There is a philosophical argument. That if a tree falls in the forest and there is no one there to hear it, then it will not make a noise. Scientifically we know that this is not correct, but many philosophers have advanced strong arguments to support this hypothesis. Master Coaching Australia – Robert Ollis I […]
Schools and tests are a way of life that begins with reading tests in kindergarten and finishes at the HSC. In addition to school based tests there are NAPLAN tests in years 3, 5, 7, and 9. OC and Selective School Placement tests in primary school. The School Certificate has disappeared in NSW with mixed […]
There are many significant milestones in a person’s life, sandwiched between the bookends of birth and death. The HSC year is certainly one milestone that seems to increase in importance every year. But more frequently, this is an event thatthe student and his/her family share together. Parents and the HSC High school in Australia culminates with […]
There used to be a saying that if you had a watch you knew the time, but if you had two watches then you weren’t sure. The dilemma of choosing the right school This dilemma faces most parents when choosing the right school for their children. Many are not sure of what constitutes the best […]
In a time deprived world, it is a difficult task to convince children to do homework by showing them the necessity to devote time to a meaningful homework regime. A well-organised system for home study does bring its rewards at the HSC. But selling the concept of delayed gratification to children prior to senior high school […]
Homework is banned in Finland In previous columns we have discussed the Finland miracle in education. Part of their success, they claim, is that homework is banned in Finland. Nevertheless, homework (or home study) is well entrenched in the NSW schools’ systems. And teachers include homework as part of the internal school assessment process. The […]
Asian students – Overview Previously we discussed the role of selective high schools and noted the proportion of students with Asian ethnicity, Asian students in those schools. Asians in general place a higher value on education than the average Australian family. Australian universities are ranked far higher internationally than our schools. And this has created […]
No Selective schools in Finland Last week we looked at some of the differences that exist between the Finnish and Australian Education Systems. (Finland is ranked 6 th in the world in mathematics. Whereas, Australia by comparison is ranked 27 th, on the OECD measured PISA test). One stark difference being that Finland has a totally […]
I have been very fortunate in my life in that I have been given opportunities to work with mathematics students in China, Korea and Vietnam. The universal process This experience shows that learning is a universal process. And the fact that the Vietnamese students enjoyed the sessions and were able to take so much from […]
Robert Ollis – Master Coaching Australia coached Jeremy from 1984 (Yr 7) to 1989 (Yr 12 4 unit). My Story I firmly believe that Master Coaching Australia was the sole drivers in my personal development through my secondary education. And this is my story, I started Master Coaching Australia towards the end of year 7. At that time, […]
