Minnis Journals

ET News Digest

Your Weekly Education Newsletter

Secondary school students think Australia’s education system is failing
Our education system’s focus on tests and results is leaving our students cold and most students acknowledge that a good teacher is essential for success but a shockingly high number feel they need more teacher attention. Read more

85% of private schools getting more public funding than public schools
Private schools look to be getting the lion’s share of funding according to a report from the ABC; more than 4,400 public schools — over 70% of the sector — received less public funding than at least one similar private school in 2016.
According to the report, in situations where private schools receive more public funding than similar public schools, the median gap has grown by 76% between 2009 and 2016 to $970 per student. Read more

Light activity and video games are fine after recent concussion
Revised for the first time in eight years The American Academy of Pediatrics’ (AAP) concussion recommendations reverses much of what was previously thought.
The academy supports children and teens engaging in light physical activity and returning to school as they recover and advises against complete removal of electronic devices, such as television, computers and smartphones, after a concussion. Read more

Interest in maths falls off in middle years
It begins well but students' engagement with maths tends to drop off in the middle years, especially among girls.
The way to deal with the slackening of interest is to instil a level of control and introduce growth mindsets according to researchers.
The researchers from the University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales tracked 194 high school students’ engagement in maths over a five year period. Read more

Testing the teaching profession
Teaching is essential but keeping teachers is hard and a new parliamentary inquiry into the profession will seek to find out how those in the profession can be made happy.
Some of the areas investigated will be: inflexible curriculum delivery; periodic reporting and assessment practices; a lack of evidenced-based research; an absence of readily-available class room applications; time pressures for teachers and principals; and a lack of support for school principals to develop professional autonomy. Read more

Program to keep young stars in school
Izellah Connelly, Year 6, is a busy young lady, she’s been the lead role in Tim Minchin’s musical Matilda, performed in three other stage productions and is touted as the country’s next pop princess. And she’s still a good student thanks to an innovative new program.
Izellah attends St Hilda’s School on the Gold Coast who have firmed up their new Athena Program which lets students with exceptional extra-curricular lives keep up with their schoolwork. Read more

Exclusion is counterproductive
When students are very bad they face suspension or expulsion but being excluded from school means there is no opportunity for them to improve themselves and perhaps worsens their situation.
Research by Professor Sally Varnham of the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and Professor Joan Squelch of The University of Notre Dame Australia indicates a new approach is needed.
Even short term exclusions cause students to fall behind and drop out. Read more