History of Burrum Heads

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A Brief History of the Burrum District

The discovery of coal on the southern bank of the Burrum River in 1863 signalled the beginning of rapid development in the Burrum District and led directly to the establishment of the towns of Howard, Torbanlea, Burrum Heads and Toogom.  Furthermore, as only the second coalfields to be exploited in Queensland, the Burrum Coalfields played a major role in the early development of the entire region, accelerating the growth of Maryborough and Hervey Bay and providing impetus for the extension of the railway north from Brisbane and the construction of the Urangan Pier. 

Despite its narrow seams, the high quality of the coal contained within the Burrum coalfields allowed mining to remain economically viable throughout the majority of last century.   Despite this viability diminishing significantly post WWII through developments such as the introduction of diesel locomotives, local demand for Burrum coal continued, led by the Howard Power Station (operating from 1951 to 1980), which supplied the entire region with electricity generated exclusively from local coal.  In total, mining of the area spanned some 130 years, from 1866 until the closure of the last coalmine (Burgowan Number 12) in 1997, and saw some 94 shafts and tunnels dug and, at its peak, employed over 400 personnel.
 
Alongside mining, a number of other industries have also been prominent in the history of the Burrum District; in particular timber getting, citrus growing, cattle farming and small crop agriculture.  The ocean has also provided a livelihood through fishing, oyster farming and the manufacture of dugong oil.  Washing powder and cordial (Burrell’s) were also manufactured in Howard in the past.

Finally, a particularly interesting feature of the history of the Burrum District lies in its important contribution to both the union movement and to national politics.  This contribution is marked by the fact that the district has been home to two Australian Prime Ministers (Andrew Fisher and Billy Hughes) and also to Senator Dame Annabelle Rankin.

Some Important Dates
1878     Burrum school, post office and Hotel open
1882     Howard named and land allocated for cemetery and police station
1883     Railway links to Burrum and Howard open
1887     Andrew Fisher (Australia’s first Labour Prime Minister) builds his house in Howard (still standing in Watkins Street)
1889     Six hotels now operating in the area (including Miners Arms, Torbanlea which is still open today)
1890     Brooklyn House, Howard completed for William Rankin by S. Ward
1893     Queensland Smelting Company formed at Aldershot
1900     Mining explosion at Torbanlea – five casualties
1926     Burrum River Road Bridge opened to traffic 
1930     Shop fire destroys majority of William Street timber shop row in Howard
1948     Traviston changed to Burrum Heads
1951     Howard Power Station opens
1962     Burrum coal tonnage reaches 7.5 million tons
1976     Burgowan Number 13 mine closes – this was the last pick and shovel mine to operate in Australia
1984     Bruce Highway bypass completed
1997     Last coal mine (Burgowan Number 12) closes on Burrum coalfields
2003     Second Royal Hotel burns down

Butterfly Fish

Butterfly Fish

Found in most oceans of the world, butterfly fish are small, thin, disk-shaped fish with pointed noses. There are many varieties, the four-eyed butterfly probably being the most common from New England to the Caribbean. Others include the spotfin, the banded, and the reef butterfly. Many of these fish have a dark band running vertically through each eye. This is an aid for the fish being able to camouflage themselves on the coral reefs where they live. Most butterfly fish have pointed snouts, very useful for plucking out the small coral animals and getting into small crevices for tiny invertebrates which they feed on. Yellow, white, and black are the most common colors for butterfly fish. The four-eyed is pale yellow or whitish, with a dark eye band and a large dark spot on the tail. To a predator, the tail appears to be the fish’s head and often allows the butterfly to escape being the “blue plate special” of the day. The spotfin is also yellowish and has a small dot at the base of its dorsal fin. The banded butterfly looks like a zebra, having alternating black and white stripes running vertically the length of its body. The reef butterfly starts with yellow at the top and fades to white on its belly. Most butterfly fish mate for life and raise their young together. Sometimes, if one dies, the other may also perish. Occasionally, there may be three to six in a small group. These little fish are a delight to visit on a coral reef. They are usually busy pecking away at the coral and scurry quickly if disturbed; however, if you move slowly, it is possible to follow them, film them successfully, or just enjoy them.

History of Burrum Heads

Google Image Result for http://www.herveybay.qld.gov.au/images/stayPlay/Tallow%20lamps.JPG

A Brief History of the Burrum District

The discovery of coal on the southern bank of the Burrum River in 1863 signalled the beginning of rapid development in the Burrum District and led directly to the establishment of the towns of Howard, Torbanlea, Burrum Heads and Toogom.  Furthermore, as only the second coalfields to be exploited in Queensland, the Burrum Coalfields played a major role in the early development of the entire region, accelerating the growth of Maryborough and Hervey Bay and providing impetus for the extension of the railway north from Brisbane and the construction of the Urangan Pier. 

Despite its narrow seams, the high quality of the coal contained within the Burrum coalfields allowed mining to remain economically viable throughout the majority of last century.   Despite this viability diminishing significantly post WWII through developments such as the introduction of diesel locomotives, local demand for Burrum coal continued, led by the Howard Power Station (operating from 1951 to 1980), which supplied the entire region with electricity generated exclusively from local coal.  In total, mining of the area spanned some 130 years, from 1866 until the closure of the last coalmine (Burgowan Number 12) in 1997, and saw some 94 shafts and tunnels dug and, at its peak, employed over 400 personnel.
 
Alongside mining, a number of other industries have also been prominent in the history of the Burrum District; in particular timber getting, citrus growing, cattle farming and small crop agriculture.  The ocean has also provided a livelihood through fishing, oyster farming and the manufacture of dugong oil.  Washing powder and cordial (Burrell’s) were also manufactured in Howard in the past.

Finally, a particularly interesting feature of the history of the Burrum District lies in its important contribution to both the union movement and to national politics.  This contribution is marked by the fact that the district has been home to two Australian Prime Ministers (Andrew Fisher and Billy Hughes) and also to Senator Dame Annabelle Rankin.

