1 00:00:03,480 --> 00:00:07,080 Speaker 1: It's the Happy Families Podcast. It's the podcast for the 2 00:00:07,160 --> 00:00:10,119 Speaker 1: time poor parent who just wants answers. 3 00:00:10,200 --> 00:00:10,440 Speaker 2: Now. 4 00:00:10,680 --> 00:00:13,040 Speaker 3: Hello, this is doctor Justin Coulson. Welcome to the Happy 5 00:00:13,039 --> 00:00:17,360 Speaker 3: Families Podcast. I love Wednesdays because of the fascinating conversations 6 00:00:17,400 --> 00:00:19,680 Speaker 3: that we get to have with people all over the 7 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:23,840 Speaker 3: place doing a whole lot of really important and amazing work. 8 00:00:23,960 --> 00:00:26,079 Speaker 3: When you went to school, do you remember healthy Harold, 9 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:27,840 Speaker 3: Do you remember the giraffe used to show up in 10 00:00:27,840 --> 00:00:30,159 Speaker 3: the playground or in the school assembly hall and you 11 00:00:30,240 --> 00:00:33,960 Speaker 3: do these life education sessions about all different things, healthy living, 12 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:36,680 Speaker 3: making good choices, all that kind of stuff. Well, today, 13 00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:38,760 Speaker 3: having a chat with Tereses Hooper, she's the director of 14 00:00:38,840 --> 00:00:42,040 Speaker 3: Education in New South Wales at Life Education. Teres is 15 00:00:42,159 --> 00:00:44,960 Speaker 3: a former teacher and a parent of three kids, all 16 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:47,360 Speaker 3: of whom have gone through the high school transition. And 17 00:00:47,400 --> 00:00:52,040 Speaker 3: that's relevant for the conversation today because well, there's a 18 00:00:52,040 --> 00:00:55,000 Speaker 3: lot going on as kids transition to high school and 19 00:00:55,360 --> 00:00:59,440 Speaker 3: Life Ed has released a new study showing that kids 20 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:03,640 Speaker 3: are genuinely anxious and stressed about the transition from primary 21 00:01:03,720 --> 00:01:06,959 Speaker 3: school to secondary school. Forty six percent of kids say 22 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:09,520 Speaker 3: that they feel fear, uncertainly in sadness about the move. 23 00:01:09,680 --> 00:01:13,440 Speaker 3: Forty three percent of kids said they felt joy or contentment, 24 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:15,840 Speaker 3: so there's a lot of kids that aren't feeling great 25 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:17,920 Speaker 3: about it. This echoes research that I came across a 26 00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:20,320 Speaker 3: few years ago that shows that when it comes to 27 00:01:20,360 --> 00:01:23,200 Speaker 3: resilience and well being, there is a dip, a measurable 28 00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:25,479 Speaker 3: dip in both resilience and well being as kids make 29 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:28,600 Speaker 3: this transition from primary school to high school. There's another 30 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:31,360 Speaker 3: dip again around year ten. Not sure why. I've got 31 00:01:31,360 --> 00:01:34,280 Speaker 3: a couple of ideas about that, but today we're going 32 00:01:34,319 --> 00:01:37,679 Speaker 3: to talk about this specific study with teres. The study 33 00:01:37,680 --> 00:01:41,240 Speaker 3: is Australia's largest of its kind. It showed that girls 34 00:01:41,360 --> 00:01:44,039 Speaker 3: are more likely to feel fear or sadness compared to boys, 35 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:47,680 Speaker 3: and overall students are pretty well underprepared for the transition 36 00:01:47,880 --> 00:01:51,680 Speaker 3: going from big fish in little ponds to little fish 37 00:01:51,880 --> 00:01:54,880 Speaker 3: in big ponds. The research has led to the development 38 00:01:54,880 --> 00:01:57,279 Speaker 3: of a new life education program called Guide to Thrive, 39 00:01:57,440 --> 00:02:02,120 Speaker 3: which is available online for teachers and for parents. Terese Hooper, 40 00:02:02,240 --> 00:02:04,800 Speaker 3: director of Educational Life at Australia, joins us now to 41 00:02:04,840 --> 00:02:06,440 Speaker 3: unpack it all. Thank you so much for being on 42 00:02:06,480 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 3: the happy Families podcast ties. 43 00:02:08,800 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 2: Thanks for having me justin. I'm happy to be here. 44 00:02:11,320 --> 00:02:12,880 Speaker 3: It was a long intro, but there's so much to 45 00:02:12,960 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 3: unpack here, so let's just dive straight in and get cracking. 