessori Adolescent Program is a carefully crafted middle school that prioritises rich experiences, academic rigour, strong relationships, and personal growth. Tailored for students in Years 7 to 9, the program recognises that adolescence marks a significant developmental leap and that the middle years are a pivotal time for developing academic habits, social understanding, and emotional care.

Students are supported and mentored by their advisor as they progress through their three years at our Wairoa Campus. They emerge with a profound sense of self, fully engaged in their learning, and thoroughly prepared for their senior school years.

Discover the ultimate lifestyle at Newenham.

Enrolments for 2025 and 2026 are open.

The Hills Montessori School invites you to visit and see their middle school in action in Stirling, in the Adelaide Hills from 9:30am on Monday 12 August.

The Hills Montessori School Wairoa Middle School campus, Stirling montessori.sa.edu.au

With larger allotments, surrounded by natural beauty, walking trails, reserves, play spaces and stunning homes with beautiful, landscaped streetscapes, you’ll have ample space to enjoy life to its fullest.

Kings Baptist Grammar School is right on your doorstep. Plus, our farm-to-plate café is the perfect place to relax and unwind. But what truly sets Newenham apart is its tight-knit community. With plenty of opportunities to get involved and make new friends, you’ll feel right at home.

Visit us today and see for yourself why so many people are choosing to call Newenham home.

Sales & Information Centre 164 Flaxley Road, Mount Barker. Book a private tour on 0429 107 497.

St Mary’s College Launches New Music Immersion Program for Junior Students

St Mary’s College, located in the heart of the city, has been educating young women from Reception to Year 12 for over 155 years.

Since the college was founded by the Dominican Sisters from Dublin, Ireland, there has always been a strong focus on the performing arts. In the Dominican tradition, the arts give us a window into beauty, joy, and wonder. Research shows that learning music supports language acquisition, memory, attention span, numeracy, reading, working memory, and auditory processing. Music draws people together and celebrates humanity in its rich diversity and can transport us emotionally, even when shared by new learners.

All students in Years 2 to 4 have been immersed in a new 12-month program that allows them to experience the joy of learning a string, woodwind, or brass instrument.

This fully-funded immersion involves a regular curriculum music lesson, an ensemble lesson, and a small group instrumental lesson with a music tutor. Having a team of music experts and professional tutors brings an exceptional quality to the program. Even at this early stage, there has been positive feedback and much to celebrate.

To find out more about the St Mary’s College Junior School Music Immersion Program: stmarys.sa.edu.au

Blackfriars Priory School invests in wellbeing with new hub and library

In years gone by, schools were all about the “three Rs” – reading, writing and arithmetic. Today, education is far more holistic, focusing on the overall wellbeing of students, as well as essential learnings.

At Blackfriars, wellbeing has been brought into even sharper focus with the development of a new Wellbeing Hub. The hub – part of an overhauled library complex – is dedicated to promoting good mental health and wellbeing, as well as providing a new home for the school’s counselling staff and a private garden area.

Director of Wellbeing Anthea Osborne said, across the school, pastoral care and wellbeing were “pivotal in ensuring that we actually prepare the boys for life after Blackfriars”.

“The thing that makes us stand out as a school is that we’re very much focused on holistic education,” said Ms Osborne, who also championed the introduction of Blackfriars’ wellbeing dog, Albi, in 2023.

“A pastoral care and a wellbeing program is essential … to be able to acknowledge that we have all different parts to us and we need to make sure that our health, our spiritual life, our mental health, our physical being are all developed, just as much as the focus that we have on study.”

Meanwhile, Blackfriars has also celebrated the opening of its new Primary Library. As with the Wellbeing Hub, the new library - which is also used by students from the school’s Early Learning Centre - overlooks a private garden area.

Going forward, the school plans to overhaul the remainder of the library complex, with plans to create a modern, high-tech environment that will take students’ learning to the next level.

Plans for the Stage 2 development include formal study areas, a dedicated training space and upgraded offices for Learning Innovation and Digital Technology.

Blackfriars Priory School blackfriars.sa.edu.au

Paws-ing to celebrate some exciting news at Faith Lutheran College!

Nestled in the heart of the Barossa, Faith is all about nurturing young minds from Early Learning through to Year 12.

At the core of Faith's approach is 'Our View of a Child,' ensuring every decision is made with the child's perspective in mind.

Now, with tails wagging with anticipation, the community eagerly awaits the arrival of Pepper, the newest member of the school's wellbeing team!

Pepper, a Cobberdog, will join the Junior School in Term 2, bringing boundless enthusiasm and support for emotional regulation, social connection, and communication.

As Pepper settles into her role as the 'Wellbeing Dog,' Faith looks forward to the warmth, comfort, and endless opportunities for growth she'll bring to the community.

Faith Lutheran College faith.sa.edu.au

Community, Independence, Purpose

The Hills Montessori Middle School

Adolescents are a powerhouse of potential. They thrive with real responsibility, in an environment where they are supported to make decisions, develop knowledge, skills, and cultivate effective learning practices.

The Montessori Adolescent Program is a carefully crafted middle school that prioritises rich experiences, academic rigour, strong relationships, and personal growth. Tailored for students in Years 7 to 9, the program recognises that adolescence marks a significant developmental leap and that the middle years are a pivotal time for developing academic habits, social understanding, and emotional care.

With a rich and rigorous curriculum, we embrace the best of educational practices including integrated and experiential learning, cultivating independence, creativity, critical thinking, problem solving, financial literacy, interpersonal skills, and essential life skills.

Students are supported and mentored by their advisor as they progress through their three years at our Wairoa Campus. They emerge with a profound sense of self, fully engaged in their learning and thoroughly prepared for their senior school years. Their confidence, born from experiential learning, assures them of their capabilities and the knowledge that their actions make a difference.

Experiences and Opportunities

Our program is enriched with experiences such as major expeditions, providing valuable outdoor learning opportunities for all students. Biennial trips to Indonesia offer exciting prospects for international travel, together with language and cultural experiences.

The Adolescent Program provides various other avenues for students to broaden their horizons such as cultural exchanges, leadership development activities, and community service projects. Within the program, students have access to a range of expertise and opportunities, including involvement in the kitchen and food program, and engaging in various sporting activities. Being out and about in the local community is an intrinsic part of the program, as are regular field trips further afield.

“Wairoa has a unique community. We work together to help out in all parts of the school and everyone looks out for each other. The guides are so supportive, they encourage us to be independent and creative thinkers, and I think that shows in our learning and the choices we make.”

– Pearl, current student, Year 8

Our Community

Designed to inspire your child’s love for animals, join this exciting program for kids aged 2-5 years.

Find out more today adelaidezoo.com.au/atozoo Limited places!

Based in Stirling in the Adelaide Hills, our middle school is a genuine community where collaboration is central, and each student’s unique contribution enriches our collective work. Each young person has a voice in community decisions, and their confidence, independence, maturity, and selfassuredness develop as they learn to exercise this.

We invite you to visit and see our middle school in action. Wairoa Middle School campus, Stirling montessori.sa.edu.au

Workshops

Goodstart Early Learning offers a Preschool program in a long day care environment, which means more time for play, learning and relationships, but also more flexibility for working parents.

Bachelor qualified

Play-Based Learning Safe and Stimulating Environments

School readiness program

Preschool program runs across five days so you can pick the days that suit you

longer hours so you can pick up and drop off when it suits you Meals provided Open all year round

Fostering curiosity in young scientists

by A/Professor Lyndsey Collins-Praino Head, Cognition, Ageing and Neurodegenerative Disease Laboratory, School of Biomedicine, University of Adelaide

Back in December, my family got a sneak peek of the Jurassic World by Brickman exhibit at the Queensland Museum (which is on through mid-July, if you happen to be in Brisbane). The combination of Lego and dinosaurs seems guaranteed to be an automatic hit with kids, but I was impressed by how the exhibit encouraged kids to engage deeply with the material. Beyond fun selfie opportunities (who doesn’t want to pose with a Lego T-rex threatening to gobble you up?!), there were multiple hands-on stations designed to peak children’s curiosity, such as adding bricks to Lego maps of the Jurassic World island, creating tiles for a dinosaur mosaic, making dinosaur footprints and assembling and testing an escape vehicle. There was even baby dinosaur Duplo for small dino-fans! My kids spent ages exploring the exhibit and came away full of excitement. At home, they eagerly extended their learning, building their own dinosaurs and seeking out more dinosaur facts. Watching them, it reminded me how naturally curious children are about the world around them. But how can we help to nurture this early curiosity, and why is it so important to do so?

