STUDENT
SUPPORT
Transgender students prompt
training call
ABC News, 2 Oct 2016
Following a significant increase in the number of
Tasmanian transgender students seeking assistance, support
organisation Working It Out's spokeswoman Susan Ditter has
called for increased teacher training on LGBTI issues...
Tas primary school
student's transition story (video), ABC News, 2 Oct 2016
How to avoid offending
transgender people, ABC News, 2 Oct 2016
SPORT
Western Bulldogs win Grand
Final
news.com.au, 1 Oct 2016
The Western Bulldogs have
finally achieved their dream, defeating the Sydney Swans to win
the 2016 AFL Grand Final, 13.11.89 to 10.7.67...
STUDENT
HEALTH AND NUTRITION
Junk food supremos
The Examiner, 1 Oct 2016
With Tasmanians being named by the CSIRO's
2016
Healthy Diet Score as the highest consumers of
junk foods in Australia, UTAS researcher Benjamin Schüz says better healthy
choice education at school and at home is needed...
WEATHER
ALERT
Flood warnings continue
ABC News, 1 Oct 2016
The worst of the rain is over but
flood warnings remain. ...
BoM
warnings - including FLOOD warnings
Road closures (Tas Police)
WEATHER
DAMAGE
No power in SA
ABC News, 28 Sep 2016
The whole of South Australia was without power late
this afternoon following lightning strikes and storm damage,
with the initial spotlight of blame pointing to "interconnector
issues" and South Australia's unique combination of energy
sources. However, as at
10.15pm power has been restored to many areas...
TASMANIAN LEGENDS
Max Walker dies
ABC News, 28 Sep 2016
Australian cricketer and well-known Tasmanian Max
Walker has died at the age of 68. ...
Max Walker dies after
battle with cancer, The Mercury, 28 Sep 2016
TASMANIAN SCHOOLS
Building projects brought forward
The Examiner, 27 Sep 2016
Planned building works at
several schools will be undertaken earlier under the state
government's Northern Economic Stimulus Package: - Riverside
Primary - St Marys District - Queechy High - East
Devonport Primary. ...
STUDENT
ATTENDANCE
Student attendance data released
Tas Govt media release, 27 Sep 2016
As a result of a request from a
Member of Parliament, the DoE has released student attendance
data for Tasmanian high schools...
Student attendance document (DoE) [pdf]
DoE Right to Information web page
School absence levels too high, The Examiner, 27 Sep 2016
TASMANIAN LEGENDS
Bill Mollison dies
ABC News, 26 Sep 2016
Bill Mollison, the Tasmanian
who became world famous as the co-founder of permaculture, in
which growers work in a sustainable way with nature instead of
continually fighting natural processes, has died at the age of
88...
SUPERANNUATION
Legislation bungle harming RBF
members
The Mercury (opinion by Greg Barnes), 26 Sep 2016
Many retired teachers and other
public servants on low defined benefits pensions (the RBF system
that closed to new members in 1999) are unfairly losing
Commonwealth age pension benefits as a result of all three major
parties apparently having misunderstood the full implications of
a law they passed in the Federal Parliament to target "fat cat"
superannuants, a well-known columnist writes...
STUDENT MANAGEMENT
All students had to walk with hands behind back
The Telegraph, 23 Sep 2016
Following outrage from parents, a British primary
school has quietly abandoned its
requirement that all students clasp their hands behind their
backs when walking in corridors, a procedure which was introduced
"to strengthen pupil safety, further raise the aspirations of
pupils and to maximise learning time."
...
TASMANIAN SCHOOLS
Parklands start
Tas Govt media release, 26 Sep 2016
Major reconstruction work worth
$10.64 million has begun at Parklands High School, education
minister Jeremy Rockliff said today...
US
ELECTION
Clinton's plan for education
NPR, 25 Sep 2016
Hillary Clinton has emphasised
the link between investing in education and economic growth, and
has made a point of outlining her policies for early childhood,
K-12 schools and university levels...
US
ELECTION
Trump's plan for education
NPR, 25 Sep 2016
Donald Trump has so far issued no detailed
educational policies but he has made many comments which this
analysis groups under local control, Common Core, school choice,
higher education and child care...
EDUCATION
AND HEALTH
Education for health
The Mercury (opinion by Graham Bury), 24 Sep 2016
There needs to be greater
understanding of the link between better education and improved
health outcomes, a retired doctor and administrator writes...
EDUCATION
FUNDING
Funding assurance
Tas Govt media release, 23 Sep 2016
Federal education minister
Simon Birmingham has assured state minister Jeremy Rockliff
that Tasmania will be no worse off under proposed education
funding changes. However, negotiations have not yet been
completed...
