Our principals, teachers and school support staff are doing an outstanding job of managing student education and welfare needs in a Covid environment that demands careful and constant attention. School leadership and oversight has always been challenging. The degree of difficulty Covid adds, creates massive oversight requirements. I sincerely hope the community appreciates the efforts of all school staff in these very difficult times.

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Sadly, the focus on NAPLAN testing is alive and well and continuing to grow as a significant educational point of focus. This testing regime is the major occupier of school staff meetings and gatherings of principals and school leaders. NAPLAN testing which commenced in 2008, was supposed to test student competencies at a particular point in time. Unfortunately it has become a measuring stick which is overwhelming education.

ALL HAIL THE LEADER

Putin rules with iron rod,

All Russians grumble,

Putin will prevail,

Resistance will tumble.

There is only one answer,

And it never will be,

In essence all Russians,

To Putin bend knee.

Protests are all show,

Nothing they mean,

Kowtowing they kiss,

The road where he’s been,

They simper and crawl,

To buy life and space,

And fail always to see,

The disdain on his face.

Putin says ‘jump’,

People acquiesce, their heads nod,

In Russia Putin’s not human,

In Russia, he’s god.

I found the following:

For those who ask:

“Why does Ukraine matter? “

This is why Ukraine matters.

It is the second largest country by area in Europe, and has a population

of over 40 million – more than Poland.

Ukraine ranks:

1st in Europe in proven recoverable reserves of uranium ores;

2nd place in Europe and 10th place in the world in terms of titanium ore reserves;

2nd place in the world in terms of explored reserves of manganese ores (2.3 billion tons, or 12% of the world’s reserves);

2nd largest iron ore reserves in the world (30 billion tons);

2nd place in Europe in terms of mercury ore reserves;

3rd place in Europe (13th place in the world) in shale gas reserves (22 trillion cubic meters)

4th in the world by the total value of natural resources;

7th place in the world in coal reserves (33.9 billion tons)

Ukraine is an important agricultural country:

1st in Europe in terms of arable land area;

3rd place in the world by the area of black soil (25% of world’s volume);

1st place in the world in exports of sunflower and sunflower oil;

2nd place in the world in barley production and 4th place in barley exports;

3rd largest producer and 4th largest exporter of corn in the world;

4th largest producer of potatoes in the world;

5th largest rye producer in the world;

5th place in the world in bee production (75,000 tons);

8th place in the world in wheat exports;

9th place in the world in the production of chicken eggs;

16th place in the world in cheese exports.

Ukraine can meet the food needs of 600 million people.

Ukraine is an important industrialised country:

1st in Europe in ammonia production;

Europe’s 2nd’s and the world’s 4th largest natural gas pipeline system;

3rd largest in Europe and 8th largest in the world in terms of installed capacity of nuclear power plants;

3rd place in Europe and 11th in the world in terms of rail network length (21,700 km);

3rd place in the world (after the U.S. and France) in production of locators and locating equipment;

3rd largest iron exporter in the world

4th largest exporter of turbines for nuclear power plants in the world;

4th world’s largest manufacturer of rocket launchers;

4th place in the world in clay exports

4th place in the world in titanium exports

8th place in the world in exports of ores and concentrates;

9th place in the world in exports of defence industry products;

10th largest steel producer in the world (32.4 million tons).

Ukraine matters. That is why its independence is important to the rest of the world .

I Small wonder Russia wants Ukraine.

Educational organisation within schools is many things to many people. Principals and school leadership teams are motivated and inspired by many different stimuli. The elements and influences which press upon schools are poured into a metaphoric funnel above each place of teaching and learning. Community, hierarchial and government expectation cascade onto schools like torrential rain.

While Principals and leadership groups are able to analyse, synthesise and consider ways in which the schools might accommodate demands from without, proportion and perspective can become lost. The flood of seemingly insatiable demands rained on schools, can be destabilising.

This is especially the case in situations where Principals and leadership teams feel that everything demanded of the school by the system (and of the system in turn by Government), has to be acceded and put into practice. Knee jerk reactions cause inner disquiet for staff who are often reluctant to change without justification, but are pressured to make and justify those changes anyway.

In metaphoric terms, schools that comply with these demands, remind me of a frog hopping from lilly pad to lilly pad on a pond’s surface. Sooner or later the frog will miss in its leap from one pad to the next and do a dunk into the water. I believe like a duck, we need to do a lot more deep diving to ascertain what rich life there is at the bottom of the pond. Too often school leaders are urged and in turn urge teachers, to skim the surface of learning without exploring issues with children and students.

Beneath the educational top soil, there are rich substrata of understandings that need to be explored. That depth learning can be overlooked through rapid movement from one initiative to the next.

This approach is one that does little to positively enhance the way those working within schools feel about what they are doing. Staff become ‘focussed by worry’ and internalise feelings of discomfit about what and how they are doing. They wonder whether they are valued and appreciated. While staff members may not talk about feelings of insecurity in an ‘out there and to everyone’ way, their expressions of concern and disquiet are certainly expressed to trusted colleagues in an ‘under the table’ manner.

Teachers may maintain a brave face to what they are doing, but beneath the surface suffer from self doubt. This leads to them becoming professionals who overly naval gaze, generally in a very self critical manner. Teachers can and often do become professions, who feel there is little about which to self-congratulate and rejoice.

