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Childcare, Education Training

CDU EXPERT: Setting our children up for success as they go back to school

Charles Darwin University 2 mins read

23 JANUARY 2024

Who: Charles Darwin University Senior Lecturer in Education Dr Georgie Nutton and Senior Lecturer in Education Dr Sue Smith.

Topics:

  • Early childhood education.
  • Early childhood research, policy development, curriculum delivery, pedagogy and more.
  • What you can do if your child doesn’t want to go to school.
  • What to expect your child to experience in their first day of school.

Contact details: Call +61 8 8946 6721 or email [email protected] to arrange an interview.

Quotes attributable to Dr Georgie Nutton:

“Children need to know that families and teachers, and other key staff, are partners in the learning journey. These relationships matter so finding ways to share information and support children as partners is key. Many preschools and schools use online tools such as Story Park, SeeSaw or Compass.

“Once at school, dispositions and attitudes work in different ways for children and young people. Many come with an open and curious mind and others thrive on the routines and predictability. For many a range of dispositions and attitudes will be learned and developed. A great question to ask children and young people that helps their self-awareness and sense of achievement is, ‘How did you do that?’.

“All children and young people can be successful at school when they know the routine, boundaries, and expectations. Families can support this on the first day and during the first week by getting young children to recall or retell or for older children and young people it might help to have a class schedule up - especially what day to pack the sports gear or wear the closed shoes for science or return library books.

“At the end of the first day, there may be giddy excitement, a sense of being overwhelmed and often exhaustion. Many families have hectic schedules and pressures, even so, it is important to make time to debrief and plan for the next day; hear about an achievement; letting children and young people know that you are proud of their abilities and progress, or that you love them no matter what and tomorrow is another adventure. 

“Reading, singing, telling stories, cooking, gardening, or an outdoor activity are also good for winding down if your child or young person finds it hard to share the school day with you. And sport or a trip to the park are good for re-energising.”

Quotes attributable to Dr Sue Smith:

“To students of any age, and to parents and teachers: always be curious. Learning is a big adventure and play and having fun makes for productive learning.”


Contact details:

Raphaella Saroukos she/her
Communications Officer
Marketing, Media & Communications
Larrakia Country
T: +61 8 8946 6721
E: [email protected]
W: cdu.edu.au

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