Minnis Journals

For Education Leaders

Catering for diversity of students’ learning abilities in today’s learning environment
An obvious disruption has occurred in the classroom environment and the response to this has allowed for the integrating and embedding of blended learning to occur. A combination of synchronous and asynchronous learning through a variety of online and offline platforms has suddenly enabled schools to blend the learning and create programs to maximise student engagement and learning outcomes. Read more

Three story books aim to end the coward punch
On 16th of April 2016, 19-year-old Pat Cronin went out for a quiet night. He was punched from behind whilst assisting a mate. Pat was later taken to hospital and two days later his family made the decision to turn off his life support.
Matt Cronin, Pat’s father and founding director of the Pat Cronin Foundation, said it is very important that from the earliest possible age, children are taught and learn to understand that physical aggression is never okay and that that they need to think carefully and act kindly. Read more

What should educators keep in mind when responding to widespread burnout
What sensible steps can we take for ourselves to respond to burnout? Read more

Sunshine Coast school’s VR teaching is among the world’s best
The Mountain Creek State High School on the Sunshine Coast of Queensland's use of Immersive Virtual Reality has won the school a place in a UN showcase of 100 schools. Read more

Nine ways to help kids to get a job
Australian youth have been hit hard by the pandemic with the current youth unemployment rate at 16.4 per cent. Something is amiss and strategies need to be put in place so kids can find work.
To be successful kids need the support of their parents, an early introduction to what work involves and knowledge as to what employers are looking for.
Edith Cowan University (ECU) Associate Professor Denise Jackson is an expert in improving students’ employment prospects who uses evidence-based practical strategies to advise parents on how to get children into work. Read more

Independent learning is a skill that needs nurturing
When students get to university they’re expected to direct their own learning to a degree and not all of them are able to do it. It is a skill in of itself and should be taught as other skills are. Read more

Graduates found to be teaching well
The hand wringing around new teachers’ competence seems to be overblown with graduate teachers scoring highly across several measures when compared to experienced teachers. Read more