25 January 2018: Thousands of students and their families are preparing for the first day at school and experts from the University of Canberra are sharing their knowledge on how to help kids achieve their potential and make sure they have a positive experience.
A student’s learning journey extends well beyond the walls of the classroom, meaning parents have a key role to play in their child’s education. Associate Professor of Education Misty Adoniou has a list of tips on how parents can help their child excel at school. Please note: Associate Professor Adoniou is overseas from 27 January – 3 February.
The beginning of the school year is closely followed by the start of the sports season, leaving parents and their children with more decisions to make. Contact or non-contact sports, team or individual pursuits? There’s no shortage of options available, but selecting the right activity might require some thought. Associate Professor of Sports and Exercise Science Richard Keegan can discuss the role personality traits play in choosing a sport.
Whether they’re returning to the same school or starting at a new one, the beginning of the year can be a stressful time for students. How they handle the changes they are faced with can directly impact on their performance in the classroom as well as affect their health and wellbeing. Assistant Professor of Psychology Vivienne Lewis can shed light on the challenges children face at school and how they can cope with stress and anxiety.
The cost of stationery, textbooks and uniforms can quickly exceed budgets as families spend thousands of dollars equipping their children for a new school year. Emeritus Professor of Economics Phil Lewis can discuss just how much it costs to go back to school and the overall value to the current and future economy of setting kids on the educational path.
Spelling is crucial to succeeding at reading and writing, but it is increasingly becoming a problem area across many year groups. Assistant Professor of Education Tessa Daffern can explain why helping kids master spelling is still important in the age of spellcheckers, TXT language and social media.
An inspirational teacher can help guide students to academic success, but a supportive and welcoming school environment is just as important to academic success. Professor of Education Robyn Jorgensen can discuss how school systems can help teachers help students to achieve their full potential.
Associate Professor of Education Philip Roberts can discuss how students in the bush fare in comparison to their city counterparts and the importance of adapting the curriculum to suit rural and regional students.
Contact the University of Canberra media team:
Marcus Butler: 0438 447 810
Antony Perry: 0434 795 919
Claudia Doman: 0408 826 362