Zone of Proximal Development: Why the Right Level of Challenge Matters

by Janina Hamilton | Sep 24, 2026 | Learning Support

Have you ever watched a child give up because something feels just too hard? Or perhaps you’ve seen the opposite: a child flies through an activity without really having to think. Neither situation creates the ideal conditions for learning. For children to make...

“We’ll See How Year 7 Goes”: Why Taking a Break from Learning Support Before High School Can Backfire

by Janina Hamilton | Sep 20, 2026 | Learning Support

There’s a sentence I hear a lot from parents around this time every year. “We thought we might give them a break and just see how they go in Year 7.” And I completely understand the thinking behind it. They’ve made it through primary school. They’re...

“We Might Just Take a Break”: Why Pausing Learning Intervention Isn’t Always the Break We Think It Is

by Janina Hamilton | Sep 19, 2026 | Learning Support

I’ve been thinking a lot lately about breaks. Not school holidays. Not taking a week off because you’re going away. And certainly not the importance of giving children time to rest, play and simply be kids. I’ve been thinking about the longer breaks...

Practice with Purpose: Why More Practice Isn’t Always Better

by Janina Hamilton | Sep 17, 2026 | Learning Support

“They just need more practice.” It’s something parents of children who struggle with learning hear all the time. More reading. More spelling words. More maths questions. More worksheets. More homework. And while practice is an essential part of...

Understanding Your Child as a Learner: Why How They Learn Matters

by Janina Hamilton | Sep 10, 2026 | Learning Support

When a child is struggling with schoolwork, the obvious response is often to focus on the task in front of them. Can’t complete the maths homework? Help with the maths questions. Struggling with a reading assignment? Help them read the text. Finding writing...