The psychologist Jean Piaget formulated a theory of cognitive development in the mid-20th century that conceptualises children as “little scientists,” who actively learn by observing and interacting with the world around them. This allows children to move through four distinct stages: (1) sensorimotor from birth to 2, in which they use their senses and body movements to understand the world; (2) preoperational from 2-7, in which children develop language and abstract thought and begin playing symbolically (i.e. pretend play); (3) concrete operational from 7-11, in which children learn logical, concrete rules about objects and (4) formal operational from 12+, in which children learn rules to understand abstract concepts and solve problems. While some aspects of this theory have since been challenged (e.g. whether the stages of development are really distinct), it nevertheless highlights the important role that curiosity plays in children’s cognitive development.

Curiosity can help to support learning and deepen understanding, motivating children to ask questions and then actively explore the world around them to seek out answers, drawing critical connections between concepts and correcting misconceptions.

Anyone who has spent time around young children knows that they are an endless source of questions, with research showing that they can ask more than 100 per hour! While exhausting for caregivers, this is a critical way that children seek to fill gaps in their knowledge and refine their worldview. Importantly, research has suggested that the question asking and information seeking that stem from curiosity are crucial for deeper learning. In fact, early childhood educators consistently rank “curiosity” as “very important” or “essential” for school readiness, citing it as more important than specific academic skills, like knowing the alphabet or how to count. School outcomes support this. In a meta-analysis of 200 studies across 50,000 students, researchers in the UK reported that the personality trait of curiosity was critical for academic success. The benefits of curiosity can also extend well beyond childhood. Research shows that curious adults are more likely to show greater engagement and better performance at work, be more empathetic and have stronger interpersonal relationships, exhibit better decisionmaking and critical thinking abilities and even report increased well-being, happiness and life satisfaction.

Importantly, recent neuroscience research has shown that curiosity can enhance learning and retention of information over time. According to one theory, called the PACE framework, when we encounter uncertainty (e.g. a new environment or something we don’t know), we become curious. This leads to increased attention and exploration, as we try to resolve our curiosity and address the gap in our information. This is supported by the release of a brain chemical called dopamine, which is important for motivation and information seeking behaviour. As evidence of this, previous research using fMRI neuroimaging has shown enhanced activity in brain regions important for dopamine release when individuals are curious about something. Dopamine release, in turn, enhances activity in brain regions critical for learning and for memory consolidation, like the hippocampus. This is significant, as it means that our brains are primed to better remember information that we learn while we are feeling curious.

“The psychologist Jean Piaget formulated a theory of cognitive development in the mid-20th century that conceptualises children as “little scientists,” who actively learn by observing and interacting with the world around them.”

So how can we help to nurture curiosity in our children? This is particularly relevant given that research shows that curiosity naturally wanes as children get older. This can be further impacted by placing an over-emphasis on performance goals, such as demonstrating the acquisition of a specific skill (e.g. standardised tests), as children are more likely to want to avoid unnecessary “distractions” that may slow reaching this goal. Fortunately, there are some easy steps that you can take to foster children’s curiosity:

Provide diverse opportunities for exploration: the richer the experiences that a child is exposed to, the more their worldview will expand and the more opportunities they will have to formulate questions.

Place more value on the process than on results: rather than providing specific answers, encourage children to think about how they might approach solving a particular problem or where they might seek out new information; emphasise that there is often more than one way to go about solving a problem (i.e. thinking outside the box).

Create a safe environment for asking questions and seeking information: make children feel as if their questions/curiosity are valued; assure children that making mistakes is part of the process; support children to work through problem-solving aloud.

Model curiosity: allow children to see that you are also curious and have things you’d like to learn more about; work through finding the answer to a specific question together.

Actively encourage children to formulate questions: when having an experience together, prompt children using cues such as, “What questions do you have?” “What do you find most interesting/surprising about this?” or “What more would you like to learn about this?” This can help kids to reflect and engage more deeply with material.

The good news is that there’s so much you can do right now to inspire lifelong curiosity and thirst for knowledge in your children, which will set them up for success in school and beyond. The bad news is that it just might be time to answer that one millionth dinosaur question that you’ve heard before breakfast.

Places/programs to check out in South Australia

Check out National Science Week in August, with a month full of activities, covering all areas of science. With many geared towards kids and families, there’s something for everyone (many of them free!): scienceweek.net.au

Want more beyond August? Keep an eye out for regular events by groups like The Science Collective thesciencecollective.com

Explore some of the great museums right here in our own backyard, such as the South Australian Museum, the Australian Space Discovery Centre or MOD Adelaide, to name just a few. The South Australian Museum, for example, has just announced a new program for kids, the Crocodile Club samuseum.sa.gov.au/visit/familieseducators/early-learning

Get up close and personal with the animals at places such as Adelaide Zoo, Monarto Safari Park and Cleland Wildlife Park.

Meet the Principal

Loreto College

Get to know the

What do you enjoy doing on the weekends when you have some downtime?

I enjoy a café breakfast with my family and especially with the recent sunny autumn weather I have been enjoying some lovely walking trails.

Are there any books you’re currently reading or would recommend?

I recently enjoyed reading the Dictionary of Lost Words, after seeing it performed on stage by a partnership between the Sydney Theatre Company and the State Theatre Company South Australia and from my perspective a beautiful collaboration from what are now my two favourite Australian states!

Several of these run additional programs for kids such as A to Zoo Early Learning Program or Bush Buddies. adelaidezoo.com.au/event/a-to-zoo clelandwildlifepark.sa.gov.au/kidscommunity/kids-experiences/bushbuddies

Look up at the stars by getting outside with an app, such as Night Sky, attending a Star Party with the Astronomical Society or visiting the Adelaide Planetarium. assa.org.au

Join the club: There are several great clubs where kids can explore their interests, such as those focused on Lego building (e.g. BRICKS 4 KIDZ), robotics (e.g. RoboRoos) and much more. For those targeted at younger children, check out Little Bang Discovery Club. You can also make your own “science club” at home – many sites offer free science experiments that you can try using common household ingredients.

What inspired you to focus on girls' education specifically?

Both technology and education have the power to redefine the future. As a young technology teacher, delving deeper into this world, I recognised the need for more female representation, particularly in the field of technology education. On the classroom level, this meant nurturing my students to maintain numbers, encouraging them to hold firm within this new status quo. Beyond the classroom, particularly in my leadership roles, this became a commitment to challenging norms and fostering a more inclusive educational landscape – one that is captured powerfully in Loreto College’s Lumination Lab and robotics program.

What initiatives are you most excited about introducing to Loreto College?

Loreto is on a positive trajectory, and I am keen for this to continue. At present we are preparing to upgrade our oval and are about to introduce sporting scholarships. These two initiatives are part of our focus to encourage girls to maintain their participation in sport. For more than just essential health benefits, but also for the opportunities it provides in building confidence, leadership and aiding academic achievement.

loreto.sa.edu.au

Start your child’s future on a firm faith foundation.

Discover the first step in a Christ-centered education pathway at our Early Learning Centre, nestled in the vibrant Brooklyn Park Campus.

We offer:

• Dedicated, highly qualified Christian educators

• Education for 3-to-5-year-olds from a Christian worldview

• Excellent facilities with three specialised rooms and sheltered outdoor play areas

We invite you to explore our Brooklyn Park Campus (ELC to Year 6).