Some Important Dates
1878     Burrum school, post office and Hotel open
1882     Howard named and land allocated for cemetery and police station
1883     Railway links to Burrum and Howard open
1887     Andrew Fisher (Australia’s first Labour Prime Minister) builds his house in Howard (still standing in Watkins Street)
1889     Six hotels now operating in the area (including Miners Arms, Torbanlea which is still open today)
1890     Brooklyn House, Howard completed for William Rankin by S. Ward
1893     Queensland Smelting Company formed at Aldershot
1900     Mining explosion at Torbanlea – five casualties
1926     Burrum River Road Bridge opened to traffic 
1930     Shop fire destroys majority of William Street timber shop row in Howard
1948     Traviston changed to Burrum Heads
1951     Howard Power Station opens
1962     Burrum coal tonnage reaches 7.5 million tons
1976     Burgowan Number 13 mine closes – this was the last pick and shovel mine to operate in Australia
1984     Bruce Highway bypass completed
1997     Last coal mine (Burgowan Number 12) closes on Burrum coalfields
2003     Second Royal Hotel burns down

Dugongs

The spatial ecology of dugongs: applications to conservation management – ResearchOnline@JCU

Abstract

Dugongs are large primary consumers of seagrass communities, and thereby shape the diversity, structure, and dynamics of these extensive ecosystems. The dugong is listed as vulnerable to extinction at a global scale. Because dugongs are seagrass specialists, understanding the interaction between dugongs and their seagrass habitats is crucial to their conservation. Habitat use by dugongs is beginning to receive greater attention by managers and ecologists, but a spatially-explicit model capable of predicting usage by dugongs based on attributes of those habitats is lacking. Studying the interaction between dugongs and their seagrass food requires knowledge of the movements and diving behaviour of dugongs at scales relevant to both dugongs and managers. Information is needed on dugong spatial patterns, including movement behaviours and habitat use, across domains of scale. Multi-scale approaches to dugong research have not been possible in the past because of the difficulties in observing dugongs directly and the low resolution of telemetric equipment.

My project capitalised on recent technology incorporating accurate GPS technology into tracking equipment to monitor the habitat use of wild animals at very high resolution (<10 m). Advances in geographic information systems (GIS) and spatial modelling enabled habitat selection by satellite-tracked dugongs to be analysed in a high-resolution, spatially explicit manner. I used hierarchical scales of spatial analyses to assess the relative importance of different seagrass meadows and parts of meadows to dugongs at scales that are suitable for informing policy concerning the management of human activities. My central research hypotheses were that: (1) dugongs forage like terrestrial mammalian grazers in that they prefer habitats where their foraging efficiency is greatest and (2) patterns of dugong movements and habitat use across spatial scales are intimately linked to the availability and distribution of quality seagrass forage.

I investigated the mechanisms that produce the large-scale distribution and movement patterns of dugongs by reanalysing the results of historical aerial surveys and satellite tracking conducted by earlier researchers in combination with new data from my GPS telemetry of 20 dugongs in sub-tropical and tropical waters of Queensland and the Northern Territory, Australia. The mean patch size supporting high relative density (> 0.1 dugongs/km2) of dugongs over 20 years along the urban coast of Queensland was 77 km2 (± 4 s.e.). Hence, at regional and landscape scales (> 100 km2) dugongs select habitat at the level of individual bays along the coast. The tracked dugongs were followed for periods ranging from 15 to 551 days and exhibited a large range of individualistic movement behaviours; 26 individuals were relatively sedentary (moving < 15 km) while 44 made large-scale movements (> 15 km) of up to 560 km from their capture sites. Male and female animals, including cows with calves, undertook large-scale movements (LSM; > 15 km).

At least some of these movements were return movements to the capture location, suggesting that such movements were ranging rather than dispersal movements. Large-scale movements included macro-scale regional movements (> 100 km) and meso-scale inter-patch local movements (15 ≤ 100 km) and were qualitatively different from tidally-driven micro-scale commuting movements between and within seagrass beds (< 15 km). Large-scale movements were rapid and apparently directed. Tracked dugongs rarely travelled far from the coast (mean max distance = 12.8 ± s.e. 1.3 km). Dive profiles from the timedepth recorders suggest that dugongs make repeated deep dives while travelling rather than remaining at the surface. Some animals caught in the high latitude limits of the dugongs’ range on the Australian east coast in winter apparently undertook long distance movements in response to low water temperatures, similar to the seasonal movements of Florida manatees.

A 24 km2 seagrass meadow in Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia was confirmed as important dugong habitat on the basis of the tracking data. Marine videography, Near-infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) were used to survey, analyse and map seagrass species composition, nutrient profile and patch structure of the meadow at high resolution (200 m). Five species of seagrass covered 91 % of the total habitat area. The total above and below-ground seagrass biomass was estimated to be 222.7 ± s.e. 19.6 t dry-weight. Halodule uninervis dominated the pasture (81.8 %, 162.2 t), followed by Halophila ovalis (35.3 %, 16.5 t), Zostera capricorni (15.9 %, 22.2 t), Halophila spinulosa (14.5 %, 21.9 t), and traces of Halodule pinifolia. Because the distributions of the various seagrass species overlapped, their combined percentage totalled > 100 % of the survey area. The seagrass formed a continuous meadow of varying density.

For all seagrass species, the above-ground component (shoots and leaves) possessed greater total nitrogen than the below-ground component (roots and rhizomes), which possessed greater total starch. Because of the relatively low intraspecific variation in nutrient composition, nutrients were concentrated according to seagrass biomass density. H. uninervis was the most nutritious seagrass species because of its higher whole-plant nitrogen (1.28 ± s.e. 0.05 % DW) and starch (6.42 ± s.e. 0.50 DW %) content. H. uninervis formed large, clustered patches of dense biomass across the pasture and thus nitrogen and starch were concentrated where H. uninervis was prevalent. These survey and analytical techniques enabled me to rapidly, economically and accurately quantify and characterise seagrass habitat at scales relevant to a large forager.

I used GIS and spatial statistics to identify the role of physical environmental characteristics in determining the activity patterns and fine-scale space-use of dugongs tracked in coastal and deepwater seagrass habitats using GPS telemetry. A seagrass meadow was defined as a core dugong habitat if more than 10 days of satellite location fixes were obtained from an individual animal occupying an area <100 km2. Habitats were categorised as inshore/intertidal or offshore/subtidal depending on their distance to the shore and the water depth. Inshore/intertidal habitats had a shallow component that was exposed at low tide. Offshore/subtidal habitats were at least 5 km from the nearest mainland and were at least 3 m deep at mean low water spring tide (MLWS). Location fixes acquired from dugongs tracked in coastal habitats exhibited significant circadian rhythms, with fewer locations during the morning than during late afternoon/night. GPS location fixes could only be acquired when the transmitter was at the surface. Such periods are typically brief, as when the animal surfaces to breathe. More GPS locations were acquired from inshore/intertidal dugongs that were foraging in the intertidal zone than from animals in the subtidal zone. This telemetric artefact provided an indication of when the animals were moving across shallow intertidal waters. More locations were received at night when the animals were generally closest to the shore and in shallow water and fewer locations were received during the day when animals were further subtidal in deeper waters. Hence, the average depth of water experienced by dugongs and their distances from the shore may have been significantly underestimated, especially when fix success was low, since animals that were in shallower water were more likely to be sampled. Consequently, my estimates of the diel patterns of dugong space use were more conservative than the actual situation and probably underestimated the strength of the tidal patterns.

Dugongs were in deeper water more often during the morning than during late afternoon/night. There was no effect of tide height on the actual depths in which dugongs occurred. Dugongs in coastal habitats were furthest from the shore between 6:00am and 12:00pm and closest between 3:00pm and 12:00am. Dugongs were closer to the shore during high tide than during low tide. Physical environment variables had little or no effect on the spatial patterns of dugongs tracked in deep water. The movement speeds of the coastal and deepwater dugongs increased marginally between 9:00am and 3:00pm, from an average of 200 to 300 m/hr.

