Kids in the City Magazine - Brisbane - Issue 21. January/February 2017

ISSUE 21 January/February 2017 BRISBANE

www.kidsinthecity.com.au

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Education issue

Bridging the STEM gender gap

TRAVEL with a student exchange program

Coding, robotics and the new QLD curriculum

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[WELCOME]

[CONTENTS]

Neve, 9 years

Happy New Year everyone!

And just like that, it’s back-to-school time!

If you are one of the many parents with a little one stepping into the exciting world of ‘big’ school this year, the next few months will be an incredible time for both parent and child.

I myself will be packing my little preppie off in a few weeks, and I am both excited for the new things she will get to experience, yet nervous for the challenges she will now need to face alone.

To help everyone settle into the upcoming school year, this issue we are all about EDUCATION. Our cover feature explores the gender divide in STEM subjects and what we can do to encourage more girls into these subject areas. And we have the low-down on the mandatory addition of Digital Technologies to the Queensland curriculum and what this means for parents and students in the coming years. We also take a look at the amazing program of Kids Teaching Kids and how these inspirational kids are making a real difference to environmental issues.

In our travel section, we take a peek inside some of the world’s coolest schools, and we find out how to truly experience the world on a student exchange program.

Plus, with all the latest events, news and stories from our local schools, as well as stacks of fun toys and supercool products, we have your back-to-school adventures covered!

As always, if you have a story to share drop me a line on editor@mothergoosemedia.com.au, I’d love to hear from you!

And don’t forget to sign up to our What’s On newsletter, to get the latest local events sent straight to your inbox.

3 FROM THE EDITOR

18 INSPIRE: Kids Teaching Kids

4 WHAT’S ON: All your local events for

20 EDUCATION: The world's coolest schools

January and February 6 SOCIAL: What's trending on our social pages 8 WHAT’S NEWS: The latest news in your area 10 NOTICEBOARD: All the news and achievements from our local schools

Queensland curriculum 28 HEALTH: Toilet training for school-aged kids 30 TRAVEL: See the world with a student

12 FEATURE: Bridging the STEM gender gap With love,

24 TECH: Coding, robotics and the new

16 CHECK THIS OUT: Get back to school in style with these super-cool products

exchange programs

32 WEB WRAP UP: The latest from online 34 REVIEWS: Movies, books and apps

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS: Ryan Brady, Kerry White, Emily de la Pena, Continence Foundation.

Angela Sutherland, Editor

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: Verve Portraits.

Printed with vegetable/soy based inks on paper supplied using pulp sourced from sustainable forests and manufactured to environmentally accredited systems. WE ENCOURAGE RECYCLING. Please keep this issue for future reference, pass onto your friends and family, use for craft projects or place into the recycling bin. kidsonthecoast.com.au | kidsinthecity.com.au

JAN/FEB 2017

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WHAT'S ON Visit ou r website to see more events!

DON'T MISS OUT ON ANY EVENTS! Sign up at www.kidsonthecoast.com.au or www.kidsonthecity.com.au for our weekly What’s On guide.

Every year Thomas The Tank Engine and friends make their annual pilgrimage down under to the Workshops Rail Museum, bringing old favourite characters and a different set of themed activities to excited young fans. www.theworkshops.qm.qld.gov.au

JANUARY 6 TO 22 THE SNAIL AND THE WHALE This live on-stage adaptation sees a tiny snail longing to see the world, hitch a lift on the tail of a humpback whale. Together they go on an amazing adventure, experiencing sharks and penguins, icebergs and volcanoes. www.qpac.com.au

JANUARY 1 TO 12 FEBRUARY MATILDA THE MUSICAL After a hugely successful and acclaimed Sydney season, Matilda continues to delight audiences in Melbourne, London and on Broadway before arriving at the Lyric Theatre QPAC. www.qpac.com.au

JANUARY 13 FLUFF: A STORY OF LOST TOYS Musical theatre the whole family can enjoy these summer holidays! A simple, joyful and humorous tale told with a twist about the Gingham family’s concern for all the lost and discarded toys in the world. www.theartscentregc.com.au

Featuring sketches, notes, set models, costume designs, finished costumers and production photographs from the QPAC Museum collection, as well as private collections, Dramatic Imaginations shines the spotlight on some favourite creative collaborations. www.qpac.com.au

JANUARY & FEBRUARY HADRON COLLIDER: STEP INSIDE THE WORLD’S GREATEST EXPERIMENT

The renowned Large Hadron Collider Exhibition from the Science Museum, London is coming to Brisbane and celebrates the world’s largest and most powerful particle accelerator. The awardwinning exhibition recreates the largest scientific experiment ever constructed. www.qm.qld.gov.au

JANUARY 13 TO 15 & 18 MISTER MAKER Packed full of arty adventures there will be a big 'make' to take part in, super songs to join in with, a fabulous supporting cast and don't forget The Shapes! www.livenation.com.au/artists/mister-maker

TOP 5

JANUARY 17 TO 19 OPERATION OUCH! LIVE ON STAGE Get excited as Dr Chris and Dr X make their way to Brisbane for the first time ever with their live show just in time for the summer school holidays. www.brisbanepowerhouse.org

FEBRUARY 4 TO 26 SAND SAFARI ARTS FESTIVAL Running over three weeks, Sand Safari will feature spectacular, life-sized sand sculptures along the Gold Coast. Intricately carved by the country’s most talented sculptors as part of the Australian Sand Sculpting Championships. www.surfersparadise.com

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JAN/FEB 2017

JANUARY 18 TO 19 THE MAGIC FARAWAY TREE See Enid Blyton's Story about Moonface, Saucepan Man and all their friends as they go on their journey together to the Land of Toys, The Land of Goodies and The Land of Presents. www.qtix.com.au

JANUARY 21 DEADLY 60 LIVE! The star of one of the most popular children’s shows on the planet, is returning to Australia with a new show.

Join Steve Backshall on his journey of wild discovery and dangerous entertainment, live on stage on the Gold Coast this January. www.deadly60liveonstage.com

WATER PARKS

South Bank Lagoon and Aquativity Robelle Doman, Springfield Splash ‘n’ Play Water Park, Ripley The Rockpools, Broadwater Parklands Wet ‘n’ Wild, Gold Coast

JANUARY 27 TO FEBRUARY 19 BRISASIA FESTIVAL Celebrate contemporary and traditional Asian arts and cultural events across the city at BrisAsia Festival 2017. Now in its fifth year, BrisAsia Festival will be held over three weeks. www.mustdobrisbane.com

FEBRUARY 14 VALENTINE'S DAY

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FEBRUARY 19 CUPID’S UNDIE RUN This event aims to raise awareness and funds for research into finding a cure for neurofibromatosis (NF), which is a genetic condition affecting one in every 3000 people.

Register now to receive a singlet and pair of Bonds underwear for the run. www.cupidsundierun.com.au

* We publish information based on what is supplied to us - to the best of our knowledge all details are correct at the time of printing, however we do recommend you check event details with the organisers

JANUARY 1 TO 26 A DAY WITH THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE

JANUARY 1 TO FEBRUARY 18 DRAMATIC IMAGINATIONS

Fri 13, Sat 14 & Sun 15 Jan Brisbane Qpac Concert Hall

Tue 17 Jan

Sunshine Coast Lake Kawana Community Centre

Wed 18 Jan

Gold Coast Arts Centre - Arts Theatre Go to livenation.com.au

Mister Maker ™ & © 2016 The Foundation. Licensed by Zodiak Rights Limited.

