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 FEDERAL POLITICS
Derryn Hinch raises question over
his eligibility
ABC News, 31 Aug 2017
Senator Derryn Hinch says
clarification is needed over whether his entitlement to US
social security benefits affected his eligibility to be elected...
Legitimacy cleared by
Attorney-General, ABC News, 2 Sep 2017
STUDENT SUPPORT
Refine and increase disability
funding
TasLabor website, 28 Aug 2017
 Labor would move away from the current way student
IQs are used in determining disability and special needs
funding, Opposition education spokesperson Michelle O'Byrne said
following the release of survey results that suggest teachers
believe such funding needs to be increased...
Liberals have increased support staff by 60 and disability
funding by $16m, Jeremy Rockliff, Minister for Education and
Training, 28 Aug 2017
LITERACY
Parents should keep reading to
readers
The Conversation (opinion by Margaret Kristin Merga), 28 Aug 2017
 Parents who read to children who
have already learned to read are helping their children to
enhance their literacy skills, an education lecturer writes...
EDUCATION COSTS
Education costs in spotlight
TasLabor website, 28 Aug 2017
 A Labor government would review
the cost of public education to ensure it does not act as a
barrier to families, Opposition education spokesperson Michelle
O'Byrne says...
TASSO calls for more
transparent school levies and fees system, The Examiner, 26 Aug 2017
WEATHER ALERT
Icy
roads alert
BoM website, 28 Aug
2017
 Icy and frosty roads are
currently (Monday morning) making driving conditions difficult
on many Tasmanian roads...
Road closures: see
Tas Police
community
alerts
BoM
warnings page
STATE SERVICE AND FREEDOM OF SPEECH
Principals silenced over lower
age
The Examiner, 27 Aug 2017
 Tasmanian principals and
teachers were unable to speak out about government plans to
lower the school starting age, thus unnecessarily extending the
debate, child psychologist Steve Biddulph says...
 STUDENT
WELLBEING
Mental health, mindfulness and
meditation
ABC News, 27 Aug 2017
The number of schools running
specific wellbeing programs is growing, a National Australia
Bank survey has found...
 STUDENT SUPPORT
Engaging qualification
The Examiner, 26 Aug 2017
The UTAS graduate certificate in inclusive education
helps teachers learn how to engage, re-engage and include a wide
variety of students...
EDUCATION
TARGETS
Retention targets reiterated
The Advocate, 25 Aug 2017
 Education minister Jeremy
Rockliff has used a visit to Yolla District High School to draw
attention to the state government's target of raising the number
of students completing the TCE by 20 per cent over the next five
years...
Extension schools plan
succeeding, Jeremy Rockliff, Minister for
Education and Training, 25 Aug 2017
Building Your Future [pdf] (lists 43 targets), Tasmanian
Liberals, Aug 2017
MATHEMATICS
Early trig without angles
discovered
The Conversation (opinion by Daniel Mansfield and
Norman Wildberger), 25 Aug 2017
Research based on a 3700-year-old Babylonian
clay tablet shows that the area now occupied by Iraq used
trigonometric tables based on precise ratios, predating by more
than 1500 years the conventional early Greek method using
angle-based approximations...
 EARLY LEARNING
Pre-school initiative approved
Tas Govt media release, 24 Aug 2017
The
Legislative Council has passed the government's plan to provide
an extra year of pre-school to disadvantaged and vulnerable
students...
 TEACHING
PROFESSION
Wrong maths syllabus
ABC News, 23 Aug 2017
Seven months into the school year it has been
discovered that students at a regional NSW school have been
taught the wrong HSC maths syllabus...
Teacher sacked over wrong
syllabus, SMH, 24 Aug 2017
TAFE
Drysdale enhancement
Tas Govt media release, 21 Aug 2017
 In response to the state government's Workforce
Taskforce's report, Servicing Our Growth,
tourism and hospitality training centre Drysdale House
will have its own TasTAFE board sub-committee to enable it to
become a Centre of Excellence, education minister Jeremy
Rockliff has announced ...