Principal’s Tour: Tuesday, 13 August

ELC Open Day: Saturday, 24 August

Places available from 2026

Scan to register and find out more!

new Principal of Loreto College, Kylie McCullah

Building strong readers Strengthening reading comprehension skills

By Eilis Melino, Speech Pathologist

Reading comprehension is the art of making meaning and extracting information from what you read, ultimately leading to gaining knowledge about a new topic. Whether you're researching, staying updated with the news, or simply trying to learn something new, reading comprehension is essential. However, it's also widely recognised as one of the most challenging aspects of reading, especially for kids. To tackle this challenge effectively, it's crucial to bring as much prior knowledge and as many strategies as possible to the reading process.

Traditionally, teaching reading comprehension involved workbooks and texts with questions to answer silently. However, the most effective approaches to teaching it have evolved. Thanks to cognitive science, we now understand reading, particularly decoding, much better. Reading comprehension is a complex process, and simply using workbooks and worksheets isn't sufficient. These resources tend to focus on isolated skills that may work well for one text but not for others.

Not all children with reading problems struggle with reading comprehension. Some may require focused support on decoding, essentially "cracking the code" of reading. Once these skills are mastered, they can understand texts just fine. On the other hand, some children may excel in decoding but struggle with processing and understanding texts. These difficulties may stem from underlying language issues that can be addressed by a speech pathologist. Identifying these challenges is crucial.

How can I help my child?

You might be wondering what you could do to support your child who is struggling.

y Help your child to question the author. Encourage and use questions such as “what is the author telling me?” and “‘how come she has…” and “why did she do that?”

y Talk about what the author's intention might be.

y Find out what vocabulary your teacher is focusing on from your child’s texts and use those words at home and across multiple environments so your child has repeated exposure to new vocabulary.

y Model thinking aloud and inferring with texts. For example; “I wonder what went wrong for him on this day?”

y Help your child to self-monitor their comprehension, and encourage them to ask themselves “did that make sense to me?”, “what parts do I need to understand better?”

y Encourage writing alongside reading to help cement reading, this might look like writing notes in margins alongside texts, highlighting, jotting down study notes.

If you have a struggling reader, talk to a speech pathologist to find out what assessments and support they could offer with literacy and language skills.

SPOT Paediatrics L1, 360 Brighton Road, Hove spotpaediatrics.com.au

NAILING ‘TRICKY’ YEAR 9

Tips for parents (and teachers) to help students flourish

by Kate Holland, freelance creative and parent of a year 9 boy

When last year’s NAPLAN results were released in South Australia, year 9 boys were the cohort in need of most help. Conversations about this ‘tricky’ year abounded and my attention was piqued, not least because we had a son in year 8 at the time.

This year level has long intrigued me. Rightly or wrongly, I warned my eldest about its potential perils, especially the friendship niggles as these were in abundance when I was growing up. It’s no coincidence that plenty of rites of passage programs are aimed at this age group. Geelong Grammar sends its year 9 students to board for a year in the high country!

Of course, not every school can offer such an immersive program, nor can all families afford to enrol their children in a course outside of school hours. According to Clinical Psychologist and author Andrew Fuller, neither are necessary. He says there are multiple things that parents and teachers can do to help students stay on track.

Reassure regularly

Progress can stall in anyone’s life. It doesn’t have to be the final story. According to Andrew, the biggest gift we can provide a year 9 is our belief in them.

“Say to them, I know at the moment you don’t believe in you, but I love you and I do believe in you. I’m going to stick with you regardless of what you think about yourself. Because I know that long term, you’re going to be amazing. You’re actually amazing right now but you’re going to get even more amazing, and I can’t wait to see it.

“That installation of hope and belief is probably the strongest antidote to the disillusionment and disparagement that some year 9s can feel.”

As the little engine said, ‘I think I can, I think I can.’ Then he did.

Build identity and character

Andrew has been involved in the creation and review of many rites of passage programs, including Timbertop at Geelong Grammar. He sees year 9 as an interesting phase of middle adolescence.

“After about 10 years in most organisations, you get this thing called long service leave. By year 9, students have been in the system for about ten years, and it shows. They’re weary and a bit sick of it – neither at the beginning of it, nor at the end.

“After a surge in neuroplasticity and brain growth, especially between years 6 and 8, young people are smart and capable. They’re also trying to define themselves and form their sense of identity. They are acutely aware of relationships, gaining social approval, and being regarded as a good friend and good person. This time of life is rich in opportunities to apply their learning strengths and use their abilities to make meaningful contributions to the world.”

Embrace the positive side of technology

It’s easy to talk about the negatives of technology use, and Andrew concedes they exist. Stay across them.

“But also note that most year 9 kids have very intense social relationships with their friends by co-gaming and are in touch via technology throughout the day. And for those students who would otherwise be isolated, technology offers socialisation with likeminded people all over the world.

“Just because things don't look the way that they used to look doesn't mean it's necessarily bad.”

Don’t offer help, ask for it

As parents and teachers, we spend a lot of time asking young people if they need our help. Yet year 9s are often trying to prove that they have power and agency in their life. For some, particularly boys, the offer is perceived as putting them lower in the hierarchy and they turn it down.

“Rather than asking if they need help, we should be asking them for help. I would love to see the government set up an opportunity for year 9 students to take on some of the anticipatable problems that confront our country. Things like population distribution, water storage, climate control, agriculture, pandemic issues, threats from around the world. We could hand them the data and say, ‘have a go at solving this, come up with a proposal’. That’s what year 9 is about; being adventurous, creative, and thinking in groups - starting to explore what’s possible in life.”

Nurture a range of friendships

Fitting in with their peers and being validated is a very significant part of year 9 life. While you can’t choose your children’s friends you can, and should, help them establish a solid pool of support.

“The kids who thrive through this period know that they are loved by their families. Generally, they also have an adult outside their family who is trustworthy that they can turn to. They also need to have a diversity of friendship groups so that if they fall out with one bunch, which sometimes happens, they have another one to fall back on.

“You can help structure that by encouraging them to be part of a sporting team, arts group or chess team, for example, so they have different social groups they can link with. This will also help with one of the biggest fears at this age, social anxiety. You can make entering new social arenas a habitual part of their life in the years prior.”

Create a connection

As adults we know that making a connection can help develop a shared purpose. Year 9s are finely tuned for social connection meaning that without one, education has no point. With one, there’s potential to teach them just about anything.

“Year 9 is either the Renaissance or the Dark Ages, depending on the circumstances. The Renaissance is fantastic because you can rip into all these big issues that life has on offer and really grapple with them. But in the Dark Ages you shut down, get bored and disinterested. And that can vary class by class or teacher by teacher.

“Schools need to be in the business of maximising student potential by assuming they’re all gifted in some way and connecting with them to build on those strengths. The same goes for parents. It’s a time of great faith. They need to be connected enough to interpret the nuanced demands of leave me alone, but also don’t. Year 9 students need love and attention.”

Foster interests

Anecdotally, I’ve heard many parents extol the virtues of tapping into their own child’s particular interests and helping to foster that. I’ve seen it work with my own. They become energised and engaged. Andrew agrees.

“Basically, if you take the glass-is-halfempty-with-lots-of-stuff-missing-andwe-need-to-fix-it-approach, you’re going to create disillusionment. It’s the job of teachers and parents to find out what’s in that kid’s glass and make more of it, then you get a whole other world. The mission is to find the strengths that lie within these young people – learning strengths, their capacities, interests, and passions, and to utilise them to broaden out into other areas. Through that you get kids who are excited about stuff and achieve.”

PlayPioneeringTherapy in SA

by Renae Plueckhahn, Master of Play Therapy, Bachelor of Early Childhood Education

As a Kindy Director on Maternity Leave following the birth of my third child, I suddenly lost the love of teaching. Wanting a challenge and something completely new that I could sink my teeth into, I stumbled across the concept of Play Therapy in the form of a Master’s Degree and set out to complete it full time over 2 years – all whilst raising a family and assisting with the management of our family sheep and cropping farm (crazy, I know!)