46 00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:19,320 Speaker 3: The transition to high school trees. It is for a 47 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:22,640 Speaker 3: lot of kids scary and nervous. Not all kids, but 48 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:26,120 Speaker 3: for a large percentage of them. When you look at 49 00:02:26,120 --> 00:02:28,520 Speaker 3: the research that you've come across, consider your own life 50 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:30,560 Speaker 3: experience and the work that you do with life education, 51 00:02:31,320 --> 00:02:34,760 Speaker 3: how important would you say this transition is to the 52 00:02:34,800 --> 00:02:36,080 Speaker 3: rest of the child's life. 53 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:40,000 Speaker 2: It's really very important. I mean, half of these kids 54 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:43,120 Speaker 2: are telling us that they're really concerned about this transition 55 00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:47,399 Speaker 2: into secondary school and a negative experience. Transitioning from that 56 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:51,800 Speaker 2: little pond into that big pond can lead to poorer 57 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:57,040 Speaker 2: academic outcomes, less friends, so less social connections, lower sense 58 00:02:57,200 --> 00:03:01,119 Speaker 2: of well being, and a higher likelihood of them disengaging 59 00:03:01,120 --> 00:03:02,640 Speaker 2: from school or dropping out earlier. 60 00:03:02,960 --> 00:03:06,720 Speaker 3: So when you say that, Teres, I'm interested to know, 61 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:11,239 Speaker 3: are we talking about kids moving into high school even 62 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:15,000 Speaker 3: in a school that is from like kindergarten right through 63 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:17,360 Speaker 3: or reception right through. Are we seeing this across the 64 00:03:17,400 --> 00:03:19,000 Speaker 3: board here? 65 00:03:19,080 --> 00:03:21,079 Speaker 2: We are because I think you know, we've all sort 66 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:24,359 Speaker 2: of tried this on our kids, telling them these scary stories. 67 00:03:24,440 --> 00:03:25,880 Speaker 2: Is like, you're not going to get away with that 68 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:29,440 Speaker 2: in secondary school, or wait until you see the workload increasing. 69 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:31,960 Speaker 2: I mean, we do tend to use this as a 70 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:35,000 Speaker 2: you know it's all going to change moment, and you 71 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:36,560 Speaker 2: know that, you know, we've got to think of the 72 00:03:36,600 --> 00:03:39,720 Speaker 2: ramifications of those kind of statements. Half the kids are 73 00:03:39,800 --> 00:03:42,240 Speaker 2: still excited about it, but half the kids that you know, 74 00:03:42,320 --> 00:03:44,960 Speaker 2: it heightens their sense of anxiety around the change. 75 00:03:45,200 --> 00:03:47,160 Speaker 3: And when you're feeling anxious, when you're feeling scared, when 76 00:03:47,160 --> 00:03:49,880 Speaker 3: you're feeling fearful, the playground is a sort of place 77 00:03:49,920 --> 00:03:52,760 Speaker 3: where other kids will notice that, they'll feed off that 78 00:03:52,880 --> 00:03:54,720 Speaker 3: and they'll give you more of what you expect, right, 79 00:03:54,760 --> 00:03:57,520 Speaker 3: I mean, that's that's the way the social contagion, the 80 00:03:57,600 --> 00:03:58,400 Speaker 3: way kids work. 81 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:02,880 Speaker 2: Absolutely absolutely, like you know, confident kids that are using 82 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:06,200 Speaker 2: the right kind of body language and just really exuding 83 00:04:06,280 --> 00:04:08,720 Speaker 2: that confidence, they're going to be better placed. But the 84 00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:11,520 Speaker 2: kids that are feeling nervous anyway, you know, they're right 85 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:13,680 Speaker 2: for the picking and it does lead to more challenges, 86 00:04:13,720 --> 00:04:17,080 Speaker 2: even even things like you know, greater prevalence around bullying. 