SCHOOL STARTING
AGE
Lower starting age to 4.5 years
The Mercury (opinion by Terry Polglase), 21 Aug 2017
Tasmania's
school starting age needs to be lowered a little before our
NAPLAN results can be compared properly with those of other
states, writes former state AEU president Terry Polglase...
TEACHING
PROFESSION
Teaching myths countered
ABC News, 18 Aug 2017
 Promoting
The
Staffroom, ABC-TV's three-program series on
the teaching profession (6.00pm Saturdays), Jane Caro busts five
myths about teaching:
 that
teachers work only from nine to three
that teachers have 12 weeks of holidays each year
that
'those who can do; those who can't, teach'
that teachers just have to deliver content
that
teachers are glorified child-minders
...
 FEDERAL POLITICS
Might Nick Xenophon be a British citizen?
ABC News, 18 Aug 2017
Senator Nick Xenophon is
checking his citizenship status after realising that Cyprus was
a British territory at the time of his father's birth there...
TERRORISM
Terrorist attack in Spain kills 13
ABC News, 18 Aug 2017
 Three Australians have been
injured in a terrorist attack in Barcelona in which a van
ploughed into crowds. Police have killed four people in Cambrils,
south of Barcelona, in preventing a second terrorist attack...
 FEDERAL POLITICS
Yet another citizenship uncertainty
ABC News, 17 Aug 2017
Deputy Nationals leader Senator
Fiona Nash has announced that she might be a British citizen
through being Scottish by descent but she says she will not
resign...
SCHOOL STARTING
AGE
Starting age plan scrapped
The Examiner, 14 Aug 2017
The
state government has dropped its plan to lower the school
starting age, instead deciding to offer an additional year of
pre-school for disadvantaged or vulnerable children, education
minister Jeremy Rockliff says...
Ditching of lower school starting age plan welcomed, ABC
News, 14 Aug 2017
Early learning announcement, Facebook statement by Jeremy Rockliff,
14 Aug 2017
New approach to early learning, Jeremy Rockliff, Minister
for Education and Training, 15 Aug 2017
Labor had always opposed the earlier starting age, Michelle
O'Byrne, Opposition education spokesperson, 15 Aug 2017
Reversal welcomed, The Examiner, 15 Aug 2017
Working Together for 3 Year Olds plan welcomed, Jeremy Rockliff, Minister for Education and Training, 16 Aug 2017
Committed to a
bright future for all students, The Mercury (opinion by
Jeremy Rockliff), 23 Aug 2017
 TEACHING
PROFESSION
Excellence finalists announced
Tas Govt media release, 14 Aug 2017
Finalists in the 2017 DoE Awards
for Excellence have been announced by education minister Jeremy
Rockliff...
FEDERAL POLITICS
Now Barnaby Joyce questions his citizenship
 ABC News, 14 Aug 2017
When will it end?
Deputy
Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has announced that he could be a
New Zealand citizen by descent even though he was born in
Australia. However, he will not resign from his positions...
SCHOOL STARTING
AGE
Three-quarters oppose lower
starting age
ABC News, 12 Aug 2017
An
EMRS survey for the United Voice Union shows that about 75 per
cent of Tasmanians oppose the government's plan to reduce the
compulsory school starting age by six months and the related
lowering of the voluntary kindergarten age to three and a half
years...
Starting age report to be
tabled next week, Jeremy Rockliff, Minister for
Education and Training, 12 Aug 2017
Labor would build six new
Child and Family Centres instead, Michelle O'Byrne,
Opposition education spokesperson, 13 Aug 2017
SCIENCE
Science award nominations open
Tas Govt media release, 11 Aug 2017
 The Minister for Information
Technology, Michael Ferguson, has called for STEM award
nominations, including Tasmanian STEM Teacher of the Year for
primary years and for secondary years..
LITERACY
The five reading pillars
The Mercury (opinion by Terese Phillips), 10 Aug 2017
Evidence shows that the
systematic teaching of phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary,
fluency and comprehension (the five pillars of reading) has
clear benefits for most children, Independent Schools Tasmania's
manager of education services says..