Seven dugongs were GPS tracked at a fine spatial scale (< 10m) within the Burrum seagrass habitat in winter. Resource selection within the habitat was modelled by comparing the dugongs’ use of space with the distribution of their seagrass food resources within an area defined using the combined space-use of the tracked animals. The association of dugongs with seagrass quantity (biomass) and quality (nutrients) was analysed within six time/tide combinations to examine the influences of tidal periodicity and the diel cycle on resource selection. I used resource utilisation functions (RUFs) to relate a probabilistic measure of each individual dugong’s space-use in each time/tide combination in a utilisation distribution (UD) (dependent variable) to the spatial landscapes of the resource variables (independent variables) using multiple regression.

The RUF models indicated that dugong space-use was consistently centred over seagrass patches with high nitrogen concentrations, except during the day at low tides when their space-use was centred over high seagrass biomass and away from seagrass with high starch concentration. Dugong association with seagrass high in starch was positive during both day and night high tides when dugongs could access intertidal areas where the seagrass biomass was generally low. Patterns of association with seagrass species were less definite. Estimates of the intensity of dugong space-use in relation to available seagrass resources may be confounded by the differentiation of fix probability by depth and speed. Because my estimates of dugong space-use in relation to subtidal seagrass may have been more conservative than the data suggested, the positive association of dugongs with patches of high biomass seagrass and avoidance of patches containing H. spinulosa and Z. capricorni in the subtidal zone may have been over-estimated by this sampling bias.

I posit that dugong habitat selection and resource use occur hierarchically, across (at least) three different domains of scale: (1)at a regional-scale (> 10 000 km2) dugongs select habitat at the level of individual bays along the Queensland coast; (2) at a landscape-scale (< 10 000 km2), dugongs select seagrass pastures within bays along the Queensland coast comprised of nutritious plant species; (3) at a local-scale (< 10 km2) within seagrass pastures that are within bays along the Queensland coast, dugongs select seagrass patches on the basis of their nutrient concentrations. I recommend that the appropriate scales at which to manage dugong populations and their seagrass habitats be co-ordinated within and across the hierarchical scales of habitat use indicated by my analysis.

My finding that dugongs frequently undertake large-scale moves has implications for management at a range of scales, and strengthens the aerial survey and genetic evidence for management and monitoring at ecological scales that cross jurisdictions. The capacity of large-scale monitoring programs to detect trends in dugong numbers at scales of even thousands of km2 is confounded by the dugongs’ tendency to undertake large-scale moves. With movement between bays a common occurrence, estimates of population size and trends can only be meaningfully made at regional scales.

The tendency for dugongs to track the bottom on large-scale movements may increase their vulnerability to incidental capture in bottom set gill nets. In addition, if dugongs transfer their spatial knowledge of the location of quality food resource patches to their offspring, then local depletions will lead to loss of this knowledge. Areas of high quality seagrass may thus become unknown to dugongs. In the absence of grazing pressure such areas may become less valuable as dugong habitat if the early seral stage species of seagrass preferred by dugongs convert to more fibrous species.

My research suggests that dugongs actively select seagrass habitats comprised primarily of H. ovalis and H. uninervis, based on the high starch and nitrogen content of these species. Bays containing these quality food resources comprise an interlinked network of core habitats between which dugongs frequently move. Accordingly, bays along the Queensland coast with seagrass meadows dominated by H. ovalis and H. uninervis should be afforded a high level of protection as potential quality dugong habitat. Bays with extensive intertidal meadows of H. uninervis should also receive enhanced protection, even if the seagrass biomass is low. Even though they have low seagrass biomass, thermoregulatory habitats play an important role in maintaining dugong populations and should be included in dugong habitat protection s

Those who can Teach are Leaving because of the stress

http://blogs.news.com.au/moneymum/index.php/news/comments/how_much_is_your_child/

An interesting article in the Australian today claiming that ”teacher’s work is worth $100,000”. I agree with them. And that’s just on a professional level – that doesn’t even begin to calculate the danger money that I, personally, would require to spend each day in a classroom with 24-odd kids. Much as I adore the little darlings.

The article compares the salary of senior level teachers (at a top rate of $75,367) with the salary level of lawyers after six years ($125,800). And, with due respect to lawyers, I take the point. After all, the education of our kids affects their entire life and, to a certain extent, influences the direction of our nation. It’s important stuff.

Perhaps they should have a better system of bonus payments, rather than seeking hefty across-the-board increases. It could be calculated on a range of achievements including academic improvement, teamwork, courtesy, fostering school spirit and so forth. I mean let’s face it – school parents all know who the fantastic teachers and who the not-quite-so-enthusiastic teachers are in their child’s school. Those fantastic teachers should be rewarded above and beyond a small annual pay rise.

It all comes down to funding, doesn’t it. And unless we want to privatise our schools, or attract corporate sponsorship with the inherent conflicts of interest that that can create, where does the money come from? 

How much do you think your child’s teacher should be paid, and would you support a performance bonus?

…………………………What is a Teacher Worth????

In Australia the lack of respect for teachers and the verbal abuse a teacher has to take from some students make teaching a far from attractive job, regardless of the wage.

I left Australia 5 years ago to teach in Korea. Originally a 1 year contract turned into 5 years in Korea and China because Teaching, even though lesser paid in comparison to here, was marvellous. The students want to learn, were respectful and came to school to learn.
I only returned because my passport ran out, and I needed to get a new one, which was not easy to do from Korea or China. I stayed 6 months because the money was good, but I found as a person, I was being slowly destroyed.
I took an Outback position, for the money and the house that came with the job, as my belongings had been in storage for 5 years and I also had no home here.
I loved my house, I loved teaching Art, and I am an excellent art teacher.
However the senior students doing ‘Child Development’ and ‘Home Economics’ did not really want to learn. They were doing these subjects because they are not academic, and schooling is compulsory.
From the very beginning, they objected to my rules. No speaking during lessons, no bad language, no throwing things around the room. no shouting and no throwing tantrums and walking out banging doors to ‘tell the Principal’. They came to school and class late, often hung over, smelling of cigerettes, and used the mobile phones for constant texting and playing music.
Report after report did not work. I was told I am the professional and I have to solve it. I was told to ignore their behavior and teach. So I run lessons with one girl mouthing off about not learning anything, about their sex life and  their private business. Telling them to stop talking only brought back the comment, “This is my business’ and saying this was disrupting the class did nothing. Often they would call me names and walk off, usually to answer the phone in the toilets.
It was horrendous.
I survived outright verbal abuse everyday as the same girls were in every class as they took all my subjects. Believe me it was difficult to take, and the pay check looked weaker and weaker. I went through ways of working out how to kill myself, and decided lying in front of the train in the dark after taking pills, was the sure way to go. I decided setting fire to myself in the Art Room was not fair on the students I did like.
Then I went away for a week and saw normal people, and suddenly realised what was happening to me. I was a tense ball of sadness. My self worth was below zero and I was killing myself for $3,000 less tax and etc, $1,600 a fornight.
Living on the dole, senior pension or doing casual teaching, cooking or whatever seemed a better life. Then I discovered House-sitting and found a house to live in for a few months.
Today is my first day as an unemployed. I have no idea where I am heading but its not back to the school I was teaching at.

