Friday, March 16, 2007
Thursday, March 15, 2007
March 15th
Inniu Déardaoin: Tá sé uafásachly meirbh. Báisteach air.
Why do we keep getting lost? One wrong turn near the airport and we end up in the styx. Gerry and I are getting on really well, but with all due respects, he couldn't navigate his way out of a brown paper bag.
Today was Catholic schools day and boy are they ethos proud? To date we have been most impressed with the schools visited, but once we walked in to today's schools we felt very much at home. Modern Catholic symbols were very evident and proudly displayed.
Holy Eucharist School in West Melbourne has high levels of disadvantaged pupils, but the very best of resources to offset this. There were more desktops, laptops, interactive whiteboards and plasma screens in use than we have ever seen.
Some observations:
Also visited Resurrection School in St Albans but unable to fit it all in. More anon-going back tomorrow.
Nath na Seachtaine:
Why do we keep getting lost? One wrong turn near the airport and we end up in the styx. Gerry and I are getting on really well, but with all due respects, he couldn't navigate his way out of a brown paper bag.
Today was Catholic schools day and boy are they ethos proud? To date we have been most impressed with the schools visited, but once we walked in to today's schools we felt very much at home. Modern Catholic symbols were very evident and proudly displayed.
Holy Eucharist School in West Melbourne has high levels of disadvantaged pupils, but the very best of resources to offset this. There were more desktops, laptops, interactive whiteboards and plasma screens in use than we have ever seen.
Some observations:
- Almost uniquely among local Catholic schools, positive decision made to enrol pupils of many different faiths.
- Bible open in the foyer with the Gospel of the day.
- School is open to serve the needs of the pupils 360 days of the year (but not with the same staff!) Breakfast Club, after school activities, parish youth club activities, language lessons etc. operate on school premises from morning until night.
- State of the art robotics programme in senior classes.
- Majority of funding comes through the Catholic Education Office. This year's budget is $4 million.
- 60% of pupils from Sudan. ESL given in-class. LOTE also given.
Also visited Resurrection School in St Albans but unable to fit it all in. More anon-going back tomorrow.
Nath na Seachtaine:
"NAPS, we call them Baby Prins!"
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
March 14th
Inniú Dé Céadaoin: Lá breá te (30C). Beagán gaoth.
Far be it from us to bore you with the minute details of our school visits, you will have to read the 15,000 word report for that! We would much prefer to share with you the joys of travelling the highways and byways, always on the right road but not always in the right direction. Never the driver or navigator's fault, it's those computer printouts.
Eventually got to visit Dallas Primary School (somewhere in outer space). It is a school in a disadvantaged area with 270 pupils and 80 Kindergarten pupils. The former are funded by The Dept. of Education, the latter by The Dept. of Social Services, yet both are on the one premises with the one principal. 60% of their pupils do not speak English as their first language. 80% of their parents are illiterate in their mother tongue. Some interesting observations:
Nath na Seachtaine:
Far be it from us to bore you with the minute details of our school visits, you will have to read the 15,000 word report for that! We would much prefer to share with you the joys of travelling the highways and byways, always on the right road but not always in the right direction. Never the driver or navigator's fault, it's those computer printouts.
Eventually got to visit Dallas Primary School (somewhere in outer space). It is a school in a disadvantaged area with 270 pupils and 80 Kindergarten pupils. The former are funded by The Dept. of Education, the latter by The Dept. of Social Services, yet both are on the one premises with the one principal. 60% of their pupils do not speak English as their first language. 80% of their parents are illiterate in their mother tongue. Some interesting observations:
- School starts at 9.00am and finishes at 3.15pm, yet the teachers are mandated to work from 8.30 to 4.30.
- Teachers have three meetings every week for one hour after school for various forms of planning.
- As well as ESL the school also provides LOTE (language other than English) support for two hours a week. In this case, Arabic, Turkish and Italian.
- ESL support is classroom based, rather than withdrawal.
- PTR Infants 21 max; scaled to Senior Classes 29 max.
Nath na Seachtaine:
"No hat, no play."
(Shaded rest area provided for the hatless few!)
(Shaded rest area provided for the hatless few!)
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
March 13th
Inniu Dé Máirt: Tá sé deas te (25C) agus beagainín gaofar.
Spent the day in the VPA i.e. The Victorian Principals' Association. Boy were we looked after. The president Fred Ackerman, Executive Officer Rosemary White and Ruth Brooks Executive Assistant all gave unselfishly of their time. After over five hours, we now have a reasonable overview of the educational system and a detailed insight into the organisation and running of their association. They share offices with the VASSP (Secondary Principals) the APF (joint Primary and Secondary Principals). The APF have recently received negotiating rights on salaries and working conditions of principals. The AEU (Australian Educational Union) Victoria Branch (the union representing all categories of teachers) are none too happy with this development.
