In-Depth Info: Steiner and Waldorf Schools (not a Muppet school)

No, I am not referring to grumpy old puppets that fill the role of the peanut gallery on The Muppets. You may have heard of these occasionally in the media. You may have seen The Simpsons feature one of these schools in a somewhat recent episode. They tend to be associated with the "hippy" culture and are associated with teaching kids anything but English, Maths and Science.

Well, this post should hopefully take some of the myths and facts around the Waldorf system (from here on out, I'll refer to them as Steiner schools/streams to avoid confusion with some schools that have similar names i.e. Walford Anglican School) and take a good look at them. 

First off, what the Steiner system actually is all about:

The Steiner system of education is probably a good example of an "alternative education" method and may also be the one likely people will think of when they hear "alternative school". The system is in theory, meant to be more actively tailored towards child development based on a combination of actual research and the theories of Rudolf Steiner, the creator of the system. As kids grow, there are certain behaviours that they will exhibit and thus, the curriculum for that age group is tailored towards those certain behaviours or allows children to relate to other individuals with those behaviours (An example of this would be the tendency for 11-12 year old kids to want to "conquer" everything, so they will study the Roman empire). Steiner schools and streams aim for a more holistic approach compared to the mainstream (this does not mean that the mainstream system is not holistic) and their methods are more imaginative and play-based. This does not necessarily mean that the child is missing out on things that a child in the mainstream would have, but rather that the child in a Steiner system works towards the same goal in a different way. For example, basic maths functions (addition, subtraction and so on) are taught through stories and they are given a chance to practice it through play. Quite a few schools have adopted some play-based elements, but they are not necessarily Steiner schools or using Steiner teachings. The curriculum is also quite broad and does cover a few things that might be skipped over in the mainstream, however, there are also some things that the mainstream will cover that are skipped over in the Steiner system (usually for good reason).

And when I say holistic, children are not necessarily receiving a religious education per se. Rather, holistic is more about covering the physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual aspects of the child. 

So why are they called Waldorf Schools? Is there a difference?

No. The name came about because Rudolf Steiner (a philosopher, architect and author among other things) in the mid 1900's developed his own ideas on education, based on observations of children and their development. Between the 1900's and 1920's, he then travelled around lecturing on these ideas in universities, mostly centred around a more holistic approach to education (instead of just focusing on cramming their heads full of knowledge) In the late 1910's, the owner of the Waldorf-Astoria Cigarette Company in Stuttgart, Germany approached Steiner and asked him about opening up a school in his factory for the children of his employees, based on Steiner's teachings. Steiner agreed and thus the first Steiner school was founded. This is where the Waldorf school name comes from: after the cigarette company. 

For consistency's sake, I'll be referring to the schools, system and streams with the Steiner name. This is also partially because the governing body in Australia for the Steiner system is known as Steiner Education Australia. Schools running under the Steiner system either in its entirety or simply offering it as a stream alongside the mainstream children tend to use the terms interchangably, but they're all otherwise the same.

What are Steiner's theories on child development?

See here. It should also be noted that Steiner had four main criteria for his schools, some of which I'll cover a little further below. These criteria are:

-The school is open to all children.

-The school must be coeducational 

-The school is a twelve-year school

-The teachers have primary control over what is taught, rather than the state or other funding sources.

Apart from the last two points (not all schools have the funding to run classes up to Year 12 and most, if not all, Steiner schools take on some funding in exchange for certain requirements, but the funding is minimal [25% govt, 75% parents/school] and the requirements relate to NAPLAN, statistical data and following the curriculum set by Steiner Ed. Australia)

What are the main differences between the Steiner and mainstream systems?

There are quite a few huge differences, aside from the play-based nature in the younger years. 

• Perhaps the biggest one is that the children don't actually start formal education until age 7. This is roughly in line with Steiner's theories on child development, some of which seem a little old-fashioned, but are in line with countries such as Finland, who also delay starting school until the age of 7. To cope with schooling law, children from ages 4-7 (they need to have turned 7 before the school year starts) will attend Kindergarten, which is often segregated from the main school for a variety of reasons (this is not uncommon with other schools who have daycares/preschools on site, but Steiner's reasoning on this is to encourage the kindy children to grow at the pace needed, rather than being "corrupted" so to speak by older children). The kindergarten program incorporates circle games, free play, songs, stories and practical activities that still encourage kids to learn, without the formalities behind it. For example, cooking is a common activity in Steiner schools and children will learn about the different grains, fruit, vegetables and so on during this process. This is no different to a preschool or the first few years of primary school.
• Once children do start school at the age of 7, they will then stay with that teacher throughout the entirety of their primary schooling years (this practice is called "looping"). The class will also stay the same where possible. So rather at the end of the year, instead of the children scattering rooms and the teacher staying in the same place, the teacher and students will all move together. Usually composite classes do not exist, but logistics sometimes dictate otherwise and some schools do have composite classrooms (These are typically known as "Class 3/4"). How this works is another matter entirely. Some schools take the looping approach further by setting up entire buildings for each class and at the end of the year, the entire class and teacher simply move to the next building (extra classes not withstanding)
• The other big thing you will notice is that everything where possible is "natural" or organic. There are a few different reasons for this, one of which is encouraging imagination and creativity, but this does not necessarily mean that they are entirely anti-technology or anti-science. Schools are just as likely to have computers for students as they are to have wooden toys. They will use power tools alongside traditional farming tools. They will cook over campfires and also over fully-functional kitchens. Some of the reasons behind the natural/organic approach are also based on the ideal emphasised in children that the world is "beautiful." It is also done in a way that doesn't come across overly preachy, at least to the children. (For example, they may be taught to use chicken/horse poo as a natural fertiliser as it's readily available and decreases waste, rather than being taught that using chemicals is bad). Furthermore, safety is still paramount (so with the chicken/horse poo example, the kids will be wearing gloves). That said though, the classrooms do try and minimise the use of technology where possible (you'll still find an old-fashioned blackboard for instance) and in most cases, children are not introduced to computers until high school (that doesn't necessarily stop them from knowing about this stuff outside of school, but apart from a library search catalogue, most Steiner schools discourage or outright ban students from computer use until high school)
• There is a HUGE emphasis on the Arts across the school and I mean HUGE. Children will cover the entire spectrum of arts and crafts over the years, sometimes as a part of their Main Lesson block (which I will cover in more detail below), but to give you an idea of how this works, all students in Class 1 learn how to play the lyre and pentatonic (Five-note) recorder, Class 2 learn how to play the diatonic recorder (wooden recorder similar to the recorders we've grown up with), Classes 3-7 learn how to play the recorders that we all have grown up with somewhere along the way. but they will extend this to the alto, treble and bass recorders (basically larger/lower-pitched), Class 3 students will also learn the violin, viola or cello, while Class 4 students and beyond are encouraged to pick up other instruments. Older classes will form ensembles and all students participate in regular singing activities. All children will learn how to knit, crochet, weave, do cross stitch, spin wool, wet felt and more and there is no emphasis on it being a "gendered" activity.  
• As the schools tend to be smaller, there is a huge community involvement. The school regularly comes together for various festivals to celebrate the seasons or other events (i.e. Solstices, Equinoxes, Easter, ANZAC Day etc.), parents will help out where possible and are encouraged to participate in their child's education. On the other end of the scale, teachers will conduct home visits for the students before they start school to get to know the families and students. Working bees are regularly offered and school fairs are typically held twice a year.
• The school day is also a little different. For the children actually in school, the day usually begins with a Main Lesson, which I will cover in a minute. Between recess and lunch, practice lessons in English and Maths occur (sometimes supplementing the main lesson), along with foreign languages (in some schools this is two languages, most schools in Australia do one foreign language), art and craft activities and generally more "creative" activities. After lunch, the more active classes are taught such as PE, gardening, woodwork and so on. This is usually a case of "where possible" rather than being strictly adhered to, as logistics sometimes dictate this doesn't happen.
• The classrooms are also VERY different, in that there are no smartboards, no iPads, in fact, no technology where possible. I will cover a bit about this in a minute.
• Finally, aside from the curriculum changes, there are two other units that are unique to Steiner education: Eurhythmy and Bothmer. The former starts from kindergarten, while the latter usually doesn't start until Class 4. 