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SOCIAL

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Stay up to date with your local community news. If you have any unique news that you’d like to share, please contact our editor at editor@mothergoosemedia.com.au

Whats news » Visit our website for more news

SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE AT WORLD SCIENCE FESTIVAL BRISBANE

Brisbane is preparing to host another supercharged celebration of science when the World Science Festival returns in March.

Science minister Leeanne Enoch said: “The festival will welcome the return of family-favourite free program, Street Science! alongside new theatrical performances, workshops and curated discussions on cutting-edge science and discoveries.”

One of the sessions will provide insight into four of the world’s greatest minds under 16 years of age in The Future is in Good Hands.

Queensland Museum CEO and director professor Suzanne Miller said the 2017 program would provide something for everyone with a mix of free and ticketed events with performances, debates and demonstrations. “One of the most endearing things about the World Science Festival Brisbane is it takes science out of the labs and into the streets, connecting and inspiring people, young and old,” she said.

“Following the success of our regional program in 2016, I am pleased to announce we will again take the World Science Festival Brisbane into the regions which will include Chinchilla, Townsville, Gladstone and Toowoomba,” she added.

The World Science Festival Brisbane will run from March 22 to 26. Tickets are now on sale at www.worldsciencefestival.com.au.

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JAN/FEB 2017

BABIES MAY BE SCREENED AT BIRTH FOR SIDS

A major breakthrough in the possible cause of SIDS might one day mean babies are screened at birth to see if they could be at risk.

DID YOU

KNOW It’s impossible to snore and dream at the same time.

A CLOUD CAN WEIGH MORE THAN 453,000KG.

Researchers at The Children’s Hospital Westmead have discovered that babies who die of SIDS have lower levels of brain protein orexin, which regulates wakefulness and arousal. The lower levels of the protein suggest that the response that tells them to wake up is not as strong as in other babies.

Dr Rita Machaalani, the hospitals’ sleep unit manager, told the Gold Coast Bulletin that the research team would try to work out the ideal level of orexin and develop a diagnostic tool. “If we can determine the normal level in babies when born then we can use those abnormalities to predict kids that might be at risk in the future of SIDS,” she said.

COMMON TOXIC PLANT WARNING OVER DESERT ROSE A Sunshine Coast mother has warned parents of the dangers of a common toxic plant after her daughter was hospitalised after eating it. Candace Black’s daughter ate a flower from a Desert Rose.

Queensland Health’s website states: “All parts of the plant are toxic.

Symptoms may include slow heartbeat, low blood pressure, lethargy, dizziness and stomach upset.” It urges people to seek urgent medical help if any parts of the plant are ingested.

“She needed to be on a heart monitor for 24 hours because the toxin can take that long to start to have an effect,” she told the Sunshine Coast Daily. “They don't vomit, it can just be that they become lethargic and the heart can drop to a very low critical point.”

NEW RECREATION AREA AT WIVENHOE DAM IT’S CONSIDERED GOOD LUCK IN JAPAN IF A SUMO WRESTLER MAKES YOUR BABY CRY. Waltzing Matilda was first sung in public at the North Gregory Hotel in Winton, Queensland, on April 6, 1895.

AVOCADOS ARE POISONOUS TO BIRDS.

A new recreation area in a part of Wivenhoe Dam that used to be off limits to the public, has opened. Billies Bay and Hays Landing on the eastern side of Lake Wivenhoe have been transformed, making it a great destination for barbecues, picnics, swimming, fishing, paddling and sailing.

“Wivenhoe Dam is already one of the region’s most popular recreation destinations and I’m sure Billies Bay and Hays landing will become the ‘jewel of the crown’ providing public access to areas of the lake normally off limits,” said Mark Bailey, Minister for Water Supply.

Recently, 600 South East Queensland students had a sneak preview of the new location as part of Seqwater’s annual Play it safe day, an annual event teaching students about risky behaviours in and around water and how to play it safe.

kidsonthecoast.com.au | kidsinthecity.com.au

CALLING ALL ADVENTURERS DREAMWORLD ON THE GOLD COAST. A WORLD THAT CAN BE ANYTHING YOU CAN IMAGINE.

TIGER ISLAND YOUR JOURNEY

STARTS HERE

Get closer than ever before, and watch our cats play and swim in their splash pool.

Our new Tiger Island is theperfect place to spend your lunchbreak, with some pawsome tiger merchandise and Asian-style food.

CORROBOREE Explore a world of animals and indigenous culture, where you can celebrate traditional stories and get close to bilbies and kangaroos. We invite you to explore just how unique our land, ancestors, and legends are.

WHITEWATER WORLD

ABC KIDS WORLD Say hello to your favourites at ABC KIDS WORLD, with Hoot and Hootabelle, Bananas in Pyjamas, and all your favourite Wiggles friends. There’s adventures to be had in a teacup, a Big Red Boat and even a Big Red Car. If happiness is a place, this is it.

SHOWS

So many shows for you to pick and choose from – whether you want to see the tigers play, explore the Creation Stories, or throw a mini beach party with Dorothy the Dinosaur. There’s something for everyone in the family.

Finish the day with a cool-off at our co-located water park, WhiteWater World.

With plenty of pools and some serious splash, this is the place to soak up some fun! There’s something for every age with the Cave of Waves, Wiggle Bay and The Green Room.

DREAMWORKS EXPERIENCE Where your favourite DreamWorks characters are brought to life!

Full of rides and attractions and all your favourite characters from Madagascar, Shrek and Kung Fu Panda, it’s up to you which of your heroes you meet first.

BUY ONLINE NOW AT DREAMWORLD.COM.AU kidsonthecoast.com.au | kidsinthecity.com.au

JAN/FEB 2017

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NOTICE BOARD All the news and achievements from ou r local schools

and Sam Hockings. Dadds added: "Of the seven boys who entered we picked a team of five and came away with two gold, three silver and two bronze medals. I think there's a lot of interest in it now because the students didn't expect their classmates would do so well.”

WINNING ARTASTS ANNOUNCED Two Miami State School students, Andre Duque & Matthew Partridge, have won the ARTAST of 2016 competition.

The competition celebrates Active School Transport (AST), a program that aims to reduce traffic congestion around schools by encouraging students, parents and teachers to walk, cycle, carpool or catch public transport to and from their school.

Entrants had to design a poster about school travel including walking, scootering, cycling, public transport and carpooling. The winners will have their poster, along with other selected artwork from the competition, featured in the 2017 ARTAST Calendar, which is sent to all participating AST schools.

L-R: Matthew Elliott, Ruhaani Lashand, Ella spencer, Jake McConnaghy

YOUNG MINDS DESIGN AIRPORT OF THE FUTURE A group of 67 Year 3 students from St Paul’s School, Bald Hills, have worked with Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) this year on an innovative project to prepare for Brisbane Airport 2028.

BAC tapped into the creativity of youth during a two-day design symposium with the students earlier this year. Their design ideas included vertical runways, multi-level hangars and floating restaurants. During the project, the students constructed a complete model of their airport design using recyclable products.

“They’ve become young management consultants for the new airport design,’’ said the school’s junior school design thinking specialist, Justin Hill. “It was incredible to watch them as they negotiated with one another to come up with the plan for what the airport may look like in 2028.

impressive, from marshmallow planes and vertical runways to non-invasive airport security. We were overwhelmed by the creativity of the solutions from such young minds and how closely the students’ ideas were aligned to the most innovative trends we are seeing in airport planning today. St Paul’s should be commended for their leadership in the design thinking space.”

