Ask Sherrin Blog

As the economic centre of the world is shifting from West to East, so is the centre of high performance in school education. Four of the world’s five highest-performing systems are Hong Kong, Korea, Shanghai and Singapore, according to OECD’s 2009 PISA assessments of students. In Shanghai, the average 15-year old mathematics student is performing at a level two to three years above his or her counterpart in Australia, the USA and Europe.

THE Gillard government's commitment to overhaul school funding was thrown into doubt yesterday after Julia Gillard described the independent Gonski review only as "a good insight" and failed to endorse its approach.

The claims of money being spent on schools aren't always backed up with visible results. Source: The Sunday Telegraph

Remember the urban myth about the boss who uses the office photocopier to copy his salary deal and leaves it lying around for the workers to see?

Principals being able to sack teachers is from the news this week http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/inept-teachers-face-axe-in-75m-deal/story-fn6ck2c6-1226268216018

Dr Chris Sarra this week re http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/money/money-matters/rewards-proposed-for-going-to-school/story-fn3hwldr-1226266399577

PARENTS are shirking the responsibility of disciplining their kids, turning teachers into makeshift mums and dads.A major survey of Australian teachers found three-quarters believe parents have unreasonable expectations about the school's role in raising kids.

THE gap between Australia's best and worst students is widening, and those at the top of the class are not performing as well as they did a decade ago.

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Sherrin talks on Greg Cary’s 4BC Morning Show – handling poor behaviour in the classroom, not all students suited to classroom education for years 11 and 12 and Australian children learning Asian languages.

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Will Gaunt, aged, 2 with trainer Dale White from Rip Fit tots go through their paces. Picture: The Sunday Mail

CHILDREN as young as two are lining up to join "toddler bootcamps" as chubby tots start the battle with the bulge.

Sarah Duggan combines part-time work with her studies.

WHEN Sarah Duggan turned 15, she vowed to have her own car by her 18th birthday, so she got a job. Three years on, Sarah has her car, although she had to borrow money from her parents to achieve her goal.

As a year 12 student at Mentone Girls' Secondary College, Sarah is among the 66 per cent of Australian girls in their last year at school who work part-time, compared with slightly more than half the boys.

She says she has been fortunate in working from the start for the same employer, the children's clothing company, Pumpkin Patch.

Should my child repeat?

Sherrin discusses how to make a wise decision

Sherrin discusses on Greg Cary’s 4BC Morning Show some issues in relation to viable learning pathways in the context of Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and Richard Branson all being DROP OUTS. Listen to some great info for parents. Listen… click here

Sherrin's Air Check from 4BC-1116 Radio

A recent report suggests making home economics compulsory for years 6-10. Sherrin gives her thoughts. Also, with truancy rates on the rise, who is to blame and what can be done? What do you think?

As an ex school principal and drug and alcohol councilor, Sherrin discusses the differences of alcohol culture in Australia and Europe. Also Greg and Sherrin discuss OP scores. What do you think?

Greg and Sherrin chat about retirement and the difficulty of jobs in education,

Sherrin on homework over the holidays and more.

Year 7 as part of highschool? Middle School? Homework over the holidays? Sherrin and Greg discuss these things on the 4BC morning show.

Go with an open attitide, be prepared and have some questions in mind.

With the recent media focus on bullying, Sherrin discusses some ways to deal with the problem.

Sherrin and Greg discuss the trouble many recent education graduates are having finding teaching jobs in Queensland, and offer some advice.

On 4BC this week, Sherrin discusses how to attract better teachers to the profession and shift the focus of education in this two part podcast.

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On 4BC this week, Sherrin and Greg discuss a recent fourum on ADHD in Brisbabe. Sherrin explains the similarities between kinisthetic learners and kids diagnosed with ADHD.

On 4BC this week, Sherrin and Greg discuss learning a second language and answer a listener's question about determining if things are working well for your child.

On 4BC this week, Sherrin gives handy tips for helping children form routines, and learn to organise themselves. Also hear a tutoring success story and the importance of consistent practice in this two part podcast.

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Sherrin discusses with Greg Cary on the 4BC Grey Cary Morning Show the need for routine activities for flood affected children and alsoprovides data from a recent survey about classroom sizes.

Sherrin discusses three important issues on 4BC:

1. Obesity and the affects of being overweight on classroom performance, social interaction and brain functioning
2. Repeating – the things to consider when repeating your child
3. 10 hrs FREE holiday bonus – at participating Fruition Learning Centres when you join Fruition tuition now …

Download the show here: Sherrin on 4BC 23-11-10.mp3

25 % are having difficulties at Year 2. And nearly 40% of indigenous children are falling behind by Year 2 according to a recent study.