To quote my own words written in a report “I cannot teach those girls”

The final straw was accusing me of being a racist. Anyone lookng at my past can see I lived in Aboriginal Communities for 8 years and one does not do that being a racist.

Teaching is still a noble profession, but its too difficult today coping with the stresses students bring to school. Senior students are living adult lives and cannot cope with rules that stop them being adults.

No, I am not sueing the system because I could not handle students who were not at school to learn. I am renewing my passport and returning Overseas next year or sooner as soon as the House -sit is over.

Teachers do a job that no-one else can do, and good teachers are destroyed by the system. This year a mature aged first year resigned after baerely 3 months teaching for the same reasons as me. Another teacher had her chair pulled out from under her, and students laughing when she got hurt. Students who want to learn are also exposed to this abuse as they are also in the classroom.

Until the system improves and a Centre is created for these students who do not want to come to school, teachers have to constantly battle to teach those who want to learn

An alternative is of course to enrol in my Online virtual school, and get an education that way, with 20 hours compulsory in a week with a focus on basic learning skills of English, Maths and Creative subjects.
http://activeenglishspeaking.com

This is where I am heading..to set up the Virtual School for the very students who refused to learn from me in the Government system.

Teaching is not easy. Those who can go into other jobs which is a pity as Teachers are born not made, and there are many good teachers out here now out of the system because they cannot cope with the students they were forced to teach.

Maggi Carstairs
http://outbackart-maggi.blogspot.com

Achievement Gap Begins Early

The Achievement Gap Begins Early: Study Finds Disparities in Child Outcomes Among Infants

 

A new Child Trends study commissioned by the Council of Chief State School Officers finds disparities between poor, at-risk children and more advantaged children as early as 9 months of age–extending prior research that primarily focuses on disparities at kindergarten entry and beyond.  The study, Disparities in Early Learning and Development: Lessons from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study–Birth Cohort, identifies low income and low maternal education as the factors most strongly associated with poorer cognitive, social-emotional, and health outcomes among very young children.  It also finds that the more risk factors a child has, the more profound the disparities. 
 
Study highlights:

• Disparities by Family Income:  Compared to their peers from higher-income families, infants and toddlers from low-income families score lower on cognitive assessments, are less likely to be in excellent or very good health, and are less likely to receive positive behavior ratings at both 9 and 24 months. 
  • Toddlers from lower-income families are also less likely to have a secure attachment to their primary caregiver compared to toddlers from higher-income families.
  • Small effects were found for all outcomes at 9 months; these effects were larger (moderate) by 24 months. 
    
• Disparities by Maternal Education:  Compared to infants whose mothers have a Bachelor’s degree or higher, infants and toddlers whose mothers have less than a high school degree score lower on both cognitive and behavioral measures and they are also less likely to be in excellent or very good health. Disparities are typically small at 9 months, but become more pronounced at 24 months (moderate to large). 
  • In addition, toddlers whose mothers have a Bachelor’s degree or higher are more likely to have a secure attachment to their primary caregiver compared to toddlers whose mothers have less education.

The study, based on a nationally representative sample of children born in the U.S. in 2001, also includes implications for policy and practice.
 http://www.childtrends.org/Files/Child_Trends-2009_07_10_ES_DisparitiesEL.pdf

Efficient English School

Welcome to the Efficient Language Coaching Store http://www.efficientlanguagecoaching.de/catalog/

English is more and more necessary in this globalised world of today. Not only normal day to day English, but specialised and focused English for professionals working in different sectors of business such as legal, banking, energy, human resources. Efficient Language Coaching has written a range of focused and specialised courses to be downloaded at an extremely reasonable price. Each course is well presented and in pdf/word form to enable an easy and simple download process. Each Course has been written with specific vocabulary of a specialised theme incorporating this vocabulary into live situations, role plays and discussions. The idea behind each course is to familiarise the reader with the special vocabulary and make the reader able to recognise and use the vocabulary in the future. Courses range from 20 to 35 pages, depending on each course and include themes such as English for Human resources, Legal English, English for Banking, English handbook for secretaries, English for management, English for Insurance, English for Mergers and Acquisitions, English for energy related business, English for Education and situations, Each course has then been adapted for German, Spanish, Italian, French, Arabic and Russian speakers with explanations and vocabulary lists in each respective language together with the English definitions. New Products For July English for Human Resources III 12.00EUR English for Human Resources II 12.00EUR English for Human Resources I 12.00EUR English for Secretaries