ST EDMUND’S STUDENTS LIFT PRESTIGIOUS TROPHY The weightlifting team at St Edmund’s College in Ipswich won the male team shield among other medals at the recent Queensland All School Championships.

At the end of the symposium, BAC cut the ribbon and parents were invited to see the model. Students discussed their decision-making with the visitors.

It was the team’s first time at the event and coach Peter Dadds praised their efforts: "This is the first time St Edmund's have actually entered a team which makes it very special,” Dadds told the Queensland Times. "We had former Australian weightlifter Damon Kelly come along and help the boys out a bit. We set up the team and for all the boys bar two it was their first ever competition.”

BAC senior project manager Steven Grant said: “The range of ideas the students came up with was

The team included Matt Errington, Griffen Squires, Toby Weight, Jack Spencer, Morgan Spencer

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JAN/FEB 2017

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SOMERSET COLLEGE WINS DEBATING COMPETITION A team of Year 11 students have won the Gold Coast Secondary Schools’ Debating Association Senior B Competition.

William Roughan, Konna Chakravarty, Liam Jameson, Philippa Gardiner and Will Evans won the grand final at Bond University, against Saint Stephen’s College. The topic for the grand final was “Schools place too much importance on academic success.” Saint Stephens argued the negative and Somerset the affirmative position.

“The topic demanded insight into the relationship between the academic and vocational—a demanding task,” said Chris Enwright, debating coordinator. “The speakers on both sides showed great composure and clearly articulated their arguments.

“Whilst the Saint Stephen’s speakers ran overtime, Somerset’s debaters gained an advantage by keeping their speeches within the time-limit,” he added. “Another key feature of debating is the art of rebuttal, and again this was an area in which Liam, William and Philippa demonstrated their skill.”

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JAN/FEB 2017

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[FEATURE]

12

JAN/FEB 2017

kidsonthecoast.com.au | kidsinthecity.com.au

[FEATURE]

Bridging THE

STEM GENDER GAP

by RYAN BRADY

QUICK, NAME THREE SCIENTISTS. THIS QUESTION WAS GIVEN TO A SCIENCE CLASS RECENTLY AND THEY RESPONDED RAPIDLY WITH SOME FAMOUS NAMES: ALBERT EINSTEIN, ISAAC NEWTON AND STEPHEN HAWKING. WITH A BIT OF ENCOURAGEMENT, ONE OR TWO MORE NAMES WERE RECALLED. INVARIABLY, ALMOST EVERY RESPONSE IS A MALE SCIENTIST. When it is pointed out that an entire gender is missing, a student will timidly offer up Marie Curie as if they were unsure that she was indeed a scientist.

In an elective Year 8 Science and Mathematics subject iSTEAM (investigating Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) at Grace Lutheran College, only one-third of the 30 students were girls. A previous Senior Physics class started Year 11 with three girls in the class, and finished Year 12 with zero! So yes, there is a marked difference in genders for both selection and retention in technology and science subjects.

In a letter to his rival Robert Hooke, Isaac Newton famously wrote, ‘If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants’.

Where are the giants for our girls in science? Mona Chalabi, a data journalist, discovered that there is a large number of missing scientists in the United States. To reach gender parity of professionals in the Natural Sciences, there needs to be another 80,000 female scientists in the US alone. Furthermore, in Australia women are implicitly discouraged from pursuing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) careers by a pay divide where

men are three times more likely to hold a STEM career earning more than $104,000. Throughout history, female scientists have been robbed of many accolades or downright cheated out of their research. Girls are being systematically alienated from the sciences by a culture struggling to move forward from modernity.

A persistent motto of the educational hegemony is that ‘girls just aren’t good at maths or science’. Fortunately, this idea is completely false. Recent neuroplasticity research suggests that our brains are capable of forming new and complex connections about mathematics regardless of gender. Rather, it is the prior experience and mindset of a student that determines their current skills and future outcomes in mathematics.

Grace Lutheran College is helping to counter students’ fixed mindsets about mathematics by running a growth-mindset course

by Jo Boaler (www.youcubed.org) with Year 7 students. By arming girls with a growth mindset, where achievement correlates with effort and mistakes are part of the learning process, they will be more likely to reject negative stereotypes that would normally discourage them from pursuing STEM pathways.

kidsonthecoast.com.au | kidsinthecity.com.au

JAN/FEB 2017

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[FEATURE]

“TRADITIONALLY, GIRLS ARE NOT EXPOSED TO TYPES OF PLAY WHICH BUILD THEIR SPATIAL-REASONING SKILLS (BUILDING, LEGO, COMPUTER GAMES). CONSEQUENTLY, THEY ARE MISSING OUT ON EXPERIENCES WHICH GIVE A STRONG FOUNDATION TO BUILD ABSTRACT IDEAS OF NUMBER, DIMENSION AND SPACE.”

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The College has also just begun a research project investigating the effect of spatial-reasoning mastery on the outcomes for girls in STEM pathways. Traditionally, girls are not exposed to types of play that build their spatial-reasoning skills (building, LEGO, computer games). Consequently, they are missing out on experiences that give a strong foundation to build abstract ideas of number, dimension and space—essential for confidence in mathematics. To combat these deficiencies Grace Lutheran runs specialised instruction on spatial reasoning in the iSTEAM classes. Research suggests that early intervention for girls will measurably improve their achievement in mathematics and improve their retention in STEM pathways.

science in creative ways like slam poetry and a diary of a teenage cancer patient, project-based investigations into digital electronics and exploring the possibilities of transistors, and opportunities for teamwork by programming mars rovers and launching into space using Kerbal Space Program. Although role models are important, it is authentic experiences and opportunities in STEM that will retain girls in these fields.

To improve STEM retention rates, the iSTEAM elective is deliberately designed to create engagement and positive identity formation for all students: Hands-on-experiences of communicating

Brisbane resident, Hayley McIver, is a Grace Lutheran College graduate (2000) and Process Engineer at Ausenco. She studied Chemistry, Maths C, Physics and Biology and found these

JAN/FEB 2017

According to innovation.gov.au: “In the next decade an estimated 75 per cent of jobs in the fastest-growing industries will need skills in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). However, enrolment in STEM subjects has been in steady decline in Australia.”

kidsonthecoast.com.au | kidsinthecity.com.au

[FEATURE]

subjects were a great foundation for university. She particularly enjoyed Chemistry and had a strong bond with her peers and teachers in the Science subjects. She says, “I have had some great opportunities and experiences including optimising a coal preparation facility in Tete, Mozambique. I have been able to contribute to designs of innovative plant upgrades over the years, even a finalist for a Women in Engineering award last year. At times, I do find I am the only female in the room of meetings and when I first started working on mine sites 10 years ago, it was intimidating.

I have, however, grown to trust in my abilities and confidence and the results that myself and my team are able to achieve usually speak for themselves.”

We cannot, however, wait until Middle School to begin encouraging girls to pursue STEM pathways. In their early years, girls are often given the idea that ‘mathematics just isn’t for you’ by well-meaning parents, teachers, or role models. This statement will form a belief and begin to affect their performance and anxiety.

