Parent Public Lecture Series
UNSW has offered a free public lecture series for parents as part of the UNSW Matraville Education Partnership.
All events are free and open to the public, no matter where your children attend school. All lectures are of interest to parents of both primary and secondary students, unless otherwise noted.
Lectures are usually held on weekday evenings at the UNSW building at Matraville Sports High School (see map).
Check back again soon for information about upcoming events in the series.
Past lectures and recordings
Talking with teachers: advocating for your child with a disability
presented by A/Prof Iva Strnadova
Thursday, 1 November
5:30pm - 7:00pm
Looking for strategies to help your child get the most out of their experience at school? Associate Professor Strnadova will offer research-based tips for forging positive relationships with your child’s teachers and other school support staff so that you can all be on the same page.
What makes a good teacher?
presented by Dr Tony Loughland
How do you know your when your child has an excellent teacher? Dr Loughland will discuss what the research tells us about what makes a “good teacher” and how you can support your child’s teacher to improve the experience your child has at school.
How to motivate girls and help them to achieve their personal potential
presented by Scientia Professor Andrew Martin
Looking for ways to keep your child focused and support them to succeed at school? Professor Martin will discuss the Motivation and Engagement Wheel, with a particular focus on research into girls' motivation and engagement.
Navigating the system: exam adjustments for students with disability
presented by Carol Barnes
Students with disability may be entitled to adjustments (sometimes called ‘accommodations’) for in-school assessment tasks and for NAPLAN, HSC final exams and selective school or OC entrance tests. Depending on the level of impairment occasioned by the disability, such students may qualify for adjustments such as extra time, rest breaks, access to a computer, scribe or reader, and/or separate supervision. This presentation will explain how to apply for these adjustments and will consider why some gifted learners with disability face particularly difficult extra challenges, especially for state tests. How can teachers, parents and allied health professionals support students’ applications and appeals if a testing authority refuses an application on the grounds that the applicant is already gifted, is not actually failing, or is not quite ‘impaired enough’?
Stick-to-itiveness: lessons on motivation from music learning
presented by Dr Paul Evans
Dr Evans will present research on what actually works to help students start learning an instrument, maintain the motivation to stick with it, and grapple with issues such as difficulty and performance anxiety. He will then discuss ways that these concepts can be applied to motivation in other aspects of life and learning.
The state of gifted education in Australia: a SWOT analysis
presented by Dr Jae Jung
With an update of the NSW gifted and talented policy this year, and perennial worries about Australian students “falling behind” those in other countries, just what is the current state of gifted education down under? Dr Jung will review research and policy to undertake of a SWOT analysis (an analysis of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) on gifted education in Australia.
Making connections: advocating for your gifted child
presented by Dr Peta Hay
Though parents and teachers are sometimes positioned as opposing forces, usually both have the same goal - to support children to meet their potential. Dr Hay will discuss ways to advocate for your gifted child at school and within the education system.
How to boost boys' motivation at school
presented by Scientia Professor Andrew Martin
Looking for ways to keep your child focused and support them to succeed at school? Professor Martin will discuss the Motivation and Engagement Wheel, with a particular focus on research into boys' motivation and engagement.
Surviving your child's adolescence
presented by Associate Professor Terry Cumming
Not recognising your child or yourself now that adolescence has hit? Associate Professor Cumming discussed dealing with challenging behaviours and how to support your child through their adolescent years keeping both of you sane.
Assessment A-Z: What does it all mean?
presented by Professor Chris Davison
Do your child's assessments, reports and NAPLAN results make your head spin? Professor Davison discussed how and why schools assess student learning and how you can use the results to support your child's further development.
Motivation, engagement and success at school
presented by Dr Paul Evans
Dr. Evans discussed ways to support your child to stay motivated and engaged in their learning to achieve better schooling outcomes. Autonomy support in parenting and teaching ways to help your child self-regulate their learning was outlined.
Parenting a gifted child: what supports or hinders talent development?
presented by Dr Susen Smith
How can you find out the areas of your child's gifts and talents? And how can you support them to develop those areas fully? Dr Smith discussed ways parents can support their gifted children to reach their full potential.