“Your teacher was wrong!” It’s a phrase many a high school or university student has heard. As practising and former science teachers, we have been challenged with this accusation before. Whereas those with advanced science understanding (including the students’ lecturers and high school teachers) may well say their previous teachers were “wrong”, “incomplete” might be […] … learn more→

Each school year, nearly 3 million K-12 students get suspended and over 100,000 get expelled from school. The offenses range from simply not following directions, to hitting or kicking, to more serious behaviors like getting caught with drugs or a weapon. And it starts early in students’ education – it’s not uncommon for preschoolers as young as 3 years […] … learn more→

  If you’re a student about to go to college, then perhaps you’ve scanned college orientation websites and social media feeds for glimpses of your new life. As a college librarian, I believe you should explore your college library, too. This is based on countless discussions I’ve had with graduating college seniors who told me they […] … learn more→

As many children go back to school after 18 months of global pandemic, social isolation and on-and-off remote learning, they too are feeling the additional stress and uncertainty of these times. Children need play to decompress and communicate in ways that are meaningful to them. Play is how they express themselves, process their day and solve […] … learn more→

One-on-one online tutoring for disadvantaged students has proved highly effective in helping them overcome their struggles with literacy and numeracy. The Smith Family, the national children’s education charity, recently completed a small pilot of the program, Catch-Up Learning, for students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds. Most made above-expected progress in assessments of their literacy and numeracy by the […] … learn more→

Recent overt attacks against Muslims in London, Ont.,, Hamilton and Edmonton have surfaced and exacerbated the fear that Canadian Muslims have been living with for many years. A few weeks ago, I porch-visited a friend. I was about to knock when her daughter opened the door and said she was off to have ice cream with her friend. She said “Goodbye!” and […] … learn more→

As a child, I had a great deal of anxiety. If you’ve ever seen me speak in public, that might surprise you. But anxiety among children is extremely common and affects almost all children, to varying degrees. During pre-pandemic times, researchers noted that as many as 7% of children had a diagnosable anxiety disorder that disrupted their […] … learn more→

The central role of schools in the Brisbane COVID-19 outbreak means the virus might move through the community differently from previous outbreaks. Previously, the focus has been on the spread of the virus through the aged care sector and via service workers. People in education systems move and interact differently. Sociology can provide a useful lens for understanding how the virus is […] … learn more→

The Gipuzkoan poet Gabriel Celaya (1911-1991), one of the greatest exponents of postwar Spanish poetry, has a poem entitled Poetry is a weapon loaded with the future , in which he immerses himself in creative work as a means of exchange with society, to the point of erasing their individual authorship to collectivize the voice. However, currently […] … learn more→

Some students elect to study languages in their senior years because of personal interest, or because they have previously been successful in language learning. Others may choose to do so because of future career plans, or because they wish to further their studies at university. Other important influences on students’ decisions are perceived cognitive benefits. Studying […] … learn more→