So what is the Main Lesson?

The Main Lesson is a block at the start of each school day for students in Classes 1-12. This is where the bulk of the more "traditional" subjects take place and the theory behind this is that the children's minds are most active in the morning. The content of the lesson will depend on a combination of the year level and the point of the year. The areas however, are English, Maths, Science, History, Geography and Civics (with some areas, such as Economics falling under the Maths/Science area). These blocks are taught for around 3-4 weeks at a time and will swap around regularly.

In Australia, as all schools are by law required to follow the Australian Curriculum where possible, Steiner schools were required to also set up a national curriculum that is followed by all Steiner schools or Steiner streams. This curriculum was also required to show where the link was between the Australian Curriculum and the Steiner one, with the main exemption being ICT (and even then, the exemption only applies until Class 8, at which point IT skills are taught)

http://www.steinereducation.edu.au/curriculum/steiner-curriculum/

The Main Lesson topics are listed below: 

Class 1: Form drawing (2 main lessons on this), The Alphabet: letters, Letters to Texts, Stories from The Dreaming/Sentences, Ancient World Tales, Local Surroundings x 2, Numbers, Counting and Informal Processes: Grouping, Number Processes x 2. 

Class 2: Celtic Narratives, Fables, Saintly Lives, World Legends, Local Surroundings x 2, Times Tables and Number Patterns, Place Value, Magic Numbers, Layout of Sums, Form Drawing.

Class 3: Literature of Creation and Tradition*, Literature of Authority/Rulership*, Grammar, Reading Program, Farming and Gardening, Building, Mathematics Processes and Strategies, Measurement: Length, Weight and Capacity; Measurement: Time; Measurement: Money; Form Drawing.

*-In schools in Australia, this typically manifests in Old Testament stories as it's an easy way to cover both of these areas. To keep the controversy to a minimum, this is covered from the Hebrew/Jewish perspective, God is referred to as "Yahweh" and so on. The children also participate in certain activities from a Jewish perspective i.e. making matzoh. Alternately, other creation stories may come into play.

Class 4: Myths of Northern Europe; Art Science and History of Writing: Pen and Ink**; The Arts of Language and Literacy; Spirituality of The Dreaming; Local Area Mapping; The Local Region; Human Being and the Animal Kingdom; Number Processes: Factors, Multiples, Long Division and Long Multiplication; Fractions x 2; Freehand Geometry and Form Drawing. 

**-This is typically around the point that children will receive their first pen. Steiner kids will actually write with a fountain pen given to them where possible, although some teachers will allow students in Class 6/7 to swap out for a rollerball pen. Prior to this, the kids will move from block crayons to stick crayons to pencil. 

Class 5: Ancient Cultures: India, Persia, Babylon, Egypt; Ancient Cultures; Greece;*** English Language and Literacy; Indigenous Life/History Geography of the Region and State; Botany; Decimals; Decimals and Fractions; The World of Mathematics; Geometry; Form Drawing. 

***-Both of the Ancient Cultures units will be split up to incorporate a Geography and Science unit. In this case, the Science units look at the history of Science and the Geography is along similar lines. 

Class 6: Ancient Cultures: History of Ancient Rome; Wonder and Wisdom of Words; English Language and Literacy; Australian History; Geology/Gardening and Horticulture****; Astronomy; Physics: Acoustics, Optics and Heat; Physics: Static Electricity and Magnetism; Business Maths: Percentages and Interest; Number and Algebra; Geometry and Measurement; Geography: Australia and Beyond. 

****-This is split into two separate areas, but is counted as a Science unit. Some schools will split the students up for Woodwork as well during this time. 

Classes 7-12: At this stage, I won't include them as the majority of schools across the country are K-6 at best, and the streams offered in some schools are K-6 only. If I do get requests to put in the 7-12 Main Lessons, I will.

What else do the students study?

Depending on the school, the other curriculum areas are covered fairly extensively. They are:

-Performing/Visual Arts: very heavily covered. I've already touched on it above, but students will receive regular lessons in at least Art, Craft and Music, with some schools also taking Drama, Dance and Circus Skills as separate units. Eurhythmy technically falls in here, but I'll cover that separately.
Art is sometimes also covered by the class teacher, as are soft crafts. Some of the areas covered in Art and Craft are very unique to Steiner education or taught uniquely, so I'll briefly list a few below:

Art/Craft: Wet-on-wet painting (diluted paint on wet paper), beeswax modelling, felting (wet), wool spinning, weaving, knitting, crochet, cross stitch, doll making/dressing.

Music is also taught very uniquely. All students learn to sing in a choir and to play the recorder up until Class 7. Class 1 students learn how to play the lyre and pentatonic recorder, Class 2 students learn the wooden recorder, Class 3 students learn a stringed instrument while Class 4 students are able to continue on with that instrument or pick up another instrument. Students may be asked to join an ensemble.

-Design/Technology: This includes woodwork, sewing, metalwork, blacksmithing and bookbinding. Gardening also falls under this subject and is a HUGE part of the curriculum. If you think of the Stephanie Alexander program that a large number of schools run, the concept is pretty much the same.

-Outdoor Education: This is covered fairly extensively across the entire curriculum with camps becoming a requirement from around Class 2 or 3 onwards. More specifically, students may study Cycling, Geology, Oceanography, Botany and Zoology. Take note these are specifically separated from biology.

-Bothmer Gymnastics: This is not a unique form of gymnastics. Rather it's more a bunch of activities around spatial awareness and just developing more movement skills. There are a few other more anthroposophical reasons behind it, but I won't get into those here. The most common form I have seen of this consists of activities with staves and involving children passing the staves to one another or jumping around them. Typically this will start around Class 4 and continue on to Class 9. And yes, this takes up a day.

-Eurhythmy: Hoo boy, where do I start with this one? The simplest way I can describe this is "performance art" or "visual music." That is, it's a visual interpretation of a piece of music. Spoken word Eurhythmy is also performed, with every word, letter and rhythm having their own gesture or movement or similar. Typically, this is a compulsory subject, but due to logistics, this may not always be taught. To get a better view of what it is, have a look at this video here.

Do they complete the Year 12 certificate?
Yes and no. Some schools do use the IB as an alternative for Year 12 students (as it requires students to have a well-rounded choice of learning areas), other schools prefer to go along the Steiner Year 12 certificate route. The schools in each state may have an agreement with the university/TAFE admissions centres in each state to recognise students who have completed the Year 12 Steiner certificate and grant them an ATAR score. The schools themselves may also provide the students with the option of if they wish to receive an ATAR score or if they just want credit for the subjects they've completed.

It should be noted that part of the Year 12 certificate for Steiner schools involves the student completing a year-long project in an area of interest. Bizarrely, this generates zero controversy compared to when the SACE (SA Year 12 Certificate) introduced this in Year 12!

