School Shorts
by 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!
Episodes
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Junior Journalists investigate the future of education
Junior Journalists interview school leaders and their peers about the challenges and opportunities in schools right now. When I was 12 years old, I wrote my first letter to the local paper, the Howick and Pakuranga Times, and interviewed my principal for one of my very first published articles....
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Play based learning meets Structured Literacy with Liz Lupton and Theresa Kinloch
People often split camps between those who believe in play based learning and those who believe in structured literacy ..but what if they are not mutually exclusive and you can actually teach with both? We talk with an early childhood centre leader (Liz Lupton) and a primary school leader…
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Using the playground to teach reading! with Marianne Brown
Marianne Brown, a literacy expert with 30 years of experience, talks about a lightbulb moment when a struggling reader helped her discover the playground tip that helps with reading. Using the analogy of a slide, Marianne helped the little girl go from not being able to read a single word, to…
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Learning Support, what is a SENCO? LSC? Explained with Lizzie Bayliss
If your child has ever needed learning support or additional education needs you might be familiar with the terms SENCO and LSC, but for many families this is unfamiliar jargon for very important roles within a school. In this episode, Lizzie Bayliss talks about how educators in these roles…
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Why Kids Need Boundaries with Gen Muir
How to set confident, compassionate boundaries that actually deepen your connection with children and don't negatively impact your relationship. Obstetric social worker and renowned Parent Educator Gen Muir is the author of Why Kids Need Boundaries. Gen shares her own parenting struggles and says...
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Your AI questions answered; with Bex Rose and Principal Matt Simeon
Last time we spoke with AI consultant to schools, Bex Rose, the feedback was running hot! From people who wanted to know about the AI tutor she created for her daughter, to people interested in more information about how AI is being used in schools already ..and those who expressed very real...
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Resilience, Manners and Emotional Regulation with Cara Zelas
Cara Zelas is a U.S-based early childhood educator who speaks at conferences and in classrooms around the world about her work with 'Big World of Little Dude'. She shares how parents can build essential life skills at home, including resilience, manners, and emotional regulation. She also unpacks...
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Barefoot and Teaching Bravery with Harry Scott
Harry Scott believes a cornerstone of childhood fun and experience is at risk. He is the founder of Barefooted and teaches outdoor education by giving school students and hosting community events so that kids get to experience all the things they might usually learn on school camp on a more…
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What Happened When This Principal Prioritised School-Parent Communication, with Blair Dravitski
Hear from the Principal of Lemonwood Grove, among the biggest primary schools by roll in New Zealand. The area has had its fair share of major local traumas like the Christchurch earthquakes and mosque attacks as well as covid. These experiences reminded Blair Dravitski of just how important...
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Early Learning Skills for Maximum Success: Ande Ford and Carolynne Masson
Children starting school without the skills needed for learning, are more likely to start on the back foot when it comes to the reading, writing and other skills that are assessed in the curriculum. Andrea Ford and Carolynne Masson work with families and communities to strengthen all those...
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Understanding Neurodiversity and When to Seek Support with Tami Harris
Tami Harris is the CEO of Acorn Neurodiversity and a passionate advocate of better support for children and young people who are neurodivergent. This episode is especially useful if you are a parent overwhelmed or unsure of the diagnosis process, a teacher pondering strategies for diverse…
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Harnessing AI: The Brain Hacks to Teach Kids with Author Mohan Nair
Mohan Nair has written what he calls 'the nutrition label for AI'. Rather than a 'warning label', this is just saying here are all the ingredients we need to be aware of so that we can use AI in a way that benefits our health rather than the other way around. More specifically in this episode we...
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The Ladder of Reading and Writing with Nancy Young
Nancy Young is the creator of the infographic the Ladder of Reading and Writing which explains reading skills as a continuim. Nancy is also the Co-Editor of the 2024 book 'Climbing the Ladder of Reading and Writing: Meeting the Needs of All Learners' Here she also talks about exceptionalities…
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Large School Resource v Small School Connection: Principal Steve McCracken
Principal Steve McCracken doesn't want a student to be able to go through a day at school and not have a teacher or school leader say their name or greet them for a chat. It is one of the things he fears losing with growing school rolls as the Principal of Whangaparāoa College in Auckland, New...
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Listen to this and the Teen Brain Will All Make Sense! with Kathryn Berkett
There are so many things that happen with behaviour and attitude when hormones start changing in the teen years that it can be a bit of a mystery what is going on in the brain. After this conversation with Kathryn Berkett so much made sense. Kathryn has written many books translating neuroscience...
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Ministry of Education: School Enrolment Policy
Is there any system of enrolling children at school that creates an equal footing? New Zealand has a 'rolling enrolment' system with flexibility within that for schools to decide how it might work best in their area and for individual children. In this episode, I talk with Andy Jackson, Head of...
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The birth date disadvantage; new survey with Jo Knox
Last we spoke to Jo Knox on the podcast we looked at what birth month was best for academic success. There has not been a lot of specific research on this topic but there are some indicators which point to being the oldest in your school year leads to better educational outcomes. That might not...