Eager to take my learnings and apply it in practice upon completion of my degree, I quickly learnt that Play Therapy services were not readily available in South Australia (this was back in 2018). My solution? To start my own clinic. And Play Therapy SA was born.

What is Play Therapy?

If you have not come across the wonders of play therapy, it is a highly researched, therapeutic approach designed specifically for children. Recognising that children express themselves best through play, this therapy uses the power of play to help children communicate their thoughts, feelings and experiences that might otherwise be difficult to articulate. It's a safe, secure, and understanding environment where children can play out their emotions and problems, just as adults might 'talk out' their issues.

As parents, witnessing your child struggle with emotional and trauma-related issues can be absolutely heart-wrenching. Whilst adults may use counselling to help guide us through difficulties, children can struggle with talk-based methods while their cognitive abilities and verbal skills are developing. Some children just simply find it difficult to articulate their feelings and experiences in a way that adults accept and understand.

This is where Play Therapy comes into play. We believe in the transformative power of play to help children heal, grow, and thrive. This guide aims to demystify play therapy, providing parents with a clear understanding of what it is, how it works, and its numerous benefits.

How does Play Therapy work?

In Play Therapy, we provide children with a playroom – a safe and nurturing space equipped with a variety of toys and creative materials. The playroom is more than just a room; it's a sanctuary where children can freely express themselves through play. Trained therapists observe and sometimes participate in the child's play, using specific play therapy techniques to understand the child's world.

The beauty of Play Therapy lies in its subtlety. Children often don't even realise they are in therapy. Instead, they see a place where they can be themselves without judgement, which allows them to explore, express, and process their emotions naturally.

Benefits of Play Therapy

Play Therapy is particularly effective for children who have experienced trauma, face emotional challenges, or struggle with behavioural issues. Some of the key benefits include:

* Enhanced Emotional Expression: Children learn to express and understand their feelings more effectively.

* Improved Behaviour: Play Therapy helps address behavioural issues by uncovering underlying emotional or psychological causes.

* Trauma Healing: It provides a safe space for children to work through traumatic experiences.

* Development of Coping Skills: Children learn new ways of thinking and coping with different situations.

* Increased Self-Esteem: Through play, children gain a greater sense of self and confidence.

Who Can Benefit from Play Therapy?

Play Therapy is versatile and beneficial for children aged 2 to 12 years, dealing with a wide range of issues, including but not limited to:

* Trauma and loss

* Anxiety and depression

* Behavioural problems

* Struggles related to diagnoses such as autism or ADHD

* Family disruptions, like divorce

* Social and emotional difficulties

5 reasons why it’s effective

Understanding a child’s world

From a psychological standpoint, play is essential to a child’s development. Through play, children learn to interact with their world, understand social norms, and develop cognitive skills. Jean Piaget, a renowned developmental psychologist, emphasised that play is integral to children's cognitive development. It is through play that children learn to process information, solve problems, and make sense of their experiences.

Expressive language of play

For children, particularly those under 12, verbal expression of complex emotions and experiences can be challenging. Play Therapy utilises this nonverbal language of play as a medium for expression. The toys and materials in a play therapy session become the child’s words, and their play becomes their language. This form of expression is far more natural and comfortable for a child, allowing them to communicate in a way that is most intuitive to them.

Neuroscience and Play Therapy

Recent advances in neuroscience have shed light on the impact of play on the brain. Engaging in play activates multiple areas of the brain, including those responsible for motor skills, social-emotional learning, and language development. For children who have experienced trauma, play therapy can be particularly beneficial. It can help rewire the brain by creating new neural pathways, a process known as neuroplasticity, and can aid in the healing process by providing a safe space to process traumatic events.

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Attachment and relationship building

Play therapy also plays a crucial role in building and strengthening the therapist-child therapeutic relationship. This therapeutic alliance is crucial as it provides the child with a sense of safety and trust. Attachment theory, propounded by John Bowlby, highlights the importance of a secure relationship for healthy emotional and social development. In Play Therapy, the consistent, empathetic presence of the therapist helps foster this sense of security.

Holistic development through play

Play therapy supports holistic emotional, social, cognitive, and physical development. It helps children:

* Develop social skills and improved behaviour.

* Gain emotional resilience and coping mechanisms.

* Enhance communication and language abilities.

* Boost self-esteem and confidence.

Recognising that children express themselves best through play, this therapy uses the power of play to help children communicate their thoughts, feelings and experiences that might otherwise be difficult to articulate.

EMBRACE THE JOURNEY OF DISCOVERY AND YOUR BOUNDLESS POTENTIAL

At Endeavour College, learning transcends boundaries, and every interaction is a journey of discovery.

Explore your opportunities and enrol now Years 7-12

SMART STUDY TIPS FOR TEENS AND TWEENS

Throughout Kumon Australia’s 40-year history, over one million children have relied on Kumon to develop essential mathematics and reading skills through studying Kumon worksheets, along with building a daily study habit that sets our students up for success in school and later life. The right amount of practice and a daily study habit prepares students for higher levels of learning and lays the foundation for smooth progress.

As Kumon wants to see all children achieve their best in school and develop a love for learning, we are sharing our best study tips for teens and tweens. These tips are derived from our decades of experience in helping students to excel academically.

1. TURN STUDY INTO A DAILY HABIT

Kumon believes that small, consistent efforts are far more effective than last minute cramming sessions for achieving academic goals. It’s easier to maintain your motivation for learning by completing a little bit of work each day, as this reduces stress levels and helps to solidify learning.

2. SCHEDULE A REGULAR STUDY TIME

Scheduling a set time for students to commence their home study of worksheets, provides a helpful structure for consistent, daily study. This study time can vary for a range of reasons, but it helps to be as consistent as possible. Some time the morning is the best study time as it helps your teen or tween to focus for the day ahead. Of course, the exact timing is up to you to decide.

3. IF YOUR TEEN OR TWEEN IS STRUGGLING, PARENTS SHOULD BE PRESENT UNTIL THEY SETTLE INTO A STEADY STUDY ROUTINE

During the first year of high school especially, students are building their study skills. To support this, we recommend that parents be in the same room as their children when they are studying to ensure their school study is being replicated at home. Breaks should be kept to a minimum so that learning can continue uninterrupted. As your child develops a study routine and can maintain it independently, parents may not need to be present.

4. GENTLY REMIND YOUR TEEN OR TWEEN OF THE REASONS FOR STUDYING

Your children may believe they are studying just for their parents, or for a reward. While this belief may have short-term benefits, it does not provide a healthy approach towards future learning. Ideally, a child will want to learn due to self-motivation. Self-motivated children are more likely to learn and retain information. One step towards nurturing selfmotivation is to help the child understand that studying is for them; it will help make their school work easier and assists them in achieving future goals.

5. TRY SOME STRATEGIES TO BUILD YOUR CHILD’S SELF-MOTIVATION

To encourage your child’s self-motivation, try the following strategies:

Avoid use of excessive rewards. These provide the child with extrinsic motivation and inhibit the development of self-motivation.

Praise your child based on their persistence and effort, as opposed to their talent or skill. For example, say, ‘wow, that’s a good score. You must have worked really hard’. This will help your child develop a mindset where they understand that their talents and abilities can be developed through effort and persistence.

Rather than stating that you think they have done a good job, ask your child what they think of their work.

Encourage your child to see mistakes as learning opportunities.

For many children, the motivation to study is not instant, as it can take time to see and feel the benefits for themselves. One child may notice the benefits within a few weeks, while some may take longer. Supporting your child as they are developing self-motivation may include setting aside a study time and place at home, showing interest in what they are doing, and encouraging their efforts.

6. ESTABLISH A STUDY SPACE

The bedroom, living room, study; these are some of the spaces where students might go to complete their homework. There are different approaches. The space where your children study at home will vary, depending on age and how much parental supervision they need. We suggest that students should study in a place free from distractions and in an area that will become their regular study space.

