Does an education really take 12 years?
“Alison, would it be reasonable to say that we could condense 12 years of school into six years, if we cut the nonsense?” I cringe when questions like this one pop up at parties. I’m sure there are...
View ArticleBringing COURAGE back into fashion
This blog has been a long time coming! The last couple of months have been packed to the brim. Thank you for your patience, and thanks for the encouraging hints from readers to keep writing! A topic...
View ArticleTaming the NAPLAN dragon
I say it every year, but just remember that the NAPLAN tests are not adequate tools to measure your child’s individual academic skills. They are large-scale tools that have been designed to measure the...
View ArticleGirls – be like, smart!
If you are between the ages of 14 and 18, female, and getting an education, you belong to one of the most powerful groups in the world. You probably don’t feel all that powerful – actually you probably...
View ArticleOn creative minds and mental health
I would highly recommend these resources if you want to find out more about the psychology of creative minds and mental health. Living with a Creative Mind by Jeff and Julie Crabtree eCouch Emotional...
View ArticleStrategic Neglect: The antidote to the civilised kind of stress that is...
“I can’t believe we’re in North America!” It’s been nearly seven weeks of touring and my two daughters are still pinching themselves. So am I. Having a six month sabbatical is surreal in so many ways....
View ArticleWhy we need to teach our kids how to see
One thing that has become apparent to me on our six month sabbatical is the constant need to teach my kids to look up. We’ve visited many cities and travelled across vast landscapes, and it doesn’t...
View ArticleThe lowdown on traveling abroad with kids
The Willis family on tour. Manhattan Island in the background. The Willis family have been on the “road” (air, sea and track) for nearly three and a half months now. We are just over half way into our...
View ArticlePublished!
The role that teachers play in overcoming the effects of stress and trauma on children’s social psychological development is now available in Springer’s Social Psychology of Education: An International...
View ArticleNo fixed address
I’m writing this blog on a long haul flight from Abu Dhabi to Brisbane. This trip will take approximately 18 hours, and I’m savouring every minute. I don’t particularly love flying, and usually I’d be...
View ArticleFive learning habits every kid will need for 2015
Not all learning is equal. We know this. Some kids are streaking ahead in their studies, growing their academic brains, while other kids are learning how to avoid work and stay invisible at school....
View ArticleWe build our own knowledge. How we go about it makes all the difference.
When I was around six years of age, my mother read me the story of Margaret Mead (1901-1978). Entitled The Value of Understanding (Johnson, 1979), the book came from a set of biographies written and...
View ArticleNurturing Intelligence gets a positive!
Check out page 112 in the Education e-Guide, May 2015.
View ArticleA boost of confidence… in writing
This week I wrote four letters to people we sponsor in Uganda. And then I wrote two more. If you know our family, you would know we love Africa and have a special place in our hearts for Uganda....
View ArticleStill waiting to get your life back after having kids?
I sigh when I read articles about women who feel like they’ve ‘got their lives back’ after having a baby because they found time to paint their nails after midnight. I totally understand how it’s the...
View ArticleRiding the waves of educational trends without losing the magic of learning
If you’ve been in education for a while, you well know the ebb and flow of educational trends. Sometimes it feels like approaches to learning change with the tides – learning styles, multiple...
View ArticleDear Year Nine
I’m at a chapter end in my career – finishing up school teaching and moving on to new endeavours – and as I get ready to ‘graduate’ school (again), I can’t help but think how lucky I’ve been to end...
View ArticleStarting Middle School? Five things NOT to do.
Starting Middle School can be nerve wracking. I’ve seen so many middle schoolers tie themselves in knots about very real concerns. So here are a some tips for what NOT to do: 1. Do NOT let anyone put...
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