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Reading Progress: Too Fast or Too Slow? with Louise Payne
Not sure if your child's reading progress or the teaching they are getting is going too fast or too slow? This is a common discussion among parents at the school gate and the answer is going to be very individualised depending on your child and their teacher. However, it's really important to…
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When the Support You Need Doesn't Exist: Karina McHardy on Autism, ASD
Karina McHardy shares a personal story but one that will resonate with any parent who has had to advocate for their child's needs, whether it be additional assistance or learning needs in school. Karina shares the story of her son's autism diagnosis and the overwhelming silence she felt which...
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Kids Need to Do THIS Before They Start School: with Kelly Seaburg and Lucy Naylor
A study of school readiness found as many as 90 percent of primary schools surveyed said there was an increase in the number of new entrant students coming to school not knowing basic skills like holding a basic conversation, identifying their name or being able to go to the toilet independently....
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Online Schools? How Crimson Global Education is Disrupting the Traditional Model
Online Schools and Alpha Schools have had a massive spike in interest but who do they work for and is this a long-term disruptor in education? In this episode, we explore the future of education with Penelope Barton, CEO of Crimson Global Education. Penelope shares what Crimson is working on in...
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How to Help Struggling Writers with 'The Writing Teacher' Helen Walls
How well do you remember what grammatical words like adverb, adjective, prepositions actually mean? There is a lot of discussion in the education world at the moment about how much focus should be on teaching these word classes and instead focussing on whether a sentence instinctively feels…
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Cambridge Exams: An Explainer for Parents
Look, I'll admit it, I don't know much about the assessment system when it gets to High School. I know you can do NCEA (with potential changes on the horizon) and some students also do Cambridge Exams, IGCSE's and A-Levels. I was among the last to do the Bursary assessment system and with kids...
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The Tattooed Skateboarding Principal; Hamish Brewer
Hamish Brewer throws out the rule book when it comes to what people expect a Principal to be. The tattooed skateboarding Principal from New Zealand now spends most of his time in the U.S where he is one of the most recognisable and disruptive voices in education. Hamish has won national awards…
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AI in School, How it's Being Used in Class with Bex Rose
Artificial intelligence is already in classrooms. Bex Rose from AI Surge shares what that actually looks like for teachers, students and learning. Bex works directly with schools to help them understand how they can integrate and use AI to assist. She discusses what it means for ethics, safety…
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Top 10 School Safety Tips from a Police Officer
Follow these top 10 school safety tips from Police Officer Constable Bryan Ward and empower your kids and students to have the confidence to navigate their day at school to the walk home. If you grew up in New Zealand, Constable Bryan and his canine partner Bobby probably taught you everything…
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More than Phonics: Fluency and Comprehension with Natalie Wexler
Learning to read isn’t just about sounding out words even though the biggest part of reading instruction that gets spoken about publicly is phonics. Education journalist and author Natalie Wexler explains why in this episode. She points out that at a certain point student's reading progress...
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Was it a Miracle? The Reading Revolution in Mississippi with Kymyona Burk
As countries around the world look to a structured approach to literacy to try and lift achievement results, what can educators learn from the experience in Mississippi, USA. It went from having the second-worst reading statistics in 2013 to 9th in 2024. What was behind the rapid increase in...
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Risky Play and Why it Matters with Gill Connell
How to encourage risky play and why it matters. Gill Connell from Moving Smart explains the importance of allowing kids to step outside their comfort zones while maintaining a safe environment. Gill talks about how the language we use can either instil fear or encourage courage in children. They...
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Family Adventures Unplugged with Roam's Renata Wiles
Counting down the most popular activities on the Roam with Kids app with Renata Wiles. If you are looking for activities that appeal to the whole family, the most-viewed cafes and playgrounds for families and new ideas for the holidays then this episode has some tips for you. Renata aims to have...
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Holiday Play Ideas for Reading Practice with the 'Sound Slam Mums'
This is a great episode if you are looking for ways to keep up some reading and writing practise at home while school is on break. Primary school teacher, mother and founder of the Sound Slam card game Anna O'Connor shares her ideas and games. Anna talk about phonemic awareness, what that is and...
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Mental and Physical Health for Children: The HIGHLIGHTS from 2025
How well a child does at school is often linked to how they feel there. That can depend on so many factors. We know that academic achivement is one of them and the previous episode covers some of the best tips for maximising ability in reading and writing. This episode looks at all those other...
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Best Reading and Writing Advice from 2025; The Highlights!
