OVERCOMING FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL FEARS
Going to school is an exciting time for many children, but others have trouble with anxiety going back to school or starting school. It’s also a stressful time for parents navigating the back-to-school madness, from preparing lunches, buying uniforms and school supplies and making school drop-offs.
• Dr Yosheen Pillay is a registered psychologist with extensive experience in psychological and educational counselling. She can discuss strategies parents and children can use to manage the anxiety and stress that comes with the start of a new school year, what parents can do to help prepare their children for their first day of school, and ways to help ease separation anxiety.
IT'S MY FIRST DAY TOO
It’s not just children starting their school journey next week – many new teachers will be joining them in the classroom for the first time. Graduate teachers bring so many strengths and benefits to education, but they also need support to be successful in the early years of their career.
• Dr Ellen Larsen can discuss how schools can support first-year teachers to be successful.
SCHOOL’S IN, SLEEPING LATE IS OUT
Do you have a child who wants to stay up past their bedtime, on a school night? You’re not alone. Making your children go to bed at a reasonable time is one of the most difficult tasks for parents, especially when they’re not tired enough to go to sleep.
• Sleep expert Dr Chris Watling says sleep is critical for young people as adequate sleep offers many benefits that will help them do better at school. Dr Watling can provide simple tips parents can use to create a bedtime routine for their children ahead of the start of school.
LEARNING IN THE BUSH
Rural and remote classrooms face extra hurdles to retain teachers and access resources. It is vital to support students in the bush to ensure they can access equitable education.
• Dr Tania Leach can discuss the unique demands of rural and regional education.
CYBERBULLYING: WHAT SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS CAN DO
The digital revolution and the emergence of social media have opened the door to cyberbullying. Now the most common form of bullying, especially amongst young people, cyberbullying exists not only in the larger community but in schools, where it has become a growing problem. But are teachers and schools prepared to deal with cyberbullying?
• Educational technology expert Professor Petrea Redmond can discuss what schools, teachers and parents can do to address and reduce cyberbullying incidents.
HEALTHY LUNCHBOXES THE SMART CHOICE
While school tuckshops have come a long way since the days of serving deep-fried foods and soft drinks with a shift towards healthier choices, many parents are about to deal with the dilemma of what to put in their child’s lunchbox that is affordable, healthy and yummy.
• With one in four Aussie children overweight or obese, public health expert Dr Aletha Ward says getting your children into a healthy eating habit is critical as it provides a good foundation for their adult life and decreases their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease later in life. “One-third of a child’s daily food intake is at school. Therefore, we need to find ways to encourage kids at school to have lower processed foods and higher intakes of fruit and vegetables.”
Media contacts: Griffith Thomas 0467 242 435 and Hannah Busch 0460 954 082
