‘F*** THE WORLD. I’M THE MOST IMPORTANT’. That was the printed message on a hoodie worn by a sloth of a teenager – aged about 15 – who was slouching in a Centrelink office. He was either the Grand Master of…
Pride Month: Hot Dog!
Two questions for you: Question 1: Sperm from your (male) father and an egg from your (female) mother are the reason for your being. Do you believe in the miracle of biology? Question 2: If your biological parents shared a…
Baa Baa School Sheep
A royal baby has just arrived and has been named. We have the freedom to celebrate as we choose. Our elected Prime Minister will soon be announced. We have the freedom to vote as we choose. If the expression of…
Wake Up Mums!
How can you aptly describe hearing your child’s first words? How can you share the experience of watching your child’s first steps? They are moments that are so very personal – and priceless. Increasingly, these motherhood moments are facing extinction.…
You Say Technology, I Say Technical: Tricky Tech Tactics
Ten years ago, Australian schools were promised an education revolution. And there is no dispute: Australia got exactly what it voted for. 1. A $2.4 billion Digital Education Revolution (DER). The plan was to provide one computer for every student in…
Who’s on Holiday? Hands Up. Hands out.
Every teacher is different. Some go the extra mile for students. Others give no more than they must. Some passionately improve their teaching. Others are nothing more than well-paid babysitters. Despite these differences all teachers haveone thing in common. They have 12 weeks…
Lost Achievement: Catastrophic Climate Change: Silence
A Decade Of Lost Achievement In 2008 a vision was created for Australia. It was to be an Education Revolution – one that would lift student achievement through more equitable funding. A decade later there has been a steep fall…
Going (Technological) Cold Turkey: Time to Switch Off
Since the turn of the 21st century, mobile phones in schools have been problematic. They have contributed to an increase in technological addiction, academic disengagement, and concerns related to discipline, bullying and lobbying. Tragically, mobile phones have also played a…
Multiculturalism: Did Australia Get It Wrong?
In 1973, Al Grassby, the Minister for Immigration in Gough Whitlam’s Labor Government, introduced the term multicultural to describe Australian society. Although it was true that our population was comprised of people who represented different cultures, it was also clear that Australia had always…
Suicide: The Power of a Caring Response
Suicide – the intentional causing of one’s own death – has a profound impact on many lives. Some statistics on suicide in Australia in 2017: · Suicide was the leading cause of death of Australians aged 15-44. · More than 3,100 Australians…