Do they take the NAPLAN tests?
They are required to provide NAPLAN tests to students, but you'll find that the number of parents who pull their children out from NAPLAN tests at these schools tends to be much, much higher than other schools. The children that are given the OK to do NAPLAN tests are not singled out from their classmates (except for when they go to do the tests), nor is there any emphasis on them suddenly being taught extra skills for them to do "well" on the tests. You'll also find that those families that are OK with their kiddo sitting NAPLAN tend to recognise the value of NAPLAN as being simply a snapshot of where their kid is against the rest of the state/country, not as a tool in the great pissing contest known as parenting.

So if they are not teaching the Australian Curriculum as such, do they receive funding?
Yes they do. However, it is usually found that as the school is self-governed (compared to say, 92% of private schools that are governed by a religious body, 3-5% that are run by a corporate provider* and the remainder are self-governed), the schools tend to receive less funding from the government than say, an elite private school that is really struggling to get that extra bit of land for when they play games against other schools because the other sports ovals are too "weekly" for the away team.
This funding usually comes with the agreement that the school offers NAPLAN, submits various statistical data to the government and falls in line with the approved curriculum.

*-This is for example, a school that is run by a higher ed institution or company.

I noticed the mention of certain religions in the curriculum, is Steiner education religious at all?
No, it is not. While verses from religious texts are sometimes used as part of the morning ritual/circle, the verses in question always relate to the topic at hand (for example, a unit on light had a passage from Genesis read to the students each morning relating to light) and are not emphasised as gospel. The religious verses are usually also balanced out with verses, stories or songs from secular sources (with the light example mentioned above, another passage came from Martin Luther King Jr.).

Where religion is discussed as part of a Main Lesson topic, while the Steiner curriculum does encourage the main lesson topic be integrated into all areas of learning (hence the "holistic" experience), it is made very clear that the students are learning "about" the religion and are not being taught "the religion." Taking Class 3 for example and the Old Testament stories-while at that stage, the students may write about the stories as though they are fact, they are then taught the actual facts relating to the topic in question as they get older (Class 6 covers the birth of Christianity and students in Grades 6 and up start covering science in more detail). Class 5 does delve into Hinduism, Buddhism and even Islam to a mild degree and Class 6 covers Islam in a little more detail (alongside Christianity).

Despite all of this, the school does not have a chaplain (some use the funding instead for a support worker), does not run scripture sessions (unless mandated by law or they have an exemption), does not rely on religious donations to do anything and students of a particular faith are not discriminated against within the schooling environment (given that some schools encourage vegetarianism, this actually eliminates some of the issues around whether a particular student can eat a particular meat or not).

What about public schools with Steiner streams?
Some (not all) primary schools will offer a Steiner stream for interested students. These are usually run in line with Steiner Education Australia (that is, the school is a member and they are bound by their bylaws). These typically only cover the same age groups as the mainstream primary school, but children are not segregated from one another. How schools manage the "Kindy" part of Steiner education varies, so check with the school first. The rules around technology, classrooms, curriculum and looping are all very much the same, however, there is some degree of relaxation to account for mainstreamed children (that is, there's no flat ban on technology across the entire school and all the students are encouraged to participate in all aspects of school life, not just Steiner-only or mainstream-only) and these schools typically network with full Steiner schools.

Some schools with Steiner streams also allow mainstream students to access the same opportunities as the Steiner students in regards to their music program, but this is not always the case, so check with the school first.

Unlike "full" steiner schools however, these students do wear a uniform and the rules around enrolment among other things still apply.

Is there anything else I need to know about Steiner Education before I enrol my child?

-As I mentioned above, students in Steiner schools (not streams) do not wear a uniform. Rather, they will have a dress code. This dress code tends to be the same among schools and is aimed around practicality and comfort, as well as a few extra rules. The main rules tend to be: sensible hair, minimal to no makeup (not even nail polish), minimal jewellery, shoulders need to be covered (that is, t-shirts minimum), the torso needs to be covered (no midriff tops), skirts and shorts are to be knee length and all items of clothing need to have either no logos, emblems, numbers or letters or logos etc. no bigger than a certain size (usually the child's fist). Black tends to be a colour that schools waver on, with schools either banning it altogether, discouraging it or asking that it be kept to a minimum (eg black pants or a black-striped outfit). There are various reasons behind this and I will not get into those reasons. Shoes are usually required to be closed-in (same as any other school). Hats are usually also another requirement, but as long as they're "sunsafe" they're deemed OK (so no baseball caps, but bucket hats etc. are OK). If you are planning on sending your child to such a school, I would strongly recommend stocking up on basic t-shirts at places like Kmart or Big W. They're usually available for around $5 each and come in many colours.

-While these schools have no issues with students who eat meat, to respect all students, most cooking activities are conducted with vegetarian/vegan diets in mind. You are welcome to pack meat dishes for your child's lunch, but please respect their right to conduct a vegetarian activity. Also note that if a school says "DO NOT PACK NUT PRODUCTS", they mean it! Food allergies will still crop up in Steiner schools.

-Your child will not learn to read right away in school. Please respect this, it does not mean that they will otherwise be "late" readers, "slow", "delayed" or anything else. Education is not a race, nor is it a pissing contest despite what so many people will have you believe. There are many famous people who have attended Steiner schools from the get go and have gone to have successful careers in their field.

-How these schools handle disabilities may seem a little off to you at first, but if your child does have a disability, ask the school which outside groups they liaison with (i.e. Novita, RIDBC, Deaf Can Do and so on) for support. Just be prepared though that teachers may not always pick up on a disability at first, so if you do notice something and the teacher does not, be prepared to get outside help.

-Behaviour problems can and do unfortunately occur within a Steiner school. Some schools are great with handling this, others aren't. Just keep this in mind and try not to assume that because it's an "alternative" school, that the kids will necessarily be better behaved. (That said, they do address major issues that occur directly within the school with some degree of grace and respect for both sides, rather than automatically writing off the student who has done wrong.)

-I've already mentioned this, but you will be asked to take a more active role within the school community. Please keep this in mind.

-

Board Of The News: John Marsden's At it Again!

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/authors-new-arts-school-offers-later-start-times-to-reflect-teenagers-sleep-patterns-20160125-gmdlwk.html

I was actually a little confused when I read this piece at first and thought they were talking about Candlebark. Nope, he's actually opening a new school! Wow...

For a bit of context, John Marsden is an Australian author. A very well known Australian author. He is also the founder and principal of a school in Victoria known as Candlebark School. Formerly it was a P-10 school, it is now a P-7 school. The school itself is pretty much what I'd call a "common sense school." In other words, kids still undertake the standard lessons, but students actually get to do things that students in other schools (private and public) don't get to do either because of fear of litigation, governmental policy or some other random rule i.e. religious or cultural beliefs. It's also the only school I've come across that actually has a "Parent Code of Conduct" clearly outlined. A better idea of how Candlebark differs from other schools can be found here. The article I posted up top also points out the fact that the students spend 20 minutes in the afternoon cleaning up. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, especially given that most classrooms these days encourage (if not require) students to clean up a little bit at the end of the day, but this takes it further by not hiring cleaning staff and winds up being very similar to Japan.

As a result of his school, he's now opened up a new high school, called the Alice Miller School. The methodology is very similar to Candlebark and is also open from Year 7 onwards, giving the students the option of whether they want to stay at Candlebark or move on in Year 7 (Victoria has the primary/secondary split between Years 6 and 7). The students in Years 9 and 10 (and in some cases Year 8) will be encouraged to take on a VCE subject and why shouldn't they be discouraged? If they're smart enough to take those classes on, they should do so! The teachers will be recruited as having life experience or something very fascinating or interesting. This isn't necessarily a reflection of age either-for example, one of the teachers has a PhD, while another teacher spent her childhood years living in Africa, Europe and Australia.