Similarly, girls’ achievement will plummet the moment that they are told it is OK ‘because I wasn’t good at maths in school either’, by their mother or another female role model. Fortunately, these mindsets can be changed, and parents and teachers of young girls are encouraged to speak positively about mathematics and science.

Additionally, girls must be given opportunities to build their spatial reasoning, by playing with blocks, LEGO and 3D video games.

Excellent opportunities for girls are available through the Tech Girls Movement (http://www.techgirlsmovement.org/) that aims to ‘promote positive role models to encourage and raise awareness of STEM careers for girls’. In addition, the Australian Federal Government has pledged $13m to create a number of programs with the aim of improving opportunities for women in STEM fields.

Also, Grace Lutheran College is planning some STEAM holiday workshops specifically for girls in 2017, more details will be available on the Grace website.

Ryan Brady is a Teacher of Science, Maths and Academic Enrichment at Grace Lutheran College (A Christian, co-educational Secondary college at Rothwell and Caboolture). www.gracecollege.com.au

READ MORE STEM RELATED ARTICLES ON OUR WEBSITE www.kidsonthecoast.com.au or www.kidsinthecity.com.au

10 OF THE BEST STEM TOYS

STEM - AND ITS IMPORTANCE IN SCHOOLS

HOW TO START A CODING CLUB AT YOUR CHILD’S SCHOOL

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5 EASY SCIENCE EXPERIMENTS TO DO AT HOME

JAN/FEB 2017

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[CHECK THIS OUT] D.I.Y. ELECTRO DOUGH KIT, TECH WILL SAVE US

$45.00 Spark your little Einstein by making your own conductive dough. Learn how electricity works, play with lights, buzzers and switches! Start by making your own homemade conductive dough (recipe included), or use Play-Doh to begin sculpting your scientific creations straight out of the box. Experiment with making shapes, connecting LEDs and learning how circuits work in the process. Find at until.com.au plus there are stacks of design ideas at techwillsaveus.com.

THONGS, MOELOCO

RRP $39.95 Designed by 7-year-old Georgia, from Manly, NSW, these gorgeous kid’s thongs have inspirational messages on the soles to leave beautiful imprints in the sand. From ‘fashion with a purpose’ brand Meoloco, for every one of its own flip flops sold Meoloco donates one pair of shoes to some of the world’s most under-privileged children. Perfect for socially conscious, fashion conscious kids, you can find them at moeloco.com.

seriously cool products to

encourage kids

BUSY CITY LUNCH BAG, HIPPO BLUE

$30 Go back to school in style with a personalised lunch bag. The roomy compartment easily holds a lunchbox or multiple containers, and it’s insulated to keep food cold. Also features an adjustable side pocket to keep water handy. Busy City is one of five new worlds to be added to the Hippo Blue range. Taking kids on a zippy ride through Tweety Town, Busy City features fire trucks, sports cars, bicycles, construction vehicles as well as fun amusement park rides. Designed by Jenny Wren, illustrator of numerous children’s books, Busy City comes in matching name labels, backpacks, lunch bags, pencil cases and library bags. Find at hippoblue.com.au.

to create, imagine, draw and play!

CONSTRUCT-A-CLOCK

$32.95 Explore the properties of pendulums and clocks firsthand with this nifty timepiece.

Igniting the curiosity of any child, this brightly coloured clock will teach kids how gears, cogs and time works.

Perfect for the budding scientist, this pendulum clock is simple and quick to assemble. Build it, wind it up and hang it on your bedroom wall… no batteries required!

Find at coolthings.com.au.

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JAN/FEB 2017

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[INSPIRE]

KIDS Teaching KIDS

“THE KIDS LEARN THEY CAN MAKE A REAL DIFFERENCE ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES, DESPITE THE MAGNITUDE OF PROBLEMS FACING THEIR ENVIRONMENT” ~ ARRON WOOD. This quote perfectly encapsulates the ethos of Kids Teaching Kids—an award-winning national school program with an emphasis on encouraging children to raise awareness of environmental issues, both on a local and global scale. It inspires them to connect with their peers and their community and challenges them with real world issues. Children are invited to present a workshop to raise awareness of an environmental issue close to their heart. They can do this during the organisation’s Kids Teaching Kids Week, or at one of its Kids Conferences.

The organisation has humble beginnings. Its co-founder Richard Wood was a principal at a large city school where the challenges included bullying. In an attempt to help the school find its way back to a more caring and engaged learning community, Richard used

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the environment as a catalyst to promote change within the school.

His son, and now Kids Teaching Kids director, Arron Wood, was starting his career at the local catchment management authority.

They and the teachers worked together to encourage the students to take on more and more responsibility for their learning, and to have greater respect for their peers and the teachers and other community members who supported them.

“Many aspects of the program ensued, from student led assemblies to student voices in school decision making, but the small scale student researched and led environment-based activities and learning were particularly valuable,” said Richard.

When an idea for a small schools conference on the local environment generated a far bigger interest than imagined, with schools from out of state keen to attend, the idea for a national program took shape. Kids Teaching Kids was born.

Richard believes that students must be immersed in the highest form of learning, that is, to teach others, if their innate gift of wanting to learn is to be harnessed.

“We as educators risk losing their ‘appetite and motivation to know’, if we do not allow them to use their own voice and experiences to contribute to the learning process,” he says.

And, he says, the presentations are just the beginning: “Ultimately students are encouraged to take their learning to an action phase above and beyond their presentations to others.

When students take direct action in their environment the power of learning is truly demonstrated creating today a myriad of outstanding stories throughout Australian schools.”

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[INSPIRE]

And the Kids Teaching Kids Week is the perfect stage for creating such stories. For more than 17 years, Kids Teaching Kids has inspired more than 110,000 children across Australia to learn about, care for and respect their local environment.

Students of all ages find solutions to complex environmental problems such as climate change, water, waste, conservation, energy, drought, population and pollution. “Adults take a back seat at this event—kids teach each other in much more interesting creative ways than the usual classroom format, with songs, dance, poems, drama, games, interactive quizzes and crafts,” says Arron Wood.

Since 2012, the Sunshine Coast Kids In Action Conference has been held as part of Kids Teaching Kids Week. The two-day event hosted by the Sunshine Coast Council involves around 300 students each year. The theme for last year’s conference was ‘Living Communities’ and included student-led presentations about bush tucker, how to be a mindful consumer and permaculture.

To find out more about the conference, which was a finalist in last year’s United Nations World Environment Day Awards, visit www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au/Environment and head to the Education Resources and Events section.

Briody Fahey took part in a Kids Teaching Kids Week at Silkwood School in Queensland and also participated in a Kids Teaching Kids Conference in Melbourne two year’s running. “It was awesome to connect with kids from all over Australia who were all environmentally aware and keen to get involve, learn and teach,” she enthuses. “It made me feel important, a part of something bigger, and inspired me to keep sharing my knowledge about the environment with others.”

And that is exactly what she does. In 2015 she created a not-forprofit organisation called Youth 4 Beaches (www.facebook.com/ Youth-4-Beaches-342636755887348/) which runs monthly clean ups at local beaches. She also uses this as a platform to present workshops to people looking to reduce their waste.

Last year, the organisation celebrated its 10th Melbourne Water Kids Teaching Kids Conference. The theme was ‘Past, Present, Future’ and students were challenged to think about how our reliance on water and impact on waterway health has changed, and to imagine what this might, and should, look like in the future.

Held over two days, the conference included presentations and workshops and the opportunity to link up with other environmental organisations to provide practical hands on activities such as gardening, construction and cooking.