Sherrin talks about Jamie Oliver's visit and eating healthy. Also Greg and Sherrin discuss same sex classes.

Boys and girls learn differently and develop physically and cognitively at different times and at different rates. Little boys frequently have more developed gross motor skills (skills for outside play – kicking a ball, catching, climbing, swinging a bat etc) while little girls generally develop fine motor skills (skills great for writing, colouring, holding pencils etc).

Adolescents too learn differently, so teachers can focus different strategies and discipline for the different genders – to suit their general learning styles and behaviour.

Proverb 23:7 saying: as you think

For as he thinks (in his heart) so is he. As one who reckons, says to you 'eat and drink' (but in his heart he grudgingly thinks about the cost.) ... then the morsel of food will make you sick and the complimentary words will be wasted.

Sherrin discusses an article on the Brisbane Times about the line between dicipline and abbuse.

Banning students from being served in shopping centres does not seem to address the issue of WHY students are truanting from school in the first instance.

Listen to Part 1:

Listen to Part 1:

Naplan & other exams – how can you prepare students for an exam without cheating? Are we measuring student performance against benchmarks? Are we looking for the problems only? Should we also be identifying the strengths for enrichment?  Is NAPLAN and its administration and preparation of students different to other in school exams and the QCS TEST, for example, for our year 12 students too.

Parents have enormous influence over their families, as we all would agree. How we behave imprints messages and teachings upon our children; our behaviour is so much more powerful than our words. Our words are important too. If violence is demonstrated by a father on a deputy principal over his son being reprimanded for a smoking at school infringement, where is society headed. Single incidents don’t paint the entire picture, but there is much evidence that violence is escalating. If we want to change society, we need to begin with our own circle of influence – at home, in the car, at work, on the playing fields and in our lounge rooms.

Sherrin responds to a listener question: 'How do I choose the best school for my children?'

Parents have a responsibility to help children learn right from wrong and how to handle the consequences of their choices without blaming others, making excuses or avoiding the truth.

Education and Training Minister Geoff Wilson has welcomed the release of a progress review which has reported good to excellent progress being made in implementing actions to improve the literacy, numeracy and science performance of the State's primary school students + pre-test for teachers…

Should Financial Literacy be the responsibility of schools or should the principles of good money management be learned from parents to avoid young people creating debt with mobile phone bills and later credit cards?

Sherrin discusses a range of issues regarding teachers in our schools: an 8 week course to qualify; teachers need feedback and regular performance reviews in the context of developing appropriate career pathways within education; underperforming teachers need to leave.

Sherrin talks with Greg Carey “If a teacher receives a bonus for doing a good job, then for what are they receiving their salary?”

Parents are urged to become familiar with the increase in sexual assaults in schools (in the toilets and playgrounds) including assaults on very young school children in Years 1 and 2 by older students. Parents need to know the advice that has been given to teachers in relation to providing children with “opportunities to engage in developmentally appropriate sex” and exactly what is being taught in classrooms. Given the increased computer accessibility to pornography and given children are becoming ‘sexualised’ at much early ages, parents need to think through their own strategies and the values they want for their families, to be sure their children are safe and well informed, within moral parameters.

Once again it is report card season, a time that can bring a smile to one student’s face while striking another down in fear. Regardless of how they are received, report cards are an unavoidable part of school life and are a valuable tool in assessing and planning for student success. Find out how to make the most of your child’s report card to sustain good results or to make improvements for next time.

For some children getting started to begin to write an assignment or a book review is really difficult. The emptiness of a blank page can feel overwhelming. Where to start? Use a THUMBALL. It is a fun way to help children begin to discuss and write about the “Parts of a Story”.  Reviewed by Sherrin from Fruition Tuition.

Sherrin speaks frankly and passionately about teaching and learning and testing. She outlines clearly how NAPLAN can be used productively to identify and support learning needs of students and schools. She expresses her interest in feedback as a foundational condition for learning and improvement and improved resourcing and funding.

Testing provides feedback in order to identify areas for growth; it can be used productively. She goes on to question why some teachers are feeling so  threatened by NAPLAN and questions what career position exists that is not judged on the results they produce. Teachers are feeling the ‘pressure’ but what job doesn’t have inbuilt pressures she questions?

Sherrin, one of the Founding Directors of Fruition Tuition, chats with Greg Cary from the Greg Cary Morning Show on Talk-Back Radio 4BC – AM 1116 about a former Queensland teacher who is suing for more than $400 000.00 in damages due to damage of her larynx.