Both schools will be run under the very same methods-all the students will participate in the school life as much as the staff (instead of this ideal that the students are the "future princes or princesses" that some schools seem to run by), children will be given the chance to experience things that other schools don't necessarily do (see my point above-a solid example of this would be using chainsaws and building/starting campfires). The students are still supervised and are shown how to do things safely, but they're allowed to do them!

Most importantly, the fees are actually fairly solid and are very inclusive. That is, the only "extra" costs from the parents are for individual music lessons and optional fencing tutoring. The cost is around 11k-13k per year and that also covers camps, stationery, textbooks, excursions, bus fare you name it (and they pride themselves on undertaking regular camps). This is in comparison to most private schools where the extra costs include uniforms, textbooks, stationery, camps, excursions and other "special" events which can easily turn a $8-$9000 fee up to $12,000.

It'll be interesting to see how this school works out long-term and I hope to see him opening schools interstate soon! Hell, I'd work there! ^_^

Board Of The News: Private Schools and children with disabilities

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/disabled-children-shut-out-of-private-schools-20160120-gma5f9.html

I could label this "Private schools openly discriminate and proudly flout the law," but I know that not all schools are like this and it really wouldn't be fair on those that do follow the rules.

The article looks at a number of complaints lodged with advocacy groups and in some cases, the Equal Opportunity Board for each state or the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (HREOC). There are reports of wealthy private schools refusing to take a child because "They have their quota of autistic children", they "can't afford them" (but can afford a new pool and gymnasium?), demanding NAPLAN results to screen out children with learning disabilities (I've already spoken about why NAPLAN should not be used for this purpose) or in some cases, parents being asked to pay extra to fund a teacher's aide.

This, quite frankly, does not surprise me. I do recall my uni lecturers (many of whom do actually work in both the public and private sector as teachers, principals, consultants or members of governing bodies such as the Association of Independent Schools) describing this phenomenon and unfortunately, it does also extend to some public schools. Even though public schools by law cannot refuse entry to students, it does not exempt them from otherwise discriminating against students with disabilities.

Legally, both state and federal law prohibit schools from discriminating against students with disabilities. Why on earth do they need to include state law? a) to cover those areas where federal law does not apply (i.e. a pub), b) to solve matters before they need to turn federal and c) to cover those cases where federal law would not necessarily apply (i.e. carer responsibilities sometimes fall under "Disability").

It's not always bad for the school however, with HREOC providing a report that shows cases where the comissioner has found the education sector to be acting lawfully, those cases including children being disciplined for their behaviour within reason*, lack of special programs for individuals with a disability to gain entry into courses or programs for disabled students period and parents or students not reading the manual before enrolling (that is, they enrolled in their child in a school designed for their disability, but the school did not cater for said disability in the way that they wanted).

*-the general rule of thumb is that provided the school is consistent with their discipline policy, they will otherwise work within reason for that child (i.e. after he's warned about misbehaving, he might be asked to spend some time helping the principal instead of going straight to timeout, but if he misbehaves again, he goes to timeout) and the behaviour is not consistent with the disability (i.e. child with spina bifida cyberbullying another child, spina bifida does not cause children to not know that bullying is wrong), the school is usually regarded as having acted "lawfully."

On the other side, there are also cases where the school will eventually work with the parent after conciliation, with HREOC providing several cases of this here.  These cases tend to vary along the entire spectrum of needs including complaints of access, not catering for needs, leaving a child out of an activity due to their disability and failure to provide "reasonable" adjustments. What counts as reasonable is usually decided through conciliation, or failing that, the commissioner.

Taking these points in mind, I know there will be some people who will claim "But my child attends this wealthy private school and they DO take on children with disabilities!" Here's a little test for you: find out how much of a fight the parents had to put up to get the child into the school. Ask how much support that child genuinely gets during the day. If those children are granted the exact same opportunities as mainstream students (i.e. attending excursions, camps and being allowed to represent the school in areas beyond "disability") and most importantly, if those children are encouraged to participate in the NAPLAN and (if they're in high school) if they're allowed to graduate Year 12 from the school (every state has a modified Year 12 certificate for individuals with disabilities). Just because your wealthy private school takes a child with a disability on, doesn't necessarily mean that they're receiving the best possible education they can receive. The responses will depend on whether or not the school is more focused on image than on actually learning.

So, what can we (or you) do to ensure that children with disabilities receive the best possible education out there?

• If a private school demands a child's NAPLAN results and does not have other criteria for entry (such as an audition), question why they require the results. Most states have a rule forbidding entrance exams of any shape or form for this reason. NAPLAN in this instance could be argued as an "entrance exam." The same rule also applies for any medical records (barring immunisation-that is legal under public health law). 
• Be prepared to fight if needed and document everything. Every day you visited the school, what was said during the meeting (if you can tape it even better, however some states have laws against this so check those laws first), any phone conversations, emails, you name it. The more information you have, the better prepared you are for conciliation if it comes to that. 
• If the school makes any claims around financial hardship, ask for proof of these and be prepared to negotiate in a way that doesn't affect you negatively. Depending on the disability, contacting other organisations (i.e. SPELD for dyslexia) may be needed and it may be helpful for the school to know where to go.
• If the disability is an "invisible" one (i.e. dyslexia), come armed with knowledge of support services. 
• And above all else, remember that you do NOT need to settle for second best because your child has a disability. 

Board Of The News: It's go, go go for the summer holidays!

http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/the-kids-that-dont-stop-for-the-summer-holidays-20160106-gm06rs.html

While the article makes this initially sound like a bad thing, or it's the parent's fault for pushing all this crap onto their son, I do have to applaud Fairfax for taking a very balanced approach on the subject and trying to avoid it becoming too preachy.

The article specifically does recount what Leon, an 8-year-old boy does during the school holidays. More specifically, he continues practicing his literacy and numeracy skills through an online program called Kumon, practices violin, plays golf, attends karate, swimming and acting classes. This generally gets written off as a bad thing by other sources (i.e. News Corp) or is otherwise seen as a parent pushing it onto their children. In this case, it's actually the other way around and his mum gave him the option to stop, but he refused to!

The experts in the article do also stress the importance of play and that it should be the child's decision to explicitly learn and take things at their own pace during the holidays (i.e. what Leon is doing) and not the parent's decision. I also know this will likely get flames later, with suggestions that letting the kids learn at their own pace is going to turn them "soft" or "stupid" by the time they leave high school. This isn't necessarily the case-the Montessori system relies to some degree on self-paced learning and studies have found that there's no discernable difference between children in the Montessori system and the mainstream (One such study can be found here). In Leon's case, he attends a mainstream school (albeit private) and is praised for his efforts.

One thing that we all tend to forget as well is that children never do stop learning, even if we don't think they are learning. Learning is not just pen-to-paper test, test, test or organised activities/practices. A child for example, would be practicing teamwork, social skills and parenting skills in the home corner at daycare, while they would be practicing their gross motor and creativity skills pretending to be pirates in the playground. Similarly, they might be practicing their reading skills calling out brand names in the shops (there is a name for this: "environmental print") or their maths skills by using play money.