It is through such events that students recognise that they can have a positive impact on the world, starting in their own communities.

They are given tools to manage their own learning and become confident, caring and informed citizens ready to take on new challenges. As Richard says: “Our young people are the leaders of tomorrow but they have so much to offer today.”

To find out more about this year’s Kids Teaching Kids Week, visit www.kidsteachingkids.com.au. Schools are encouraged to sign up to the program during Term 1 to allow time to plan and implement the program. All of the Kids Teaching Kids presenting students are encouraged to link up with a local mentor related to their selected topics and offered support throughout the whole development process.

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Images courtesy: Kim Wendt

[EDUCATION]

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[EDUCATION]

Coolest SCHOOLS THE WORLD’S

by ANGELA SUTHERLAND

SCHOOLS HAVE COME A LONG WAY IN THE LAST 30 YEARS. GONE ARE THE TRADITIONAL ROWS OF DESKS FACING A DUSTY CHALKBOARD, AS CLASSROOMS BEGIN TO INCORPORATE BREAKOUT SPACES, OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES AND PLAY-BASED LEARNING INTO THEIR EVERYDAY ENVIRONMENT. Yet some schools around the world are taking their classrooms to a whole new level, finding forward-thinking ways to create the best possible learning experience for their future generations.

‘TELEPHONPLAN’ VITTRA SCHOOL, STOCKHOLM Can you imagine a school with no divides? At the ‘Telephonplan’ Vittra School in Stockholm there are no classrooms, and no classes.

This innovative school goes beyond conventional classroom-based teaching, using interior design to facilitate individual learning via everyday experiences. Physical space is one of the most important tools, creating areas that promote the school’s principles, such as ‘the watering hole’, ‘the laboratory’, ‘the show-off’, ‘the campfire’ and ‘the cave’.

Instead of age-based classes, teaching is organised around learning groups structured according to a student’s achievement level.

The school has many different spaces—a giant iceberg with a cinema, flexible labs, and rooms for relaxation and recreation.

Laptops are a child’s most important tool, whether standing, sitting or reclining, so the interior incorporates digital media everywhere.

Irene Blom, education officer at Vittra Schools says [translated], “The driving force is the foundation for lifelong learning, where skills are put into context and can grow… With us it is both necessary and fun to learn a lot.”

The number of Forest Schools has doubled over the last 20 years in Denmark, and the trend is also being taken up in our local area, with initiatives such as Creek Kindergarten, at the Ananda Marga River School, Maleny (www.amriverschool.org) gaining popularity.

Katchia Avenell, kindergarten teacher at Ananda Marga River School and trained nature pedagogist, describes a typical day: “We gather for a snack at around 9am to bring the children together, then pack our bags, put on our boots and hats and head on down to the creek. Once at the creek, we set up our portable toilet and put out our yarning mat. We gather in our yarning circle to Acknowledge Country and pay our respects to our local nation.

The children love to lead this!

“We then share our thoughts, look at the change in our environment (tree branches, water flow, etc) and discuss safety,” she adds. “Then we are off for exploration and play. We have a box of tools and another box that keeps our firewood dry in wet weather. We climb trees, jump over rock formations, swim, light fires, explore the water ways and swing from vines.”

The children also make soups or hot drinks on the camp oven and use the tools to fossick for stones, build shelters or make art. “It's incredible what the children make and find,” says Katchia.

FOREST KINDYS OF DENMARK The importance of outdoor learning has gained a lot of traction in recent years, and with the worrying report from the Australian Institute of Family Studies that less than eight per cent of Australian children play outside every day, it is easy to see why.

But Denmark has taken the outdoor learning experience one step further, with their Forest Kindys.

No tables, no books, no chairs, no pencils, and no fences, the forest is the classroom and the adventures they have are the lessons. Even when the temperature dips to -20°C, children simply rug up and head off to experience the great outdoors.

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JAN/FEB 2017

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[EDUCATION]

Coolest SCHOOLS

Images courtesy: Katsuhisa Kida/FOTOTECA courtesy of Tezuka Architects

THE WORLD’S

FUJI YOCHIEN KINDERGARTEN, TACHIKAWA, JAPAN

Images courtesy: Hibinosekkei + Youji No Shiro

Fuji Yochien is a preschool with an endless playground, where children are free to climb trees to their hearts’ content and are encouraged to create their own rules and games. Possibly the most beautiful and child-friendly childcare space ever created, Fuji’s school has won multiple architectural design awards.

Designed as a large oval around the huge trees in the centre of the campus, the trees grow right through the classrooms. “We had to build around the trees already there on the land,” says architect Takaharu Tezuka in his Ted Talk. “It wasn’t easy—we couldn’t cut the roots, which spread as wide as the tree crowns.”

OGURA ASAHI KINDERGARTEN, SAITAMA, JAPAN With approximately 1,500 earthquakes recorded in Japan every year, building a school that is equipped to handle this daily threat is critical. Architects Hibinosekkei + Youji No Shiro designed just that, creating the virtually earthquake-proof Ogura Asahi Kindergarten.

Constructed almost entirely of shipping containers, the school is as stable as possible.

The reconstruction also sends a valuable green message to all its students, teaching students the value of resources and environmental responsibility.

Multipurpose spaces with stylish interiors provide the perfect environment for growing minds—whether for music, craft, learning or for physical education.

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The large oval rooftop is a play deck used for exploration and free play, the design letting children run forever. “We designed the school as a circle, with a kind of endless circulation.”

Kids can slide to class, climb to class, run to class, and there are no walls between the classrooms so children are free to float from classroom to classroom or from inside to outside. There are also skylights in the roof to allow students to peek into classrooms below and see what is happening.

“We added these safety nets so the students wouldn’t fall through the holes around the trees. But I know kids, and they love to play with nets. Whenever they see a hammock, they want to jump into it, to shake it. These were really just an excuse for me to give the kids another way to play.”

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© Abir Abdullah, courtesy of Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha

ONLINE

Education GUIDE

2017

d Release

FEBRUARY

2017

SOLAR POWERED FLOATING SCHOOLS OF BANGLADESH One third of Bangladesh floods every year during the monsoon, and due to these floods, thousands of schools are forced to close.

To ensure that children’s education wasn’t interrupted Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha created a ‘floating school’, to bring the school to the students. The boats each have a computer, hundreds of books, and space for 30 students at a time. Being solar powered, the boats can operate independently, whatever the weather, and into the evening.

The boat first acts as a bus, collecting the children from riverside stops. It then docks and classes begin. Classes run from primary to Grade 4, teaching a river-based curriculum on how to protect the environment and conserve water. Since 2002, around 70,000 children have benefited from the boat schools.

As well as running floating schools, the not-for-profit now runs 100 boats that act as libraries, solar workshops and adult education centres. Adults learn computer skills as well as get information on agriculture and job opportunities, and the solar panels bring valuable electricity, doctors and paramedics to the cut off regions.

“'If the children cannot come to the school for lack of transportation, then the school should come to them, by boat.” ~ Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha

OPEN DAYS EDUCATION NEWS AND RESOURCES DAY CARE, KINDERGARTEN PRIMARY & HIGH SCHOOL, PLUS ALL TYPES OF EXTRA-CURRICULAR EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES AND SUPPORT.