In this special episode of "School Shorts," I look back on a year of conversations with some of the most influential people in education across New Zealand, Australia, the U.S and U.K. This is a wrap of some of the key highlights of advice for helping children with reading and writing. It looks…
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AI in Education ft Michael Johnston
The fascinating world of AI in education with Michael Johnston who has authored a report titled Opportunities and Risks of Generative Artificial Intelligence. Michael shares some thoughts about how relying too much on tech, like calculators or Google Maps, can undercut foundational skills. We…
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Get Wise! Teaching Kids About Money
How kids are being introduced to the world of financial literacy with the help of ASB's GetWise program. Joined by guests Hamish Russell and Lucinda Howarth, the discussion delves into the importance of teaching financial skills to young students. We talk about the Big Little GetWise show…
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Numicon: Simple Steps to Loving MATHS ft Catherine Huxford
Numicon is a maths teaching tool is a maths teaching tool that is used across the world and through thousands of schools in Aotearoa New Zealand. Catherine Huxford of the Edushop team explains how it is a multi-sensory approach that helps children visualise and understand maths concepts. There…
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Managing Tech: Tips from Psychologist Dr Emma Woodward
How technology impacts kid's dopamine, attention span and language development with Dr Emma Woodward. As a Mum to four boys, Dr Woodward finds each of them have different needs, just as each of them are wired differently. So while this episode looks at the impact of tech on child development and...
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"Our kids and teens are not really OK": Outward Bound CEO Malindi Maclean
Malindi Maclean shares stories and research that highlight the profound impact on brain development from connecting with nature, not just for kids, but for adults too. If you've done Outward Bound before you will find much to reminisce about here. If you haven't it will give you more information...
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Girl Boss: What inspiring young women want YOU to know
What young women want you to know about the challenges they are facing and the social issues they are trying to address, such as the impact of social media. This episode features inspiring stories from three of the 10 young women recognised at the Girlboss Awards for their achievements in STEM,...
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Support for ADHD in school and the workplace: ADHD Coach Jenny Turner
Jenny Turner is an adhd coach with Human Fabric. Diagnosed later in life with adhd herself and mum to two children diagnosed with two different types of adhd. Jenny discusses her personal experience, why it is so important for the workplace to understand and get the best out of those with adhd -...
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Sex and Relationships Education with Jo Robertson
If you want to know about how to have some of these conversations with your kids yourself, Jo gives some practical advice about what to say (and what NOT to say!) Relationships and Sex Education in school has been under revision and subject to feedback. In this episode, Jo Robertson from Tricky...
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Dyslexia: A Father and Son's story of the power of dyslexic thinking ft Arvid and Mattias Eriksen
A deeply personal account of life with dyslexia and the journey of finding out as a child but also as an adult. Father and Son, Arvid and Mattias Eriksson share their thoughts on the power of dyslexic thinking. They discuss the early signs of dyslexia, the importance of support and tutoring, and...
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Raising Confident Speakers with Ashleigh Gulliver
Does your child dread the school speech competition? or feel nervous about speaking in front of their peers? Drama teacher and Oral Language Coach, Ashleigh Gulliver, shares the tips for how to gradually increase their speaking confidence in the classroom and at home. The episode covers the...
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Dyslexia: How to Identify Challenges and Support Your Child ft Carla McNeil and Casey Simson
In this episode for Dyslexia Awareness Month, we’re diving into the real experiences of parents and educators who are supporting children with dyslexia. You’ll hear from mums navigating the ups and downs at home, as well as teachers who see first-hand the challenges—and strengths—that come with...
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Is Your Child Twice Exceptional? Rhonda Filmer on 2E
An expert in the field of gifted students, Rhonda Filmer explains that some students are 2e. That means twice exceptional - those who are gifted and have a learning disorder. There are some common misunderstandings about these students which may impact their education. Rhonda explains how…
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BONUS: Daylight Savings Sleep Tips with Victoria Newport
Does your family routine go completely out of the window when it comes to daylight savings? All of a sudden the kids are grumpy and harder to get to school. Never fear, Victoria Newport from Early Parenting is here. Victoria shares some of her tips around how to adjust timings to make the...
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Independent Schools: What does that really mean? with Guy Pascoe
There are a range of different school types from state, state integrated and independent - but what do all of these things mean? Guy Pascoe from Independent Schools NZ talks about the range within the independent category and why some cater to specific learning needs. Guy Pascoe explains the...
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Critical Skills for Spelling: Literacy Expert Lorraine Hammond
Literacy expert Lorraine Hammond explains the difference between the skills of reading and spelling. If your child is able to read a word and/or sentence but has challenges with spelling, this will help to explain why. Also the way in which parents were taught at school has changed significantly...
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The Pre-School Secret to Success: Oral Language with Elaine Reese
If you have a child in an early learning centre, there is a chance they will be taking part in the ENRICH oral language programme created by Elaine Reese. This has received funding in the New Zealand 2025 Government budget to roll out across hundreds more early learning centres over 4 years. It...
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World-Leading Neuroscientist: How 'Executive Function' Helps Us Plan and Achieve Goals
Adele Diamond is one of the world-leading neuroscientists in the field of executive functions. Executive functions are often discussed in relation to ADHD and they are especially relevant in that study ..however, executive function is crucial for all of us in our ability to plan, organise and...
About this show
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 by
Melissa Chan-Green