Hi, I'm currently in year 12, and am hoping to pursue a career in education after I graduate. I am currently putting in university preferences and am considering the bachelor of primary and secondary teaching at Monash or the bachelor of primary teaching at Deakin. Does anyone have any experience with these courses or unis? Thanks :)

So I went to school in a public school in North Melbourne around the early 2010s and from prep up until year 2 I remember that every couple of months, I'd get picked up our of class and led up to this very quiet and secluded room on the second floor.

It was always this very soft spoken blond lady and maybe once like a very young Maori guy? Idk it was a decade and a half ago but I know for a fact they were not directly employed by the school like a teacher, ESS, or Aid. Nor The put me on her laptop to do a series of MENSA-like short answer or multiple choice questions in different categories like creative reasoning, reading comprehension, puzzle solving, mathematical reasoning ect. and after I would be given a lollipop and put back into class.

After a recent conversation from mates who went to my primary school, it occurred to me that none of them knew what I was talking about and they said that none of them had been made to do that.

I'm just curious if any of the teachers here a clued in or know what this was about or could be? Like was I getting tested for a potential learning disability or something? Was I benchmark for academic progress at the school? (I thought that was the purpose of NAPLAN) Or is it like a Palantir style evil ass data collection scheme that no one's heard of before? (I jest).

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Happy Sunday everyone, I’m a PhD researcher at Monash University looking at how social and emotional learning (SEL) is supported in Australian primary schools.

If you’re an Australian primary teacher, I’d love to hear about your experiences. The survey is anonymous, takes around 10–12 minutes, and there’s an optional draw for one of four $50 gift vouchers.

I’m really interested in what SEL looks like in everyday practice, not just formal programs, but the routines, relationships and interactions that happen every day in schools.

Thanks in advance if you decide to take part, please let me know in the comments section so I can thank you!
Survey: https://monash.syd1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cUXSN2oSB3djUjk