Wise words with...

School attendance

School attendance is increasingly becoming an issue in every school in Australia. In 2022, attendance levels in independent primary schools dropped to just 57% of primary school students attending school more than 90% of the time. Secondary students attended just 52% of school more than 52% of the time. [1]

Whilst issues of attendance have been exacerbated by COVID and flood lockdowns, it is not the whole story. Digital access by students during the wee hours of the morning are causing more students to sleep in. Additionally, students sometimes avoid school on days when they do not have their favourite subjects. Other times, parents choose to let their children have a rest day or a day off for their birthday. 

For a student to miss more than one class per fortnight, this is the equivalent of missing four weeks of school per year and three terms of schooling over their school career. You will appreciate that this would be a significant gap in a student’s education. Moreover, as a Mathematics and Science teacher, I know that if a student misses a day where foundational learning is occurring, it is very difficult for that student to catch up and come to a satisfactory understanding of the content and skills on the day they missed. Every single day matters in education.

Attending school not only provides students with knowledge but also plays a pivotal role in their social and emotional development. The classroom environment offers a platform for students to interact with their peers, learn teamwork, and develop crucial social skills. Regular school attendance fosters positive relationships, empathy, and resilience, which are vital for navigating personal and professional challenges later in life.

For those of our students who may have anxiety, whilst we should acknowledge our anxiety, the solution is not to give in to it. Professional help will enable students to develop a strategy to deal with their anxieties and get them back on the right path. Sometimes, overwhelming thoughts about attending school can be alleviated by breaking down tasks into smaller, more manageable steps. Instead of focusing on the entire school day, students can concentrate on specific activities or periods, such as a single class or lunchtime. By tackling one step at a time, students can gradually increase their comfort level and build confidence in navigating the school environment.

Whilst it is nice to have a day off to rest or celebrate one’s birthday, such practices will not build the fortitude and resilience that our students will need to succeed when they leave school. 

If digital technology is causing issues, can I suggest as a parent that a suitable strategy could be for your children not to take their phones with them into their bedrooms. If this is too much, then maybe have a rule that after a certain time, maybe 8pm, they should not have their phones in their rooms. Additionally, you could set your router to turn off the wifi whilst your children should be sleeping. 

My attitude towards students is that their job, whilst they are at school is to learn. 

Colossians 3:23-24 says:

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.

If their job is to learn, then to do so honours God and it is Christ that they are serving when they take their learning seriously.

[1] https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/school-attendance-has-plummeted-and-it-s-not-just-because-of-covid-20230119-p5cdyl.html