Teaching and Learning

Educational Needs: What Your Child Should be Getting Out of Their Schooling

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

There’s little question as to how and why teachers are such important and influential figures in our children’s lives.

Not only are they imparting knowledge and skill, they are also having a huge impact on their student’s psychological and emotional development.

And the best teachers can navigate all of your child’s education needs while keeping them motivated and engaged with school life and the study materials.

A recent article in The Conversation has identified what exactly our children’s Educational Needs are, and what we need to look for to ensure they are being met.

Starting the New School Year on the Right Foot

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

Summer holidays have been and gone, and the beginning of the new school year is upon us.

And the transition from long days and late bed times back to a rigid routine can be a bit of a shock to the system.

But with some effort put into how you and your children will approach the new school year, you can make the change as smooth as possible and help your child get the most out of their schooling.

So with some reflections from our blog posts from over the years, here are some of our top tips for making 2017 your child’s best academic year yet.

Dissapointing ATAR results? There’s no such thing.

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

This past week has likely been a time of excitement, anxiety and relief for year 12 students across the country, with the release of their final year results.

And while many students will be satisfied with their results, others will undoubtedly be upset or dissapointed.

Although this is a natural response to the situation, the last thing a recent year 12 graduate should feel is dissapointed with themselves.

And as the parent, you need to tell them why.

Consider, and share with them, the following points.

10 Practical Study Tips from a Memory Expert, Explained by our Psychologists

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

When it comes to an approach to study, one size does not fit all.

Many students will find and develop their own approach over time.

But there are some principles that have shown to be particularly effective for many studiers, and can be a good starting point for a new study plan or a change of approach.

A recent article on Buzzfeed identifies some of the best approaches to study by a Professor of cognitive science, and our staff psychologist Christina has weighed in on how and why these tactics work!

Why Gratitude can be the Key to Happiness

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

It’s a given that most parents want to raise their children to be grateful.

We intuitively believe that being grateful will lead to a number of good habits and qualities: politeness, humility, and respect, to name a few.

But what can be easily overlooked is that an inherent sense of gratitude is not only beneficial for our experience and interaction with others…

It can also be one of the greatest gifts we can give to ourselves and our children.

How?

Dealing with the Immense Pressures of VCE

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

We’ve talked about motivation and success when it comes to study and examinations.

But an increasingly important issue surrounding these ideas is the pressure that is put on our students…

By the education system, by parents, and by the students themselves.

Studies show that in Australia, we are bordering on an adolescent mental health epidemic.

Instances of anxiety and depression in young people are becoming increasingly and alarmingly common.

And a huge source of these conditions is stress from schooling.

The pressure is even taking a toll on parents, with a mental health organisation setting up extra counselling services for parents of high school students.

So how do we help our kids, and ourselves, to deal with the pressure?

VCE Motivation: Bribery, Threats and Restrictions, but at what cost?

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

Our staff psychologist Christina Rigoli was quoted on page 3 of The Age today, discussing the tactics parents use to motivate their kids to study.

Among them — bribing with $18,000 holidays, threats of boarding school, and house-wide technology freezes!

The parents confessing to these ‘motivation tactics’ said their efforts paid off, but this is more a matter of chance than formula.

The key distinction in this equation is that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to motivation…

What may work in encouraging one child could backfire and have the opposite affect on another.

So how do you know what the right method of motivation is for your child?

Evolutionary Psychology – A Way for Kids to Understand Their Anxiety

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

Most of us will understand the concepts of evolutionary biology:

The theory that all species have developed from earlier species, and have continuously adapted to the environment through a process of natural selection.

Evolution has been instrumental to developments in our understanding of science and medicine, but it has also led to developments in ‘life sciences’, such as psychology.

And although evolutionary psychology has its skeptics, it can provide a foundation for understanding why we think, feel and behave the way we do.

These explanations can be particularly useful in creating self-awareness and acceptance in children.

Especially when it comes to anxiety.

The Supermarket Study: Education in the Real World

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

We tend to think of school as the main source of our children’s education.

However, for many children, formal classroom time only takes up around 20 per cent of their lives!

And while it’s the role of teachers to take charge of your children’s education, there’s so much you can do to encourage learning and important cognitive developments outside of school.

And the supermarket — surprisingly — is a great place to start.

The Problem with Championing ‘Success’ Over Kid’s Love of Learning

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

If you saw our blog post about how to raise motivated children, you will be familiar with the concept of the ‘Fixed’ versus ‘Growth’ mindset.

In a nutshell, this distinction in ‘mindsets’ focuses on the idea that what makes people successful is motivation, dedication and commitment, rather than innate ability or intelligence.

And that the former are the qualities that we should be praising and instilling in our children.

A recent article in The Atlantic furthers some of the ideas that come from the Fixed versus Growth mindset model, in what one parent describes as the ‘crime against learning’.

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