As any parent will tell you, a common feature of the school holidays is an increase in squabbling kids. Whether in the back of the car, at the park or by the TV, you will hear the whingey sounds of “Muuuum, Ollie just called me a stupid head!”. School holidaysHours of squabbling already at 730amGoogles […] … learn more→
Monthly Archives: July 2022
Are your squabbling kids driving you mad? The good/bad news is, sibling rivalry is ‘developmentally normal’
Abstract concepts that are best learned on video
The disciplines of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (commonly grouped by the acronym STEM, or STEM for its acronym in English Science Technology, Engineering and Maths ) are often full of abstract concepts that make it difficult to understand. If we think, for example, of our fridge magnets, it is fairly intuitive to understand that there is […] … learn more→
Maroussia, a 19th century tale of Ukrainian independence
“I am going to tell you what happened a long time ago in Ukraine, in an unknown but cool and charming corner of this country. » Thus opens the first episode of Maroussia by P.-J. many times, has enjoyed lasting success in France and today takes on particular importance. Stahl adopts the form of the tale, which refers the story to a distant […] … learn more→
Why do kids have to go to school?
Why do us kids have to go to school? – Vanessa C., age 10, Gilbert, Arizona Kids go to school for many reasons. Where and when depends on their age, location, parental preference and local policies. Parents send their kids to school to expose them to experiences that are different from their own at home […] … learn more→
In a world of images, we must learn to look critically
“Let’s go to the beach, to cure your soul, close the screen, open the medal (…), and take advantage of the fact that the sun is hot and let’s enjoy the atmosphere”. Probably this song fragment has moved you to some summer enclave. If we add images, we find his music video showing us a Caribbean […] … learn more→
Migration offers an urgent fix for the skills we need right now, but education and training will set us up for the future
Australia is facing serious labour and skills shortages both now and in the longer term. The immediate priority is to help employers fill current vacancies. In the longer term, the government needs to ensure its investments in education and training prepare Australia for future skill needs and opportunities arising from rapid technological change and other grand challenges like climate […] … learn more→
Should we create the status of “student helping” for better recognition?
In 2019, the government launched a mobilization and support strategy for carers , finally making visible those who on a daily basis work alongside “a loved one with a loss of autonomy for reasons related to age, disability , chronic or disabling disease. The question of aid was late in the political debate. However, with the aging of […] … learn more→
We are on the brink of losing Indigenous languages in Australia – could schools save them?
Of the world’s 7,000 languages, it is estimated 50% to 90% will no longer be spoken in the next 50 to 100 years. The majority under threat are languages spoken by Indigenous peoples around the world: one is lost every two weeks. One of the world’s fastest rates of language loss is in Australia. Indigenous languages in Australia […] … learn more→
How Shut Up and Write became ‘Just Write!’: An American Tale
Inspired by Tseen Khoo’s blogs about ‘Shut Up and Write’ in Feb and March 2016 (Part 1 / Part 2), I decided to start a version at the Elliott School at George Washington University (United States). My experiences and many missteps provide some insights into: My naivety, and Research Culture at an American University. My first step […] … learn more→
Arts, history, philosophy… employers increasingly value soft skills
“The foundation of democratic and liberal societies is the critical spirit, which is nourished by knowledge of the humanities. Without exception, totalitarian states reject the teaching of the humanities , and states that reject this teaching always become totalitarian”. These were the words of Takamitsu Sawa, then president of Shiga University in Japan, in 2015 in response to a statement by […] … learn more→