Personal Philosophy of Education

http://schoolmarm.org/main/index.php?page=p-genphil Philosophy: General Philosophy Statement > A Personal Philosophy of Education A teacher’s personal philosophy of education is a critical element in his or her approach to guiding children along the path of enlightenment. Hence, there are five key educational philosophies recognized in the field of education. These include, Essentialism, Perennialism, Progressivism, Existentialism, and Behaviorism (Sadker & Sadker, 1994, p. 382-83). Each carries both positive and negative tenets, at least in my opinion. Therefore, I prefer an eclectic discernment in my quest of an educational philosophy. Because, my idea of the perfect teacher is one, who inspires learning in addition to just relating the required facts. A certain amount of creativity, enthusiasm, and motivation is required of the teacher. Certainly, this is a tall order for anyone in a profession on a daily basis. However, considering that children are our future, the effort is worth it! The three major philosophies that correspond, at least in part, to my ideals are Essentialism, Progressivism and Behaviorism. The first, American Essentialism, is grounded in a conservative philosophy that accepts the social, political, economic structure of American society. Essentialists believe that teachers should instill such traditional American virtues as respect for authority, perseverance, fidelity to duty, consideration for others, and practicality (p. 369). In the classroom, traditional disciplines are taught such as math, natural science, history, foreign language, and literature, which form the foundation of the curriculum. The teacher serves as an intellectual and moral role model for the students and the academic program is rigorous for both slow and fast learners. In addition, it is hoped that when the student leaves school, they will possess not only basic skills and an extensive body of knowledge, but disciplined and practical minds as well. However, the rigor of this program, by itself, does not always allow for the interest of the student and that is where tenets of the progressive philosophy come into focus. Progressivism has a respect for individuality. It is believed that people are social animals who learn well through active interplay with others and that our learning increases when we are engaged in activities that have meaning for us (p. 372). In a progressivist classroom, teachers plan lessons to arouse curiosity and push the student to a higher level of knowledge. The students are encouraged to learn by doing and to interact with one another. This develops social virtues such as cooperation and tolerance for different points of view. In addition, students solve problems in the classroom similar to those they will encounter outside school, which provides them with the tools needed to become flexible problem solvers in preparation for adult lives. Progressivists believe that this approach to education is a perpetually enriching process of ongoing growth (p. 372). With the needs of the curriculum and methods addressed, I think it is important to include aspects of classroom management. That is where the philosophy of Behaviorism falls into place. Skinner, the father of Behaviorism, believed that proper motivation does not come from within, rather it is the reinforcing opportunities of the environment that serve to strengthen or reduce behaviors. (Cooney, Cross, & Trunk, 1993, p. 220). Basically, it depends on the skill of the teacher to create an environment where appropriate reinforcers exist that facilitate learning and establish acceptable behavior within the classroom. By positive reinforcement, students will behave well toward one another, sit quietly and listen, and participate when needed. These behaviors are just as essential as learning the curriculum (p. 212). However, in the American society of the 90’s, there is another perspective to be considered when designing a personal philosophy. One that goes beyond the accepted role of the classroom discussed previously. The critical factor is the removal of parents from the home. Many households are headed by a single parent or both parents are needed to supply salaries just to maintain the necessities. Whatever the reason, for many hours each day there is simply no one at home. This situation has caused a crisis! Students are no longer arriving at school ready to learn the basics, or the three R’s, as reading, writing, and arithmetic are termed. The goals of economic viability, good citizenship, and the other social virtues are even harder to achieve when these children have not had the opportunity to learn the basic mores of our society (Martin, 1995, p. 355-56) Therefore, we as educators are dealt the problem of rectifying the situation as best as we can. To address this issue, a new philosophy was developed by Jane Roland Martin. I will term this the “schoolhome” philosophy. Whereas, Martin proposes that, instead of focusing our gaze on abstract norms, standardized tests, and generalized rates of success and uniform outcomes, the idea of the schoolhome directs attention to actual educational practice. Of course, a schoolhome will teach the three R’s. But it will give equal emphasis to the three C’s of care, concern, and connection—not by designating formal courses in these fundamentals but by being a domestic environment characterized by safety, security, nurturance, and love. In a schoolhome, classroom climate, school routines and rituals, teachers’ modes of teaching, and children’s ways of learning are all guided by a spirit of family-like affection (p. 359). Certainly, any child could thrive in such an environment. Yet, a question is brought to mind. Is it practical? Considering the diversity within our society, can we create a ’schoolhome’ to meet the needs of its students? I think it is worth a try and has to be beneficial to some degree. Fundamentally, I believe the tenets that I have selected from the various schools of philosophy correspond to my ideal of the perfect approach to teaching. In addition, this eclectic approach allows for an overlap of the six branches of philosophy in a way that no single school of thought would be capable. From Existentialism, ethics, metaphysics, and logic would be covered just by the very nature of its philosophy. Teachers act as role models for the students to instill American virtues and when combined with the heavy emphasis on science, metaphysics and logic fall into place. Behaviorism also overlaps with the ethics, as it develops the guidelines for appropriate behavior of individuals. Progressivism covers four of the branches and includes: epistemology, axiology, aesthetics, and logic. Epistemology is an investigation into how we learn. The purpose of progressivism is to seek ways to accommodate the student’s individuality: therefore, this will include learning styles as well as the axiology of cultural values. Art and music for aesthetic purposes will be somewhat difficult for a social studies teacher. Yet, I plan to incorporate as many forms of media as possible to keep the interests of my students. So, I feel that in that respect, this area will not suffer. Progressivism’s last branch is logic and it is one that the students will come to know by the progressivist ideal that what is learned in the classroom has relevance to the real world. History is an art as well as a science so there is plenty of opportunity to explore the reasoning by both inductive and deductive methods behind the actions of our forefathers and how it affects us today. Finally, we come to the ’schoolhome’ philosophy, which overlaps in the areas of aesthetics and ethics by its homelike atmosphere. Aesthetics does not just mean art and music, but also the atmosphere of the room. I feel that if I can succeed in creating a warm and comfortable environment then it will be aesthetically pleasing to the students. In addition, my teaching approach in this environment would also help the students develop guidelines that they may not receive at home. Consequently, my personal philosophy is drawn from those listed. I believe that all children can achieve their full potential as they follow the educational path, if they are given the basics the Essentialists extol, the individualism and cooperative learning environments the Progressivists commend, the reinforcement of Behaviorism, and the three C’s of the schoolhome. The vision of my future classroom reflects all of these points. It is my hope that, as I impart the knowledge needed, I will also manage to inspire and motivate my students to seek more by showing them that they can have fun in the search. This is inevitably a challenge, but one that I look forward to.   References Cooney, William., Cross, Charles. & Trunk, Barry. (1993). From Plato to Piaget: The Greatest Educational Theorists From Across the Centuries and Around the World. New York: University Press of America. Martin, J.R. (1995, January). A philosophy of education for the year 2000. Phi Delta Kappan, 76 (5). Sadker, M.P. & Sadker, D.M. (1994). Teachers, Schools, and Society. NewYork: McGraw-Hill, Inc. Evidence Rationale Statement General Philosophy Statement The general philosophy statement submitted as evidence illustrates that the five major educational philosophies were examined. Those that corresponded to my personal ideals were expanded to portray the intended outcomes of that philosophy. This statement also reflects how I hope to create the ideal learning environment for my students by incorporating the tenets of the philosophies examined. Evidence meets standard: Philosophy 1.1

View From the Top by Maggi Carstairs and Bob Musikman

http://M-carstairs.com/viewfromthetop

A Multi Author Novel  written online right now with regular additions. You can read it like a serial and see how the author creates, amends, and builds the story. It is currently being written by Ladymaggic and Musikman and is now up to Chapter Nineteen, and growing.

A selection of chapters are  now posted on here, and on the website…

http://M-carstairs.com/viewfromthetop

 

You can join at any stage if you would care to by adding a chapter to the Guest book….

The Book is being read by the author and you can listen to the book

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Chapter One 

The Beginning

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Text:
http://m-carstairs.com/viewfromthetop/id1.html

Chapter One..The Beginning:

She stood there looking down from the outside rail and wondered how people find the courage to actually jump from this height. It would be wonderful to float down trailing scarves and skirts like a falling leaf.

Momentarily she thought of Tom, and what her life could have been, and what she had now sitting in the room behind her.
Her secretary, Madeline, typed remorselessly, transcribing the words she had spoken for the last time, before climbing up here, to see what somewhere higher than her office looked like.
The office was situated in the highest building Sydney had to offer, and it overlooked the Harbor and the Ferry which was a constant delight, as she could watch for his arrival every Thursday, and run down to meet him as he entered the apartment just one floor below.

It was all set up so they could be lovers once more, after all these years. The few years apart had been difficult, and now they were lovers, and friends and mates again in so many ways.