87 00:04:17,200 --> 00:04:19,160 Speaker 2: This is really important that we listen to what these 88 00:04:19,240 --> 00:04:20,000 Speaker 2: kids are telling us. 89 00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:21,920 Speaker 3: Right now, let's have a look at the flip side. 90 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:23,760 Speaker 3: We know that nearly half of the kids in the 91 00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:27,040 Speaker 3: survey said that this is not a positive transition time 92 00:04:27,080 --> 00:04:29,039 Speaker 3: for them. It's a fearful time. What happens when we 93 00:04:29,080 --> 00:04:31,760 Speaker 3: get the transition right? Do we just literally flipped around 94 00:04:31,800 --> 00:04:32,760 Speaker 3: and say everything goes great. 95 00:04:33,360 --> 00:04:37,960 Speaker 2: Well, no, but the likelihood of them achieving academic achievements 96 00:04:38,080 --> 00:04:42,479 Speaker 2: or higher levels of academic achievements is more prevalent. They're 97 00:04:42,480 --> 00:04:45,440 Speaker 2: better engaged in the school system, they might be participating 98 00:04:45,440 --> 00:04:49,120 Speaker 2: in more extracurricular activities. They're going to have stronger friendship 99 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:51,640 Speaker 2: connections so that if something does go wrong, they've got 100 00:04:51,640 --> 00:04:54,599 Speaker 2: other people to turn to. They're going to feel safe 101 00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:57,560 Speaker 2: in that environment and embedded in that school community, because 102 00:04:57,600 --> 00:04:59,440 Speaker 2: each school is its own little community. 103 00:05:00,080 --> 00:05:02,279 Speaker 3: Thinking this conversation is so important to have right now. 104 00:05:02,920 --> 00:05:06,200 Speaker 3: It's August. We've still got several months until our year 105 00:05:06,240 --> 00:05:08,840 Speaker 3: six is head into year seven, and right around the 106 00:05:08,839 --> 00:05:10,680 Speaker 3: country now everyone goes from grade six to grade seven, 107 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:14,600 Speaker 3: from primary school to high school. I wonder what parents 108 00:05:14,600 --> 00:05:17,920 Speaker 3: can do to help their kids to be better prepared. 109 00:05:18,160 --> 00:05:20,520 Speaker 3: I presume that the survey data the kids are identifying 110 00:05:20,560 --> 00:05:22,400 Speaker 3: that this is a tricky time for them. 111 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:24,720 Speaker 2: What are they saying, Well, I'm going to stop you there, 112 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:27,320 Speaker 2: because that's part of the problem is we start talking 113 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:30,640 Speaker 2: about this, we go, oh, it's August, it'll be happening soon. 114 00:05:31,160 --> 00:05:32,960 Speaker 2: We need to get way in front of this. We 115 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:35,320 Speaker 2: need to be having this conversation, you know, maybe a 116 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:38,400 Speaker 2: year earlier. And the kids are telling us that, they're saying, 117 00:05:38,400 --> 00:05:41,000 Speaker 2: we don't want all this information at the last minute, 118 00:05:41,120 --> 00:05:42,960 Speaker 2: and we don't want it to stop the minute we 119 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:45,520 Speaker 2: arrive or a week after we've arrived at secondary school. 120 00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:48,479 Speaker 2: Either we want that support and all that structure to 121 00:05:48,520 --> 00:05:51,400 Speaker 2: look after us over a longer period of time. So 122 00:05:51,960 --> 00:05:54,440 Speaker 2: you know, again, this is a really great opportunity to 123 00:05:54,480 --> 00:05:56,440 Speaker 2: take it from the mouths of babes. They're telling us 124 00:05:56,440 --> 00:05:58,680 Speaker 2: what they need. It would be crazy not to listen. 125 00:05:58,839 --> 00:06:01,479 Speaker 3: Okay, So if you kids six right now, sorry, too bad, 126 00:06:01,520 --> 00:06:03,320 Speaker 3: so sad. But if they're in grade five right now, 127 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:05,440 Speaker 3: I shouldn't say that. I'm just kidding. 128 00:06:05,760 --> 00:06:05,880 Speaker 2: Now. 129 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:07,560 Speaker 3: There's something else in this data though, that I read 130 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:10,680 Speaker 3: and highlighted in the intro therees that I really want 131 00:06:10,720 --> 00:06:13,240 Speaker 3: to pick up on again. Forty six percent of kids 132 00:06:13,279 --> 00:06:15,920 Speaker 3: said they feel fear, uncertainly in sadness about the move. 133 00:06:17,120 --> 00:06:20,520 Speaker 3: Girls were the ones that were most likely to experience 134 00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:22,800 Speaker 3: fear or sadness rather than boys. Now, I've got a 135 00:06:22,800 --> 00:06:25,280 Speaker 3: couple of ideas around what could be going on here, 136 00:06:25,279 --> 00:06:27,240 Speaker 3: but I'd love to know what you think before I 137 00:06:27,279 --> 00:06:28,360 Speaker 3: throw my two cents worth. 