From clutter to clarity

It is one of my pet peeves, so I can't help but comment on the debate which seems to be finally gathering some momentum in Perth. Please note the following comments refer to the majority of homework (some educators do it well) and homework within the primary and early secondary years. Homework sucks (on the whole!) and yes in my humble opinion it should be removed as a blanket approach to, well what? A ridiculous perception that it might make our children 'do better'- at worksheets maybe and that doing more younger will help them become more - well what? I am not against a rigorous curriculum or against our children being challenged and extended but could we please ask that qualified educators who are trained to do such things do it in the confines of the school day and if the school day simply doesn't fit in what we require our emerging brains to know then maybe like the French we need to consider modifying that! Parents and siblings are not and should not be exp...

 My challenge for the here and now is to take note of 3 things as you go about your day to day activities. Things you see everyday but pay no attention to: a beautiful set of stairs travelled up and down by generations of people all set about their own day to day; a century old tree who has cast shade on your route for decades; or a children's book which sits on the bookcase now collecting dust and when you notice them think about the value they give/ have given to you. It is incredible to think that in each day we follow the same path, be that on foot, in the car or through habit but often fail to appreciate the very things that make the path smoother. For those of you who like an even greater challenge pick a significant person and notice some of the 'overlooked' traits they possess, think about how those traits positively impact on your journey and if you are feeling really brave you could even tell them. Go on, it won't hurt that much.