Linda Stade - Education Writer

Because it is , here's one for parents who are preparing their kids for boarding school

“Public debate often frames social media as being harmful to teenagers’ wellbeing, but our findings suggest the reality is far more nuanced,” Dr Singh said. “For girls, we found that moderate use of social media was linked to better wellbeing in their middle teenage years (grades 7-9; ages 12-15) and onwards.”

It was the opposite for boys, with those not using social media as they grew older at risk of poorer wellbeing, Dr Singh noted.

“In the younger years, not using social media had little impact on wellbeing, because children’s offline interactions can sufficiently meet their social needs,” he said. “But by middle adolescence, social media becomes a key setting for peer connections, identity expression and belonging, making engagement in this space more important.”

Overall, the study found that the strongest outcomes were among teenagers who used social media in moderation."

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One for boarding families!
“I’m sure day students wouldn’t mind me saying that boarders are special for teachers. There is always a little group of them in your class and their needs are a bit different. Their parents have made a leap of faith and sent their child to work with you. It raises the stakes.”

Boarders repay schools in so many ways.

Beautiful Boarders: The Huge Value They Add To A School The benefits of boarding school are not limited to the boarding students themselves.The positives that boarders bring to a school community are significant.

Another terrific board from Leonie Cownie at St Mary's Anglican Girls' School

Elijah is somebody’s child.

Last week during a game of AFL football, it became apparent that young Carlton player Elijah Hollands was suffering a mental health episode.

The narrative since has been about who should have picked it up and how it should have been dealt with. That conversation will continue, hopefully not just as a blame game but as a way to increase awareness and protocols around mental health issues.

In the meantime, his family has had to watch him suffer on field and since being hospitalised. Imagine your child’s health and welfare being so exposed. Imagine the fear of how he might handle this going forward.

This post by Elijah’s dad is heartbreaking and beautiful.

If someone doesn’t seem quite themselves, say so. Don’t assume someone else will step up. Be with them while they access help. If you don’t know what else to do, use one of the great free resources available to all Australians.

* Lifeline: 13 11 14 (24/7 crisis support and su***de prevention).
* Su***de Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 (24/7 support for those at risk or bereaved by su***de).
* Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 (Support for anxiety, depression, and su***de prevention).
* MensLine Australia: 1300 78 99 78 (Counselling for men).
* Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 (Support for young people aged 5-25)
* 13 YARN on 13 92 76 �24/7 national crisis support phone line operated by and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

It’s so easy to fall into future dread, overwhelm or catastrophizing… especially when we focus on worst-case scenarios. Rather than get immersed in fear of the future, remember that the present moment is a point of power and choice. What if you chose to focus on the best case scenario instead? And take some small actions to move that forward. Overthink that, and you actually change your brain’s neural pathways in positive ways.

Drop a 🚀 if you’re willing to give it a try.

How much digital learning is too much? The government of Sweden is making changes.

“Schools have already been allocated more than 2.1bn krona ($200m; £157m) in grants to invest in textbooks and teacher guides. A new curriculum designed to enforce textbook-based learning is due in 2028.”

There is plenty of pushback. What do you think?

BBC article in comments