138 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:31,880 Speaker 2: Well, I was hoping to hear your ideas because we 139 00:06:32,160 --> 00:06:34,760 Speaker 2: at Life Aired, we need to conduct more research to 140 00:06:34,839 --> 00:06:38,680 Speaker 2: understand this and to unpack it further. I know personally 141 00:06:38,760 --> 00:06:42,240 Speaker 2: my experience. I've got two daughters and I found that 142 00:06:42,279 --> 00:06:44,839 Speaker 2: this was around the age that they started to disengage 143 00:06:44,839 --> 00:06:49,280 Speaker 2: from sport. They had more friendship challenges. So justin, I'm 144 00:06:49,279 --> 00:06:51,080 Speaker 2: really keen to hear your thoughts on this matter. 145 00:06:51,080 --> 00:06:54,200 Speaker 3: Also, sure, well, you're exactly right. The data shows that 146 00:06:54,279 --> 00:06:57,040 Speaker 3: kids disengage from those extra curricular activities, especially the ones 147 00:06:57,040 --> 00:07:00,000 Speaker 3: that involve you moving their physical body. Girls don't play 148 00:07:00,160 --> 00:07:02,800 Speaker 3: sport once they get into high school grade seven, grade eight. 149 00:07:03,200 --> 00:07:06,240 Speaker 3: The drop off is precipitous, and a lot of this 150 00:07:06,320 --> 00:07:08,800 Speaker 3: has to do with body image, and a lot of 151 00:07:08,839 --> 00:07:10,760 Speaker 3: that has to do with what's happening in the playground. 152 00:07:10,800 --> 00:07:13,720 Speaker 3: It has to do with this heightened awhen is that 153 00:07:13,840 --> 00:07:17,240 Speaker 3: bodies are changing and that people are noticing the bodies 154 00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:19,760 Speaker 3: are changing. A lot of people say, oh, it's all 155 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:22,240 Speaker 3: social media stuff, and that may be part of it, 156 00:07:22,320 --> 00:07:25,160 Speaker 3: but really it's the social environment. Is it a safe 157 00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:28,440 Speaker 3: environment or not? And my guess is that girls feel 158 00:07:28,520 --> 00:07:32,400 Speaker 3: less safe. And another thing that's a reality from research 159 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:35,520 Speaker 3: is when we look at sociometric research, we know that 160 00:07:35,760 --> 00:07:40,000 Speaker 3: girls worry about popularity more than boys. Girls are much 161 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:44,200 Speaker 3: more relational, they're more relationally aggressive. So I would be 162 00:07:44,440 --> 00:07:47,680 Speaker 3: leaning in that direction and suggesting that the oh and sorry, 163 00:07:47,720 --> 00:07:50,240 Speaker 3: there's also additional pressure on girls, Like we've got this 164 00:07:50,320 --> 00:07:53,520 Speaker 3: saying about boys that I hope one day will eradicate, 165 00:07:53,520 --> 00:07:54,920 Speaker 3: but we haven't done it yet, and that is that 166 00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:56,960 Speaker 3: when boys are having a hard time, when they're playing up, 167 00:07:56,960 --> 00:07:58,880 Speaker 3: when they're being bullfeneds, when they're punching each other or 168 00:07:58,920 --> 00:08:00,720 Speaker 3: kicking a ball over the fence on the roof, we 169 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:02,679 Speaker 3: shrug our shoulders and say, oh, boys will be boys. 170 00:08:03,240 --> 00:08:06,120 Speaker 3: But when girls do that, we kind of say, excuse me, girls, 171 00:08:06,280 --> 00:08:08,320 Speaker 3: you can do better than that. We have a higher 172 00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:11,720 Speaker 3: behavioral expectation, a higher behavioral standard for girls. So I 173 00:08:11,720 --> 00:08:14,520 Speaker 3: think they're the four big things, thees that really stand 174 00:08:14,560 --> 00:08:19,680 Speaker 3: out to me immediately. First off, girls are more relational. Secondly, 175 00:08:20,080 --> 00:08:24,360 Speaker 3: they're more aware of their bodies and the changes that 176 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:28,119 Speaker 3: are happening. And Thirdly, as an extension of that, they're 177 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:31,640 Speaker 3: mindful that other people are noticing them and making judgments, 178 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:34,080 Speaker 3: both boys and girls, so they're not feeling is safe, 179 00:08:34,320 --> 00:08:37,400 Speaker 3: and of course that lasting girls are expected to behave better. 