Teaching and thriving where I am.

This is the third 5 day teaching week. Classes are full, bodies are hot and the air is stuffy. Teachers who have an air conditioned class please consider the heatwave that oils itself all over us mortals who dream of cool air... Athletics day has come and gone and the sense of student connections  and relationships is blooming. Seeing mass participation was so delightful...May we never loose the delight and planning of a school inter house  athletics day. Yeah some students lack the desire and commitment of athletic events but on the whole the attempts to be fully involved and enjoy the sights, skills and sounds of this event is one of the ways that reminds me that job satisfaction is often beyond the classroom wall. The neat thing about the day in class after a big sport event is the many conversations that happen. They love it when you comment on an event you watched. Praise them for cheering their peers on, praise them for actually showing up, praise them for making an effort to dre

It's been two weeks since the learning year started for students. We've only had two 4 day weeks and yesterday a student remarked 'feels like I've been here forever!' She is a new Y11 student to our school. This comment encouraged me as she went on to say that everyone is so kind and helpful.Wow! Take a bow Elim...this is how it should be. This is how it needs to be for every student at school. Many staff including myself have been back at school for 4 weeks. We want our Orinetation 1st Few Days program that we design for the entire College to be a highlight and a habit that will last all year. Students get to attend keynote sessions from key staff members that allows them all to get ready for the school,year. All are introduced at the same time to core values and principles at our school, all students are given opportunities to reflect on learning habits that will best serve them. Its not perfect but it feel good and before survey results are analysed, the uptake