Studies:

 Lopata, Christopher; Wallace, Nancy V; Finn, Kristin V (2005). "Comparison of Academic Achievement Between Montessori and Traditional Education Programs", Journal of Research in Childhood Education 20/1, pp. 5-13

Board of the News: When Teachers Get Bullied

http://www.smh.com.au/national/education/bullying-parents-nsw-principals-among-most-threatened-in-australia-20160107-gm0weu.html

While the article in question refers more to NSW principals (then again, it is a NSW-based newspaper), the overall message still seems to be clear: it is apparently OK to abuse teachers and principals over the pettiest crap. I know what you're thinking "Oh no, my child goes to a private school, the teachers don't get abused there!" or "Oh no, those students are out of control!" The article makes a few points clear:

1. It is actually the parents who are engaging in this sort of behaviour, not the students. (Student behaviour is for another article)
2. The reports are coming as part of a study that has been ongoing since 2011 and there is a graph that shows the trends occurring, both at specific years and also as an overall pattern, with conflicts and quarrels (i.e. verbal fights that might get out of hand) being among the most common issue reported. For 2015, there was an increase in all areas apart from conflicts and quarrels (which dropped a bit) and sexual harassment claims, (which stayed roughly the same).
3. There is actually no difference between private and public schools in the survey-over 4000 principals were interviewed and the data found there was very little difference between them.
4. While the article acknowledges that schools in large rural towns tend to be among the worst, this is likely more to do with the "everyone knows everyone" mentality rather than any view that country folks are more "primitive" than city folk. (that and limited resources, but that's for another time) 

This isn't anything new either: a former principal of the Coober Pedy Area School was run out of town in the early 2010's by parents (and eventually the school) after complaints that her methods were "too strict." Those methods? Enforcing the uniform and truancy policies that the school had previously set and updating new ones. Some reports suggest that she should've been a little flexible with those policies (i.e. if a parent was able to prove that there were factors outside of their control that stopped their kid from getting to school on time, then leniency would be needed), but did not receive any support to do so, which arguably made things worse. To further add insult to injury, after the principal was ousted, the truancy rate went up, suspensions almost doubled and student engagement in learning dropped. It eventually came out that there was a Facebook campaign to run her out of town, the principal sued five of the bullies for defamation and settled with four of them out of court (with the fifth being ordered to pay $40,000 to her by the court). 

While there seems to be this view of "parents know best," the fact does remain that the parents do not always see what goes on in schools during the day and that because they are paying for their child to attend a school (even in public schools, there are usually fees attached for materials, excursions and so on), there is this view that they are therefore allowed to whinge if they don't get their way. 

The issue however, is not nearly as simple as the article makes it out to be. There are quite a number of factors that come into play when it comes to both sides and the issues that are raised, including:

• Dealing with children being bullied (and the bullies themselves) on both the parent and school side. 
• Lack of funding for children with disabilities (both mainstreamed and segregated children*)
• Lack of funding and training for children who are diagnosed as gifted and talented (this is referring to those children who have been tested by a psychologist.)
• Government policy on a number of areas (this affects the areas above)
• Lack of training in particular areas (teaching degrees can only cover so much and teacher training doesn't always cover those areas that need looking at)
• Parent attitudes, work ethics and how much support they give their children outside of school.
• Parent attitudes towards their children's behaviour. (i.e. do they also punish their child if their child got into a fight or do they let it slide) 
• Outside beliefs and attitudes that can influence all of the above (i.e. this view that teachers are overpaid and don't work outside the school holidays, or that bad teachers are protected by the system. Both are huge myths)
• Conflict management from the school on issues that are genuine. (i.e the bullying issue, but also things like teachers outright abusing a child with witnesses in the room)
• Outside beliefs and attitudes towards particular students in the classroom (yes, this actually happens-the common ones that are raised are pregnant girls and students from refugee backgrounds) 
• And finally, parents understanding (or lack thereof) of government policies or even the law. (One example cited in the article was of a parent who physically abused a principal when the parent couldn't get a refund for an excursion his child didn't attend due to said child being ill. From the other side, the "my child is ill" excuse does not work for excursions/camps if you are not prepared to back them up with a medical certificate from the GP). 

*-when I say segregated, I am referring to children who are placed in a "special" class, unit or school with other children like them. These classes may or may not be part of a mainstream school.

Let me make one thing clear: it is NEVER OK to abuse school staff. Ever. Aside from the obvious legal issues that surround this (and yes, it is illegal), you do not always know the full story and may not know for reasons that relate to the law or protection of the students involved. Schools do have a right to protect their students from harm and that harm can come from parents just as much as it can come from strangers or other students. If a school is a little "manufactured" on the response to a situation, there is usually a valid reason for it-it is not always a sign of a coverup. As much as you may think otherwise, students who are "in the wrong" do have the same rights as any other child and this rule also extends to teachers. 

If you do have a legitimate complaint or you are sure that there is an issue that needs to be nipped in the bud, consider these points:

1. Do your research on the matter. If the issue relates to a child's behaviour (bullying, being punished or similar), get reports on what has been going on from teachers. Don't just go straight to the classroom teacher or homegroup teacher-get accounts from specialist teachers and any other staff who have regular contact with your child as well. Ask for these in writing. Even if it takes a while, it will at least alert the school that something's up (both parents and schools have been guilty of not noticing things until the other party points it out). 
2. If the school cannot give you an outcome to a certain situation, ask them why they can't. If they give the "legal reasons" disclaimer, follow up on that legal reason by finding the legislation. Do this yourself-the school can't always quote that law offhand, especially if administration staff are speaking on behalf of the student or there are a variety of laws that come into play here. AustLii is an excellent source for this. Other reasons usually relate to student's privacy-this is to protect them from retaliation or by them suddenly becoming the victim (this is in line with whistleblowing law) or alternately avoiding the parent blowing the incident out of proportion (the recent "Roosh V" scandal is a good example of this)
3. If the school makes it clear that certain policies apply outside of school, they apply outside of school. These rules typically are more to do with a student in school uniform committing certain misdemeanours or felonies and is no different to someone in the workplace getting fired because they were snorting cocaine in their work uniform. That said, there is a line between petty offenses (i.e. student not wearing their hat when outside the school grounds and the policy says they need to) and legitimate reasons for punishment (i.e. smoking). If the reason is skewing towards the latter (this can also include students in uniform outright abusing members of the public), then consider yourself lucky that the police weren't involved and your child is escaping with a suspension (or expulsion). 
4. Take the empathic and model-behaviour approach: if your child gets wind of the fact that you are outright abusing staff (and they do end up hearing about it sooner or later), then it's likely they'll get the idea it's OK to do the same down the line. On the empathic end, step into the shoes of the principal or teacher for a moment and consider the information you do have on the issue-is it worth an assault charge? 
5. Sometimes schools and such do make mistakes-they are only human. If this does happen, consider the likely reasons why it occurred (not always human error and sometimes it's outside their control) and what solutions could be taken to rectify these that don't necessarily create further problems or are out of what constitutes "reasonable." There could also be a number of ways the issue could have occurred (Example: your child is allergic to nuts and has a reaction after coming home from their nut-free classroom/school one day. This could be due to the child coming in contact with something that you wouldn't expect would trigger the nut allergy (i.e. a cereal box), a child bringing in something from home that nobody realised had nuts in it (i.e. a museli bar with almonds in it), a child bringing in something you wouldn't expect to have nuts in it (i.e. chocolate), a child bringing in something that had "traces of nuts" (most schools are OK with this since expecting parents to bring in stuff that's guaranteed to be 100% nut-free can fall outside the realm of "reasonable") or a not-quite school aged child bringing in something with a nut product (I have seen this happen far too many times to count) even though they're only there for a few minutes. It could also be teacher negligence.) and indicating that you want to work together to prevent it from reoccurring will go over much smoother than outright blaming them and doing nothing yourself. 
6. Write down the points you do want to raise with the principal or teacher. This includes any incidents you are aware that have occurred, the dates (and if possible the times) when the incident occurred, any witnesses (if there are any) and "reasonable" solutions to the situation (Hint: if the issue relates to bullying, sometimes moving the victim away from the bully is a better solution than it seems). Also ask your child what outcome they would like-far, far too often parents will take the "I know what's best" mentality when it just creates more issues and distress for that same child and the outcome that you want isn't necessarily what they want. (within reason- if a high school child says that they want to drop a subject they're getting bullied in and it's not a subject that relates to their future career/study plans, then that's not necessarily a bad thing, even if that subject is the difference between an ATAR of 70 and an ATAR of 90.) 
7. Schedule a time to speak to the teacher/principal. Take the written points with you. This will also allow you time to cool down beforehand. On that note, come in with the mentality that yes, the school will listen and yes, the school will be willing to work with you. If the issue further relates to the management of a child with disabilities, come in with research on the best practices for a child with the same disability (teaching degrees do not always cover special needs adequately). The more you indicate that you want to work with the school on an outcome, the more likely you are to get a satisfactory response. Coming in with a knee-jerk "I'll show them" response is not going to work. 
8. If you find that the school is not going anywhere with the issue, be prepared to come back again and again on the issue. DON'T start campaigns or petitions or even raise awareness of the issue anywhere outside of your own family, unless you are aware that there are other parents with the exact same issue (and even then, keep it to them only). Keep documentation of the visits. 
9. And if the schools hands are tied for whatever reason, be prepared to take it above their head to the Education Department (public schools), Independent Schools Associations (all private schools) or the national governing body for a particular group of schools (i.e Catholic Ed Australia, Steiner Ed Australia, Montessori Australia). If your child's school is religious, complaining to the church will get you nowhere and depending on the church, may make things worse for everyone. 
10. When you do submit the complaint to the national level, DON'T go to the media or make threats of such (to the school or department), DON'T inform the school you have done so (they will find out soon enough), DON'T inform other parents you have done so and finally, DON'T make threats to the school or government departments-you will get charged for it and it will affect your outcome. 