180 00:08:37,440 --> 00:08:41,640 Speaker 3: That's kind of what I would imagine is possibly going 181 00:08:41,640 --> 00:08:43,120 Speaker 3: on there, but it could be something else as well. 182 00:08:43,320 --> 00:08:45,800 Speaker 3: I'd look forward to seeing some more research in just 183 00:08:45,800 --> 00:08:47,600 Speaker 3: a sac after the break Trees, I want to ask 184 00:08:47,640 --> 00:08:50,800 Speaker 3: you whether having siblings who have made the move into 185 00:08:50,880 --> 00:08:54,080 Speaker 3: high school will sort of have much of an impact 186 00:08:54,120 --> 00:08:56,640 Speaker 3: on that, and maybe just unpack a bit more about 187 00:08:56,679 --> 00:09:04,560 Speaker 3: the specific concerns of these kids. Imagine a relationship where 188 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:08,439 Speaker 3: you felt seen, heard and valued. One where as your 189 00:09:08,440 --> 00:09:11,480 Speaker 3: partner enters the front door, they see you and their 190 00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:14,920 Speaker 3: eyes light up. A relationship like that is a gift. 191 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:18,400 Speaker 3: If you don't have it now, you can. The Happy 192 00:09:18,400 --> 00:09:22,679 Speaker 3: Family's webinar Better Together gives you the insight, tools and 193 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:26,319 Speaker 3: support you need to have a Happier Relationship available now 194 00:09:26,360 --> 00:09:30,240 Speaker 3: at the Happy Family's web shop. It's the Happy Families podcast, 195 00:09:30,240 --> 00:09:33,360 Speaker 3: the podcast for the time poor parent who just wants answers. Now, 196 00:09:33,559 --> 00:09:35,160 Speaker 3: if you've got kids that are going to transition to 197 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:37,640 Speaker 3: high school soon, this is the conversation that you want 198 00:09:37,640 --> 00:09:41,000 Speaker 3: to be having. Terse Hooper is in charge of education 199 00:09:41,640 --> 00:09:44,680 Speaker 3: at Life Education, the director of education in New South 200 00:09:44,679 --> 00:09:47,920 Speaker 3: Wales Life Education. We're talking about this transition to high 201 00:09:47,920 --> 00:09:50,640 Speaker 3: school and treies. When you look at that data, did 202 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:54,440 Speaker 3: siblings older siblings specifically play a role about whether kids 203 00:09:54,440 --> 00:09:56,560 Speaker 3: were more or less concerned about getting into high school? 204 00:09:57,920 --> 00:10:01,000 Speaker 2: Yes, and no, I think at Life ED and I 205 00:10:01,040 --> 00:10:03,320 Speaker 2: think you know more broadly as well. We all understand 206 00:10:03,320 --> 00:10:07,440 Speaker 2: and respect that all kids are different, really unique and special, 207 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:12,079 Speaker 2: and each each child's experience is going to be quite different. However, 208 00:10:13,160 --> 00:10:16,160 Speaker 2: the experience that their older sibling had might help shape 209 00:10:16,200 --> 00:10:19,559 Speaker 2: that experience or the sense of anxiety that they may 210 00:10:19,640 --> 00:10:22,480 Speaker 2: have going into that. So if that older sibling had 211 00:10:22,520 --> 00:10:25,520 Speaker 2: a really great, smooth transition, that younger kid might go 212 00:10:25,600 --> 00:10:28,520 Speaker 2: into that transition feeling like that's going to be exactly 213 00:10:28,520 --> 00:10:31,679 Speaker 2: the same for them. It may it may not. And 214 00:10:31,720 --> 00:10:34,040 Speaker 2: obviously the flip side as well, so they might be 215 00:10:34,120 --> 00:10:38,760 Speaker 2: some heightened anxiety if the older child ended up, you know, 216 00:10:38,880 --> 00:10:41,200 Speaker 2: not having such a smooth sort of experience going into 217 00:10:41,240 --> 00:10:41,960 Speaker 2: secondary school. 218 00:10:42,240 --> 00:10:44,679 Speaker 3: School is just so stressful for so many kids. What 219 00:10:45,120 --> 00:10:48,360 Speaker 3: were they highlighting is the thing that concerned them the most. 220 00:10:50,200 --> 00:10:52,559 Speaker 2: They had quite a list, and you know, this was 221 00:10:52,679 --> 00:10:56,160 Speaker 2: qualitative research. So we've got the words out of their mouths. 222 00:10:56,800 --> 00:11:00,559 Speaker 2: And one of the most sort of favorite satements or 223 00:11:00,640 --> 00:11:03,320 Speaker 2: questions that they said to us was am I going 224 00:11:03,360 --> 00:11:05,480 Speaker 2: to be so busy that I'm not going to have 225 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:11,320 Speaker 2: time for fun anymore? Yes, So they were really concerned about, 226 00:11:11,600 --> 00:11:14,040 Speaker 2: you know, how their time was just going to be absorbed. 