Her other offices around the world had similar setups so he could meet with her whenever she chose. It took some organising, but Marilee could organise anything. She had waited a long time for this day, and now she was going to make sure it was perfect. Today was the day she was going to marry her one love. This was it. Her last gesture to the world.
Finally after all these years, she was going to be a bride again, and she was going to marry Tom.
Her heart sang and sang.

Her bright eyes flashed as she remembered last Thursday.

That was the day she’d first spotted them, or to be exact, thought she recognized his distinctive brown head bobbing in the mill of the crowd. She had glanced at her costly jewelled watch just to assure herself of the time and like an amateur pick-pocket or thief- followed him.

His direction was straight forward and he seemed oblivious of her shadowing his steps. But, to insure her invisibility, she had stopped and made a show of studying several of the shop windows, while still keeping him in her rear vision. It was a trick she’d learned from watching those grainy black and white detective videos he was so fond of. Who would think they would come in handy?

…..continur reading the book on the site

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Chapter Two 

Tom

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Tom stood there looking at the Poster on the wall of his small study. Marilee was standing there looking straight at him and he could feel the smile that poured out of her eyes as she laughed into his face.

What happened and why? He had repeated this to himself over and over again. He was in his final year and had so much to do before the end of the Semester. What happened to them and why were they seperated. Neither of them had a real answer.

He was young and still at University doing his finals, and she was hovering between his career and his lust. One memorable night flashed through his mind, as he saw her walking across the campus carrying her funny little rug and a picnic basket which he knew contained some food and a bottle of red.

The Worlds were separating and the worlds were linking, and he was walking across green grass in a mist, and she was still trailing along, her eyes wide with love and wonder. Then they were on yellow sand and the waves were flowing over their bodies as they lay in the moonlight. They were walking hand in hand in the snow and the moonlight was playing tricks with his eyes and her hair.

It was all rolling across him like a the psychedelic images over a white balloon that had transfixed them at Libby’s Opening….

His green eyes crinkled as he smiled and he scratched his head and gave a wry grin. He would always love this woman and God was his witness.

Again the memories rolled across…..

They were eighteen when they met. He was a holiday folk singer, and she was a waitress. They woked together in this seaside resort, and they were friends and lovers from the moment they met.

She was a shy little thing with and so dependent on him, and from the first moment they met, she had loved him, and he had returned the love with a matching passion. They were both virgins, both naive, both highly intelligent and ambitious, and both so very full of the joys of being young.

“Tommy!!!! ” she would cry, and his heart would melt. ‘Tommy!!!”

“Do people who are eighteen know where life is about?”, thundered the lecturer from his pedestal up on the stage, and Tom turned away from the poster and wondered how that big break came….

It was later that same year that Greatchen came into his life. Somehow he managed to keep Marilee happy, and keep his friendship with Greatchen.

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Chapter Three 

Libby

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Libby sat by the window and wondered when he would give her the money he owed her. Their small son was with a neighbour while she stayed home to work at another canvas. She was getting tired of these tantrums her Agent had started to throw lately.

Behind her, the studio was neatly ordered, with shelving and catalogues, and cupboards holding her prescious drawings and collections. She had recently started with digital, and her photographs were in high demand, and if the Agent paid her properly, she knew she would not have to wait for Norm’s miserable support, which was what she and Matt mostly survived on these days. After her marriage failed with Norm, she was working in a discotheque when Tom found her waiting on tables. Stunned by her loneliness and despondency, Tom started taking her out mostly to cheer her up. He also started to fowm a close attachment with her son Matt. It was inevitable that they should marry.

(Musi) Tom and Libby were legally married, not that it mattered.

Norm and Libby’s life together was different.There had never really been a proper marriage with Norm, just a justice of the peace and an arrangement, one of convenience, designed to give their son a name, but that did not excuse him from paying his fair share. “Ha,” she laughed out loud. If he was to pay his fair share they wouldn’t be living here in this dump. They would have a house, with a yard for Matt to play in, maybe even a car, so they didn’t have to ride the filthy bus all of the time.

The checks came regularly, for the first year, while she was pregnant and when Matt was first born, then they began to come later and later. She didn’t complain. She had her art to keep food on the table and the rent paid, on her miserable ghetto flat. Then one month there wasn’t a check at all. The next month the check came again, then two failed to come. Soon there were no checks coming at all, but still somehow Libby managed, until Matt began to take up more and more of her time each day and her work began to suffer. Now Norm’s checks seldom came at all. As a freelance commercial artist, there was no money if there was no work. It was tough making ends meet this way.

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Chapter Four 

Greatchen

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http://m-carstairs.com/viewfromthetop/id5.html

She considered her body again this morning standing there nude in front of the mirror, critically examining herself for any sight of something.

The contest was not even a week away, and she had been working so hard for so long now. Her whole life seemed poised on this one event.

Greg had promised her he would get a job and not depend on her so much. Her mother was waiting to hear about what was happening to her, and David was saying they should get married.

“I have no idea what I want to do,” she said despondently as she considered all the others depending on her, and how sometimes the burden was getting too big to be carried.

“I wish there was someone I could even talk to,” she cried to her reflection. “You are no goddamn good. You agree with everything I say.”

Smiling tightly, she grabbed the big fluffy white towel that she loved, and completely nude, walked aross the open area to where the full sized pool was, being cleaned by Stuart, her trainor, property manager, and sometimes friend.

He looked up as she arrived, and realised something was troubling her. He had that knack of seeing what she was thinking, and over the years he had worked for her, they had developed a strange bonding. He lived above the stables, in a perfectly designed apartment overlooking the arena and the stars at night, and he went his own way, and lived his own life.

His duties were the pool and the running of the stables. Anna, the wolf eyed Lady, was a horse whisperer, possibly because she was half animal herself, and Dale the stable boy, lived and breathed the horses under his care, so Stuart had plenty of time for himself. Greatchen did not bother them, and they did their tasks without any fuss, and the property ran smoothly under mostly Stuart’s control. Greatchen had the money, they did what they were paid to do, and if her maintenance and cheques came in as they should, everything would go smoothly.

However, despite the enormous figures that went through the accounts, there were months when things were lean.

It was then, that Greatchen would come and spend more time where he was, and he would massage her tenseness away, while he let her talk about what was on her mind. Sometimes she would take a horse and ride. He knew she rode them hard as they were covered in sweat and almost wild when they returned.