7. ENSURE GOOD LIGHTING IN YOUR TEEN OR TWEEN’S STUDY SPACE

This is particularly essential. We encourage parents to choose a space with enough natural or artificial lighting which allows your child to clearly see their homework. If your child studies in the evening, we recommend providing a desk lamp that can be easily positioned, or has adjustable brightness. Lighting that is too dim or too bright can quickly fatigue the eyes.

8. HAVE A READY-TO-USE SET OF ALL STUDY EQUIPMENT

Your child should have all the material and equipment they need, such as pens, pencils, eraser, calculator, ready to go in the designated study space. Having this ready will prevent time being wasted through fiddling or searching for missing materials.

Setting the course for success

The impact of career coaching on school-aged children

by Karen McDowell Lomas, Professional Career Development Practitioner

As I contemplate the issues facing our children in 2024, it is apparent to me that there are many factors that contribute to the stresses we so often read about for young children. Not least of these is the continuing impact of the covid-19 pandemic lockdowns, during which many babies were, of course, born (we did have a lot of free time, after all!) Toddlers and pre-schoolers missed entire semesters of educational settings and social interactions.

As a qualified and experienced Counsellor, specifically in the areas of Grief Counselling and Adolescent Counselling, I am learning with interest about these concerns. Meanwhile, I pay close attention to a myriad of other issues that impact our children.

I’m a mother myself, I raised my two daughters here in Australia, after relocating from the UK in 1995. My girls were educated in a system I didn’t understand well and so it was a big learning curve

for me, as it is for many migrant families. Plus, systems evolve and this can be confusing even for those parents born here, in Australia.

I was lucky, I think. There was no Facebook, Instagram, TikTok or streaming of TV content when my girls were in junior school. This made the appeal of computers much less of a problem. They could “escape” playground troubles and they were not able to binge-watch television shows, let alone access reality programs and the ‘perfect’ images of ‘influencers’, that can and do wreak havoc upon even the most resilient child.

What is a career coach, how to choose one and how they can help?

A Professional Career Development Coach is a postgraduate level qualified practitioner who supports the progress of individuals who are demotivated, lacking in confidence and stuck in their career-life planning.

I became a Professional Career Coach, focusing upon children and youth groups, because I wanted my girls to have a better start than I did in England in the 1970s. I had no preparation for how to obtain my first job, nor did I know quite how to choose electives and subjects/courses later on. I went into my first career so completely naive about what my chosen profession was going to be like. I felt too afraid to push myself and become the “first in the family” to go to university. Instead, I “settled” for something that worked for a while, indeed I did excel through pushing myself. But after several years my career took its toll upon my physical and mental wellbeing.

Largely what we are doing in these sessions will be around preparing the child for what might be their very first experience of a formal interview. Interview preparation seems to be an increasing part of my role in working with these age groups.

Besides this, I might discuss the educational alternatives that the family is contemplating, paying attention to the child’s interests, personality, plus the location and size of the various schools in question.

Educational testing versus career assessments

Career development for primary school children

In order to support parents in having appropriate career conversations with their children, it can help enormously to seek the support of an experienced career coach. In my private practice, I’ll start with a “narrative approach” with small children. This begins with open questions and brief activities such as:

describing why an object they have been asked to bring with them is special to them writing a short opening to a future-fantasy story about themselves choosing from a number of images/describing an image/photograph telling me about their favourite part of a recent holiday and why a gentle interrogation of their language and use of metaphor helping them to write a to-do list

This is what is referred to as Creative Career Coaching, akin to the work of UK-based career practitioner, Liane Hambly. After all, most children love to draw figures, dress dolls (male and female) in costumes or name the shops and businesses that they like on their local street.

My work has been with children as young as 11 years of age, including those who are taking entrance exams for selective entry schools. I’ve also supported families and their children in terms of decisionmaking around specialist education: Science Academies; Music or Art Schools.

We are all familiar with the aptitudes-only assessments, the NAPLAN. Parents may share these results with me, or other assessments, such as those obtained from a semester report.

Some families may also have reports obtained from specialist child therapists, which can be helpful to the career coach.

Aptitude tests are helpful in part, but do not inform the career coach with sufficient information about your child. Academic ability is just one aspect of a person. Such tests do not reveal how a child prefers to learn, or how a child prefers to interact in a behavioural sense. Why is this important? Because Knowledge is Power.

Giving your child the opportunity to try something new that you might not have even been aware they had a curiosity for could be life-changing for them. If they are reserved; displaying a slight preference for keeping their thoughts to themselves, we can support them in accepting this trait, whilst at the same time giving them tools to manage a noisy environment, or others whose energy might exhaust them.

The tools and assessments used by professional career coaches are all well researched and typically underpinned by psychological research, so that in the hands of a professional you can feel confident that they can benefit your child.

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FOCUSING ON THE BASICS

A path to confidence in mathematics and reading

Through his dedicated study of the Kumon Mathematics and English programmes, 10-yearold Joshua has gone from falling behind to making strong progress in class.

Joshua was enrolled into Kumon Mathematics and English in February 2022, when he was in Year 3. Now, he is in Year 5 at school and is an advanced student studying both programmes at a level equivalent to one year ahead of his school grade. Last year, Joshua received an academic certificate from his school for demonstrating excellent skills and understanding in a mathematics test.

Joshua says there are many ways that Kumon is helping him, both in school and elsewhere.

“I help my mum work out sums when she needs me to,” he says. “In school, it is awesome when I already know the maths work before we start it in class. This helps me with my confidence.”

$+“Give Kumon a good go,” she says. “It does take some serious perseverance from both parents and children, but your child will definitely reap the rewards later and gain confidence in their own abilities. It cements their learning at school and seeing Joshua’s face light up every time he passes a module or does well in a test at school is just so wonderful.”

The Kumon Mathematics programme develops the quick, precise calculation skills necessary for the study of high school mathematics. It is a comprehensive programme, beginning with the basics of number recognition, counting and writing; the four basic operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division; fractions and decimals, before moving onto more advanced topics such as algebra, equations, functions and calculus.

=Joshua, aged 10

Joshua says he is considering becoming a tradesperson when he grows up. He believes that strong calculation ability is an important skill for his future.

Brigetta, Joshua’s mother, says Kumon’s structure and focus on the basics was of great benefit to her son.

“I think the Kumon programme took my child back to basics. Then it really solidified his learning as he moved through the levels,” Brigetta says. “It’s been really helpful for him because he’s grown in skill and confidence as he’s hit each milestone.”

“Seeing Joshua’s face light up every time he passes a module or does well in a test at school is just so wonderful.”

Brigetta also says that his Kumon Instructor was able to individualise and tailor the programme around Joshua’s learning needs, which includes managing ADHD, dyscalculia, and dysgraphia. As Kumon is a home-based, daily study programme, Brigetta says while it is not easy and perseverance is required, Kumon’s benefits for students make it worthwhile.

As Joshua is developing these capabilities through Kumon Mathematics, Brigetta has confidence that her son will make smooth academic progress through school.

“For me, maths is so important. I know Joshua will excel at school, and this will afford him more opportunities to go to university and who knows from there,” Brigetta says.

+“So, I think it's really been helpful to get him through. Furthermore, because Joshua’s work in Kumon is being solidified, he can move on to the next level and not really forget what he's learned, which is really important when you have ADHD.”

“Later in life I think it's definitely going to help him if he wants to be in a trade or something similar.”

Equally important to strong calculation ability is reading. Kumon English builds a high level of reading comprehension ability. To inspire students to read widely, the worksheets contain more extracts from published texts than any other reading programme in the world. They are arranged in order of increasing difficulty, from the simplest to the most complex.

The worksheets begin with familiar words, phrases and short sentences. Students then learn to read and write by sounding short vowels, consonants and sound parts; tracing, copying and writing words; and reading aloud short passages. They progress to reading and writing simple and complex sentences, and comprehending paragraphs. The worksheets culminate in summarising and critical reading.

Joshua is making strong progress in his reading through Kumon English.

