Writer
John Frew
John Frew worked in public education, including as foundation principal at a secondary school for students with Conduct Disorder and Oppositional Disturbance. John has authored numerous books the latest being ‘<em>Neuroscience and Teaching Very Difficult Kids</em>’. His previous books ‘<em>The Impact of Modern Neuroscience on Contemporary Teaching</em>’ and ‘<em>Insights into the Modern Classroom</em>’ have focused on behaviour management in schools. Since retiring, he has founded the Frew Consultants Group which provides a range of supportive resources for teachers who manage children with severe behaviour problems.
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A child in Gaza
A silent consequence of the horrifying hostilities taking place in Gaza is the long-term behavioural impairments for the children who, the United Nations estimate, make up 40% of the casualties. Continue reading »
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Teacher bashing: Grattan joins the chorus
The release of the latest PISA results provided another opportunity to bash schools and teachers. Amy Haywood and Jordana Hunter, from the Grattan Institute joined the chorus of denigrators. Continue reading »
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Public schools – a case for charity
Much has been written about the entrenched disadvantage in public Schools. Successive Governments have failed to provide the very basic resources for these students. Further evidence has revealed a concentration of students with disabilities that require additional support are now located in residualised comprehensive public schools. These impoverished conditions have been easily avoided for families Continue reading »
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Australia continues to passively abuse disadvantaged students
The recent Senate Interim Report on ‘The issue of increasing disruption in Australian school classrooms’ has attracted the usual short-term media indignation followed by the ever-present indifference from our education leaders and politicians. Continue reading »
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Misogyny’s last stand
The recent plan of Newington College to become co-educational has initiated an uproarious reaction from their old-boys as well as influential Head Masters of such schools. This ridiculous reaction is simply a response to girls being admitted into the exclusive masculine territory that once was Newington. Continue reading »
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Our better angels: Should we include or segregate students?
I am an advocate for inclusion across the board. I find all forms of segregation offensive, students with disabilities should be part of their local school. By taking this stance I am comfortable I would be accepted as a member of the ‘better angels’. However, I wonder if my membership would survive when the ‘angels’ Continue reading »
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Students with authentic dysfunctional behaviour
In recent Pearls and Irritations essays there has been a difference of opinion between myself and Ross Fox, the Director of Catholic Education, Canberra and Goulburn. I believe this difference of opinion rests with the definition of students with severe behaviours and my assertion that private schools do not enrol them. Continue reading »
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Teacher training report reflects a superficial understanding of education
A well-publicised report on teacher training from Ross Fox, the Director of Catholic Education of Canberra, runs the risk of inferring that a ‘science of learning’ that works for a private school system that has no students with severe behaviours, will work for schools that have a high proportion of these student. Continue reading »
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Public education’s ‘elephant in the classroom’
In the debate on the rehabilitation of public schools, there is an unpleasant issue that must not be mentioned. Not by the Unions, not the Government, not the Principals’ organisations and definitely not the private schools. ‘The elephant in the room’ is severe disruptive behaviour. Continue reading »
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$10 Million for consultants: a further step from reality
Last year the NSW Education Department paid almost $10 million to Deloitte Consultants for ‘expert’ advice, not to mention how much of tax-payers revenue went into the pockets of the disgraced PWC for similar nonsense. This reliance on outside know-how is a ‘logical’ step up from the failed policy of governments employing experts in leadership Continue reading »
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The education challenge facing Labor
On any measure since the mid 1980’s successive governments both Federal and State have progressively destroyed public education systems. Continue reading »
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Labor abandons public education
Nothing coming from Albanese and the Labor government offers any hope for public schools. Continue reading »
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The Watchers – Directors of educational decline
A word that comes to mind when thinking about the plight of those left in NSW Public Schools is dystopia, the antonym of utopia. Continue reading »
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“The fish has died”: The demise of NSW public schools
Conditions in Australian public schools are at crisis level. In searching for a cause, there is a Chinese proverb ‘The fish rots from the head’. A clear-cut example is the Department of Education in NSW, where modern neo-liberal, rational management of a public service has failed under current leadership. Continue reading »
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Public Education – a test for the ALP
The ALP has to attend to the shameful state of public education. Attempts to shift the responsibility on to the Coalition may be appealing but the geneses of these conditions lies at the feet of Julia Gillard. There is no doubt Gillard cared about education; you could not doubt her commitment to improving the learning Continue reading »
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Peter Dutton 2.0 – The re-imagining
Peter Dutton and more importantly Murdoch understand that for Dutton to succeed he must radically change his public persona to reveal the real Peter; one who lives in a ‘wonderful family environment’ where his ‘self-deprecating sense of humour’ is witness to his true character. And there has been plenty of support for this make-over with Continue reading »
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Back to class: public school Covid protocols ‘full of holes’
Teachers and students returning to school in NSW won’t find themselves in Covid-safe conditions, John Frew writes. Continue reading »
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When the truth is inconvenient: how lying allows politicians to propser
The truth is becoming increasingly unimportant in our politics and Parliament — and this bodes ill for civilised society and the survival of democracy. Continue reading »
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The ABC continues to deny right-wing bias by The Drum.
It is was with some sadness that I penned an article indicating what I saw as a right-winged bias by The Drum in its selection of some panellists. Since that article, I have continued to exchange correspondence with the ABC and I believe that the thread of responses mirrors the same tactics the Government uses Continue reading »
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The Drum shows continued right-wing bias in its panelist selections
Like many Australians who take an active interest in our country’s politics I have been an avid follower of the ABC’s week-day current affairs program The Drum. I find the other news outlets have a right-wing preference in their reporting and so I have relied on the ABC for a balanced interpretation of each day’s Continue reading »