227 00:11:14,360 --> 00:11:17,680 Speaker 2: They were really scared about the level of school work 228 00:11:17,720 --> 00:11:19,400 Speaker 2: they were going to be expected to do and the 229 00:11:19,440 --> 00:11:23,400 Speaker 2: amount of homework. They also told us that they were 230 00:11:23,520 --> 00:11:25,280 Speaker 2: a bit worried about how they're going to get to 231 00:11:25,320 --> 00:11:27,559 Speaker 2: this new school. You know, they might be having to 232 00:11:27,640 --> 00:11:31,679 Speaker 2: navigate public transport for the first time ever. A lot 233 00:11:31,679 --> 00:11:34,959 Speaker 2: of them even said they'd never seen our school timetable before. 234 00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:38,360 Speaker 2: And some of them went and did a walk around 235 00:11:38,440 --> 00:11:41,080 Speaker 2: at a school orientation day and they felt like this 236 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:43,320 Speaker 2: was such a new, big, scary environment. They even got 237 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:46,000 Speaker 2: lost on the campus. So some of those real simple 238 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:49,200 Speaker 2: things that we don't see that play out as you know, 239 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:52,199 Speaker 2: so large in our lives, but kids see that as 240 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:57,559 Speaker 2: enormous and don't forget that. A secondary school environment specifically, 241 00:11:58,040 --> 00:12:01,720 Speaker 2: it has a real hierarchy that's very very evident there, 242 00:12:02,080 --> 00:12:04,760 Speaker 2: and it's evident in terms of size as well. Those 243 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:08,600 Speaker 2: kids look big to a newly sort of minted secondary 244 00:12:08,600 --> 00:12:12,000 Speaker 2: school student, and there's real scales of that and clicks 245 00:12:12,000 --> 00:12:13,880 Speaker 2: around there as well. So where do they belong? 246 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:16,800 Speaker 3: I remember going into grade seven, I'm this scrawny little 247 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:18,480 Speaker 3: eleven or twelve year old kid, and I'm looking at 248 00:12:18,480 --> 00:12:21,440 Speaker 3: the year twelves. They're growing beards. For goodness sakes, I 249 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:24,440 Speaker 3: mean that was so big. Do you reckon COVID's had 250 00:12:24,480 --> 00:12:26,240 Speaker 3: much of an impact on the way kids are going 251 00:12:26,280 --> 00:12:27,640 Speaker 3: to transition to school next year? 252 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:31,000 Speaker 2: Yeah? I do. And teachers are telling us all the 253 00:12:31,040 --> 00:12:34,960 Speaker 2: time that you know that kids are they haven't got 254 00:12:34,960 --> 00:12:37,400 Speaker 2: the social skills that they may have had or they 255 00:12:37,440 --> 00:12:39,319 Speaker 2: may have seen in place a few years ago. This 256 00:12:39,480 --> 00:12:42,800 Speaker 2: is a flexed muscle. This is a muscle that you 257 00:12:42,840 --> 00:12:46,240 Speaker 2: can learn and develop, you know, even entering a new 258 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:50,360 Speaker 2: play environment, asking someone you know for some support. If 259 00:12:50,360 --> 00:12:52,880 Speaker 2: you don't practice those things, and we haven't because we've 260 00:12:52,880 --> 00:12:55,320 Speaker 2: had so many interruptions in the last couple of years, 261 00:12:55,480 --> 00:12:57,560 Speaker 2: they're less likely to be able to do that at 262 00:12:57,559 --> 00:12:58,240 Speaker 2: school as well. 263 00:12:58,600 --> 00:13:01,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, so let's get some answers here. 264 00:13:01,520 --> 00:13:03,800 Speaker 1: Teres, if parents can help kids to prepare for that 265 00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:05,560 Speaker 1: transition to secondary school, whether it's going to be this 266 00:13:05,600 --> 00:13:08,120 Speaker 1: year or next year, or whenever it might be, what 267 00:13:08,600 --> 00:13:11,360 Speaker 1: advice would you give to parents who are and teachers 268 00:13:11,400 --> 00:13:14,320 Speaker 1: who want to improve this transition experience as kids go 269 00:13:14,400 --> 00:13:17,560 Speaker 1: from being in this little school to being in this great, 270 00:13:17,559 --> 00:13:18,440 Speaker 1: big high school. 