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For 40-years since Kumon arrived in Australia in 1984, more than one million students like Joshua have been supported to develop confidence, study habits and essential mathematics and reading skills. During this time, over one million children have relied on Kumon to develop essential mathematics and reading skills through studying Kumon worksheets. In September 2023, Kumon had 59,000 students enrolled in Kumon centres in Australia and New Zealand.

These achievements demonstrate Kumon to be a trusted, dependable organisation, who are dedicated to improving learning outcomes for children.

To learn more about how Kumon Mathematics and English can help your child, please contact your nearest Kumon centre directly by scanning the QR Code.

So your child wants to be a…

Lawyer

by Jackie Vincent, Principal Lawyer, Watts McCray

Every child is born with unique interests and aspirations, and as parents, many of us consider it our responsibility to encourage and support them in pursuing their dreams. If your child has expressed an interest in becoming a lawyer, one of the best ways you can nurture this interest is by encouraging your child's intellectual curiosity. Provide them with access to books, documentaries, and discussions about law and legal issues. Perhaps you could even attend local trials or court proceedings together to expose them to the practical aspects of the legal profession. You could also research, with your child, some of the many organisations in which lawyers work, beyond the traditional law firm.

If your child is considering studying law at university, then a good way to nurture that interest is to encourage them to explore legal-related opportunities, post university. Attend events where your child can explore different career paths, including the legal profession. These fairs often have representatives from law schools and legal organisations and are an excellent opportunity for mentorship and guidance.

Building a strong foundation for a future legal career often begins in high school with a combination of relevant subjects and extracurricular activities. Here are some subjects and activities that can help lay the groundwork:

• English and Literature - It helps to develop strong reading, writing and analytical skills. Lawyers need to communicate effectively, and these subjects help in honing those skills.

• Legal Studies - Learn more about the theories of law and justice and the various areas in which law intersects with everyday life.

However there are many other subjects which can be useful in a less direct way. For example, learning a foreign language can be advantageous, especially if you're interested in international law or working with diverse clients. Those who are good at, or like maths can also do well in law, given the methodical and analytical ways in which both maths problems and legal issues need to be addressed.

Turning to extracurricular activities, there are many opportunities available:

• Public speaking and Toastmasters - Attend public speaking events or join Toastmasters to enhance communication and presentation skills; essential in the legal field.

• Debating club - Participate in the school debating club to develop public speaking, and critical thinking skills; all useful in the legal field.

Encourage your aspiring lawyer to read and educate themselves on current issues and engage in a discussion with them on key topics. This will assist to cultivate an environment of critical thinking and communication for your child. You could go one step further and encourage them to apply to join the Youth Parliament. In this environment they will engage in unique educational experiences, directly observe parliamentary operations, interact with members from both the Government and Opposition, and actively participate in fiery debates on current issues.

In Australia, the education and training requirements for becoming a lawyer typically follow a common pathway. Whilst there are generally no specific prerequisite fields of study at high school, the process includes completing both tertiary studies at university, as well as practical legal training. Here's a general overview:

High school education - If your child is nearing the end of their high school journey, make sure that you take the time, with them, to research and familiarise yourselves with the university admission process and likely ATAR score that is required for entry into an undergraduate law course at university. Encourage your aspiring lawyer to make an appointment with the school careers officer for advice on the best subjects to take, for the best chance at university admission.

University education - After completing Year 12, the first step is to obtain an undergraduate law degree at university. Many aspiring lawyers in Australia choose to pursue a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) or a combined degree such as a Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Laws or Bachelor of Commerce/Bachelor of Laws. A combined degree, whilst involving more study, gives the opportunity for a broader education, and possibly entry into organisations including law firms, where skills beyond the law, are useful.

Postgraduate Legal Studies and Supervised Legal Training - After completing an undergraduate law degree at university, anyone wishing to work as a lawyer, as opposed to using their law degree for any one of the various other careers which might be available, needs to undertake postgraduate legal studies. This involves completing a Graduate Diploma of Legal Practice also known as a practical legal training (PLT) course. Whilst differing between states, all PLT courses involve interactive workshops, you’ll go hands-on to complete engaging tasks and solve simulated real-world legal problems. It is often a component of this study for individuals working under the supervision of a qualified lawyer to gain practical experience.

Admission

as a Lawyer - Once the above requirements are fulfilled, individuals can apply for admission as a lawyer in their state. This process involves meeting certain character requirements, which again differs slightly between Australian states. When this process has been completed you will attend an admission ceremony and officially become a legal practitioner entitled to practise in your own state courts and often other state courts and Commonwealth courts around Australia.

Nurturing your child’s aspiration to become a lawyer involves fostering intellectual curiosity, exposing them to practical aspects of the legal profession, and providing guidance throughout their educational journey.

Ultimately, supporting your child's dream of becoming a lawyer involves continuous encouragement, guidance, and a collaborative effort to ensure they develop the skills and knowledge necessary for a successful legal career. Nurturing your child's aspiration to become a lawyer involves fostering intellectual curiosity, exposing them to practical aspects of the legal profession, and providing guidance throughout their educational journey. Building a strong foundation starts early, with relevant subjects and extracurricular activities in high school. English and Literature, Legal Studies, foreign languages, and even mathematics can contribute to the skills needed in the legal field. Encourage exploration of various legal-related opportunities beyond traditional law firms, promoting a holistic understanding of the diverse roles lawyers play in different settings.

Jackie Vincent, an Accredited Specialist, has practised predominantly in the Family Law area since commencing work as a Solicitor in 1997. She has experience in all aspects of Family Law including property and financial matters, residence and contact issues, child support, maintenance and domestic violence as well as de facto relationship disputes. She appears regularly as an advocate in both divisions of the Federal and Family Court of Australia.

SUPERMARKET SWAP

There is so much to think about as a parent. Have I packed the library bag? What activity do they have on today? Have they done their homework? What am I going to cook for dinner tonight? The mental load is insane!

At Supermarket Swap, our aim is to ease this burden by simplifying food choices for families. We scour supermarkets for convenient products that closely resemble homemade ones, made with real, recognisable ingredients. By making simple swaps during your grocery shopping, you can fill your lunch boxes with healthier options that support learning and reduce the stress of mealtime decisions.

THIS: FOR THIS:

Tip Top The One Wholemeal Sandwich Slice Bread Loaf

Ingredients: Whole Grain Wholemeal Wheat Flour (55%), Water, Wheat Gluten, Baker's Yeast, WheatFibre, Vinegar, Canola Oil, Iodised Salt, Soy Flour, Unbleached Wheat Flour, Vegetable Emulsifiers (472e, 481, 471), Vegetable Gum (412), Minerals (Iron, Zinc), Vitamins (Vitamin E, Niacin, Thiamin, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid), Processing Aid (Wheat).

Peckish Flavoured Rice Crackers Salt & Vinegar

Woolworths Bread Wholemeal Loaf

Ingredients: Wholemeal Wheat Flour (63%), Water, Wheat Gluten, Yeast, Vegetable Oils (Palm, Canola), Iodised Salt, Malted Barley Flour, Soy Flour, Vitamins (Thiamin, Folate).

Ceres Organics Brown Rice Crackers Salt & Vinegar

Ingredients: White Rice, Rice Bran Oil (contains Antioxidant (307B)), Acid (262), Maltodextrin, Salt 1.1%, Emulsifier (322 (Soy)), Sugar, Yeast Extract, Flavour Enhancer (635).

Ingredients: Jasmine Brown Rice* 92%, Sunflower Oil*, Rice Wine Vinegar* 1.8%, Natural Sea Salt 1.2% (*Certified Organic)

Chickadees 6 Pack

Ingredients: Cereals (Corn, Rice), Vegetable Oil, Maltodextrin (Maize), Sugar, Flavour Enhancers (621, 635), Salt, Vegetable Extract (Soy), Flavours (contains Milk, Soy), Onion Powder, Yeast Extract, Chicken Powder, Food Acid (Citric), Spice.

