How Stories Reach Kids and Facilitate Empathy
Families are a mix-master lot these days, with stepparents, grandparents, single mothers, blends of all sorts. Kids and families manage with fun and games, some wins, and some challenges. Relating to a story and being emotionally engaged with it can facilitate empathy, understanding, and open pathways to positive life choices. The I Am Jack stories permit readers to empathise with situations they may not have experienced; provide reassurance that other people experience the same problems; and open discussions with family. Read full article
An Interview Between Son and Mother – Heartwarming and Affirming
Joshua Littman, a 12-year-old boy with Asperger’s syndrome, interviews his mother, Sarah. Joshua’s candid questions and Sarah’s honest, unguarded answers reveal a loving relationship that reminds us of the core of what it means to be a parent.
From the Blog
The Government Seeks Your Definition of Quality Teachers
The Education Minister has asked us all to contribute to a public consultation on how to get quality teachers in front of our children. But what does ‘quality teacher’ mean? Can we quantify ‘quality’? Every year I ask my graduating preservice teachers why they came into teaching. It inevitably comes down to a teacher they remember - sometimes it’s a bad memory of a teacher who was cruel or thoughtless, and a determination to be the antidote to such teachers, but mostly it’s due to an inspirational teacher. Read full article
Is An Emotional Intelligence Curriculum the Key to Bullying Prevention?
In school, emotions matter. Not only do children with anxiety and aggression have difficulty focussing and learning, they also tend to be victims or perpetrators of bullying. Whether it’s old-fashioned physical or verbal aggression, ostracism, or online abuse, bullying is deeply rooted in a lack of emotional intelligence skills. These skills can and should be taught, though they seldom are. Read full article
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Five Top Tips to Help Your Child Overcome Shyness
Shyness in kids is very common, and “everybody can feel shy in certain situations,” says Professor Jennifer Hudson, a clinical psychologist and research fellow from Macquarie University’s Centre for Emotional Health . While mild shyness is not defined as an anxiety condition, approximately one in five children will have a problem with exceptional shyness and anxiety, such that it significantly interferes with their daily life. Professor Hudson’s latest longitudinal research into the role of temperament and stressful life events in the development of childhood anxiety found that shy children experience fewer positive life experiences because of their inhibitions. Read full article
How Stuttering Affects Children Socially and Where to Seek Help
Children as young as four years of age can experience social exclusion as a result of their stuttering. These negative social experiences can intensify in the school years, with children who stutter reporting regular bullying and teasing. Children who stutter may also be rated as less popular than their non-stuttering class mates. Yet stuttering is not an insurmountable roadblock for children on their path to fulfilling lives. Read full article