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23

[TECH]

CODING, ROBOTICS, AND THE NEW CURRICULUM USHERING QUEENSLAND SCHOOLS INTO THE FUTURE

by EMILY DE LA PENA

QUEENSLAND IS LEADING THE CHARGE INTO THE FUTURE AND 2017 WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF TWO NEW MANDATORY SUBJECTS—DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES AND DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGIES —TO QUEENSLAND STATE SCHOOLS FROM THE START OF THIS SCHOOL YEAR. OTHER AUSTRALIAN STATES ARE EXPECTED TO FOLLOW IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS. The new Technologies subjects, for Prep to Year 10, are designed to empower students by providing them with a capacity to take action, a toolkit of thinking skills, and enthusiasm to create a better world. The two new subjects are based on creating digital solutions. Digital Technologies covers digital systems, abstraction, algorithms, and processing data while Design and Technologies focuses on empathy with users, authentic needs and opportunities, and creating a better future.

Media coverage of the new curriculum has focused on introducing coding and robotics into the schools; however, this is not quite an accurate depiction. Coding and robotics play a part, but the key element is introducing new modes of thinking: computational thinking, design thinking, and systems thinking. This suite of approaches to problem solving does not always need to be explored through technology, it can also be experienced through unplugged activities—that is, activities that do not require technology.

The Technologies subjects will enable children to develop critical and creative thinking skills and produce creative digital solutions for authentic community needs. These subjects will also help children to shape the world we live in. In addition, the Technologies outcomes encourage children to become change makers, innovators, and creators.

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The Technologies subjects have evolved from the traditional Information and Communications Technology (ICT) subject by shifting the focus from technology consumption to technology creation. As Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull emphasised, “It is important that we move beyond only teaching students how to consume technology and instead focus on technology creation.”

Technology is intrinsically integrated into all aspects of life.

The Technologies subjects are not bolt-on subjects. Rather, the Technologies outcomes are integrated with current subjects such as English, Science, and Humanities and Social Sciences.

An example of class activity that integrates Digital Technologies and Australian History is a project where students can build an online game that teaches others students about a particular time in Australian history.

A significant difference between the existing curriculum and the new curriculum will be the experience of learning from trial and error. Children who are new to developing digital solution projects often build something or write code and then ask, “Is this correct?” In the Technologies subjects, however, being correct is no longer important; instead, the focus is on the ability to test assumptions, adapt, and move towards a workable solution.

Developing a digital solution requires making educated guesses,

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[TECH]

THE NEW CURRICULUM WILL PROVIDE MANY BENEFITS, BUT SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS MAY INITIALLY EXPERIENCE CHALLENGES AS THEY IMPLEMENT THE CHANGES. HOWEVER, THERE ARE MANY WAYS TO MAKE THE TRANSITION EASIER. A FEW TIPS ARE LISTED BELOW: 1.

Obtain support from school community members with IT experience. They can assist their school and teachers with professional development and afterschool coding and robotics clubs.

2. F ocus on outcomes first. It is easy to get distracted by shiny tech gadgets, but choosing the tools before identifying the learning outcomes often results in gaps between actual learning and the intended outcomes.

Technology creation is about thinking skills, approaches to problem solving, and feeling empowered to invent and create change, so it is important to focus on these concepts before deciding which technology to implement.

3. A pply the principles of the Technology subjects: design for a better future, have empathy for users, identify authentic needs and opportunities, learn from trial and error, and be openly forgiving of failed attempts.

testing various ideas and hypotheses, and learning from mistakes.

Errors are just feedback that guide students towards a solution, of which there are many variations. Trial and error is the norm in technology development. This approach is used throughout Silicon Valley, technology start-ups, corporate research and development departments, and universities.

Change is inevitable, and the rate of change is accelerating with technological innovation. We are already experiencing dramatic change in terms of digital disruption, automation, and artificial intelligence, and these changes impact communities, businesses, the nature of jobs, and industries. As Marc Andreessen, co-founder of both Netscape and venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz, says, “Software is eating the world.”

Innovation means progress, and now is the most exciting time to be alive. Technology is a resource-liberating force and is accelerating humanity towards abundance: a world where everyone has access to clean water, food, healthcare, education, and all other aspects of

a first world standard of living. It won’t necessarily be governments or corporations solving world issues. Around the world, a swarm of independent innovators will achieve startling advances in many areas of technology. Some of them will be our students.

2016 saw some incredible inventions from Brisbane students. At the Young ICT Explorers competition, a group of four Year 5 students demonstrated their project, a device that tests water turbidity; the device was built using an Arduino, a microcontroller board. The students carefully considered the practicalities of the device, which would be used near rivers in rural areas, so they developed a design that would be sufficiently robust for use in that environment.

Another exciting innovation came from a student team at Bulimba State School’s MicroMakers Hackathon, an invention that they called “TED.” TED, an acronym for “Talking Entertainment Droid,” is a companion robot. TED tells jokes and stories and is designed to provide companionship to lonely people.

Emily de la Pena is the founder of Coding Kids (www.codingkids.com.au). Coding Kids is developing the next generation of coders, creators, innovators and change makers. They are striving for: All Australian children coding by 2020! They run after-school coding clubs, school holiday code camps and professional development workshops for educators. Children build their own computer games, animation movies and digital solutions. Through fun and play children discover computational thinking, design thinking and entrepreneurship.

Listen to Emily's interview on ABC Radio: https://soundcloud.com/612abcbrisbane/emily-de-la-pena-coding Watch Leeanne Enoch MP give Emily her award as Community Digital Champion: https://vine.co/v/iY9137IOz1e 40 under 40: Top Young Entrepreneurs Brisbane: http://www.businessnewsaus.com.au/articles/40-under-40--top-young-entrepreneurs-brisbane-31-40.html

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[HEALTH]

TOILET TRAINING for school-aged kids

TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FIVE-YEAR OLDS AROUND AUSTRALIA ARE ABOUT TO HEAD OFF TO SCHOOL FOR THE FIRST TIME. IT MAKES FOR A BUSY TIME AT THE NATIONAL CONTINENCE HELPLINE, AS HUNDREDS OF PANICKED PARENTS PHONE IN ASKING FOR HELP ABOUT THEIR CHILD’S BEDWETTING AND OCCASIONAL DAYTIME ‘ACCIDENTS’.

WHY DO SOME CHILDREN WET THE BED?

1. Make sure your child drinks throughout the day.

• Some parents describe their children as such deep sleepers— they don’t wake up to the sensation of a full bladder.

“Give your child a warm drink with breakfast, and milk on their cereal. Have them drink plenty during the day so they don’t want to drink at bedtime, and always have them go to the toilet before bed,” Ms Fyfield said.

• Some children have overactive bladders. If this is the case, they will usually wet the bed more than once a night, and may have to rush to the toilet at times during the day.

• Some children don’t make enough antidiuretic hormone overnight (which concentrates the urine), so they produce a lot of urine while they sleep.

Some basic measures to help bedwetting If your child still wets the bed occasionally at age five, there are a few simple steps you can take to help—particularly with health professionals agreeing that it’s much easier to treat bedwetting earlier rather than later.

Children’s continence nurse and National Continence Helpline advisor Claire Fyfield offers parents a few basic tips:

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2. Prevent or treat constipation. any parents were unaware that constipation is a major contributor M to children’s bedwetting accidents, according to Ms Fyfield. “ A full, compacted bowel presses against the bladder, which in turn puts pressure on the bladder, risking leakage.”

