5 Ways to Keep Kids Learning During the School Holidays

The holidays are a time for rest, relaxation, family time and celebrations.

But learning doesn’t have to stop when the school gates close…

You can help foster a love of learning in your children over the holidays.

And they won’t even know it!

Below are some great school holiday activities that get kids engaged, curious and excited about learning…

Which will help them to embrace their education once their back at school, and the value of learning for the rest of their lives.

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5 Ways Anxiety Harms Learning and 8 Things Parents Can Do to Help

There is an ‘epidemic of anxiety’ among Australian children.

And many experts are attributing this to increasing pressure at school.

But when it comes to school and anxiety – it can be a case of:

What came first, the chicken or the egg?

How and why childhood anxiety develops is not the most important issue at hand, though.

What’s important is that it’s identified and addressed as soon as possible.

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How Does Educational Psychology Help Children’s Learning?

When you mention psychology most people think of counselling as a treatment for emotional issues, such as anxiety or depression…

And while all psychologists have training in these areas, our team has specific postgraduate training in Educational and Developmental Psychology, which is a branch of psychology focused on learning and development.

Educational Psychology draws from other fields such as neuroscience and often involves standardised testing to obtain information about children’s learning skills and abilities.

This information enables us to gain insight into how children learn and process information and what their learning potential might be.

And it enables us to recommend specific learning strategies and supports for home and school to help them to reach that potential.

So what does this actually involve and how can it help children with learning?

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NEPSY: Assessments for improving your child’s learning potential — Part 3

In part 1 and 2 of our blogs on our learning assessments, we taught you about the WIAT-III and WISC-V  assessments.

We have invested in the most update-to-date versions of these assessments so that they can best identify your child’s learning potential and their educational needs.

And now we’d like you to learn about another invaluable assessment tool that we recently acquired — the NEPSY.

It’s a unique and effective test, offered by only a few psychology clinics in Melbourne, and designed to assess the neuropsychological development of children aged 3 to 16.

But before we get into the nitty gritty of the assessment, you’re probably wondering…

What is neuropsychological development?

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WISC-V: Assessments for improving your child’s learning potential — Part 1

We are always looking for new technologies to help our patients be their best selves.

And this is particularly important when it comes to educational intervention.

A learning assessment helps to identify a child’s learning potential, and address any barriers stopping them from achieving it.

The WISC — the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children — is a tool for assessing a child’s academic progress and potential.

We have been using the WISC for years, and recently invested in the updated version, the WISC-V.

It’s been reevaluated, redesigned and retooled to provide a more comprehensive picture of a child’s learning ability.

But what is it, exactly, and how will it help your child? 

Read more…

Why Australian Students May Be Falling Behind, and Private Tutoring is Booming

According to a recent article in The Sydney Morning Herald, the Australian education is failing our kids.

While the school curriculum is becoming increasingly academically rigorous, more and more students are falling behind…

And the result is an increase in private tutoring for students around the country.

Health educator and GP Dr Annemarie Christie attributes these findings to a number of factors.

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The Problem with Championing ‘Success’ Over Kid’s Love of Learning

If you saw our blog post about how to raise motivated children, you will be familiar with the concept of the ‘Fixed’ versus ‘Growth’ mindset.

In a nutshell, this distinction in ‘mindsets’ focuses on the idea that what makes people successful is motivation, dedication and commitment, rather than innate ability or intelligence.

And that the former are the qualities that we should be praising and instilling in our children.

A recent article in The Atlantic furthers some of the ideas that come from the Fixed versus Growth mindset model, in what one parent describes as the ‘crime against learning’.

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The Many Benefits of Reading Aloud to Your Kids

Reading is vital for developing literacy, a good vocabulary and a vivid imagination.

But with increasingly interactive electronic books that enable independent reading from a younger and younger age, we may be losing sight of the value of reading not only with, but also to our kids.

A number of recent studies have reinforced the importance of reading aloud to your kids — the traditional way.

Read more…

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Why have 2,866* parents chosen us?

(*As of 24th July, 2019.)

  • Private and confidential: We are a private service so you will receive 100% independent and confidential advice.
  • Child and adolescent experts: We only work with school age children, teenagers and parents.
  • Education and school experts: We will help you navigate the school system to get the best possible results for your child.
  • Qualified and experienced: We only employ psychologists with a master degree or higher and experience working in schools.
  • Fast appointments: We don't keep a waiting list and see most new clients within 7 days.
  • Convenient location: We are in Middle Park with easy access from many parts of Melbourne and unrestricted street parking.
  • Trusted methods: We use approaches that are strongly supported by research evidence or clinical experience.
  • Lovely beachside office: You will love our quiet, modern and attractive office, with its beach and ocean-themed rooms.