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Chapter Sixteen: Margaret 

Margaret

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Text:
http://m-carstairs.com/viewfromthetop/id18.html

Margaret met David at a Party at Marilee’s Place. She was a member of the Introduction Agency that Marilee had financed for Judy, which David was also a part of. She was thrilled to have been invited to the Party, as she had heard much about these society functions that she had never quite been able to get into.
When she was introduced to David, she immediately saw her opening. Like Marilee had before her, she attached herself to David. She discovered that what he wanted was not the socialite, he already had the display buterfly in Marilee, Margaret went for the servile role. She did everything he asked her, and when she confided that she and her daughter were seeking a fresh start somewhere, David moved them into his Toorak House, which he kept for his nocturnal visits to the Big City.
It was with a matter of pride, and some trepidation, that she confessed this to Marilee at the next function, but to her surprise, Marilee accepted her docile role in their lives.
In fact it was Marilee she went to, when she decided to have another child, and she asked Marilee to use her influence with David, which she did.
Their child, a boy, was born in wedlock, as Margaret had promised him all rights, if it was a girl, but it was a son, and she ensured her protection and future maintenance, by providing him with a second son, not long after.
Their life had a strange pattern and routine. She lived basically in his house, which was still his, because of the very formal and clearly laid out pre-marital agreement she had to sign, claiming she would never make any demands at all on any of his money. She saw him every second weeekend, and led her own life while he continued to lead his. The only change was that she had two children, and a very open marriage certificate which gave the boys his name. Her daughter by first marriage, was now living her own life, as she had chosen to move away, and that suited Margaret as she was getting a bit too attractive for Margaret’s comfort.
She was happilly in this routine, blissfully unaware of the events that were going to suddenly change her life.

(Mus) She sat, alone, by the window, staring into the night, but seeing nothing. Her mind was filled with hate, with sorrow and with pain. How could something like this happen? How could someone be so evil, so hurtful and so unfeeling?

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Chapter Seventeen: Murder Strikes 

Is this a murder by one of the characters or someone else????

With Gretchen away, protecting Tom Thompson, Stuart took charge of the horse farm. There were only three employees. Stuart, his lover Dale and the mysterious horse whispering woman, Dale referred to as the Wolf Lady. All three were determined that their employer be proud of them when she returned, so they did their best to maintain the same level of efficiency she demanded when she was present.

It would be unfair to say that they liked having their boss away, but for Stuart and Dale, it meant not having to hide their love affair. As soon as she returned , they would be forced to go back to their secret midnight rendezvous, stolen touches and knowing glances. They didn’t have to hide their relationship from The Wolf Lady, because she simply couldn’t have cared less. All she was interested in were the horses, period.

Gretchen was away for several weeks at a time, only returning home briefly to check on things, so Stuart and Dale decided to embark on a new venture. They had lots of free time on their hands, so they decided to supplement their incomes a little. This venture didn’t involve leaving their home, but in fact could be taken care of entirely from the ranch. They decided to create a web site, devoted to internet dating. This site would be different from most other dating sites on the web, however. It was geared to sex, hot steamy, one-night-stand sex, with no strings attached. It wasn’t a place for singles to meet their soul mate, marry them and live happily ever after. It was a place to find a one night sex partner, or more than one, get down and dirty, then wake up the next morning with no ties and no regrets. They called it SexLine.

Gretchen would have been mortified, had she known, but they carefully kept their secret from her. It wasn’t that she was some kind of prude. She had partaken in her share of sexual escapades. Stuart just didn’t think she would want her employees involved in the sex trade in any way, especially from the farm.

Read the rest of the chapter online:

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Memoirs of a Teacher

http://profiles.yahoo.com/blog/TAC3DMQ6ELRRQXMQITBX2OL5KU?eid=YQxrM7g0nX4eFeEMYgrJ.vBxULBoq4bBL0Ax5pIIsRz9VJRBzw

Memoirs of a Teacher: Education Today

http://newyork.broowaha.com/article.php?id=3716

Teaching has become a difficult profession and is now classed as the hardest Profession in the World. To be a good teacher today you need to be tough, thick skinned, over-tolerant and deaf.

Teaching was a noble and honored profession. The first 20 year of teaching was total excitement and total joy. Teachers in the sixties and the seventies were respected and loved, and whether autocratic or democratic, had control over students and were able to dictate to the students. If students went against the teacher or the school rules, there was the firm Principal, a ruling God, to help, wielding a strap and detention, and even worse, a call to the Parent, which was the final resort and which usually worked, as teachers and schools had full parental support, as Parents also respected Schools and Teachers.

The parent would either hit, take away treats such as watching television or stop private lessons in ballet or kung fu, or worse, stop the valued pocket money or free time, and somehow help bring the child back to submission. It was a system that worked. I know as I was a child, a student, a teacher, and a Principal in that era.

Then came the eighties, and along came Joan Kirner. I was Vice Principal at Richmond, and looking forward to being the Principal. Joan Kirner was the President of the Parents Association, and suddenly she was in the News, and Parents were demanding to be part of the Schools, and be involved in the Curriculum and Courses. I took one look at her and what she was representing, and decided my teaching days were done, if I had to follow demands of people who were not Professional and who did not know as much as me about teaching. Rather than conform to being dictated to by someone I considered ignorant and rude and also stupid, I took my usual line of resistance, and resigned.

I started a Florist Shop which I ran for 10 years. That was the eighties, a time of parents telling teachers what to do.

Education went on with Madam Kirner becoming the next Minister of Education, and then to my huge surprise, the Premier. It sort of confirmed my opinion of New Politics in Education, as she replaced a much valued and respected Dr Laurie Shears. She was a totally different person, and suddenly Education was being dictated to by parents and ordinary people, not trained academics. I happily went on with my Flowers, and after trying to teach casually to eke out my income, I returned to my shop deciding teaching had lost its golden glow and students were becoming rude and uncontrollable. I put it down to the fact that I was a casual teacher, but now punishment had been withdrawn, the strap was delegated to Education Museums, and teachers were using Psychology, which did not hurt the students at all, and confused the parents, and a form of laissez faire was coming in to being, and students were becoming more problematic.

I now had a teenager in the same situation. Where once I controlled her, she now did her own thing, and in desperation I sent her to her father who had a new wife who was also a teacher. Then I was counseling them on how to manage my own child. We would sit at the dining table and they would relegate all her evils, such as going out at night, breaking into the locked house during the day, wagging school, and her exploits with boys. It was not an easy time for being a teenager growing into a young adult, or a parent trying to control a child, that now the schools were not able to discipline, because of the new rules and regulations. I was pleased to be a Florist and out of it all and I counseled until she decided to leave her father and return to me, which she did.

The nineties were even worse. Now the young students who were starting school were the children of the generation we had taught in the sixties, and they grew up in the discordant eighties with all this talk of freedom and doing what one chose to do without discipline, and they were bringing up their children in the same way. The children of those who found freedom were without boundaries, and schools were not able to control them, as they were not accustomed to rules and control. Both parents were now working and they either did not have the time to manage their children, or could not manage their children, as they themselves did not have rules to pass on. This was the era of free sex, smoking, drinking and shop-lifting, stealing and making a mockery of Law and Order. Parents had lost control which they did not know how to have, and even young students starting schools behaved as they chose, and teachers struggled to run their classrooms.

It was also the start of school counselors and school psychologists and groups with strategies for coping with ‘learning disorders’ which was the new name for bad behavior.