But on top of this, straining on the toilet when constipated can weaken the pelvic floor muscles and bladder supports, making urine leakage more likely, she said. ith up to 30 per cent of children constipated at any given time W (Catto-Smith, 2005), continence health professionals like Ms Fyfield will always check for constipation when a child presents with a bedwetting problem.

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[HEALTH]

“Avoid constipation by providing adequate fluids and a balanced, fibre-rich diet containing plenty of fruit and vegetables. If it’s still a problem, see your doctor for treatment. Avoiding constipation will often improve or end day and night-time wetting.”

Why shouldn’t we ‘hold on’ to our bladders?

When to seek professional help

“In addition, if the bladder overfills often enough, the bladder— essentially a balloon-shaped muscle—can lose its elasticity and ability to contract effectively and expel the urine.”

If the child is still wetting the bed regularly at the age of six or seven, or if they suddenly start wetting the bed after having been dry, it’s time to see a children’s continence professional, Ms Fyfield said.

“The family will be asked to chart the child’s food and liquid intake and their bowel and bladder habits. We’ll check for conditions like urinary tract infections, and look at stressful or disruptive situations, such as access weekends, that can affect the child. From this we make a care plan for management.”

A full bladder puts a lot more weight and pressure on the urinary sphincter (the ring of muscle we relax to urinate), making accidents more likely, Ms Fyfield said.

Why shouldn’t we ‘hold on’ to our bowel motions?

While most people understand that holding onto their bowel motions causes constipation, many are unaware that constipation could risk faecal incontinence (S R Ali 2011) as well as urinary incontinence, Ms Fyfied said.

Bedwetting alarms

“Chronic constipation can cause urinary leakage because of the full bowel taking up space in the abdomen and pressing on the bladder. But it can also lead to faecal leakage—often mistaken for diarrhoea, but, in fact, the opposite—constipation with overflow.”

“If everything else is fine—their drinking patterns are good, their bowels are all normal—then parents may try a bedwetting alarm, which has about an 85 per cent success rate,” Ms Fyfield said.

This, she said, happens when the semi-liquid faeces higher up in the colon forces its way past the solid blockage without the person being aware.

Some prescribed bedwetting treatments

HOW CAN SCHOOLS HELP?

She stressed, however, that it was imperative parents consult a continence health professional beforehand, who can determine if a bedwetting alarm is the best form of treatment.

Good habits start early, and to help children get on the right track, the Continence Foundation of Australia has developed a childfriendly Toilet Tactics kit for schools.

Medications Desmopressin acetate, a prescription drug that substitutes a naturally occurring diuretic hormone, can sometimes be prescribed for older children.

Toilet Tactics teaches children how to adopt lifelong healthy bowel and bladder habits, and illuminates teachers and parents about the importance of encouraging and reinforcing good practices early.

“It reduces the amount of urine produced overnight by the kidneys. Your prescribing doctor will talk to you about the correct use of this drug, which can also be useful on occasions for older children or adolescents wanting to go on a sleepover or attend camps,” Ms Fyfleld said.

Children learn about diet, exercise, and how their bladder and bowel work and the importance of responding to the body’s signals.

DAYTIME ‘ACCIDENTS’ Daytime accidents are a significant issue, with one in five primary school-age children wetting themselves during the day (Sureshkumar et. al 2000) and one in 25-40 experiencing faecal incontinence (Royal Melbourne Children’s Hospital).

Ms Fyfield said that one of the major reasons children wet or soil themselves during the day was because they ‘held on’ to their bladders or bowels for longer than they should.

“It may be because the school toilets are smelly, wet or unwelcoming, or because the child forgets to go during play time, and then isn’t allowed during class time,” she said.

Just as importantly, Toilet Tactics teaches teachers how to recognise the signs a child may be experiencing bladder or bowel control issues, and gives them strategies to handle these situations sensitively and effectively.

So far more than 2,000 Australian schools have registered for Toilet Tactics. Find out if your child’s school is registered by asking your child’s teacher or your school welfare officer.

WHERE CAN PARENTS LEARN MORE? Contact the National Continence Helpline (1800 33 00 66), where continence health advisors can offer advice, information, resources and the contact details of the nearest children’s continence service. Go to continence.org.au for more information.

This article is provided by the Continence Foundation of Australia the peak national organisation working to improve the quality of life of all Australians affected by incontinence.

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JAN/FEB 2017

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[TRAVEL]

STUDENT exchange

programs

FOREIGN EXCHANGES ARE A GREAT WAY FOR STUDENTS TO FULLY IMMERSE THEMSELVES IN ANOTHER CULTURE, PRACTISE THEIR LANGUAGE SKILLS AND LEARN A LOT MORE ABOUT THEMSELVES. KIDS DEVELOP A NEW SENSE OF MATURITY AND INDEPENDENCE, AND FOR SOME, IT’S THE FIRST TIME THEY HAVE STAYED AWAY FROM HOME FOR SUCH A LENGTH OF TIME. WHILE THE EXPERIENCE CAN PUSH STUDENTS OUT OF THEIR COMFORT ZONE, EXCHANGES OFFER A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS, SEE ANOTHER PART OF THE WORLD, AND IT LOOKS GREAT ON THEIR RESUME TOO.

SCHOOL EXCHANGES Grace Lutheran College offers its students the chance to go on a study tour of Germany or Japan. In Term 3 each year, a group of 15 students from Nichidai Tsurugaoka High School in Japan have a three-week homestay experience with students from the college, and students from Lebach in Germany come to stay with the college’s host families at the start of Term 4 most years.

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Scholl Gymnasium,” says Mr Hutchinson. “As for the Japan study tour, typically about 20 Grace students spend an amazing 17 days immersed in the Japanese language and culture.

“The tour includes visits to Tokyo, Mt Fuji, Takayama, Shirakawa, Kyoto, Nara and Hiroshima,” he adds. “One of the real highlights of the tour is attending classes at Nichidai Tsurugaoka where they also have a homestay with Nichidai families.”

“During their time at Grace, the exchange students attend lessons, go on excursions and learn lots of new things about Australia— particularly our local region,” says Ken Hutchinson, head of languages at the school. “They also visit every language class at both Rothwell and Caboolture campuses, helping with lessons and participating in activities with the theme of peace and harmony.”

Sunshine Coast Grammar also offers its students the chance to go on an exchange to Shohei High School in Saitama Prefecture, located outside Tokyo. “This is a new relationship with Shohei High School and we had three students spend the duration of Term 4 abroad studying Japanese at Shohei,” explains Elizabeth Suzuki, co-ordinator of Japanese.

During the spring holidays, students from Grace have the opportunity to participate in a study tour to Germany in the odd years (2017, 2019, etc) or Japan in the even years (2016, 2018, etc).

Any students who have elected to continue their language study after Year 8 can apply for the study tours.

She said the improvements in the students’ language skills are a major benefit of the exchange: “At first, it may only be snippets of a conversation that they can engage in, in Japanese, but as they increase in confidence they become more involved in conversations in target language.”

“The study tour to Germany includes visits to Berlin, Munich, Salzburg, Berchtesgaden, Neuschwanstein, and then on to Lebach, where the group attends its sister school, Geschwister

Year 10 student Jordan Lucas was in the group of those who recently went to Japan. She said: “Being lucky enough to be able to experience completely different culture, customs, and

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language, is something I can safely say I will neither regret nor forget. In such a short amount of time I have gained countless valuable life skills, and have had the opportunity to experience first-hand something that most people cannot understand unless they have experienced it themselves.”

