27 July 2013

We're for kids

Have you seen that advertisement for dog food - Pal dog food, I think it is. They use a really neat phrase - 'we're for dogs'. I love it - I stop and watch it every time. It leaves a nice warm feeling and makes you want to go out and get a dog.

A visitor to our school this week asked me 'Are all primary schools like this? The kids are so exuberant and happy.' We were standing watching 200+ children at play - all running, jumping, arms out wide, smiling and laughing and squealing just for the fun of it. One little girl burst past us leaping over garden beds and shouting for a friend. My visitor said 'oops, there's one that's going to end in tears...' and sure enough 10 seconds later she was flat on her back with tears pouring down her face. We both started forward at the same time but before we could get there she was surrounded by other children and a couple of staff, and a couple of minutes later she was up and running again, with a bunch of kids in tow.

Then, yesterday a new staff member commented in passing that he had either worked in or in the course of his work visited about twenty five schools over the last few months and that this was the first one in which, when you walk through the front door you just feel that it's about kids - he added 'not sucking up or anything, Gwen!'

And he's right, it is about kids, it's always been about kids since the day the first tree went down on the block of land that is now our school; and we are working hard together to ensure it's always about kids... because - we're for kids!


20 July 2013

Cherish your time with them

It's that time of the year again. The mid-year uni holidays are over and there is a flurry of bag packing going on in our house. Maddie goes back to her college tomorrow and launches herself back into her studies on Monday. For the past four weeks the house has been full of peals of laughter, clothes and books everywhere, wet dive gear hanging from every available place, phones ringing and buzzing constantly, mountains of washing, doors slamming, and cries of 'Mum - there's no food in the fridge' and 'Dad - I'm going out, can I have 50 bucks ...please, PLEASE...?'.

I love it. I love it when she's home. I miss her being little so much. I miss Swim Club and competitions, weekends away and children's birthday parties. I miss her holding my hand during shopping on Saturday and kids' movies. I miss morning cuddles in bed - actually that still happens but it's a bit like trying a cuddle a young racehorse these days - not quite the same!

Ironically, when she was little I craved 'me time', and now I wish for more 'her time'. Over the last few weeks I've met with many of my teachers who have young children, to discuss and plan their teaching responsibilities for next year. They all bemoan the juggling, the rushing, the lack of time and the worry they can't give to their jobs all they would like to. But this is a fact of life - and even when they've grown up, you are still juggling - it's just that the balls are bigger and fewer and further apart.
Photo courtesy of Jenn Huls Photography


Time goes so fast; children grow up so fast - as I walk through the school in the mornings and see our Preps from 2010, now galloping towards the end Year 3, I can't believe it. Soon I'll be shaking their hands as they go off to high school.

So cherish your time with your children; give them another hug or play another game when you are craving 'me time' - it goes so fast and before you know it they will be away out of the door carving their own lives. And when that happens make sure you have a fridge full of food, a laundry cupboard full of washing detergent and a wallet full of fifty dollar notes!

14 July 2013

First day in a new school

When I was about eight years old Mum and Dad decided to pack up and move to Australia - it was one of those 'now or never' moments as the last ten pound tickets to Australia were about to be sold and emigrating to the land of opportunity was going to become a whole lot more difficult.

The process took about a year and in that time of uncertainty I attended many different primary schools. I hated it - I hated the change, I hated leaving friends I'd just made, I hated the new school's ways of doing things, I didn't like some of the teachers much, the work seemed to get harder and I was all 'at sea' before we even boarded the boat to Australia. I'm not sure why but every second change I cried and fretted and didn't want to go. I used to tell myself that it was good I was crying at this change as the next change would be easier. And I still remember so keenly how it feels to be the 'new kid' - and especially one with an accent.

We take special care with our new children at Peregian Springs - even after nearly four years all children remember how it felt to be new. The processes we put in place in 2010 are still the same now and when I take a new child to a classroom on their first day my heart is in my mouth worrying about how they will be received and whether there will be a group of children who will embrace them and help them settle.

Last week I watched many classes where nearly every child warmly welcomed the 'new kids' and 'fought' to be picked to look after them for the week - we have a whole school full of warm, friendly kids - and when they reach out to our new children in this way, I could hug them. Being eight years old and all alone in a new school is not so far in my memory that it doesn't stir up dread and fear... And when our Little Springers make new friends with children just joining us, I can walk back to my office smiling and happy that our new enrolments are in safe hands.


06 July 2013

I'm turning Japanese, I think I'm turning Japanese, I really think so...

These lyrics sung by British band, The Vapours, in the 1980s were classic. Kids still know them even if they've never heard the whole song!

This might be an odd title for a blog post but over the last few weeks the lyrics keep going through my head - of course, we are not turning Japanese - but we are about to welcome the first Japanese Study Tour Group to our school. Seventeen 10-15 year olds and their teacher from West Japan will spend a week with us, learning English in the mornings, joining classes in the afternoons, and staying with their excited host families at night.

What a marvellous opportunity for all of us to learn something about this unique and surprising country and its people - and maybe even make some lifelong friends in the process.

Of course, we're not 'turning Japanese' at all. It's the last thing our visitors would want - they are coming to experience our Australian culture and to improve their English, that is, they want to develop their intercultural skills and understandings. And in the process of their visit, there is much we can learn too.

Intercultural competence is an important set of skills - it's about more than enjoying the food, geography and arts of a culture. It's more about understanding how a group of people think about the world and their place in it. Our children's future will be about the ability to engage with Asia in ways beyond simply visiting its glorious beaches and amazing cities for the summer holidays. This is not about 'turning Japanese' but about becoming more understanding, developing relationships, sustaining dialogue, and ultimately, its about economic growth, prosperity and international security.

So lets open our arms in that friendly Australian way, and open our minds at the same time. Spending time with our Japanese friends will be an opportunity not to be missed.