Shall We Dance?
At the end of Year 8 in 1982, I had to choose my elective subjects for the following year. I …
Knowing Girls
Books and Donkey Costumes: Why Book Week Matters
It’s Book Week and parents all over the country are pulling together costumes for their kids. Some are relishing the …
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Digital Addiction
In South Korea there are 200 digital addiction rehabilitation centres. The symptoms of the people enrolled in these centers include …
Beautiful Boredom!
Boredom is important in a child’s development. It helps create curious, creative, analytical kids. Find out why.
What Girls Want.
Girls want things to be fair. Girls want good relationships. Girls want clear communication. A recent student forum held at …
Better Parent Teacher Meetings
Parent Teacher Interviews are a strange construct. They are time efficient. They put all the necessary parties in the same …
Taming Cyberia: The New Office Protecting Kids Online
1 in 5 Australian children aged 8 to 17 has been cyber bullied in the last year. How has the government responded? Who is going to keep our kids safe?
This Is What’s Making Our Kids So Anxious
Our young people are in the middle of an anxiety epidemic. Why? What is making our kids so anxious? And how can we create a culture of coping?
Anxiety
Earlier this year, one of my most spirited and capable friends sat with me and wept. She is the mother …
Parents, Alcohol and the Law
This week our blog was about teenagers and alcohol. It is important that our children have the knowledge required to …
Teens and Alcohol
Teenagers and alcohol are a dangerous combination. What do we need to teach kids in order to keep them safe when the time comes?
Our Kids Can Code
At Santa Maria College we teach our girls to code. Why is it vital that every student learns these skills?
5 Manners Your Child Should Have
Manners are shared rituals that cut corners and simplify social behaviour. They make awkward situations easy. Here are 5 manners your child should have.
The App Your Child Must Have
Schools usually write articles about which apps your child should be protected from. That’s not the case here. This is …
NAPLAN: Is There An Upside?
If you have a child in Years 3, 5, 7, or 9, you know that it is NAPLAN week. Hopefully …
The Teacher-Student Relationship
A child’s relationship with their teacher is fundamental to their success at school. How can we support this vital relationship?
Rituals that Protect our Children
Rituals and routines provide us with a sense that we belong to something bigger than ourselves. They are an important part of building resilience in kids.
Enough with Finland
Australia’s education system is often compared to that of Finland. However, few take into consideration the cultural features that make all the difference.
Sleepy Teens: Why Are Our Teenagers Always So Tired?
At a time in their lives of enormous brain development, it is essential for our teens’ development that they get enough sleep.
The Sexualisation of Young Girls
“It takes a village to raise a child, but the village is toxic.” Melinda Tankard Reist pulls no punches …
Far From Home: Boarding School and Homesickness
This weekend I’m attending the thirty-year reunion of my boarding school year group. With that group of women, I stumbled …
Strong, Fit Girls: An Interview with Olympian, Lucy Chaffer
Lucy Chaffer has been teaching Physical Education, Outdoor Education and Health in girls’ schools for ten years. She is passionate …
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A Matter of Privacy
Guiding Teens Through CyberspaceIt would have been hard to avoid media coverage this week of a new American website featuring …
When Did Girls Get So Smart?
It would surprise most to learn that in last year’s NAPLAN, girls out performed boys in every test at every …
Why Shouldn’t You Choose a School from a League Table?
Schools hate league tables, even really good schools. Principals and teachers hate league tables; it’s one of the few things …
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