"Look at that guy dad - he's one of the maths teacher. How cool are his laces?"
My daughter is driving to school... logging in 10 minutes of the 120 hours she needs to take her driving test next year. She points out this man waiting to cross the road as we too, wait for a 'green arrow' at the traffic lights on Bell Street. No fashion expert writing here but to the untrained eye he does look cool. A mop of black curly hair under his bicycle helmet, dark clothes and black boots with some striking red laces, brightly standing out. Again - please note, this is not a fashion blog... but there is a 'grunge cool' look there. The maths teacher is alongside some students and looks happy and content, coming to work to teach.
My daughter offers, "you know what is great about my school? All of the teachers love to teach." You cannot buy that kind of endorsement... these are the sorts of compliments that are earned.
Earlier this week, a Time & Space evening at Simonds College, saw a hardy bunch of parents and even a couple of students come together on a cold, wet night. The evening themes focus the discussion around what is most important in life. At all Simonds events, there in the background... present but unassuming is Bernie, the Principal. He is accompanied by about six of his staff. They've just come along to be part of the night. This may not seem particularly remarkable but in the world of schools, teachers get asked along to so many 'extras', that an optional event like this one might get a polite 'no thanks', in most places. My experience is that the Simonds teachers 'rock up'.
In exploring 'what's important', Eder... a young man from the staff talks up in the group discussion. For someone who is relatively early in his career, he speaks from a place of earned authority... one that comes from the respect that the boys at the school have for him.
"I'm not a parent yet... well, I will be a dad in a few months but I want to say that as a teacher, all the best things happen when kids stop and want to chat with me."
"I might be in between classes and in a rush to the next one but I do try and stop and listen to them. If we tell them we are in a hurry, we might miss the moment. I think being a parent must be like that. There are so many reasons why we are too busy but it is in those times that all the good stuff happens."
I remind Bernie, the Principal, of something he had shared with me at an event earlier this year.
"Bernie, you said that when you are interviewing for a new teaching position, you are looking at the person first."
"That's right," Bernie replies, "We can always help them develop their teaching skills, but it is important to get good people."
Good people like Eder and that cool maths teacher with the red laces who loves teaching.
Thanks for taking the Time & Space to read this.
Bill Jennings
http://www.time-space.com.au/
My daughter is driving to school... logging in 10 minutes of the 120 hours she needs to take her driving test next year. She points out this man waiting to cross the road as we too, wait for a 'green arrow' at the traffic lights on Bell Street. No fashion expert writing here but to the untrained eye he does look cool. A mop of black curly hair under his bicycle helmet, dark clothes and black boots with some striking red laces, brightly standing out. Again - please note, this is not a fashion blog... but there is a 'grunge cool' look there. The maths teacher is alongside some students and looks happy and content, coming to work to teach.
My daughter offers, "you know what is great about my school? All of the teachers love to teach." You cannot buy that kind of endorsement... these are the sorts of compliments that are earned.
Earlier this week, a Time & Space evening at Simonds College, saw a hardy bunch of parents and even a couple of students come together on a cold, wet night. The evening themes focus the discussion around what is most important in life. At all Simonds events, there in the background... present but unassuming is Bernie, the Principal. He is accompanied by about six of his staff. They've just come along to be part of the night. This may not seem particularly remarkable but in the world of schools, teachers get asked along to so many 'extras', that an optional event like this one might get a polite 'no thanks', in most places. My experience is that the Simonds teachers 'rock up'.
In exploring 'what's important', Eder... a young man from the staff talks up in the group discussion. For someone who is relatively early in his career, he speaks from a place of earned authority... one that comes from the respect that the boys at the school have for him.
"I'm not a parent yet... well, I will be a dad in a few months but I want to say that as a teacher, all the best things happen when kids stop and want to chat with me."
"I might be in between classes and in a rush to the next one but I do try and stop and listen to them. If we tell them we are in a hurry, we might miss the moment. I think being a parent must be like that. There are so many reasons why we are too busy but it is in those times that all the good stuff happens."
I remind Bernie, the Principal, of something he had shared with me at an event earlier this year.
"Bernie, you said that when you are interviewing for a new teaching position, you are looking at the person first."
"That's right," Bernie replies, "We can always help them develop their teaching skills, but it is important to get good people."
Good people like Eder and that cool maths teacher with the red laces who loves teaching.
Thanks for taking the Time & Space to read this.
Bill Jennings
http://www.time-space.com.au/
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