Dance, by its very nature, is inclusive. It belongs to everybody and may appeal to young people who cannot engage in, or do not enjoy, traditional team games. Creative dance does not require formal training, making it ideal for all children – no matter their body type, cognitive ability, or skill level. It is not […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
Creative dance teaches all-round skills – it should be valued more in primary education
Why getting back to ‘normal’ doesn’t have to involve police in schools
Since COVID-19 forced many of America’s schools to teach kids remotely, parents and elected officials have been rightly concerned about when things will get back to normal. But there are certain aspects of education where a return to a prepandemic “normal” may not be in the best interests of America’s students. I believe that stationing […] … learn more→
From power battles to education theatre: the history of standardised testing
Results from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) 2019 testing round were released last week. They showed Australia had improved in Year 8 maths and science, and Year 4 science, from the previous testing cycles. The TIMSS is a standardised, international assessment administered to check how effective countries are in teaching maths […] … learn more→
No, Education Minister, we don’t have enough evidence to support banning mobile phones in schools
Last week, South Australia announced a mobile phone ban in primary schools. Federal Education Minister Dan Tehan endorsed the ban, saying: Data shows a correlation between the uptake of mobile phones by young people and a downturn in student performance. The federal government put “mobile phones on the agenda” in a September 2019 meeting with the Education Council. […] … learn more→
The 10 false myths about dyslexia
The Dyslexia is a disorder of neurodevelopmental affecting learning reading and mainly reading speed and accuracy. One in fourteen children has this disorder. Therefore, it is very common in our classrooms. It is also one of the most widely known disorders in society in general. However, there is a set of false myths about its nature, characteristics and intervention. Then we are going to […] … learn more→
Why is astronomy hardly taught in school?
Astronomy has some advantages over other branches of science to reach students easily. Also to awaken their interest in scientific knowledge in general and contribute to their training as future citizens. The pleasure of observing the sky and the striking nature of the images offered by large telescopes, or the possibility of finding answers to the […] … learn more→
Educational equality, a survival issue for democracy
The long movement of school massification under way in our country since the 1960s was supposed to increase attachment to democratic values. To the extent that school education is imbued with the values of equality and tolerance, and conveys the belief in the virtues of science and reason, the fact that a majority of young […] … learn more→
What a fear of maths does to children – new research
Maths anxiety is the feeling of tension and fear that many people experience when called on to work out a sum. For children, it can lead to behavioural problems in class, as well as physical symptoms such as butterflies in the stomach and a racing heart. Students with high maths anxiety perform worse in standardised maths tests and school […] … learn more→
How “cradle-to-career” schools provide all-round support and tackle inequality
During the COVID-19 lockdowns, stories have been shared of schools delivering food parcels, phoning struggling families and providing on-site care for the children of key workers. We have seen many schools go much further than their statutory role of educating and safeguarding their pupils, sometimes acting as the most important support institution for whole neighbourhoods. This broader school […] … learn more→
Teaching anti-terrorism: how France and England use schools to counter radicalisation
The murder of the schoolteacher Samuel Paty, beheaded by 18-year-old Abdoullakh Abouyedovich Anzorov in October 2020 after Paty had shown caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad during a civic education lesson, has understandably caused shock and fear among teachers in France. Many teachers were already struggling to manage classroom discussions on sensitive topics such as the […] … learn more→