If all of these fail, then yes, by all means, pull your kid out of that school. But don't rub it in the school's face when you do yank your child out-they are a student like anyone else and while they will miss said student, they also acknowledge that kids leaving is a part of the school system. In other words, they won't suddenly be falling all over themselves and bending backwards to cater to your child at the expense of every other child or teacher.

And if you do yank your child out, DO YOUR RESEARCH ON WHAT TO DO.

A common policy of private schools is that they require a term's notice for your kid to be yanked out otherwise you will be charged full fees for the term after you leave. There are a number of reasons for this, the biggest one being around the tracking of students from school to school-there are a number of legal reasons why students need to be tracked between schools and not all of them relate to funding. Schools need to send paperwork off to the new school and in some states, there is also an identifying number that goes with that student regardless of whether they are private or public. If a student suddenly falls off the radar, it may also be a sign that the child is being abused or in more recent years, the child is being trafficked. By law, students between the ages of 6 and 15 (17 in some states) also need to be at school, so a student who disappears off the radar may also be committing an offence. If you do have a genuine reason for yanking your child out of that school that relates to the student's welfare (i.e. child suddenly becomes gravely ill and it's not viable for them to remain at the school), you can appeal and the school can waive this policy, but it is at their discretion. If you have treated the school like they are responsible for everything your child does at home, then you are far less likely to get a good decision than if you are more supportive of the school's actions. 

Secondary: Stationery Tips

Much like primary school, secondary school students have their own stationery needs. Unlike primary school students however, the needs are generally simpler and there is a wider scope for flexibility.

Keep in mind:
High schools will generally handle this one of three ways:

-Their entire stationery list will be made available through a particular supplier and items need to be purchased through them. Some schools will make it compulsory to purchase all their stationery through them by including particular branded items, such as folders or diaries. Other schools will dictate that the stationery is to be purchased through them and loan out the textbooks.

-Only the compulsory items for that year or subject (such as textbooks) will be purchased through the supplier or school, while the rest of the items needed are either provided in the first few weeks, or you are otherwise advised on what you need.

-other schools will simply send out a list of what is needed and leave it up to parents as to what is purchased, provided it fits in with what's on the list. This generally lists book items and other items, with the actual pens and the like left entirely up to parents.

With this in mind, I will continue to go down the list for each of these items. Feel free to take what you will from this list and keep in mind these are only suggestions.

Pencil Case:

• By this point, the only items that are absolute essentials in a pencil case are a few lead pencils, pens, eraser, correction fluid, sharpener, glue stick, scissors and maybe a ruler. Thus you can downgrade the size of the pencil case to something much smaller than in primary school if needed. Barrel pencil cases are a good example of this, provided that your child keeps their ruler in their bag. 
• Many schools will only allow clear pencil cases into exam rooms (if at all), so purchasing one at the start of the year may save stationery from getting lost throughout the year as it goes between the exam room and the classroom. 
• Again, refrain from purchasing the cheap tartan pencil cases or the fake leather ones with the customisable names-they break very easily and also open your child to teasing. Also refrain from purchasing anything licensed-the same thing tends to happen. 
• Finally, try and refrain from purchasing pencil tins-they tend to break easily, dent easily and hold a limited range of items.

Pens:

• The only two colours your child will need in high school are black and blue. Red does get used albeit rarely and teachers will advise your child if they are needed at all. Green is not used at all. 
• There are a wide variety of pens out on the market and what you or your child opt to purchase will depend on their writing style, needs and subject choices. 
• Ballpoint Pens (aka Biros, Bic Pens) are the most economical and commonly used pen in schools and are usually sold in bulk. The positive is that the ink doesn't smear if the paper gets wet and what's written usually can't be erased. The negatives are that they cannot write on all surfaces, some varieties will not work if the surface underneath is hard and they tend to leave an imprint underneath. 
• Rollerball Pens are a very good alternative and I would highly highly recommend them. They're built in the same way as ballpoint pens, but the ink is water or gel-based, whereas the ink in ballpoint pens is oil-based and thicker. The positive is that these pens will work on most surfaces including some that ballpoints can't, they don't leave an imprint underneath (and can thus be used for very thin sheets) and they tend to write very smoothly. The negatives are that the ink can smear if wet, they can be slightly more expensive to purchase in bulk (commonly they're only available on their own) and they're more likely to bleed through the paper.
• Gel Pens are another alternative which I would also recommend if you can find a suitable brand. It's important to differentiate here, as gel pens typically are associated with something like this, when I'm actually referring to something like this. They are a little harder to come by however, and you may need to visit a stationery shop for these. The positive and negatives with these are very much the same as rollerball pens, however gel pens are easier to control, the ink rarely leaks (as the ink is gel-based as opposed to water or oil-based) and they can write on surfaces that the other two cannot. They also don't smear when wet (usually). 
• Erasable Pens are really classifiable as gel pens, as the ink is the same, but there are only two brands on the market: Pilot Frixion and Papermate Replay. Both of these come with a eraser either on the cap or on the end of the pen, meaning that your child can erase their mistakes with the pen. It's important to note however that the pens should not be used for legal documents or exams and they have the same limitations as gel pens. They're also usually sold individually and may be slightly more expensive. 
• Fineliner Pens have a plastic or sometimes felt nib (as opposed to the rollerball for the others). They do have the advantage of producing a very thin line that is generally easy to control, can write on most surfaces and write very smoothly. On the other hand, they are generally a little more expensive to purchase and use and if the cap is lost, the pen tip tends to dry out. Some brands will also result in the nib "splitting" and producing an uneven line if abused. On the other hand, they very rarely leak and are excellent for emphasising fine detail in projects. 
• Regardless of the pens you and your child opt to purchase, try and avoid multi-colour pens (they don't last that long), novelty or "gimmick" pens (they also don't last that long and the novelty wears off quickly.), fountain pens (self-explanatory) or any pen where the ink needs refilling constantly, those very skinny twisty pens (they also don't last) and the really, really cheap generic pens from places like the Reject Shop or Kmart. 

