Education is important. Completing high school is important. And yes, final exams are also important. But they are not MORE important than other things - like connection, resilience, hope, and wellbeing.
Nigel Howard is a Research associate at Flinders University, a former Secondary Principal, and currently studying for his PhD. As someone who sees the importance of education and knows the terrain of senior school/final exams both practically and academically, Nigel gives some terrific advice to parents and students currently facing the pressure of HSC exams.

Topics in this episode:

Gap in school completion rates between city/country and high/low socioeconomic backgrounds
Entry-level jobs and apprenticeships
Why do kids stay at school? Why do others leave?
The importance of listening to our children
Specialised/alternative education
Learning to pass exams vs learning how to apply knowledge
National Study of Mental Health and Wellbeing, 2020-2022 | Australian Bureau of Statistics (abs.gov.au)
Neurodiversity
Responsiveness of schools to struggling students 
How important is the ATAR system? What does it mean for schools?
Resilience and success
Articles in The Conversation written by Nigel Howard -

Parents have just started their own school in Sydney – this is part of a long tradition in Australia
20% of Australian students don't finish high school: non-mainstream schools have a lot to teach us about helping kids stay
School attendance rates are dropping. We need to ask students why
Are flexible learning options giving schools a convenient way out of taking responsibility for 'difficult' students?



 
Find us on Facebook at Dr Justin Coulson's Happy Families
Email us your questions and comments at podcasts@happyfamilies.com.auSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.