Category: Primary
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How positive psychology can improve teachers’ well-being
Teacher well-being has been in the news recently, with Education Minister Dan Tehan saying teachers must be better trained to deal with the pressure of difficult classrooms and the physical and verbal abuse they experience. This month, the ABC reported that teachers and principals were under increasing pressure as a result of the anxiety epidemic…
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Literacy and numeracy are important, but there is far more to effective teaching
First published in Education Review. Teaching Humanities and Social Sciences in the Primary School author Ruth Reynolds, Associate Professor, School of Education, University of Newcastle Graduates from accredited teaching courses will be required to pass literacy and numeracy tests before they can enter the profession this year. Potential teachers will have three attempts at passing…
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How schools and teachers can benefit from social media
Do teachers use Twitter? According to a recent post, the answer is a resounding ‘yes’! Steven Payne recently asked teachers whether they used Twitter, via the social network. The tweet attracted more than 1,500 likes and over 100 comments. Clearly, teachers consider Twitter to be a valuable method of interacting and sharing ideas with their…
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Tips for implementing inquiry based maths in the primary classroom
By Anita Green “The only way to learn mathematics is to do mathematics.” – Paul Halmos Ever since I started teaching, I have always aimed to provide students with high-quality maths lessons that contain strong links to real-life contexts. Students need a range of hands-on experiences that engage them in challenging and meaningful activities. When…
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Universities have a crucial role to play in equipping teachers for the literacy classroom
By Janet Fellowes, Senior Lecturer in the School of Education, Edith Cowan University and author of Language, Literacy and Early Childhood Education (Oxford University Press) This article first appeared in Education Review It is very difficult to dispute the need for teachers to possess sounds literacy skills. Communication and literacy are central to teaching success…
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Global trends in the teaching of mathematics
By Annie Facchinetti “After 30 years of doing such work, I have concluded that classroom teaching … is perhaps the most complex, most challenging, and most demanding, subtle, nuanced and frightening activity that our species has ever invented … The only time a physician could possibly encounter a situation of comparable complexity would be in…
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Behind the scenes in the creation of a new Aussie literacy icon
Oxford Australia’s new icon for its Reading for Comprehension series has flown out into the world, with the aim of teaching and inspiring children to read. But as cute as the sugar glider looks, its creation was not as straightforward as its designer might have hoped. Senior Concept Designer Miranda Costa said she was kept…
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Helping your child prepare for their first day over the Christmas break
There’s plenty you can do to help your child get ready for their first day at primary school. Here are some top tips for things you can do in the run-up to their first day at school, so all they’ll have to concentrate on is learning something new and enjoying themselves with their new friends….