Returning to Australia for my 21st visit is a bit like coming home. Having linked schools in Wales and Australia for nearly 10 years now, Australia is very much my second home.
Denison College Kelso Campus
http://www.kelso-h.schools.nsw.edu.au/
My first school was Kelso High School now renamed Denison College Kelso Campus. A devestating fire completely destroyed the school in 2005 and the community and department of Education and Training have pulled together since then to rebuild and renew this amazing school.
My host was Mr Jim Browning . Mr Browning has been a recipient of a Churchill Fellowship and studied international citizenship in Australia, Wales and America so I was in the hands of an expert as he introduced me to the students of Kelso. The afternoon was spent discussing environmental issues that faced the children of Australia today and in tomorrows world.
The school has a log history of linking to schools in other countries. It now has video conferencing equipment and electronic whiteboards as part of the " Connecting Classrooms " project. So if you want to join in the debate on environmental change and sustainability get in touch with Mr Browning and crew!
Calare Public School
http://www.calare-p.schools.nsw.edu.au/
Calare Public School Orange was my next port of call, the school was busy rehearsing for the school spectacular to be held in Sydney at the end of November.
I was met by a group of children who had been folowing my journey online. The questions came thick and fast and in answering these inquisitive minds it made me reflect on indeed how far I have travelled and how many things I have seen It never fails to amaze me how childrens energy and curiosity of life opens my mind to knew experiences and thoughts. they truly are the visionaries of our future and I think we need to learn to listen to them more.
As I was shown around the school, I saw many children rehearsing for the school spectacular in Sydney, the School Spectacular is an annual event held every year in Sydney to celebrate children's performances in dance Music, Drama and the Arts. this year was their 25th anniversary. see link for more information:
http://www.schoolsspectacular.com.au/2008/index.php
I was also allowed to listen to the school choir's rehearsals ..... wow ! Voices of angels !
The children in Calare had been following my journey with interest, the children I met were computer experts and as well as exploring my journey they were also exploring their journeys using Kahootz and the www.
I often see the world being brought into the classroom by the use of the www, it was good to see that these children were exploring their own world using the virtual world and modern technologies to further their knowledge and understanding.
Cheers Calare :0)
Caragabal Public School
http://www.caragabal-p.schools.nsw.edu.au/
The 40th school was a special school for me in two ways, firstly it marked the half way stage of my journey to 80 schools around the world and secondly it was the smallest school I have to visit on this journey having only 8 pupils in the whole school. Caragabal sits in a small country town, with a small population with big hearts. I was warmly welcomed at the village and made to feel quite at home.
The children are IT wizards operating on both mac and pc with an interactive whiteboard thrown in for good measure, because of the geographic isolation of these children it is even more important for them to have access to technoogy and the www. They are keen global citizens and have web pals in Wales and Canada but are open to receive messages from elsewhere.
The school does not have enough students to make a sports team in many traditional sports therefore the Principal is innovative in creating sports games that the children can participate in. Circus acts are practised daily and the children proudly showed me their circus techniques.
It was unusual to visit such a small school but their dedication to learning impressed me and I was keen to see the different teaching and learning styles used here.
So Judith and all the children and parents of Caragabal - Thank you for being the 40th school and recharging my energy and inspiration for the next 40 schools!
My next stop was a two day drive across dessert and plains as we drove passed emu's, kangaroos and camels living wild alongside the plains. Traffic jams are non exsistant here and I would drive for hours without seeing another vehicle swerving only to avoid the lizards and snakes basking in the midday sun..... Snakes are a hazard here with Australia having some of the most poisenous snakes in the world.
"If you run over a snake, it is not unheard of of the snake to attatch itself to the bottom of the car and work its way inside, and as luck or bad luck would have it I drove over one at dusk and no it didnt come out the otherside of the car... I had two choices ...one ...stop the car get out and run , two keep driving over the bumpy road hoping that the snake would fall off rather than squirm its way inside ... luckily for me I chose the latter ..... "
I arrived intact at Buronga Public School
Buronga Public School
http://www.buronga-p.schools.nsw.edu.au/
As I arrived at Buronga Public School I was met by an eager group of students keen to get underway with the film making. We had a very busy schedule trying to fit in just some of the activities that the school undertakes.