Natural Chip Co Salted 6 pack

Ingredients: Potatoes, Sunflower and/or Canola Oil, Sea Salt.

Welcometo a world of imagination

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

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SWAP

by Nabula Brdar

DEALING WITH TEST ANXIETY

Strategies to help your child perform their best

by Madhavi Nawana Parker, Child and Youth Specialist and Director at Positive Minds Australia

It can be heartbreaking to watch someone consumed by so much physical, psychological, and emotional energy while anticipating a test or exam, that they are unable to perform at their best.

No matter how well prepared a student is and how supportive and compassionate you are, test anxiety is very common. In a recent study, approximately 67 percent of students in year 7-12 report feeling moderately to extremely stressed over tests and exams, even when they feel well prepared. For 50 percent of these young people, the number one source of the pressure comes from themselves.

Personality, temperament, and mindset plays a huge part in this. Some young people will just ‘feel the feels’ much more. Preadolescence and adolescence is a critical time to intervene if you see anxiety related habits forming, given health-related behaviours established during this time, often carry on into adulthood.

Anxiety is a combination of faulty thinking (e.g. future predicting, ‘I’ll forget everything and fail the test’ or catastrophising, ‘I’m so bad at tests, I’m never going to get into Uni. I may as well give up now’) and an overactive fight flight freeze response.

When something matters to a person, (like how you perform in a test), anxiety can blow well out of proportion, fast. Without effective strategies to cope with the pressure, a young person may quickly spiral into overwhelm, try to avoid the test altogether, or struggle to think straight once they are in the test.

Here are 11 ways you can support your child to perform at their best:

Stay connected and present in your relationship with them

You are the ‘bookends’ to their day at school. A warm, gentle, and loving start to the day speaks volumes. Teenagers often struggle to kick start their day with positive emotions and can be a tad grouchy when they wake up. Take a breath, regulate yourself and knock on that door with warmth, to start their day. Speak with a tone that fills them with confidence about how loved and wanted they are. (You might have to turn a blind eye to their messy room and the 147 day old half eaten apple, and deal with that later).

Starting each day with harmony and connection contributes to your resilience and wellbeing, and they will need plenty of that to perform at their best. Connect through shared interests and your interest in their interests. Leave them a note expressing your love and appreciation for them and smile at them often.

Assess your child’s wellbeing

Our minds function optimally when our wellbeing is nourished. Is your child getting enough unstructured outdoor play, rest, time with friends and family, nutrition and hydration? Who are they spending their time with and what are they spending their time on?

Talk through emotions

Find a moment where you’re not distracted or have too many other competing demands. Ask them why they are feeling upset about taking the test. Ask them what parts of taking a test is causing stress. Is it the time pressure? The deep focus required? The painful silence in the room? Not understanding the questions? Fear of failure? Help them understand what they are thinking and ask them if they can think of any solutions. Help them come up with a plan if they do struggle in the test, help them keep things in perspective too and remind them they are not alone in having these feelings and it’s all part of being human and going through hard things. Something feeling hard, doesn’t mean they are incapable of coping with it.

Make the morning of the test gentle and consistent

Stick to your usual routine (this is not the time for surprises, lateness, and power struggles). Let them suggest a good breakfast the night before or go ahead and make something high protein or low sugar you know they’ll love. There’s nothing wrong with a slap dash ‘up and go’ on the way out the door either. Placing yourself under unnecessary pressure to come up with the perfect breakfast is not going to help them either! If they can get to school by walking or riding, that early morning movement will certainly help get that cortisol congestion moving out of their bloodstream. Remind them that Lionel Messi is famous for managing his anxiety about playing in a soccer game, by walking all around the field prior to every match, to prepare mentally and physically. Movement really does matter.

Make sure they are sleeping enough

One of the most powerful performance enhancers is a good night’s sleep. The part of our brain most sensitive to lack of sleep is the amygdala where fight, flight and freeze occur. A lack of sleep can increase anxiety – even without a test on the horizon. Teenagers can encounter sleep difficulties as part of all the brain changes that occur during these years. They can also lose sleep when their mobile devices are allowed in their bedrooms, they are not engaging in enough daily movement, play and positive social interaction. Set the scene for a restful night’s sleep by lowering lighting and turning off screens (at least one hour before bedtime). Perhaps encourage them to take a bath or read a book to help prepare for sleep. Getting a full night’s rest prior to the test is one way to ensure they will be ready to give it their best.

In a recent study, approximately 67 percent of students in year 7-12 report feeling moderately to extremely stressed over tests and exams, even when they feel well prepared. 3 4 5

Normalise test anxiety and their experience

Most young people we help with test anxiety think that everyone else is taking tests without anxiety. This makes them feel like they are the only one struggling and that something must be wrong with them. Tell them this simply isn’t true.

If your child’s anxiety seems higher than average, and you are concerned, listen to your intuition, and seek the support of a trained therapist who can improve their social emotional wellbeing.

Be kind to yourself and support your own wellbeing

It’s not an easy age for them (or you) so self-compassion and compassion for them is crucial for both of you. When your wellbeing is healthy, you will be calmer and ready to cope with their emotional dysregulation. Emotions are contagious, you catch them from young people and give them to young people too. While you can’t control what a young person brings into the emotional space you’re in, you can do everything you can to manage your emotions.

Provide moral support

Help them build an optimistic and capable mindset by role modelling this yourself

Your attitude matters and they can’t be what they can’t see. Notice the positives and talk often about how proud you are of their efforts and ability to keep persisting even when the work has been difficult. Remind them that taking a test is meant to feel uncomfortable and the nerves can provide us with just the right amount of adrenalin to help keep us focused enough to take the test successfully. Normalise the discomfort and remind them this is not a sign they won’t cope. Show your confidence they will keep feeling more ready for and comfortable with tests with time, practice and effort.

Show them you care, have confidence in them, their school, and their future. Be ready to listen quietly, without judgement. Resist the urge to talk too much, or offer solutions, unless they ask. Listening and being curious is far more powerful than problem solving for them or joining in their alarm. Avoid comparison to peers and siblings. Talk about what you see them doing well at least 3 times more than talking about what you see them doing wrong that needs correction.

It can help to imagine you’re their age again, with that underdeveloped brain, facing social comparison and fear of failure with a big test on the horizon. What might you need and like to hear from a carer?

Learn and practice mindfulness and deep breathing

Mindfulness, yoga and diaphragmatic breathing techniques have become more popular as a method of stress management in Australian schools. These evidencebased wellbeing practices decrease the physiological markers of stress in diverse populations. Controlled breathing, meditative techniques, yoga positions and mindfulness programs are all readily accessible and fantastic wellbeing tools to develop early in life.

Make sure you aren’t accidentally placing pressure on them

Sometimes parents unintentionally place unnecessary pressure on their children, burdening them with expectations during tests and exams. This might be about a parent’s own fears for their child’s future or regrets about how they studied (or didn’t study) at school. It’s so important to work on this and try not to add to any selfimposed pressure and perfectionism your child might already have. 6 7 8 9 10 11

Wishing you all the very best,

Discipline

your children or the world will do it for you!

by Dr Terence Sheppard (B.Ec., B.A. Psych. (Hons), PhD)

If your kids are to live their preferred life – to become all they can and wish to be - they must achieve social competence. This is the capacity to interact successfully with all manner of people (including those they may not like) so that they can benefit from opportunities others - teachers, friends and colleagues - have to offer.

But children are not born ready-socialised in the same way that ducklings automatically follow the first moving thing they see after hatching – generally their mother. They must be taught how to live with others amicably, to interact graciously and to make wise decisions in the best interests of themselves and others.

It is interesting that while most parents do not expect children to achieve a reasonable level of say musical or sporting competence without coaching, too many assume that they should be able to do precisely this in the social sphere. In other words, that they should ‘be responsible’ or ‘do the right thing’ without help other than an occasional, sometimes barked instruction.

