What are they? And why are they so important?

Success criteria are related to learning intentions, so let’s begin our explanation there. Learning intentions are, essentially, the intended learning goals, or outcomes, for a lesson or activity. For example, a learning intention I might have for a year 7 class is for the students to understand the names of different camera shots and angles, prior to a film study. Obviously, I would make it clear to my students that this is the hoped-for outcome of the lesson. I say ‘hoped for’, because as we all know, sometimes lessons don’t go according to plan.

Sir Ken Robinson famously drew world-wide attention to the issue of standardised testing and schooling in his oft-viewed 2010 TedTalk ‘Changing Educational Paradigms’, in which he likened schooling to an industrial machine which mass-produces ‘educated’ children based on their “date of manufacture,” as though that is the defining factor in being academically successful.

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The question, then, is this: does our current school system cater to this individuality, this creative potential and curious mindset?

To many, it’s a way of life. A way to educate their children and learn with, and from, them. To others, it’s an aesthetic on social media, or something that the ‘crunchy’ parents might be into. It’s a controversial topic – the best way to educate and raise a child – and there’s no right answer.

The basic premise of Montessori teaching is that, unlike what may be termed a ‘top-down approach’ to education (a premise I find troubling, to be honest), Montessori teaching advocates for a relationship between child, educator, and environment. The child is supported by the educator and the environment to move at their own pace to master skills and content knowledge.

I write my blog posts in advance, so while you’re reading this in February, I’m writing this on a Tuesday in December – the day of the teacher strike in NSW. First one in 10 years. Controversial.

Lots of statistics are being thrown around, lots of angry parents complaining that it’s ANOTHER day of missed school this year after lockdowns, others reminding us all that teachers have great holidays – so what is there to complain about?

In part, I can see their side of things. What child doesn’t come foremost in the eyes of their parents? Of course they’re upset. Unfortunately for them, that’s rather the point. A strike is MEANT to frustrate people, to inconvenience them, to enrage them – to make people talk, to show people how important the workers are. So, let’s talk.

It’s January. That time of year again. The ‘back to school’ sales have started, discounts flooding your inbox for stationary, backpacks, lunchboxes, shoe-labels, hats, the works. It’s endless.

These aren’t truly the most important things though - the kids will lose them in five minutes, anyway. Always the way, unfortunately.

There are some timeless concerns for parents with kids who are either starting pre-school, primary school, starting at a new school, transitioning to high school, beginning homeschool, or even simply finding themselves in a classroom without their best friends by their side. As adults, such things may feel trivial, or inconsequential, but the truth is, for the kids, it’s one of the biggest hurdles they face each year. They can’t match our life experiences – their reality is still a little smaller than ours, so such events loom so much larger on the horizon.

We’re living in a world that is, today, vastly different to the one we knew only a few short years ago. In so many ways, it seems unlikely that life will ever be the same and so many children and babies won’t even know any different. Mine certainly won’t.

(Is it just me or do you feel like you’re an 80 year old man, declaring that children today have no idea what life was like, and that you walked 100 miles to school in the snow, uphill both ways?)

Global statistics reveal an unprecedented upturn in the number of families choosing to homeschool their children - likely as a consequence of lockdowns, school closures, poor health and travel restrictions…

Due to the increased interest in homeschooling, we thought we would ask a few parents about their experiences, to better allow others to make informed choices about their children’s education, or simply to satiate curiosity about this seemingly unorthodox path. Here, we have questions posed to, and answered by, Chris White (our very own) and Myra Kaur.

Studying is one of those things people think they know how to do, and everyone seems to do most of the same things. The reality is, most of the time, students are doing ‘busy work’ rather than studying effectively. Not necessarily because this is intentional or because they are procrastinating, but because studying is a skill not often explicitly taught. It should be.

So, let’s start with the basics: why is reading important? What skills are developed through reading?

As Neil Gaiman writes, in his wonderful work titled ‘Why Art Matters’, “everything changes when we read.” We grow as people, in our understanding of other worlds, cultures, histories, groups and individuals. We escape to fantastical worlds and confront demons and know that we can beat them. We learn to view the world through other people’s perspectives, and we learn empathy. It’s important for children to learn these lessons – that was once the point of fairy tales, after all.

The notion of learning styles may be something you’ve come across reading an article, or magazine, or even your child’s school report. The idea is basically that a particular learning modality is most effective for a particular child. For example, some students learn best by doing, and others learn best by hearing. While there may be some truth to this, there are a few issues with this notion... let’s unpack.