271 00:13:18,840 --> 00:13:22,040 Speaker 2: First of all, I say to parents and teachers, take 272 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:24,880 Speaker 2: the time and listen. Kids are telling us this sort 273 00:13:24,880 --> 00:13:26,839 Speaker 2: of stuff. We could hear it if we'd actually just 274 00:13:26,880 --> 00:13:29,440 Speaker 2: stop and listen. This is what we did at Life Ed. 275 00:13:29,760 --> 00:13:33,040 Speaker 2: We asked the question and we listened. We heard from 276 00:13:33,080 --> 00:13:37,280 Speaker 2: nearly four hundred and fifty little people from the ages 277 00:13:37,320 --> 00:13:39,880 Speaker 2: of ten to fourteen, and they told us that these 278 00:13:39,880 --> 00:13:42,680 Speaker 2: are their concerns. If we know that, if we have 279 00:13:42,720 --> 00:13:45,040 Speaker 2: all that information on the table, we can support them 280 00:13:45,040 --> 00:13:47,360 Speaker 2: with strategies and develop the skills so that they can 281 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:50,240 Speaker 2: navigate these issues. But one, oh, one is listen to 282 00:13:50,280 --> 00:13:52,480 Speaker 2: your little people. Yeah, for sure. 283 00:13:53,440 --> 00:13:56,080 Speaker 3: And based on what you were mentioning before, I'd imagine 284 00:13:56,120 --> 00:13:58,240 Speaker 3: we need to give them some reassurance. You will still 285 00:13:58,280 --> 00:13:59,760 Speaker 3: have time to have fun, You can still play your 286 00:13:59,760 --> 00:14:04,600 Speaker 3: favorite game, sports, hobbies, whatever. And the workload. Maybe we 287 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:06,640 Speaker 3: can stop scaring them about how big the workload's going 288 00:14:06,640 --> 00:14:09,120 Speaker 3: to be. That also stood out to me. We don't 289 00:14:09,160 --> 00:14:11,240 Speaker 3: need to be stressing our year sevens about how hard 290 00:14:11,280 --> 00:14:12,800 Speaker 3: they have to work to get into university. 291 00:14:12,800 --> 00:14:13,760 Speaker 1: Is that reasonable? 292 00:14:14,400 --> 00:14:18,319 Speaker 2: Absolutely? Yes, Stop the scare campaign. Start talking about the 293 00:14:19,000 --> 00:14:21,600 Speaker 2: benefits of it. You know, I talk to my kids 294 00:14:21,680 --> 00:14:23,480 Speaker 2: and say, you know, there have been those years where 295 00:14:23,480 --> 00:14:25,760 Speaker 2: you didn't necessarily love that teacher that you had for 296 00:14:25,800 --> 00:14:27,760 Speaker 2: the whole year. Or guess what, when you go into 297 00:14:27,760 --> 00:14:30,800 Speaker 2: secondary school, you're going to get a different teacher every 298 00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:33,600 Speaker 2: lesson that you walk into, the likelihood of you loving 299 00:14:33,600 --> 00:14:35,880 Speaker 2: half of those teachers is probably pretty high and then 300 00:14:36,000 --> 00:14:38,760 Speaker 2: really getting you. So let's talk about the positives. There's 301 00:14:38,800 --> 00:14:41,560 Speaker 2: a lot of positivity in the change and the experience 302 00:14:41,600 --> 00:14:43,280 Speaker 2: that they're going to be having, and there's ways that 303 00:14:43,320 --> 00:14:46,040 Speaker 2: we can prepare them for that, even just at home. 304 00:14:46,440 --> 00:14:49,640 Speaker 2: So for instance, you know, with my youngest at the moment. 305 00:14:49,920 --> 00:14:51,720 Speaker 2: I actually suggest to her that if we go out 306 00:14:51,760 --> 00:14:53,840 Speaker 2: to coffee or lunch, how you can go up and 307 00:14:53,880 --> 00:14:56,160 Speaker 2: pay today, here's my card. I want you to do that, 308 00:14:56,480 --> 00:14:58,840 Speaker 2: and she'll normally say could you come with me? And 309 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:00,760 Speaker 2: I go. Notice, is a really good opportunity for you 310 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:04,840 Speaker 2: to practice your social skills, simple things like that, you know, 311 00:15:04,920 --> 00:15:07,920 Speaker 2: teaching them how to catch a bus, tap on and 312 00:15:07,960 --> 00:15:11,760 Speaker 2: tap off, navigate the state transit app that we all 313 00:15:11,800 --> 00:15:15,240 Speaker 2: have available to us. Little things like let's prepare them early. 314 00:15:15,760 --> 00:15:17,440 Speaker 2: That's going to take the sting out of some of 315 00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:21,720 Speaker 2: those changes that might frighten them leading into school transitions. Thanks. 316 00:15:21,800 --> 00:15:24,640 Speaker 3: Three is so life Education have put together, as I 317 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:29,440 Speaker 3: mentioned before, a really useful resource for both teachers and parents, 318 00:15:29,720 --> 00:15:34,239 Speaker 3: a life education program called Guide to Thrive. Take this opportunity, 319 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:36,240 Speaker 3: give it a plug. Let's find out how this might 320 00:15:36,240 --> 00:15:39,040 Speaker 3: be helpful for parents and for educators. 