Highlighters:

• Colour-wise, the only colours your child will really need are yellow, green, orange and maybe pink. Any other colour is pretty much unreadable and isn't needed. 
• There are three main varieties on the market: Gel, liquid ink and absorbent core. Any other varities (such as highlighter "pencils") I would avoid. Also note that connector pens, while a good option for fine details, are not a suitable alternative for highlighters.
• Absorbent Core highlighters are the most common variety and are thus the cheapest and easiest to obtain. They usually come in large or small varieties-the tips will therefore vary, but are typically chisel tipped, meaning they can make both thick and thin lines. Round-tipped highlighters do exist, but are rare. 
• Liquid Ink highlighters are a little more durable and work in a similar way to absorbent core highlighters, except that the barrel clearly shows the amount of ink left. These are typically sold as small round pens, but are also sometimes available as larger round pens. Take note that these can leak and they tend to bleed through the paper more readily. 
• Gel highlighters are a little harder to get, but do exist. They look a little bit like a twistable crayon except have a transparent fluroescent gel in the centre. They're slightly thicker than a pen and nearly always sold as a "round" highlighter. The upside with these is that they don't bleed through paper, but are also harder to control if you're after a clean smooth line. They can also smudge off onto fingers if you overuse them.
• Try and stay away from "mini" highlighters-they don't last as long, the nibs are very thin and they do not give good coverage for note-taking. Most of them are also quite gimmicky. 
• Again, avoid purchasing the super-cheap highlighters, they will not last. 

Pencils:

• Coloured pencils are not compulsory for high school at all. If your child wishes to purchase these, what you get is up to you, but avoid the cheap and nasty ones. 
• As far as lead pencils are concerned, for Maths and most subjects, a simple HB is all that's needed. 
• For Art, Craft, Design and some technology subjects, you may need to expand this further. There are a number of "art sets" on the market which also include pencils from 2H to 6B. This should last your child throughout high school, provided they're aware that the B pencils will smudge. 
• Again, avoid the cheap and nasty lead pencils-they do not last. Also, try and avoid buying individual lead pencils-it's more economical to buy them in bulk. 

Correction Fluid/Tape:

• Due to the fact that it is a solvent (and thus "huffable"), it commonly gets used for vandalism and due to its appearance as "sloppy", correction fluid (commonly called "Wite-Out" or "Liquid Paper") is banned in a number of schools. How much they actually enforce this is another matter. 
• If your school doesn't ban or otherwise enforce the rule on correction fluid, there are two main types on the market: pen and brush/foam. The pen is good for the occasional small error, while the brush/foam wedge is good for larger areas. There are a couple of brands out there that are marketed as "2-in-1" where the top has the pen attachment, but you can also unscrew the top to reveal a brush inside. 
• It is highly, highly recommended that should you opt for the brush/foam wedge option that you get the foam wedge. The brush tends to clog up and lose hairs, meaning that you're often dragging a few stray hairs into the mix. 
• If your school does ban correction fluid, or you otherwise don't want your child to use correction fluid, correction tape is also an option. This is a strip of opaque material transferred onto a paper or plastic tape that you then draw out onto the paper. I've found these hard to use and very fiddly, plus they also tend to break quite easily. If you do use these, be prepared to replace them often. 

Ruler:

• The best option for a high school student is a 30cm metal ruler. No, really. Wooden and plastic rulers are good and cheap, but they can also make a good weapon if they splinter. Metal rulers don't have that same issue.  
• Regardless of the option chosen, make sure that the markings can be clearly seen and that it measures things out in both centimetres and millimetres. 
• DON'T buy the "bendy" rulers-they often tend to not lie flat on the page. 

Eraser:

• This one's fairly straightforward-a thumb sized eraser is usually the best choice. 
• Try and avoid the bendy ones or any "gimmicky" erasers-they aren't as effective. 
• Gum and "soft" erasers are really only for art students. 

Sharpener:

• The main one I would highly recommend by this point is a single-hole barrel pencil sharpener. The other varieties get lost very easily and don't last as long. Yes, even those pokey metal ones. 
• Electric sharpeners are good if you can find a reliable brand that does them. Before you do purchase, check the battery requirements and make sure they're replaced regularly. 
• Avoid the crank sharpeners-the pencils do break in them. 

Maths Supplies:

• If your child's stationery list calls for a protractor/set square, compass and so on, try and buy them in a pack rather than individually. Many companies do sell "Maths Sets" which will typically consist of a protractor, set square (or 2), a compass and sometimes a small ruler. 
• If you are buying the items individually, it is very rare for students to need a 360 degree protractor. 
• If your child has a history of self-harm or harming others, it may be best to find a compass that has a plastic point rather than a metal one. They're rare but do exist, although you may have to purchase it separately.

Exercise Books, Notebooks, Test Pads and Graph Pads:

• There are two cardinal rules to remember when it comes to high school exercise books: nobody covers them in contact (unless it's clear) and they become pretty much useless from Year 11. 
• If you do feel the need to label your child's books, label them with the name of the English teacher and if the school is a large one, also the child's homegroup teacher.
• For music students, I would strongly suggest getting hold of a music stave pad and a separate lined book rather than a music stave book. The music stave books tend to have less pages and don't last nearly as long. The stave pad will last your child through to Year 12 and is also handy for your child if their instrument teacher needs to explain a particular concept to them that is not covered in their general music class.
• For maths books, your child WILL need a 5mm square graph book, even in Year 12. Graph pads tend to be used for Science and Design/Technology. The teeny square pads (1-2mm) are really only used for Physics if that.  
• If your child is in Year 11 or 12, stationery requirements tend to get relaxed a little around this time. If your child's school does not dictate that you purchase a pack through them only, you may be able to get away with a 3 or 5 subject notebook instead. Make sure they have a folder ready for handouts though (and trust me, there are a lot). If they just want to have one folder, get some dividers, get a test pad and I'd put maybe 5-10 plastic sheets per subject at first.
• For students in Years 7-9, it is generally frowned upon to use a spiral-bound notebook to record notes, as the pages can be torn out and information can go missing. Exercise books tend to make it obvious if there are any signs of tampering. From about Year 10, as the focus shifts more to essays and assignments rather than bookwork, spiral bound notebooks are generally accepted.  
• As a rule of thumb, for Years 7-10, if the subject is only present for a term (or term-and-a-half), I would suggest buying one test pad/exercise book that can be used for all four of those subjects, rather than one book for each. For semester subjects, I would do a book or test pad for each subject (although if the subjects are simply identical, just different semesters i.e. Music A/B, you can get away with 1 book for the entire year). For Year 11 students (generally the last time 1-semester subjects are on offer), I would stick with a 3-5 subject book per semester.

Folders/Binders:

• Although they're bulky, I would aim for a lever arch binder over the traditional ring binder. They can hold more, are easier to open and close to add more pages and also don't break as easily as traditional ring binders. It is possible as well to get binders where you can decorate the cover. 
• For music students, I would recommend a display folder for manuscripts and scores, as they lay flat on music stands and can easily be stored inside an instrument case. Make sure they're the ones with the removable pages (they'll have a black spine regardless of the colour) and you're all set. Refillable pages are also available. I would also recommend a similar approach for drama student scripts for the same reason. To make identification easier, I would also recommend creating a title page on a sheet of A4 paper and either putting it on the front cover with clear contact over the top, or putting it on the very first page. 

