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S U B S C R I B E
WRS stories about “children”
Wednesday, 1 September, 2010
Ah, back to school. You would hope it would be a joyous time of playing and learning. But some children and parents may have been dreading this week. Child psychologist Rachel Melville-Thomas from WRS’s Kids In Mind talks to Conor Lennon about her trauma-reducing tips, especially if the child doesn’t speak one of Switzerland’s national languages.
A grown-up restaurant guide for kids
Friday, 25 June, 2010
Finding a place where the kids can make a bit of noise and eat something healthy while the grownups enjoy their own meal is a tall order. But now there’s an easier way. The advertising company responsible for Loisirs magazine has come out with a guide for kid-friendly restaurants, called Le guide des restos pour petits gourmands. WRS video journalist Amy Wong put on her bib to find out more.
Friday, 25 June, 2010
Finding a place where the kids can make a bit of noise and eat something healthy while the grownups enjoy their own meal is a tall order. But now there’s an easier way. The advertising company responsible for Loisirs magazine has come out with a guide for kid-friendly restaurants, called Le guide des restos pour petits gourmands. WRS video journalist Amy Wong put on her bib to find out more.
Friday, 11 June, 2010
Hester Macdonald, with the expert help of Dr. Penny Fraser, tackles the subject of kids and gardening in the first of a two-part show.
Why are so many young people drinking so much?
Wednesday, 2 June, 2010
You go out for a few beers with your friends… the drinks start flowing… and the next thing you know… you wake up in hospital. Sadly, this is how a night out ends for increasing numbers of young people in Switzerland. It’s a similar picture in many other industrialized countries. Throughout this week in Lausanne, international experts on alcohol abuse are trying to work out why this is happening and what can be done about it. Lucas Chambers reports:
Wednesday, 2 June, 2010
You go out for a few beers with your friends… the drinks start flowing… and the next thing you know… you wake up in hospital. Sadly, this is how a night out ends for increasing numbers of young people in Switzerland. It’s a similar picture in many other industrialized countries. Throughout this week in Lausanne, international experts on alcohol abuse are trying to work out why this is happening and what can be done about it. Lucas Chambers reports:
Tuesday, 27 April, 2010
A cry can be heard in Switzerland over the shortage of teachers. Teaching as a profession is losing its prestigious luster, and the very meaning and mission of school is up for debate, as is whether it can even deliver on that mission. At the same time, an aging generation of teachers is approaching retirement.
So what’s the solution to the crisis plaguing the teaching profession? WRS’s Carla Drysdale put the question to Beat Zemp, president of the Swiss Teachers Association:
Thursday, 8 April, 2010
Several German-speaking cantons are facing an acute shortage of teachers. In canton Zurich, 10% of the 3,000 secondary school teachers are employed in positions for which they are not trained. In Lucerne, about 16% of teachers don’t have suitable qualifications for the level they are teaching. The problem is likely to get worse as more and more teachers reach retirement age and fewer and fewer students apply for teacher training. WRS’s Vincent Landon reports:
Health Matters: Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
Tuesday, 30 March, 2010
The sudden and unexplained death during sleep, while still rather rare, is the top killer of children under one year. Dr. Michelle Wright takes us through it—and gives us 6 things you as parents can do to help protect your babies:
Tuesday, 30 March, 2010
The sudden and unexplained death during sleep, while still rather rare, is the top killer of children under one year. Dr. Michelle Wright takes us through it—and gives us 6 things you as parents can do to help protect your babies:
Thursday, 11 March, 2010
What steps can teenagers educated in Switzerland—and their parents—take to help ensure they’re accepted into universities in North America or the UK? WRS’s Susan Flory and Catherine Nelson-Pollard bring on some expert help:
Generous new paternity leave policy gives birth to controversy
Wednesday, 10 March, 2010
The city of Lausanne is offering its employees the longest paternity leave in the country: 20 days off for new fathers. For left-wing politicians, it’s an important step towards a better life-work balance. For opponents on the right, it’s irresponsible and unfair, especially as workers in the private sector only get two to three days off on average. Lucas Chambers has the story:
Wednesday, 10 March, 2010
The city of Lausanne is offering its employees the longest paternity leave in the country: 20 days off for new fathers. For left-wing politicians, it’s an important step towards a better life-work balance. For opponents on the right, it’s irresponsible and unfair, especially as workers in the private sector only get two to three days off on average. Lucas Chambers has the story:
Putting dunce cap on early selection in Swiss schools
Friday, 29 January, 2010
A recent OECD report making recommendations on education has pointed out that Switzerland is one of the countries where socioeconomic background has the greatest impact in explaining educational outcomes. The OECD puts the blame on early selection—that is, in Switzerland, students are routed onto two or three tracks between 11 and 13 years of age and only the highest tracks can lead them to university. WRS’s Mark Butcher asks University of Geneva economist Jean-Marc Falter about the impact of this practice:
Friday, 29 January, 2010
A recent OECD report making recommendations on education has pointed out that Switzerland is one of the countries where socioeconomic background has the greatest impact in explaining educational outcomes. The OECD puts the blame on early selection—that is, in Switzerland, students are routed onto two or three tracks between 11 and 13 years of age and only the highest tracks can lead them to university. WRS’s Mark Butcher asks University of Geneva economist Jean-Marc Falter about the impact of this practice:
Tinkering with the school system? One economist approves...