Funding confusion, The Mercury (editorial), 24 Sep 2016
Positive funding discussions at Education Council; online NAPLAN
testing also discussed, Press conference transcript issued
by Simon Birmingham, 23 Sep 2016
LITERACY
Comics helped early readers
The Mercury (opinion by Ian Cole), 23 Sep 2016
The oft-denounced comic book can be a great
informal help for youngsters learning to read, a former teacher
writes ...
EDUCATION
ACT
$2.5m for education and care services
Tas Govt media release, 22 Sep 2016
The state government will
provide more than $2.5 million for early childhood centres and
to assist with university education and care qualifications,
education minister Jeremy Rockliff said today in promoting the
proposed new Education Act...
EDUCATION FUNDING
Gonski funding would have favoured Tasmania
The Conversation (opinion by Michelle Grattan), 22 Sep 2016
Federal education minister Simon Birmingham has vowed
to avoid the kind of inequities in the Gonski funding model that
would give 40 per cent more funding to Tasmanian disadvantaged
schools than similar schools in Western Australia...
New education funding
negotiations commence tomorrow, ABC AM interview with Simon
Birmingham, 22 Sep 2916
Education ministers to meet over funding, The Examiner, 22
Sep 2016
Coalition pursuing a "less cash, more caveats" model, The
Conversation (opinion by Glenn C. Savage and Steven Lewis), 23
Sep 2016
New funding agreement must cater for Tasmania's educational
disadvantages, The Mercury (editorial), 23 Sep 2016
The battle is on, The Mercury, 23 Sep 2016
CHANGES TO THE EDUCATION ACT
Education Bill revealed
Tas Govt media release, 21 Sep 2016
The Bill to change the Education
Act was tabled this morning. It covers school starting and
finishing ages and requirements, handling unexplained school
absences, dual enrolment for students with a disability, partial
enrolment of home-educated students, sharing student behaviour
information, and the Schools Registration Board...
Reforms support the
marginalised, Jacquie Petrusma, Minister for Human
Services, 21 Sep 2016
Starting age lobbying begins, The Mercury, 21 Sep 2016
Home educators' concerns; wider range of student needs to be
handled in a class, Andrea Dawkins, Greens education
spokesperson, 21 Sep 2016
Non-government schools support lower starting ages, The
Mercury, 22 Sep 2016
Govt's plan enables the system to fit the child, The Mercury
(opinion by Frances Underwood), 22 Sep 2016
Starting age changes supported, The Mercury (Editorial), 22
Sep 2016
EXAMINATIONS
Maths teachers blamed for exam
shock
nzherald.co.nz, 20 Sep 2016
In response to widespread
complaints by New Zealand principals, students and teachers that
a maths exam contained questions that were too hard and totally
unexpected, the New Zealand Qualifications Authority says the
teachers had not taught the students well enough...
STUDENT HEALTH AND NUTRITION
Healthy habits: $2m for Tas schools
Tas Govt media release, 20 Sep 2016
Tasmanian schools can partner with community
organisations to apply for a share of $2 million to be made
available through the state government's
Student Health Initiative,
education minister Jeremy Rockliff announced today...
MAINLAND POLITICS
WA premier survives
ABC News, 20 Sep 2016
Western Australian Premier
Colin Barnett has survived his party's leadership spill motion,
31 votes to 15...
EDUCATION AND THE TASMANIAN ECONOMY
Education key to plans
The Mercury (editorial), 20 Sep 2016
Adequate education funding and
reforms to raise educational attainment are key to improving the
local economy and the future well-being of all Tasmanians,
according to the Mercury's editorial...
COMPUTER LITERACY
Digital literacy grants available
Aust Govt media release, 19 Sep 2016
Schools seeking funds to
develop new methods of teaching digital literacy have
until Friday 28 October 2016 to apply, federal education
minister Simon Birmingham said today
...
STUDENT SUPPORT
How to raise expectations
The Conversation (opinion by Misty Adoniou), 19 Sep 2016
Students with English as a
second language and students with a disability need teacher
assistants who are properly qualified, not just teacher
assistants who are caring, an associate professor writes...
SOCIAL MEDIA
Photo-sharing test case?
news.com.au, 19 Sep 2016
An 18-year-old Austrian whose parents had shared
potty-training and other childhood photos of her on Facebook is
now suing them for violating her rights to a personal life...
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Play-based learning boost
Tas Govt media release, 19 Sep 2016
The state
government will spend an additional $3 million on play-based
early learning facilities, education minister Jeremy Rockliff
announced today ....
WW1 COMMEMORATIONS
Frank MacDonald group meets
Tas Govt media release, 19 Sep 2016
The students who are taking
part in this year's Frank MacDonald Memorial Prize Tour met the
Governor today prior to their trip to Western Front sites that
was delayed from April due to terrorism concerns....