•   Inside the binder, get creative with organising it-use tabbed sheets to indicate where subjects are. 
• Compendiums or Zip Binders are really only recommended for students in Years 10-12 at the very least and are basically a must if your child is studying subjects that require off-campus travel. For students in the younger years, they do get very bulky very quickly. 

 Textbooks:

• If your child is in a public school, they tend to generally loan the textbooks out at the start of the year to students and require that they be returned at the end of the year. The general exceptions to this are study guides and workbooks for some subjects (such as languages and sciences). 
• Some schools do opt to hold secondhand sales for certain textbooks. While this is a good way to stock up for the following year, check first so you do wind up buying the ones your child actually needs. The ones that may need to be bought each year are Science, History, Civics and occasionally Geography textbooks, while English, Maths, Technology and LOTE books can usually be bought secondhand. 
• Check to see if your child's school also does buybacks, as some do, some don't. If they do, make sure you check the condition of the textbook first, or encourage your child to treat it well (this should be something that is done anyway!)
• If you are planning on reselling the textbook later down the line, do not put a sticker on the cover-they are a pain in the ass to get off. A simple pencil (or pen if you use the Frixion variety) and the child's name in the inside front cover are all that's really needed. 

Board of the News: The Supposed Death of Handwriting

http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/parents-struggle-to-ensure-children-learn-handwriting-and-not-just-typing-20151224-glunb3.html

Today's article was a bit of a toss-up between two childcare/school-related ones I'd come across: this one and another one which related to the decision of a daycare provider to not ban unimmunised children in Qld. As that one's more Qld specific, I thought this one was more relevant across the country and opted to focus on this instead.

First off, the article itself seems to imply that handwriting is no longer taught in schools. This is in fact not the case, especially if the school is using the Australian Curriculum or attends a Steiner or Montessori school (most schools should be using the Australian Curriculum). More specifically, for the Australian Curriculum, both typing and handwriting are readily acknowledged, with the outcomes for handwriting skills as follows:

Foundation:
Produce some Lower Case and Upper Case letters using learned formations (ACELY1653)
Know how to read and write some high-frequency (1) words and other familiar words (ACELA1817)

Year 1:
Write using unjoined lower case and upper case letters (ACELY1663)
Use visual memory to read and write high-frequency words (ACELA1821)

Year 2:
Write legibly, and with growing fluency using unjoined upper and lower case letters (ACELY1673)
Use knowledge of letter patterns and morphemes to read and write high-frequency words and words whose spelling is not predictable from their sounds (i.e. knife) (ACELA1823).

Year 3:
Write using joined letters that are clearly formed and consistent in size (ACELY1684)
Recognise and know how to write most high frequency words including some homophones (ACELA1486)

Year 4:
Write using clearly-formed joined letters and develop increased fluency and automaticity (ACELY1686)
Read and write a large core of high frequency words including homophones and know how to use context to identify correct spelling (ACELA1780)

Year 5:
Develop a handwriting style that is becoming legible, fluent and automatic (ACELY1706)

Year 6:
Develop a handwriting style that is legible, fluent and automatic and varies according to audience and purpose (4) (ACELY1716)

Year 7:
Consolidate a personal handwriting style that is legible, fluent and automatic and supports writing for extended periods (ACELY1727)

For comparative purposes, the outcomes that are relating to typing skills specifically are as follows:

Foundation:
Construct texts using software including word processing programs (ACELY1654)

Year 1:
Construct texts that incorporate supporting images using software including word processing programs (ACELY1664)

Year 2:
Construct texts featuring print, audio and visual elements using software, including word processing programs (ACELY1674)

Year 3:
Use software including word processing programs with growing speed and efficiency to construct and edit texts featuring visual, print and audio elements (ACELY1685)

Year 4:
Use a range of software including word processing programs to construct, edit and publish written text and select, edit and place visual, print and audio elements (2) (ACELY1697)

Year 5:
Use a range of software including word processing programs with fluency (3) to construct, edit and publish written text and select, edit and place visual, print and audio elements (ACELY1697)

Year 6:
Use a range of software, including word processing programs, learning new functions as required to create written texts (ACELY1717)

Year 7:
Use a range of software, including word processing programs, to confidently create, edit and publish written and multimodal texts (5) (ACELY1728)

So looking at these, one does have to wonder where exactly this idea that students are not getting enough practice with handwriting is coming from. The article seems to rely mostly on the experience of one family, with not enough evidence that the girl in the family is doing "better" simply because she writes more, or that the older boy is refusing to write for extended periods simply because he is not getting enough practice. There are also a few surveys there that are conducted for what appear to be marketing purposes, rather than for any actual genuine research. They are also entirely based on parent perceptions, rather than any actual testing of children.

The article also mentions "pen licences." I'm a little mixed on the concept, partially from personal experience and also partially because it holds no meaning beyond Year 5. It's a cute incentive to help develop handwriting, but beyond that, it's not a huge deal. Steiner schools take the concept one step further by studying the entire history of handwriting from scratching into wax with a stylus to using a fountain pen nowadays, coupled with cross-stitching a pen holder for that pen. (Some Steiner teachers may instead swap the fountain pen nib for a rollerball one, the brand that is used in most schools has interchangable heads for this purpose) Arguably, this one has a little more benefit in that the children all progress at the same time and children are not left out due to factors beyond their control.

While I have no doubt that yes, we are using technology more and more in schools, I do have to wonder if the article is more another attack on the education system as a whole, or even simply playing on the fears of parents that their child is "inadequate" because they aren't spending every waking moment writing and will thus not score highly on the NAPLAN (again, NAPLAN is NOT a "ranking" system and should not be treated as such-it's a way to compare how well your child is doing to others objectively).

It would also help if we are able to separate difficulty with handwriting based on the legibility or fluency with handwriting itself, and difficulty with handwriting simply based on spelling. A child who may, for example misspell "Chronicle" as "Kronikull" is not necessarily struggling with handwriting in and of itself (Spellcheck on computers is not a reliable way to fix this either).

So if you are concerned about your child's handwriting, what should you do?

1. Talk to your child's teacher. And I don't mean call or email, I mean actually visiting the teacher and asking for samples of your child's work. Ask for any literature as well backing up their decision to use (or not use) cursive in the classroom if your child is in Years 3-5 (by Year 6, cursive may still be used, but it's not compulsory). Also ask your child's teacher for anything that can be done at home.
2. Recognise that handwriting does not mean writing letters all day long. If your child is writing cards, memos or doing other practical tasks that involve writing, then they are still practicing their handwriting even if it's not immediately obvious.
3.. Have a look at activities to help develop fine motor skills that aren't specifically related to handwriting. Some good activities for this that are age-appropriate include Qixels/Beados (6), Hama Beads (7), Loom Bands (8), Lego (or any model-building), Spirograph (9) or even any craft activity that requires you to be able to pick up small things with your hands.
4. If it hasn't been picked up already, have a look to see if they're in fact left-handed or ambidextrous. Some teachers unfortunately have a tendency to discourage left-handedness either out of tradition or a perception that the child will struggle in the modern world. Your child being left-handed or ambidextrous will have no other bearing in their modern life except needing to purchase items specifically for their needs (and some manufacturers are catching on with ambidextrous options)
5. If there are still issues, consider having your child evaluated both by a GP and by a psychologist for a disability (take work samples and observations from the school with you when you do visit them). There are a wide variety of issues that can cause difficulties with handwriting and some of them are not nearly as obvious at first glance (for example, one may assume that dyslexia simply means difficulty with reading, when it can also affect handwriting). The earlier any of those issues are picked up, the easier it becomes for the teacher to adjust their methods in the classroom. It is also very important to note that if your child does get diagnosed with a disability of any description, schools by law cannot refuse enrolment to your child. Yes, this includes private schools.