The good news is that kids learn a lot of what they need to by simply watching and listening to parents. Your daily example is a powerful tool for influencing their behaviour. But there will also be times when, despite your best efforts, they fail to recognise their wider social responsibilities and you will need to intervene, with discipline if necessary, to nudge them in the right direction.

Discipline is as important for children’s development as good nutrition and regular exercise. This being the case, it is important to establish exactly what it means.

Disciplining is not something we do because we do not love our children or because we are cruel or uncaring. On the contrary, we discipline them when we must, precisely because we do love them and want them to thrive. We intervene and, if necessary,

penalise, when we observe unacceptable behaviour or infractions of agreed rules, because we know that if we don’t they will suffer much worse punishment in the future for similar conduct outside the home.

Neither is discipline something done from anger or spite or simply to hurt. Quite simply it is a gift of love parents bestow on children and without which they will never find their way to success and happiness.

We discipline children when we must, precisely because we do love them and want them to thrive.

Learning personal responsibility

“The greatest gifts you can give your children are the roots of responsibility and the wings of independence.” (Denis Waitley)

Kids learn some critical lessons when they become accustomed to living within a framework of reasonable rules backed by compassionate, consistent discipline. For example, that rules apply to them as much as others and that flouting rules inevitably involves consequences. In particular they learn that the results of ignoring a rule are the direct outcome of personal choices they have made. If a child is penalised in some way (e.g. sent to ‘time out’ for hurting a sibling) within an agreed set of rules this is because of a decision that they, and no one else, have made.

Under these conditions a consequence is not something that is ‘unfair’ or arbitrarily imposed by a third party – in this case a parent – or beyond their control to avoid. Rather it is something they have chosen for themselves.

This point is crucial and goes well beyond a simple understanding of rules and consequences.

As soon as possible our children need to accept personal responsibility for creating the life they want for themselves. This requires learning that every choice they make – to act or not, to speak or not –will trigger outcomes for them, good and bad. It is far better that they learn this in the security of their home, where negative consequences will always be milder, than in a rather more ruthless fashion when they are older and exposed to more formal regulations and laws.

They must learn that most of what happens to them, and particularly the ‘bad’ things, are outcomes that they have chosen. A parent makes this point when they say to a teenager “Well you may choose to stay out later than we have discussed/agreed but if you do, as you know, there will be a consequence. It’s really up to you and not me.”

The last sentence puts the responsibility for what happens next – what time they came home and the consequence of this – fairly and squarely where it belongs, on the teen.

You can have a similar conversation with a two year old: “I need you to wear your hat while playing outside. If you won’t, we’ll have to go inside. You decide.”

Understanding and then accepting personal responsibility is truly liberating for children. They become aware that they are not powerless objects at the mercy of external, random forces but rather independent people who can exercise genuine agency or control over their lives. In this way, parents bestow the gifts of responsibility and independence referred to by Denis Waitley (above).

It is interesting that while most parents do not expect children to achieve a reasonable level of say musical or sporting competence without coaching, too many assume that they should be able to do precisely this in the social sphere.

The role of schools

It is unreasonable and an abrogation of their responsibilities for parents to expect schools alone to discipline their children. At best, teachers have a secondary role in managing children’s behaviour which is well behind that of parents.

Once you (with input from your kids) have selected a school it is necessary for you all to respect its authority. This includes acknowledging the legitimacy of school rules and how they are enforced as well as reinforcing their application at home. Similarly, you and your kids must respect their teachers, the school’s custodians of authority.

You may discuss a particular rule or disciplinary outcome with a senior teacher, but denigrating what is happening at school is not helpful for a child. At best they will become confused about their relations with authority and at worst they may actively rebel against it.

If both you and your children genuinely believe their school is misguided in its approach to discipline it is time to go elsewhere.

Rules, laws and constraints are integral to human existence. Accepting this reality and (voluntarily for the most part) living within the restrictions they create, is necessary if kids are to enjoy the full fruits their world has to offer.

Unless they learn this during their early years they are at risk of living a diminished existence, punctuated by painful interactions with formal authority, with unpleasant results for them and those who love them. Teaching kids to thrive within the restraints the world places on all of us is the work of parents, not schools, which can only reinforce but not replace the lessons learned at home.

Dr Terence Sheppard (B.Ec., B.A. Psych. (Hons), PhD) is a child psychologist with over 30 years of experience in the field and the author of Positive Parenting, a comprehensive guide to successful parenting.

Positive Parenting, RRP $44.00 positiveparenting.com.au

Mastering mornings

5 strategies for a successful start to the day in neurodiverse households

by Georgina Martin Professional Organiser & Educator

While aiming for calm and efficiency in the mornings, the reality is, getting out the house sometimes feels like a race where two people have run in different directions and another has lost a shoe. A successful morning sets the tone for the day for all children, and can be even more crucial for those with neuro-differences.

Here are 5 strategies to help make school mornings smoother in any household. In turn, reducing anxiety and fostering a sense of security and stability that your child can take with them into a new day of learning.

Predictability and consistency

Establishing a predictable and consistent morning routine is integral for the success of all subsequent strategies. In the same way a school timetable prepares students for what to expect throughout the day, a simple visual schedule can be an effective tool to support the practice and repetition required for your child’s mastery of their morning tasks.

Working together with your child to select or create their visual schedule will also foster a sense of ownership and promote their executive functioning skills.

Inconsistencies in the morning routine and differing expectations from caregivers, can lead to frustration and dysregulation, particularly for children with neuro-differences. Consistency is key.

Try: Selecting visuals that are age appropriate. For younger children, a picture of the task with one word underneath is ideal. Adding times to their schedule can be beneficial for older children.

Avoid: Schedules with too many steps. Start simple and incorporate more steps over time.

Preparation

Identify tasks that swallow up precious time in the morning routine and prepare for them.

Separating the school uniform from casual clothes is an effective strategy to reinforce expectations and minimise choice overload in the morning. Either the night before or on the weekend, support your child to select their clothes for the next day or week. Reduce barriers to independence by placing the clothes in a designated area that is easily visible.

Selecting clothing may pose a challenge, especially if your child is sensitive to textures or has aversions to specific items. Preparation can empower your child, providing them with a sense of control and reducing potential conflicts and overwhelm.

Make packing their school bag part of your child’s evening routine. Utilising a whiteboard or attaching a small visual checklist to their bag is a great way to develop your child’s independence with this skill.

Try: A 'get ready tub' is a quick and easy way to separate clothes for the school day. Select a simple container or basket your child can easily recognise.

Avoid: Excess clutter where your child's bag and uniform are located.

Reduced decision-making

One strategy to preserve your child's capacity for self-regulation, is to minimise their decisionmaking load first thing in the morning. This can be achieved by offering limited options, such as choosing between 'this' or 'that' for breakfast.

It is important to be clear with your child that certain things are non-negotiable. For instance, they may have no say in their backpack and hat. However, they do have the freedom to choose their lunchbox, type of water bottle, and snacks.

Try: Presenting your child with two reasonable options that you are comfortable with.

Avoid: Presenting non-negotiables as options.

I do, we do, you do

The Gradual Release of Responsibility model is an effective tool for moving children of any age towards independence completing their morning routine. The model involves these steps:

1. I do - Adult performs the task.

2. We do - Adult helps the child complete the task.

3. You do - The child performs the task whilst adult watches and guides.

4. You do it alone - No observation required.

Try: To make the process fun and incorporate humour if you can.

Avoid: Rushing. Children will progress through each step at their own pace.

Reward progress

For any child, mastering new routines and skills can be challenging. Introducing both short and long-term rewards can help to sustain their motivation and persistence.

Try: Short term rewards in the beginning.

Avoid: Choosing the rewards for your child.

Remember progress will not be linear. However, any steps towards consistency, predictability and calm, no matter how small, can start to build the foundation for successful mornings.

Get ready recommendations

As a dedicated Professional Organiser with a background (a teacher of 15 years) in Early Childhood and Inclusive Education, I bring a unique blend of expertise to my mission of making everyday life simpler for families.

For more tips from Georgina: collectiveorder.com.au | @collectiveorderau