We got there at last. More anon.
Hands up all those who noticed yesterday's pathetic photography of the air show. You have to squint to see that that black dot is really a plane! If it was on the ground and not moving, Gerry did okay.
Today started with our visit to ACU (Australian Catholic University) with our host Dr. Kate Callery. This is a campus of 8,000 students, in the heart of Melbourne. In the Seventies, four small religious -run Teacher training Colleges combined to make this University. The strong Irish heritage of Mercy Order, Christian Brothers etc. is strongly reflected, as you can see in the photos. Six years ago the University moved from the suburbs and has now become so popular that it has outgrown its present city-centre campus. A fortune is being spent annually on rental of adjoining office space for use as lecture theatres. 150 students do the B.Ed. each year; 60 do the Post Grad.; and 160 do the secondary qualification. Very high points to do teacher training (college provides most other Uni. courses, excepting Medicine and Law) and the Government controls the number of places through funding. Each student must pay their own fees, currently ?10,000 per year. Most have to work part-time and many end up with loans that they have to pay back, after getting their first job.
Some observations:
- Kate is a lecturer in Special ED. And all student teachers in their fourth year do a semester of Special Ed. Twelve weeks at three hours a week.
- Supervision of students on Teaching Practice is carried out by the classroom teachers, who fill in reports, which are sent back to the College. This is paid for by the College at the rate of ?20 per day. As this amounts to millions per year, it has a limiting effect on the amount of teaching practice.Religious emblems and notices were extremely high profile, the likes of which you would not even see in Maynooth.
- Combined with the public (state) Colleges of Education, approx. 1,000 Primary Teachers are trained each year. This matches the attrition rate, as Govt. encourages early retirement at fifty five.
At last, Cóilín got that hair ( or "woolly mop" as Gerry calls it) cut. ?15 for a dry cut.
At last the pollyfiller is sticking, so hopefully no visit to the dentist needed.
Got to the beach at five, still hot but much too late. Have to improve our timing. Boy is this place set up for the outdoor life. Walking and cycling tracks abound. The variety of wildlife has to be seen to be seen to be believed.
Cóilín was allowed to drive home from the beach and was able at last to "hook turn". (see Márta 22ú)
Nath na Seachtaine:
"Could these visiting lecturers from Ireland, have the staff rate in the Car Park please?!"
1 comment:
Less of the 'Maynooth' comments please!!
Peter Coakley (Maynooth BNS)
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