Buronga sits on the river Murray and the children were keen to show me the murals that were painted around the school reflecting local history and culture. They told me of the importance of the river to the town and neighbourhood and how it had been affected by drought throughout history but more so now.
The school was preparing for an International food Fayre and the children impressed me with their wealth of knowledge of produce not just from their locality but from other countries too including, France and Germany.
The school has a great cricket team and I was treated to a few demonstration lessons. The school also has an active school council that participates in the decision making of the school. Music dance and Drama were omnipresent throughout the school and I was treated to a few impromptu shows .
Buronga, you are a credit! Thank you for a great day. I shall be practicing my break dancing!!!!!!
Euston Public School
http://www.euston-p.schools.nsw.edu.au/
When I arrived at Euston Public School the sun was shining and the children had arranged to take me on a bush walk as part of their environmental project. As always snakes are a problem and I was fascinated to see a member of staff doing what I can only describe as a rain dance, when I asked her what she was doing, she told me she was stamping her feet to make vibrations to keep any snakes away from the children whilst they were collecting their mini beasts .... Guess who started dancing next ;o) !
Luckily we had a great time on the bushwalk and avoided the snakes. we returned to the school to view our collections of soil and creepy crawlies through the interactive whiteboard and digital blue microscope. After discussing, viewing and analysing our data we released the creatures back into the wild. I am glad I am not an arachnophobic as the 5cm spider we collected turned into a 2meter spider on the whiteboard!!!!!!
The children told me of their dreams and hopes for the future, which you will see in their film. Before I left I was treated to a rendition of "On the road again" The song and the memories of my great day at Euston ept me company on my journey north.
My next school was Canon Hill Brisbane, a three day drive through the snowy mountains and along the coast. the terrain changed from one of dessert to snow plains to ocean road to rainforests .Australia truly is a land of contrasts. The scenery was stunning (take a look on google maps and follow my journey with me) ;0)
Cannon Hill Anglican College
http://www.chac.qld.edu.au/
I arrived at Cannon Hill after one of the worst storms in Brisbane for 25 years. It rained, hail stoned and thundered and lightning for two days, 40,000 homes were without electricity and were under water. many of the schools were closed and as I drove nearer and nearer I listened to the radio for a steady stream of school names that were closed. Luckily Cannon Hill was open and functioning although large parts of the school grounds were under water.
We spent the day filming in and around the school, the school choir, auditorium, classrooms, environmental grounds etc. We then returned to the classroom for an active debate. The children were active global citizens and had obviously been discussing some of the issues raised in the films I have made so far. We had an active discussion and the children filmed their views and opinions - "If I ruled the world ......" By the time I had finished filming I wished that some of these children were in deed our rulers !!!!! I hope that any politicians, kings, queens, sultans, pharoes etc get the chance to listen to these children's views, I am sure that they are shared by many children around the globe!!!!!!
Cannon Hill - A Big Thank You for sharing your school, your ideas and your viewpoints with me and everyone else around the world - I am sure that we can all learn from you
I returned down south from Brisbane to Helensburgh along the ocean road another two day drive.
Helensburgh Public School
http://www.helensburg-p.schools.nsw.edu.au
Helensburgh Public School is near Woolongong Sydney . The school has recently been rebuilt and refurbished and the children were operating in a school that was just 3 weeks old.
The children are active environmentalists and conservationalists and eagerly showed me the conservation work that they were doing in and around the school.The school is surrounded by bushland and is a high fire risk so maintaing the grounds and the area is vitally important. As well as preserving the schools ground they grow and nuture native plants and learn all about their native healing properties. The children impressed me with their knowledge of the plants and wildlife and their Aboriginal importance in history and in maintaining good health.
The children shone with pride for their school and community and eagerly showed me around. Standing pride of place in the library is a Union Jack flag donated to the school by a "Helensburgh" School near Glasgow in Scotland in 1911 , according to the school history this school exchanged flags back in 1911 with a school in Scotland. So if you are Helensburgh school near Glasgow Scotland or you know of the school and its connection with this school in Woolongong please get in touch with the Principal here as the school would be really keen to follow up on this link dating back to 1911.
A beautiful school technologicaly, enviromentally and culturally aware so get in touch and find out more !
Diolch yn Fawr Chris ! Thank you for a great visit !
Next Stop ...... New Zealand !!!!
