Blog

How to help your child navigate social media As summer holidays approach and children have more free time to scroll on their devices, it is important to have conversations with your child around social media & cyber safety. It’s these questions that keep many parents up at night—how do you raise a safe, healthy child / teen in the age of smartphones and Instagram? In a time where Australian teenagers are spending over 1200 hours on social media each year, finding a balance is…

Inspire the next generation with an all girls' approach They say, ‘If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you’. At Toorak College, we firmly believe that change is driven by challenge, and this holds true for the world we inhabit. While significant strides have been made toward gender equality in recent decades, our world still grapples with gender disparities. According to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, men, on average, earn $263.90 more per week than women. In light of…

Set your child up for success with these 5 study habits. As we approach the end of the year, students have an opportunity to really show their teachers, and themselves, what they can achieve academically. To do this successfully, students have to prepare for the occasion. To assist your child with developing healthy and successful study habits, it is important to check in with them to understand their goals and to ensure they have set themselves up for success. Research suggests that many…

Early skill development The first five years of your child’s life are pivotal, not only in the acquisition of language but also in becoming socialised and working as a member of a group. These skills also are crucial to developing long-lasting academic benefits. The earlier your child is exposed to quality learning experiences, the more confidence and resilience they will gain leading into primary education. Kindergarten and Pre-Prep assists in improving your child’s health and wellbeing, the…

Learning a musical instrument enhances our junior students’ literacy skills We are introduced to music and singing right from the start of life and we use music to process stories, language and rhythm. Singing also strengthens neural connections for reading. If a child can hear it, they can say and sing it, and then read it and use it in more advanced written and spoken language. According to The Music Advantage, “It is easier to hear nuances in song because the rhythm is slower than speech and…

Advice for students taking their first career steps What will the workplace look like when our Junior School students turn 18 in 2030? Will university still exist? Will robots be doing our work? The short answer is - we don’t really know. What we do know is our students are planning their careers in a tumultuous landscape, unseen by previous generations, thanks to advances in technology and globalisation. Our grandparents prioritised job stability and prestige when deciding upon a career. To…

How will technological advancements affect careers of the future? Many of today’s occupations will no longer exist by the time this year’s Prep students have finished their education. Having a STEM-skilled workforce is the foundation on which the Australian economy will prosper. Technological advancements continue to accelerate, and skills such as critical thinking, problem-solving, analytic capabilities and curiosity are necessary to succeed. "In the last 20 years alone, employment in STEM…

The importance of facing challenges head-on is a fundamental theme in our children’s learning journey, particularly from Kindergarten to Year 4. As educators and parents, we need to allow for teachable moments which provide opportunities for our children to navigate these pivotal experiences and lessons. Positive mental health hinges on the balance of protective actions such as providing a stable environment and modelling healthy coping mechanisms vs. risk factors that encourage adversity. Our…

A new era of growth, character and resilience emerges. The time that we are living in poses challenges for us all. One question borne out of this time is, how will it shape us? This is particularly pertinent when looking at the experience of young people. During adolescence our brains create more new neural connections, and have more capacity for change and adaptation, than at almost any other stage in our life. We recognise that for young people to use this potential and to achieve their best…