CYBERSAFETY
Anti-FOMO action needed
The Mercury, 18 Sep 2016
In order to overcome
FOMO, the "fear of missing out" that is cementing so many
young people to
their digital devices, children need to be helped to find
non-digital ways of connecting with others, a mental health expert warns....
CHANGES TO THE EDUCATION ACT
New Act this week
Tas Govt media release, 18 Sep 2016
A new Education Act for Tasmania
will be tabled this week in a Bill that optionally lowers the
school starting age and increases the Year 12 leaving
requirements, education minister Jeremy Rockliff said today...
New Education Act to be
tabled, The Examiner, 18 Sep 2016
Starting age debate returns this week, The Mercury, 19 Sep
2016
Confusion will result, say Labor and Greens, ABC, 20 Sep
2016
INTERNATIONAL COMPARISONS
Class sizes above average
SMH, 16 Sep 2016
The OECD's Education at a
Glance report shows that for the latest years available
Australian class sizes were above the OECD average (but
falling), primary school funding was below the average,
secondary school funding was above the average and early
childhood enrolments were slightly below the average....
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Free accreditation
Tas Govt media release, 16 Sep 2016
Education
minister Jeremy Rockliff has announced that a new accreditation
course for early childhood teachers, Teacher Development
Initiative - Early Childhood Specialist, will be
available free of fees and with release for experience
placements...
Child care sector left
out of free courses, The Examiner, 18 Sep 2016
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Extended play
The Mercury (opinion by Elaine Stratford), 15 Sep 2016
Tasmania's
relatively high proportion of disadvantaged students will
benefit handsomely from the government's current focus on
reforming the provision of early learning programs, the Director
of UTAS's Peter Underwood Centre writes...
Support for lower
starting age welcomed, Jeremy Rockliff, Minister for
Education and Training, 15 Sep 2016
WEATHER ALERT
Flood fears ease
ABC News, 15 Sep 2016
Severe weather warning cancelled (BoM)
Flood warnings
(BoM)
INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
Unions reject 2pc rise
ABC News, 14 Sep 2016
Public sector unions have
rejected the state government's 2 per cent pay rise offer,
saying that as the state Budget is now in good shape there is no
longer a need to continue the 2 per cent cap the unions
originally showed goodwill in agreeing to...
Treasurer's ultimatum
could lead to "massive pre-election showdown", Bryan Green, Opposition
leader, 14 Sep 2016
Offer of 2pc is almost double inflation of 1.2pc, Peter
Gutwein, Treasurer, 14 Sep 2016
Labor must specify a pay rise policy, Sarah Courtney,
Liberal member for Bass, 14 Sep 2016
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
NZ kindy teachers revolting
stuff.co.nz, 13 Sep 2016
New Zealand school and
kindergarten staff are embarking on industrial action over "bulk
funding" which effectively favours the employment of unqualified
staff in kindergartens...
TASMANIAN SCHOOLS
Glenorchy Primary safe
Tas Govt media release, 11 Sep 2016
Landfill that originated from
the Parliament Square construction site is not posing a safety
issue at Glenorchy Primary School, DoE Deputy Secretary Rob
Williams says (presumably in relation to earlier asbestos
exposure at Parliament Square)...
Construction work
suspended at Glenorchy Primary, ABC News, 12 Sep 2016
Construction work to resume at Glenorchy Primary, ABC News,
13 Sep 2016
Tests undertaken as added precaution, Guy Barnett, Minister
for Building and Construction, 13 Sep 2016
New Town High safe too, but second round of tests to be
undertaken, ABC News, 19 Sep 2016
SCHOOL STARTING AGE
Australia itself is out of step
The Mercury (opinion by Steve Biddulph), 9 Sep 2016
Tasmania is
moving in the wrong direction by aiming to align itself with other
states through its optional lower Prep and Kinder starting ages,
because the rest of the world recognises that a higher starting
age is more effective in supporting children, a Tasmanian child
psychologist writes...
TASMANIAN SCHOOLS
Scottsdale kitchen
Tas Govt media release, 9 Sep 2016
A new commercial kitchen to be
built at Scottsdale High's Trade Training Centre will enable
hospitality courses to be taught there, education minister
Jeremy Rockliff said today...
BOOK
WEEK
Hitler for Book Week
SBS, 9 Sep 2016
An Alice Springs student was allowed to dress up as Adolf Hitler
for Book Week, leading to embarrassment when his school was
visited by students from a Melbourne Jewish School...