321 00:15:39,760 --> 00:15:42,200 Speaker 2: Okay, well, what the parents and the teachers and their 322 00:15:42,280 --> 00:15:44,080 Speaker 2: cares are going to see when they log on here 323 00:15:44,680 --> 00:15:47,280 Speaker 2: is it's going to be divided into three sections. The 324 00:15:47,320 --> 00:15:50,800 Speaker 2: first section is for teachers. It's some professional development so 325 00:15:50,840 --> 00:15:54,080 Speaker 2: that they can understand and unpack the research that we've 326 00:15:54,120 --> 00:15:56,360 Speaker 2: done so that they can really drill down into it 327 00:15:56,400 --> 00:15:59,600 Speaker 2: and understand what those kids are telling us. The second 328 00:15:59,640 --> 00:16:02,680 Speaker 2: part of it is the classroom activities, which are for 329 00:16:02,800 --> 00:16:06,680 Speaker 2: teachers to facilitate in class that are going to develop 330 00:16:06,760 --> 00:16:10,040 Speaker 2: those skills and provide strategies for kids to work through 331 00:16:10,280 --> 00:16:12,720 Speaker 2: to navigate some of the challenges that the kids highlighted 332 00:16:12,760 --> 00:16:16,080 Speaker 2: to us. The third part is for parents, so we 333 00:16:16,160 --> 00:16:18,800 Speaker 2: know that the holy grail of education is when you 334 00:16:18,840 --> 00:16:23,360 Speaker 2: can create that perfect, perfect triangle between home, school and 335 00:16:23,440 --> 00:16:25,680 Speaker 2: what the child's going to experience. So then we've got, 336 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:29,160 Speaker 2: you know, the higher likelihood of them achieving those outcomes. 337 00:16:29,920 --> 00:16:32,880 Speaker 2: So again, just little tips so that we can have 338 00:16:32,920 --> 00:16:36,200 Speaker 2: those conversations at home and little suggestions that you can 339 00:16:36,240 --> 00:16:39,520 Speaker 2: start to prepare your young people way before they start 340 00:16:39,560 --> 00:16:41,720 Speaker 2: getting those scary stories about what's going to happen at 341 00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:42,200 Speaker 2: big school. 342 00:16:42,320 --> 00:16:45,360 Speaker 3: Will we see healthy Harold, No, we won't. 343 00:16:45,400 --> 00:16:47,840 Speaker 2: Healthy Harold doesn't play a part in this. There is 344 00:16:47,880 --> 00:16:49,520 Speaker 2: a bit of a time, you know, kind of that 345 00:16:49,600 --> 00:16:53,720 Speaker 2: drop off time where they stop believing in things like, oh, 346 00:16:53,760 --> 00:16:56,440 Speaker 2: I don't want to no spoilers here, but you know 347 00:16:56,560 --> 00:16:57,720 Speaker 2: certain mythical. 348 00:16:57,360 --> 00:17:00,560 Speaker 3: Creatures the kids too, for healthy Herald saying they're going 349 00:17:00,600 --> 00:17:02,640 Speaker 3: into high school, they don't need the giraffe anymore. 350 00:17:02,840 --> 00:17:05,600 Speaker 2: They don't need the giraffe anymore. It's time to put 351 00:17:05,680 --> 00:17:07,880 Speaker 2: him down. At that being said, often when we get 352 00:17:07,920 --> 00:17:10,119 Speaker 2: into high school, kids are still asking where he is. 353 00:17:10,240 --> 00:17:12,880 Speaker 2: So they've got that nice memory and at least they 354 00:17:12,880 --> 00:17:16,040 Speaker 2: know that all this research and these resources are coming 355 00:17:16,080 --> 00:17:19,720 Speaker 2: from a trusted provider that the kids, the parents, and 356 00:17:19,760 --> 00:17:21,959 Speaker 2: the teachers already know and trust. 357 00:17:22,640 --> 00:17:23,480 Speaker 3: Bit of nostalgia. 358 00:17:23,640 --> 00:17:23,960 Speaker 1: Love it. 359 00:17:24,119 --> 00:17:27,320 Speaker 3: Terse Hooper, the director of Education at Life Ed, thank 360 00:17:27,320 --> 00:17:29,320 Speaker 3: you so much for joining me on the Happy Families podcast. 361 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:30,880 Speaker 2: Thanks for having me. 362 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:34,600 Speaker 3: And for all the information about that Guide to Thrive 363 00:17:34,880 --> 00:17:37,760 Speaker 3: program for parents and teachers if your kids are moving 364 00:17:37,760 --> 00:17:39,760 Speaker 3: from primary school to high school. We will link to 365 00:17:39,800 --> 00:17:42,240 Speaker 3: it in the show notes so that you've got access 366 00:17:42,280 --> 00:17:45,040 Speaker 3: to everything that you need. The Happy Famili's podcast is 367 00:17:45,080 --> 00:17:47,639 Speaker 3: produced by Justin Rwan from Bridge Media. Craig Bruce is 368 00:17:47,760 --> 00:17:50,800 Speaker 3: our executive producer and for more and for about making 369 00:17:50,800 --> 00:17:55,320 Speaker 3: your family happier, please visit our Facebook page at doc 370 00:17:55,520 --> 00:17:58,560 Speaker 3: Justin Cours Happy Families or online at happy Families dot 371 00:17:58,600 --> 00:18:02,159 Speaker 3: com dot au. Just quickly before we go tomorrow, the 372 00:18:02,240 --> 00:18:04,880 Speaker 3: doctor's desk. We're going to be having a look at 373 00:18:04,920 --> 00:18:08,600 Speaker 3: some research about breastfeeding, about smacking, and a hell yes 374 00:18:08,680 --> 00:18:11,360 Speaker 3: study on screens and physical activity around it out can't 375 00:18:11,359 --> 00:18:13,240 Speaker 3: wait to share that with you tomorrow on the Happy 376 00:18:13,240 --> 00:18:14,040 Speaker 3: Families podcast.