Lunch was nice (on them - we have to mind IPPN's money!) and having our own office (VIPPN) was so nice that we did not want to leave. This we gotta do again-sometime soon.
Nathanna na Seachtaine:
Eochar: "Aussie Rules " "shouting for" "skimmed" "fire exit"
Spent the day in the VPA i.e. The Victorian Principals' Association. Boy were we looked after. The president Fred Ackerman, Executive Officer Rosemary White and Ruth Brooks Executive Assistant all gave unselfishly of their time. After over five hours, we now have a reasonable overview of the educational system and a detailed insight into the organisation and running of their association. They share offices with the VASSP (Secondary Principals) the APF (joint Primary and Secondary Principals). The APF have recently received negotiating rights on salaries and working conditions of principals. The AEU (Australian Educational Union) Victoria Branch (the union representing all categories of teachers) are none too happy with this development.
Lunch was nice (on them - we have to mind IPPN's money!) and having our own office (VIPPN) was so nice that we did not want to leave. This we gotta do again-sometime soon.
Nathanna na Seachtaine:
"Going to the footey on Saturday. I will be barracking for Carlton and Gerry will be barracking for Brisbane."
"You want some skinny milk with that?"
"Don't obstruct the smoke door."
Eochar: "Aussie Rules " "shouting for" "skimmed" "fire exit"
March 11th
Inniu Dé Domhnaigh. Tá sé te, meirbh (35C) agus séimh.
We are in Kuala Lumpar and both of us are very taken with the people and the place. It is a modern, vibrant city. The people are as friendly as the Irish used to be, before that stripy animal of David Mc Williams invention came and took our soul. Many races tribes and creeds live in respectful harmony. It is very stable politically having had only four Prime Ministers since Independence in 1957 and has a total of nine Royal Families who occupy the role of constitutional monarch on a bi-annual basis. Not a single piece of graffiti to be seen for love nor money, not even on the railroads. We could both stay here.
We are recommending that a delegation under the leadership of Jim Hayes take a trip out to investigate the retirement options for those who need to invest that auld "cnap shuim". We have it on good authority that a three-bedroomed bungalow, in a country area, on the beach (can't you just hear Chris Rea sing it?) can be bought for ?50,000. The cost of living is about four times cheaper than Ilerand, except when it comes to designer goods, which are only slightly cheaper. For thirteen euro each, we had a private city tour that lasted three and a half hours. A real, three course Chinese meal cost only 15? each (including drinks and peanuts!) The auld pension would go a long, long way. A paper needs to be done, perhaps entitled: "Jim'll Fix it."
In case you all think that we are enjoying ourselves, we have done an indebt study into the Malaysian Educational System. There are three main types of primary schools:
The schools of preference for the up-and-coming Malayans are the Chinese Schools. The business community is Chinese and four languages are learnt.
Nath na Seachtaine:
(Nick, the taxi driver!)
We are in Kuala Lumpar and both of us are very taken with the people and the place. It is a modern, vibrant city. The people are as friendly as the Irish used to be, before that stripy animal of David Mc Williams invention came and took our soul. Many races tribes and creeds live in respectful harmony. It is very stable politically having had only four Prime Ministers since Independence in 1957 and has a total of nine Royal Families who occupy the role of constitutional monarch on a bi-annual basis. Not a single piece of graffiti to be seen for love nor money, not even on the railroads. We could both stay here.
We are recommending that a delegation under the leadership of Jim Hayes take a trip out to investigate the retirement options for those who need to invest that auld "cnap shuim". We have it on good authority that a three-bedroomed bungalow, in a country area, on the beach (can't you just hear Chris Rea sing it?) can be bought for ?50,000. The cost of living is about four times cheaper than Ilerand, except when it comes to designer goods, which are only slightly cheaper. For thirteen euro each, we had a private city tour that lasted three and a half hours. A real, three course Chinese meal cost only 15? each (including drinks and peanuts!) The auld pension would go a long, long way. A paper needs to be done, perhaps entitled: "Jim'll Fix it."
In case you all think that we are enjoying ourselves, we have done an indebt study into the Malaysian Educational System. There are three main types of primary schools:
- State Schools where Malay and English are taught.
- Indian Schools where Malay, English and Tamil are taught.
- Chinese Schools where Malay, English, Mandarin and Cantonese are taught.
The schools of preference for the up-and-coming Malayans are the Chinese Schools. The business community is Chinese and four languages are learnt.
Nath na Seachtaine:
The measure of a multi-cultural society is the tolerance for all belief systems and the harmony among all peoples, within that society.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
