Kids and Parents

Welcoming Strategies for Students & Their Families

Starting a new school can be scary. Those concerned with mental health in schools can play important prevention and therapeutic roles by helping a school establish a welcoming program and ways to provide ongoing social support.
Special attention must be directed at providing Office Staff with training and resources so they can create a welcoming and supportive atmosphere to everyone who enter  . . . more

Literacy and Development

Speech to the 1998 Planning Hui of the Adult Reading and Learning Assistance (ARLA) Federation of Aotearoa New Zealand: Waipapa Marae, University of Auckland, Saturday 20 June. Published in Nga Kete Koreo, the Journal of Literacy Aotearoa, July, 1999.


During his second voyage of discovery, James Cook had two boats which arranged to meet in Queen Charlotte Sound. They did not. After waiting a  . . . more

Self-help cognitive therapy programme trialled

Effective, no-drug antidepressant trialled

Depression and anxiety sufferers on treatment waiting lists will trial a self-help cognitive therapy programme.

The programme has been proven overseas to decrease depression and, in some cases, even obviate the need for further therapy.

The head of Australasia?s only university-based CT training unit, Massey University?s Associate Professor Paul  . . . more

Within the family: Why the kids suffer when parents fight

When couples separate, adults who regard themselves as reasonable in most situations become vitriolic in their exchanges with each other, too hurt to be grown up and too helpless to do anything but blame the other for the agonies they feel.

Children find themselves exposed to this conflict, and research is absolutely clear that such exposure is destructive to them.

Because children of all   . . . more

The Benefits of Establishing High Expectations for Positive Behaviours in a Classroom Learning Community

The Benefits of Establishing High Expectations for Positive Behaviours in a Classroom Learning Community, are identified in the following research summmaries:

A safe and caring learning environment maximizes learning.

Research also shows that clearly articulated expectations for positive behaviours in a learning community provide emotional safety and the relaxed alertness that create the hig  . . . more

Swearing- the modern curse.

Ask any teacher and they will say that swearing seems to have increased. Words that used to be forbidden have become mainstream language. Children learn from their parents, siblings, peers and television. One Principal at a primary school admitted that he sometimes "lets out a 4 letter word" in the privacy of his home but will not accept it in his school regardless of the intent. Ask any child   . . . more

Freedom or Discipline?

Freedom is a core, but often misunderstood, Montessori principle. Shannon Helfrich, an AMI trainer of trainers, defined freedom as the capacity to pause in the face of certain stimuli and make a choice, to the exclusion of all other choices.

How do our children go about making that choice? They can?t make it without prior knowledge and experience. They gain that knowledge and experience fro  . . . more

Brain Gym(R)- nature and origins

This is a letter written by Gail Dennison for us to give to parents who have questions about Brain Gym and its origins. I think it is an outstanding letter and want to share it with all of you:

Brain Gym(R) is a learning-readiness program used in schools, homes, and businesses in more than 80 countries around the world. This movement-based program was founded on the research of educators   . . . more

The Problem of Boys in New Zealand Schools

In N.Z. educational equity concern has traditionally been focused on provision for girls and Maori. It is a mandated requirement since 1989 that all schools analysis and compare the academic performance of girls and Maori against that of the whole school co hort.

In the last two years there has been a gradual - indeed hesitant, articulation of the plight of boys in education. Boys are vastly   . . . more

Kia-Kaha. A programme to eliminate bullying.

Kia-Kaha (Maori word for "stand strong") was established in New Zealand by the Telecom Corporation and the New Zealand Police Education Officers. New Zealanders have created guidelines and charters that urge schools to acknowledge their "moral obligation to reduce bullying." Hundreds of Police Education Officers are trained to implement the Kia-Kaha program in schools. They encourage the entire sc  . . . more

Deciding Where to Send Your Child to School.

Deciding on a school.

Most children attend the school closest to where they live. These are usually listed in the Yellow Pages of the telephone directory. Parents and caregivers can enrol their children at any state school of their choice. However, if a school has too many children wishing to enrol, the Ministry of Education may allow a school to operate an enrolment scheme to prevent over-crow  . . . more