As well as exchanges to Japan, Sunshine Coast Grammar students can take part in a linguistic and cultural study tour to Aurillac in France thanks to a partnership with Europe Langues Organisation (ELO). The tours are based on a reciprocal arrangement where the school welcomes students from Aurillac and then returns to France to spend three weeks with the same students and their families the following year. “It is often following time on tour that students decide to return to France on exchange,” says Georgie Richardson, head of French. “Past exchanges undertaken have varied in duration from six weeks to six months. Currently students in Year 9 to 12 are eligible to apply for exchange.”

STUDENT exchange

programs

HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? “Tour costs vary according to such things as exchange rates, and the itinerary,” Mr Hutchinson explains. “However, it is usually in the region of $3,800 to $4,000. This amount includes almost everything except personal spending money.”

“The cost impost to the student is minimal as it is reciprocal and the students involved host a Japanese student in return if they are able,” says Mrs Suzuki. “Costs for students involve flights, personal insurance if they wish (though they are covered by the school insurance), and a payment per week to the host family.”

Mrs Richardson adds that the benefits of an exchange are plentiful: “Being on exchange is exciting in terms of knowledge acquisition–it’s like hundreds of light bulb moments all at once. It is hard to explain the feeling of truly being able to communicate and operate in another language, in another culture, on your own. It builds independence, resilience, global awareness and empathy like nothing else can.”

their homes and lives, giving us the support and love that is sometimes needed when living away from home. When the two months drew to close and I was forced to say my teary goodbyes to my new friends and my host families, it struck me that in just two short months I had experienced things that many people won’t ever have the opportunity to do and for that I am incredibly grateful.”

Year 11 Sunshine Coast Grammar student Lola Barbero said participating on a French exchange alongside three of her good friends was the highlight of her school year. “During my stay there I got to make many new friends as well as seeing familiar faces from the 2014 French tour, which was absolutely incredible. I also got to experience the French culture in more depth and immerse myself more in the French lifestyle. This trip allowed me to visit new places, meet new people and try some strange but delicious meals.

I will always treasure my time and memories in France and I hope to visit Aurillac in the future.”

INDEPENDENT ORGANISATIONS

Camille Hansen was lucky enough to spend Christmas and New Years in France on her exchange. “The two months that I spent in Aurillac, France were undoubtedly the most amazing and lifechanging months of my life,” she says. “I experienced what life was like in France in an in depth level that was completely new to me.

“For those two months I lived in complete French emersion; living with a French family, going to school and attending classes completely in French, eating endless amounts of French food and finally experiencing Christmas and New Years in France.

“In the time I was there, I fell in love with French culture and the amazing people that I met along the way. We were all so incredibly happy with our host families; they welcomed us completely into

There are many independent organisations that provide exchanges for students whose school does not offer them, or for those who are interested in a different exchange to those available at their school.

World Education Program (WEP) offers student exchanges to over 25 countries to those in Years 9 through to 11. Argentina, Ireland, China, Mexico and Switzerland are just some of the countries that students can visit.

Parents can also apply to become a host family for overseas students travelling to Australia. Kelly and Ian recently hosted a student from Brazil. “I would recommend the experience of hosting to anyone,” Kelly said. “It is such a rewarding experience, for everyone involved. The student, the children of the host family, the family of the student, and of course, me as a host mother. I feel blessed that I have been allowed to ‘borrow’ someone else’s son, and am sad to ‘give him back’. I have had an eye opener of things to come when my children reach the teenage years, and feel that I am better prepared for the experience.”

Program costs depend on the destination and length of stay. For example, a semester-long exchange to Switzerland will cost around $10,550, while a year-long exchange to Thailand costs around $8,950. For more information, visit https://wep.org.au.

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apps

Movies

VOCAB VOYAGERS

A start-up created by 4 girls from St Mary’s Anglican Girls’ School in Perth, Vocab Voyagers is a fun app designed for students from Year 2 to 6, to improve spelling ability and expand vocabulary.

With enjoyable mini games and quirky pirates, the app offers a range of preset spelling lists based on the Australian curriculum and NAPLAN tests, as well as being able to insert your own words, building a foundation to aid in literacy at secondary school. The app aims to launch on Google Play for android. You can get behind the app at www.gofundme.com/ vocabvoyagerstrip

SWIFT PLAYGROUNDS

Real coding concepts are brought to life with this revolutionary new iPad app that explores working with Swift—the programming language used by Apple developers. Solve puzzles, take challenges, and step up to the more advanced creations as you guide a character through a 3D world. With no previous coding experience needed, the interactive interface allows students and beginners to explore coding at their own pace.

Books

MIDDLE SCHOOL: THE WORST YEARS OF MY LIFE

In cinemas January 12. Rating PG Imaginative quiet teenager Rafe Katchedorian is tired of his middle school’s obsession with the rules at the expense of any and all creativity. Desperate to shake things up, Rafe and his best friends have come up with a plan: break every single rule in the school and let students run wild. Starring: Griffin Gluck, Lauren Graham, Alexa Ninenson

GIRL STUFF FOR GIRLS AGED 8–12 Kaz Cooke. RRP $24.99 “My daughter has started the changes of puberty and she’s only 8!” “How do I help my kids deal with bullies?” “My 10-yearold wants her own phone and all her friends are on Instagram!”

Girls are bombarded with inappropriate messages and hard-sell commercialism, and parents are increasingly worried about how they can help their daughters. Kaz Cooke’s latest book Girl Stuff provides them (and their parents) with independent, inclusive, practical and kind age-appropriate information with their best interests at heart.

GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS 2017 BLOCKBUSTERS! RRP $24.99 The brand new book from Guinness World Records BlockBusters! is exploding with the latest pop-culture records, stellar pictures, behind-thescenes news, and definitive top 10s.

Includes new records on: Pokemon Go, Finding Dory, Adele, Zootopia, Harry Potter, Star Trek and loads more, as well as record-breaking challenges to try at home with LEGO®, emojis and soft toys.

With Q&As that share what it's like to be Rey's stunt double in Star Wars and how YouTube stars Dude Perfect would win the Hunger Games if given the chance, BlockBusters! is so on trend it deserves the ‘fist-bump’ emoji.

THE END Louise Guy. $9.99 The End sees Jamie and Sam step once again into the much-loved video game of Minecraft.

Attempting to travel to the End brings unexpected mob encounters, heartstopping battles, and an extremely difficult decision for Jamie and Sam. Overcoming these challenges is only the first step. If they are successful they will face the hardest task of all. Kill the ender dragon, or be defeated and never again return to the Minecraft world. Do the Crafters’ Club members have the skills to complete their mission, or is this really the end? Written by Sunshine Coast author, Louise Guy, The End is book 9 in the Crafters’ Club series.

MONSTER TRUCKS In cinemas January 12. Rating CTC Looking for a way to get away from the life and town he was born into, Tripp, a high school senior, builds a Monster Truck from bits and pieces of scrapped cars. After an accident at a nearby oil-drilling site displaces a strange and subterranean creature with a taste and talent for speed, Tripp may have just found the key to getting out of town and a most unlikely friend.

See more and save more with a BCC and Event Cinemas Family Pass, available for some great family films during the school holidays. Check the website during the school holidays for your local BCC or Event Cinemas Family Pass offer. www.eventcinemas.com.au

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