LEGAL SYSTEM
Neill-Fraser case bombshell
ABC News, 10 Aug 2017
 A 41-year-old woman
has been charged with corrupting a witness and perverting the
course of justice in relation to Susan Neill-Fraser's appeal in
connection with the murder of her partner Bob Chappell...
FEDERAL POLITICS
Postal vote on same-sex marriage
ABC News, 9 Aug 2017
 An Australia-wide postal poll on same-sex marriage
is to be held as early as 12 September following the Senate's
rejection, as expected, of the government's plebiscite plan.
However, a group of opponents has announced an intention to
lodge an appeal to the High Court over the postal poll plan...
INTERNATIONAL INSECURITY
Guam threat
ABC News, 9 Aug 2017
 North Korea says
it is "carefully examining" its plan to fire missiles at the US
Pacific territory of Guam, a threat made only a few hours after
Donald Trump warned of 'fire and fury like the world has never
seen' if North Korea continues to threaten the United States...
MUSIC
Glenn Campbell dies
ABC News, 9 Aug 2017
 US country music singer Glenn
Campbell, known for top-selling songs such as Rhinestone Cowboy
and Wichita Lineman, has died at the age of 81...
TEACHING
PROFESSION
Decline in male teacher numbers
The Conversation (opinion by Vaughan Cruickshank), 8 Aug 2017
 A 33-year decline from 30 per
cent to 18 percent in the proportion of male teachers in primary
schools can be attributed to physical contact issues, extra role
expectations and social isolation, an academic writes...
 TASMANIAN POLITICS
Labor's shadow reshuffle
TasLabor website, 7 Aug 2017
Opposition leader Rebecca White has announced a
reshuffled shadow cabinet. Deputy leader Michelle O'Byrne
retains Education while Josh Willie is spokesperson for Youth,
Skills and Training as well as Housing, Disability and Children...
 SPORT
Betty Cuthbert dies
ABC News, 7 Aug 2017
Gold medal winning Olympic
sprinter Betty Cuthbert, who was diagnosed with multiple
sclerosis in 1969, has died at the age of 79...
SPORT
Howzat! Deal reached
ABC News, 3 Aug 2017
 An
in-principle revenue-sharing pay deal has finally been reached
between Cricket Australia and the Australian Cricketers'
Association...
TAS GOVERNMENT
Children's Commissioner to step down
Tas Govt media release, 3 Aug 2017
Tasmania's Commissioner for
Children, Mark Morrissey, has announced he will step down in
September...
Commissioner thanked for
his advocacy for children, Josh Willie, Opposition child safety
spokesperson, 3 Aug 2017
Commitment to the wellbeing of children and young people
appreciated, Cassy O'Connor, Greens leader, 3 Aug 2017
Commissioner for Children quits for part-time work, ABC
News, 3 Aug 2017
LITERACY
Handwriting supports writing
The Conversation (opinion by Anabela Malpique and
Debora Pino-Pasternak), 3 Aug 2017
To overcome the decline in
general writing skills (as measured by NAPLAN testing) basic
skills such as handwriting need to be systematically taught in
the early years, two academics write...
NAPLAN
Small national NAPLAN improvement
ABC News, 2 Aug 2017
 The overall NAPLAN results for Australia show only a
small improvement over ten years of testing..
ACARA media release, 2 Aug 2017
Low writing scores in Tas, The Examiner, 2 Aug 2017
Tassie now like other states, Jeremy Rockliff, Minister for
Education and Training, 2 Aug 2017
How is the nation faring?, The Conversation (opinion by
Glenn C. Savage), 2 Aug 2017
Focus on students with low NAPLAN scores, says Kitty te Riele,
The Examiner, 4 Aug 2017
SCHOOL STARTING AGE
Child care centres under threat
TasLabor website, 1 Aug 2017
The
plan for a state-of-the-art Discovery Early Learning Centre to
replace Bridgewater's Gunn St centre is unlikely to go ahead
because of the threat to its enrolments from the state
government's plan to lower the school starting age, Opposition
leader Rebecca White says..
Seven Discovery Early
Learning centres could close, ABC News, 1 Aug 2017
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