Mindfulness Training at School Reduces Depression in Teenagers
A study published last month in the Mindfulness Journal, found that a mindfulness program integrated into school hours, can prevent and reduce symptoms of clinical depression in high school students...The researchers found that six months after the study, the mindfulness students with clinical depression symptoms showed significantly greater reductions in depression compared to their control group peers. Read full article
What Makes Teenagers Stand Up for Bullying Victims?
To bully, 'bystand' or 'upstand'? This is the question that adolescents who witness bullying behaviour are processing at the time of an incident. New research from the Harvard Graduate School of Education discovers why teens at school don't always stand up for bullying victims, even though they want to. Read full article
Reducing Aggression by Teaching Teens that People Can Change
When adults see media coverage of teens reacting aggressively to minor provocation, they often assume this behaviour is influenced by a teenager’s family background and experiences. And although a hostile family and school environment can contribute to aggressive behaviour, new research shows that the tendency of teens to act aggressively also depends on their belief about people’s ability or inability to change. This finding may help adults create education programs aimed at reducing violence and aggressive behaviour, and give parents important ideas on how to talk to children about people’s potential for change. Three key ideas for parents and teachers are included in this article. Read full article
Choosing a University Course - Discover What You Love
At this time of year, Year Twelve students in Australia are studying for their final exams, and many of them are still wondering what to study at University, or which career path to follow. This speech, made by Arun Abey to the prize and scholarhsips winners at the Australian National University's (ANU) College of Business and Economics, contains some gems of inspiration for your young men and women. Read full article
Understanding Children Who Bully
We are in the midst of an epidemic. One in seven kids suffer from it. It destroys lives and can have fatal consequences...As a community, there are things we can all do to decrease the likelihood that children will become bullies...Teens, although highly vulnerable to slights, are quick to dish them out. Testing each other and the world, their expressions are often uncensored... Read full article
Back Me Up - Anti Cyberbullying Campaign & Competition
The message of the BackMeUp campaign is that young people can take positive and safe action if they witness cyberbullying, and can support those whose rights have been violated. It’s a call to action to the friends, peers and colleagues on the sidelines, because being a witness, and doing nothing, is wrong.In Australia, at least one in ten students say they’ve experienced cyberbullying. The Australian Human Rights Commission is inviting 13 – 17 year olds to make a short two minute video about how they can back-up someone who has been cyberbullied. Read full article
We're Backing Back Me Up - Cyberbullying Must Stop
There's more to come on this, but we are backing the "Back Me Up" campaign from the Australian Human Rights Commission - focusing on the role of the bystander in cyberbullying. Teenagers are invited to enter a video competition and win fantastic prizes. Please share this video via social media with all the teens you know. Now, watch the video with Ruby Rose. Read full article
Dear Son Starting High School - My Letter to You
My older son starts high school this year, transferring to a school where he will know no others students on his first day ...I have been giving some thought to what advice I would give my son if he asked me. Not that he is likely to, of course, given that he is now All-Grown-Up-and-Not-A-Child-Anymore, but it doesn’t hurt to be prepared, just in case. Read full article
Emotional Intelligence, Parenting and Education; Part 3 of Interview with Dr Karen Hansen
Part 3 of an interview with Dr Karen Hansen from the Swinburne University of Technology, Melbourne Australia about adolescence being a critical time to teach emotional intelligence skills. Dr Hansen also describes the connection between emotional intelligence and academic success in particular subjects at high school. Read full article