Friday, 15 January, 2010
The canton of Zug has proposed an educational experiment: to run an entire school from kindergarten to the end of mandatory schooling according to alternative pedagogical methods. WRS’s Mark Butcher speaks to education economist Jean-Marc Falter from the University of Geneva, who says that regardless of whether that approach will be better, it is a good sign that the government is experimenting with the educational system:
Friday, 15 January, 2010
The canton of Zug has proposed an educational experiment: to run an entire school from kindergarten to the end of mandatory schooling according to alternative pedagogical methods. WRS’s Mark Butcher speaks to education economist Jean-Marc Falter from the University of Geneva, who says that regardless of whether that approach will be better, it is a good sign that the government is experimenting with the educational system:
Let's talk about sex: Swiss kids under-educated about birds and bees
Friday, 16 October, 2009
Are the Swiss comfortable talking about sex? If you want children to grow up with a healthy view of sexuality, parents, schools and society all have a role to play. But is this happening? The Federal Commission for Youth Questions has released its latest report, The Sexuality of Youth Over Time. It seems that, despite the easy access young people have to sexual imagery these days, they still demonstrate a high level of ignorance about the facts of the birds and bees. WRS’s Conor Lennon spoke to the commission’s Rahel Zurfluh, and started by asking if she was satisfied at the level of sex education in this country:
Friday, 16 October, 2009
Are the Swiss comfortable talking about sex? If you want children to grow up with a healthy view of sexuality, parents, schools and society all have a role to play. But is this happening? The Federal Commission for Youth Questions has released its latest report, The Sexuality of Youth Over Time. It seems that, despite the easy access young people have to sexual imagery these days, they still demonstrate a high level of ignorance about the facts of the birds and bees. WRS’s Conor Lennon spoke to the commission’s Rahel Zurfluh, and started by asking if she was satisfied at the level of sex education in this country:
In-car safety seats to be mandatory for under-12s
Thursday, 15 October, 2009
Following the announcement that car safety seats are to be mandatory for children up to the age of 12, Pete Forster speaks to Daniel Menna from the Swiss Council for Accident Prevention about the reasons behind such a significant rise from the current maximum age of 7.
Thursday, 15 October, 2009
Following the announcement that car safety seats are to be mandatory for children up to the age of 12, Pete Forster speaks to Daniel Menna from the Swiss Council for Accident Prevention about the reasons behind such a significant rise from the current maximum age of 7.
Schools work to get kids back on the move
Tuesday, 18 August, 2009
Kids aren’t moving enough and it’s hurting their health. That’s according to the Federal Office for Sport, which says a lack of exercise for children now can lead to health problems later in life. The government’s School on the Move programme is designed to remedy the situation. More and more schools are signing on to the programme and one of the latest is in Wilderswil in canton Bern. There, 300 kids of all ages took part in a day of activities. Vincent Landon has more:
Tuesday, 18 August, 2009
Kids aren’t moving enough and it’s hurting their health. That’s according to the Federal Office for Sport, which says a lack of exercise for children now can lead to health problems later in life. The government’s School on the Move programme is designed to remedy the situation. More and more schools are signing on to the programme and one of the latest is in Wilderswil in canton Bern. There, 300 kids of all ages took part in a day of activities. Vincent Landon has more:
Battle over movie ratings likely to have a sequel
Thursday, 13 August, 2009
How old should you be to watch the latest Harry Potter film? The answer varies from one canton to another, and that’s driving a lot of people up the wall. Leading the charge for change is Procinema, a group representing cinema owners and film distributors in Switzerland. It would like ratings to be set by the film industry—which would be cheaper, easier and coherent across the board. But many cantons cringe at this affront to their sovereignty, saying there is too much at stake to let others decide what’s good for their kids. Lucas Chambers has the story:
Thursday, 13 August, 2009
How old should you be to watch the latest Harry Potter film? The answer varies from one canton to another, and that’s driving a lot of people up the wall. Leading the charge for change is Procinema, a group representing cinema owners and film distributors in Switzerland. It would like ratings to be set by the film industry—which would be cheaper, easier and coherent across the board. But many cantons cringe at this affront to their sovereignty, saying there is too much at stake to let others decide what’s good for their kids. Lucas Chambers has the story:
