School Shorts
Melissa Chan-Green
School Shorts is the podcast for busy parents who want to help their children succeed in school.
Hosted by Melissa Chan-Green, a journalist and mum of two, this show covers practical tips on reading, writing, spelling, and maths for preschool and early school years.
Learn about structured literacy, phonics, and foundational maths skills like counting, patterns, and sequences, plus how to support your child’s learning at home.
Quick, easy, and packed with helpful advice—School Shorts is here to help your child thrive!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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Top 10 School Shorts Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best School Shorts episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to School Shorts for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite School Shorts episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
04/20/25 • 23 min
The truth about slushies! After seeing many alarming articles about the risk of slushy ice drinks to children especially under 8, Melissa decided to find out what all the panic was about. In this episode, she speaks with Grant Schofield - a Professor of Public Health at Auckland University of Technology.
They look at the importance of whole foods and challenges of preparing healthy school lunches. They also discuss breakfast myths and challenges around youth mental health.
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03/13/25 • 19 min
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03/23/25 • 27 min
Is it true that boys are generally better than girls at maths? Can a teacher's maths anxiety rub off on their students?
Daniel Ansari is a neuroscientist with a focus on how the brain learns maths. This episode explores common misconceptions when it comes to maths skills.
The conversation looks at the need for early detection of learning difficulties like dyscalculia, and the use of some tools that teachers and parents are using to check a child's understanding.
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03/16/25 • 39 min
Helping kids to decode the sounds within words is one part of reading practice - the other important part is to read a wide variety of books with them to extend their vocabulary and understanding of words.
In this episode we speak with Gemma McCaw. Many might know her for her achievements with the Black Sticks, but she is also a passionate advocate for reading. She talks about her approach to screens and social media - and how her own approach was shaped by her personal experience of online bullying.
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Carla McNeil and Liz Kane: What Parents Need to Know About Changes to Reading and Writing in Schools
School Shorts
03/02/25 • 34 min
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Dr Carolyn Strom: How to build a 'reading brain'
School Shorts
03/09/25 • 30 min
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03/30/25 • 26 min
Professor James Chapman has been advocating for a move to structured literacy since the early 1990s. Now that it is being brought into schools more widely, he discusses the mixed reviews as to how it is going so far.
He also discusses his role in bringing in earlier 'checkpoints' to track students progress through assessments or tests.
He cautions against 'false praise', saying feedback needs to be honest and specific to foster self-belief and motivation.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
School Shorts with Melissa Chan-Green.
School Shorts
02/27/25 • 1 min
Allow me to introduce School Shorts! It's so lovely to have you here.
As a journalist and mum just trying to do the best I can to help my kids read, write and learn - I would love to connect with a community of likeminded families who are on the education journey too.
Please subscribe and join me for helpful advice and fun amid the family juggle.
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
04/06/25 • 21 min
The Forgetting Curve is a useful tool in understanding how best to try and remember all the learning that goes on at school - or anywhere for that matter!
Nathaniel Swain is a teacher, researcher and coach of great techniques to help children learn. In this episode he shares the importance of regular review instead of cramming for exams.
The discussion also touches on strategies for supporting young learners, the role of cultural context in education, and the need for personalised learning approaches. This episode will be useful for people of all ages who want to remember things!
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Toni Street SURPRISES NZ’s ‘Coolest Principal’ After Retirement Announcement - Bruce Cunningham
School Shorts
04/27/25 • 21 min
Sir Graham Henry called him NZs best ever Principal. He's also been called New Zealand's coolest Principal too - so exactly what is it that has made Bruce Cunningham so popular with staff, students and parents alike?
We catch up with him a week as he retires from 45 years in education. His latest role as School Principal at Belmont Primary.
Broadcaster Toni Street is one of the school mums there and has been vocal about just how amazing Bruce has been for the school - so we thought we would hear straight from her - but Bruce has no idea she is coming. So he gets quite a surprise when she walks in.
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FAQ
How many episodes does School Shorts have?
School Shorts currently has 12 episodes available.
What topics does School Shorts cover?
The podcast is about Education For Kids, Kids & Family, Maths, School, Reading, Writing, Podcasts, Education, Dyslexia and Math.
What is the most popular episode on School Shorts?
The episode title 'Prof James Chapman on Feedback: False Praise Doesn't Work' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on School Shorts?
The average episode length on School Shorts is 26 minutes.
How often are episodes of School Shorts released?
Episodes of School Shorts are typically released every 7 days.
When was the first episode of School Shorts?
The first episode of School Shorts was released on Feb 27, 2025.
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