MATHEMATICS
Maths teaching tips
The Conversation (opinion by Claire Brown), 9 Sep 2016
There is a decent amount of evidence-based advice
for teachers who are required to teach mathematics...
STUDENT
SUPPORT
Autism assistance
The Conversation (opinion by Beth Saggers), 8 Sep 2016
A university lecturer helps
teachers understand the problems faced by students with autism
and provides ideas for teachers to consider in supporting them...
FEDERAL
POLITICS
Sam Dastyari steps down
ABC News, 7 Sep 2016
Federal Opposition consumer affairs spokesperson Sam Dastyari
has stepped down from the Labor frontbench following the
controversy over his acceptance of foreign donations...
EDUCATION FUNDING
Factcheck over spending and
student achievement
The Conversation (opinion by Sue Thomson and Peter
Goss), 7 Sep 2016
The Productivity Commission is correct in saying that despite
increases in education spending over the past decade student
achievement has shown little improvement. However, a substantial
portion of the spending increase can be attributed to
above-inflation teacher wage rises...
Productivity Commission
calls for teaching shake-up, ABC News, 6 Sep 2016
Report is irrelevant to Gonski debate, says NSW Minister,
The Guardian, 7 Sep 2016
But equitable funding has not increased, The Conversation (opinion
by Emma Rowe and Laura Perry), 14 Sep 2016
CYBERSAFETY
Be eSmart
Aust Govt media release, 6 Sep 2016
It is National eSmart Week and
schools throughout Australia are promoting cybersafety and
taking part in events to promote safe and responsible use of
computer technology...
TASMANIAN SCHOOLS
Rokeby STEM facilities
Tas Govt media release, 6 Sep 2016
Rokeby High School's new STEM
(Science, Engineering, Technology and Mathematics) learning
spaces were opened today by education minister Jeremy Rockliff...
THE
ENVIRONMENT
Plastic bottle greenhouse
ABC News, 5 Sep 2016
Youngtown Primary School now
has an outdoor classroom in the form of a greenhouse built using
about 6,000 recycled plastic bottles...
Glen Dhu, Riverside and
Invermay primary schools also have
My Pathway greenhouses, The Examiner, 10 Sep 2016
LEARNING STYLES
Learning styles should no longer
be touched
The Conversation (opinion by Stephen Dinham), 5 Sep 2016
The time has come to recall the
idea of learning style based teaching, just as manufacturers
recall a faulty product, argues an education professor...
TASMANIAN SCHOOLS
Dunalley resumption on schedule
Tas Govt media release, 4 Sep 2016
Work to rid Dunalley Primary
School of mould is on track for a term 4 resumption and no
advice of any students being withdrawn because of the mould
problem has been received, DoE Deputy Secretary, Corporate
Services Rob Williams says...
Parents consider removing
children from Dunalley Primary, ABC News, 4 Sep 2016
SEX
EDUCATION
Concern over sexual assaults by the very young
ABC News, 3 Sep 2016
With rising incidences of sexual offending by very young
juveniles, calls are being made for sex education to incorporate
the concepts of respect and consent before children reach Year
3...
EARLY
CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Kindy accreditation looms
The Mercury, 3 Sep 2016
Tasmanian
government kindergartens will be assessed and made comparable
from 2020 under the National Quality Standards framework,
education minister Jeremy Rockliff says...
TEACHING PROFESSION
Better pay, fewer teachers
The Conversation (opinion by Barry McGaw), 2 Sep 2016
If the status of the teaching
profession is to be raised, consideration could be given to
making teacher education courses more selective, and having
better qualified and better paid, but fewer, teachers, supported
by more paraprofessionals, an academic suggests...
TEACHING PROFESSION
Inspecting teachers a waste of time
The Conversation (opinion by John Fischetti), 1 Sep 2016
Rather than focus on testing
and inspecting teachers, efforts to raise teacher quality should
focus on further and relevant teacher learning, an education
professor writes...
EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION
Expert visits Tas
Tas Govt media release, 1 Sep 2016
Early childhood education expert
Professor Edward (Ted) Melhuish will give a free lunchtime
lecture at Learning Services (South), Lindisfarne, tomorrow
(Friday, 2 Sep 2016)...
Expert backs move to
lower starting age, ABC News, 2 Sep 2016
CAREERS
EDUCATION
Montrose Bay interviews part of My Education
Tas Govt media release, 1 Sep 2016
Schools are using a variety of
approaches in My Education, the state government's
careers education program for schools, education minister Jeremy
Rockliff says ...
SCHOOL STARTING AGE
Preschool for all three-year-olds?
The Conversation (opinion by Stacey Fox), 1 Sep 2016
Should
Australia join the overseas trend to increased early childhood
education and care, a policy fellow asks...
For the latest news items see the news page.
|