It was in the middle of this that I returned to training as a Visual Arts teacher, and returned to teaching to find it had all changed. Now students yelled at teachers, and if you yelled back, the teacher got reprimanded, and students were permitted to throw furniture around, and be pardoned, while the teacher cleaned up the mess after the student was sent to the counselor for serious discussion. I spent the next five years in New Zealand, and the same thing was happening there, and at the end of each year I moved to a new school, and found parents were now in control, and the schools worked well if they had a good Parent Group, but if they didn’t, then there were issues. Teachers now had to placate a Parent body who was controlling the funding and the school, to a great degree, and were also dictating terms if they had a President who liked his volunteer status as Boss of the School.

Teaching was now difficult, but still manageable, as teachers worked out ways of placating students so the classes would work as co-operatives. If however a problem parent with a difficult to manage child clashed with a teacher, the teacher usually lost. The classic example here is the School Truant Officer and her son in ‘Captain January’. There were parents like her who demanded the special treatment for their child, and if they didn’t get it, made trouble and the Principal was more afraid of the parent than the teacher, who was replaceable anyway.

Then came the new Millennium, and now schools are in a total mess. I tried teaching in two states, and in both clashed with a student who was scary enough to control the students, the parents and the teachers at the school. When I reprimanded a female student for exposing her breasts, a male teacher told me if he did that, she would claim sexual harassment. Students were openly having intimate relationships in the schoolyard, and a handsome male teacher told me that female students would sit in his class opening their legs and exposing themselves to him, and there was nothing he could do but ignore the situation, as even making a comment opened him to harassment.

The new word of the millennium was ‘sexual harassment’ and it was thrown at everyone. I asked a twelve year student to drop in for a drink when he said he lived a few doors down the road from me, and the class sniggered, and one student sneered, ‘she fancies you mate…watch it’.

That was to be my last invitation to a student for out of school sharing. I remember the days of taking students to my holiday house, and inviting them to my house for a meal. I asked the principal about inviting my Year threes to my home for a Curry dinner…part of a Social Studies Unit, and her reply was, ‘We don’t do that sort of thing now you know, its too dangerous”. Teaching had become a profession that was suddenly open to libel and innocent gestures were carefully avoided. The teaching profession was not trained to handle this area and could not handle it, thus the build up of cases and the inability of anyone to do anything about it. Minors cannot be criminals, but the Media were training minors to be criminals better than it was training adults to handle misdemeanors.

The worst incidents are where students who constantly use bad language and sexual talk abuse teachers openly in the class. Recently I applied for a job and the Principal kept stressing that the students are ‘violent, use very bad language, and throw furniture around the class and school’. Her concern was whether I could tolerate that, not whether it would continue to happen if I was appointed. This behavior is considered as usual and normal and acceptable in that school. This is frightening. It is happening and schools are permitting it to happen. There is no discipline anymore and no standards, and also no respect for the School and Education. One reason that the Private Schools and Religious Schools are attracting more students, they still have standards because they have Rules and Regulations, and thus better Education.

Students were now using sex and violence as their control tools and this is powerful, as they are able to control teachers, by openly asking for favors, and getting very powerful when rejected, and losing face, and creating negative ways of showing their displeasure with open violence. Not only do they practice violence, they are able to use their mobile phone cameras to video their violence and control, and broadcast this to the world thus shaming the very system that is not trying to control them, because it simply can’t. Schools have lost authority and control because they are now being led by the generation that themselves did not have authority and control, and you cannot be free until you learn boundaries. Today there appear to be no boundaries. One can do anything.

The News is rife with sex scandals in schools, (see digge and Youtube) and this is the new millennium we so proudly hailed, and as soon to be retiring teacher, I am pleased that I can dictate some of where I teach, and I have gone to teach in Asia where some order still prevails, because there is still parental control over their children, and a lot of love. The answer is Love. Bring back Love and the responsibilities that go hand in hand with Love. One does not hurt or destroy that which one loves, and Love is needed in the schools….with the teachers for their students, and starting with the parents for their children. Indulgence has replaced Love, and letting a child as young at two get away with being rude and demanding, is not tolerance, it is creating another monster for the schools to handle.

Maybe the answer also lies in Religion. The day we took away the allegiance to the Country and the Flag, and took God away from the Schools was the day that students without home rules and home respect, also lost the rules they had for their country and their Life. They don’t have Rules, and Human beings need rules to know when they are not living right. It was the role of parents and Schools to make these rules and help enforce them. We are trying to enforce what is not there, and the young are confused. Do they follow what their peers or what the Internet says, or do they work out what is the right way to live for them and make their own choice? It is a time of choices and children of all ages have always had to choose how to live their lives. Today, they are overwhelmed with what is happening and the bad are encouraged to stay bad, as there is no option or reason to change. It’s a huge decision for a young person to have to make on their own, and those that have parents to guide them are in a better position to make the right decision. There are however, many more without that parent, and they have taken the louder voice and control.

This is the Fight of the New Generation…to identify how to live and to rediscover what is acceptable and what is misguided behavior. Time for the parents to take back responsibility for bringing up their children, and for Schools to return to what they should be doing…teaching the students.

In the meantime, older generation teachers like me, are pleased to be reaching retirement. I am pleased to say that I am soon retiring, and hope to be writing about teaching in the near future, and how to teach.

My days are done. The schools want teachers who can “handle bad language, rude students, and permit furniture to be thrown around” to quote a Principal of such a school.

I know I cannot do this. I will continue to try and teach students in a peaceful environment which values the rights of students to learn, without them being subjected to unwanted behaviors of students in the class, and there is no way I can tolerate bad behavior in my class just because a student is capable of bad behavior, and permitted bad behavior. A new Teacher Training focus is required if this is going to be a pre-requisite for employment, and maybe also a Martial Arts training with the proviso, that teachers are able to physically attack students who physically attack other students. There was the incident of a teacher going to break up a fight between students in the playground, being sued by the parents for manhandling the student. The teacher lost his job. Today in playground fights, which are publicized proudly on YouTube, teachers cannot intervene for fear of reprimand. I watched a fight where the teachers, me too, stood helplessly watching a student being kicked into a rubbish bin, and a student went to help, and he got attacked too. The student kicking turned and punched the innocent student, who was blamed for being in the brawl too, which he merely tried to stop, because the teachers were standing helplessly watching, knowing they could not touch the students. We had to wait for the teacher given this responsibility to appear and take control, which he eventually did.

This is teaching today…violence and sex. It’s a dangerous Game and very bad for the morale. I think I would rather be a lion tamer; they don’t get attacked by lions of the opposite sex or verbally abused. I would class teaching as one of the hardest professions today and I admire the dedicated teachers who teach, despite all the difficulties they have to now manage. Teaching is a calling…and yes, we answer a call, and we teach because we love teaching.

Marguerite Carstairs ©

18 June 2008

(2,491 words)

Copyright © 2008 Ladymaggic

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