Establishing Priorities and Building toward Positive Atmosphere

In this context and against this background it is essential that empathetic school principals and leadership teams, offer reassurance and build confidence within their teaching and support staff cohorts. They need to help staff understand that ‘frog hopping’ is not essential. ‘Deep diving’ into learning, whereby children and students are offered the opportunity of holistic development needs to be encouraged.

If this is to happen, Principals need to take account of two very important considerations.

* They need to act in a way that deflects as much downward pressure as possible away from staff. They need to be like umbrellas, open to diffuse the torrent of government and systemic expectatiion, keeping change within reasonable boundaries. This will ensure that schools, students and staff are not overwhelmed by cascading waterfalls of macro-expectation. Principals and leadership groups need to maintain as much balance as possible within their schools. In spite of what system leaders may say, random acceptance and blind attempts at implementing every initiative will lead to confusion st school level.

* The second critically important consideration, largely dependent upon the ability of school Principals and leadership groups to be selective in terms of their acceptance of change invitation, is that of school tone, harmony and atmosphere.

Tone cannot be bought as a material resource. Neither can it be lassoed, harnessed or tied down. The ‘feel’ of a school is an intangible and generates from within. It develops as a consequence of feeling generated among those within the organisation.

I feel that the atmosphere of a school, which grows from the tone and harmony within, is best expressed as a weather map which superimposes on that school. Once, I had a rather clever member of my staff take an aerial photograph of ‘our place’ and photoshop a weather map over our school campus. This I kept close for it was necessary for me to appreciate the ‘highs’ within our school. I also needed to take account of the ‘lows’, being aware of the fact we needed to make sure they were swiftly moving and not permanently affective of the people within our borders.

Atmospheric Challenge

Within schools are three key groups of people – students, staff and parents. Watching overall is the wider community. Change of personnel and client is common, with the arrival and departure of children and staff. Systemic demands and government priorities are hardly constant. This opens schools up as being organisations in a constant state of flux. Just as weather patters change, so too, do pervading atmospherics within schools. Those feeling on a positive ‘high’ today, may find that feeling of well-being eroded by something that unfolds tomorrow. Contrawise, circumstances causing feelings of despondency (‘low’ points) can be lifted by awareness and relationships building efforts.

It is up to Principals and leadership teams to ensure that positive atmosphere, precious yet fragile, is built and maintained. It is easy to lose the feeling of positivism, so necessary if an organisation is to grow and thrive on the basis of its human spirit.

I recommend the wisdom of building spirit within our schools.

TODAY I AM 76

Today I turn 76 years of age. Physically, I feel my limitations but hope my my mental acuity is still intact.

In both physical terms and mental capacity, I want to retain my independence. The thought of being dependent on others, fills me with apprehension. I believe that euthanasia or the allowable extinction of life should be available to me in advance of my ultimate deterioration. I do not want to become a burden on others, a physical wreck or a person of vacuous mentality.

Once as a younger person, I was apprehensive, indeed frightened, about dying. As a aging septuagenarian, that is no longer the case. I have lived a full life and have given to family and community.

My wish is to pass over with my independence intact. Surely that is not a sin.

Henry Gray

February 24 2022

Revisit Singing and Story-Telling

Singing and story-telling used to be very much a part of school activity. Curriculum changes and pressures placed on teachers have almost assigned these activities to history. Yet they can fill an important place in our classrooms.

Children love singing. When it comes to a personal vocalising adventure it is also something many teachers decline because of self-consciousness. It is unfortunate that many teachers are reluctant to engage in singing with children at classroom level. In many schools singing is left to the music teacher. The activity is one in which classroom teachers, even those responsible for early childhood children, rarely engage.

Singing is an activity I enjoyed with children in many different school settings, in all grades and in all kinds of schools.

I’m no expert in musical terms, but enjoyment should be the key to singing. Holding a tune helps, but if that does not come naturally, it can be cultivated.

Singing is confidence building for children. I believe that to sing can also build teacher confidence. The exercise is one that promotes vocal projection, facial expression, and correct word usage. Listening skills are enhanced because singers have to listen out for each other.

Memory building

Learning the lyrics and music that goes with singing, helps when it comes to memory building. Songs learned stay with people for years, sometimes a lifetime. The stimulation of memory is important because the ability to memorise, one of the characteristics with which we have been blessed, is enhanced by practice.

Part of the appeal to memory is that of challenging children to learn the words and tune of the song as quickly as possible. Make singing exciting.

When I was a primary school student back in the 1950’s, we used to have singing lessons to our schools broadcast over the radio. Lessons were weekly for 30 or 45 minutes. Once the song we were learning was introduced, the singing teacher would drag the learning out over several weeks. We poor children would back up phrase by phrase, line by line and verse by verse for what seemed an eternity. The enjoyment of singing became entangled within this torturous learning process. When teaching singing, be smart about methodology.

Linking

Singing can be linked with other elements of the curriculum, especially Social and Cultural Education. ‘Linking’ similarly applies when it comes to musical appreciation. Music and instrumental appreciation is helpful when it comes to studying countries, cultures and people of the world. Musical appreciation is a strategy that helps us better understand and appreciate Indigenous Australians.

Creative appeal

Children are asked to use their imaginations to create stories, write poems, manufacture art/craft pieces and to carry out scientific experiments. This may extend to electives studies, speech preparation and other activities. There is no reason why children, even very young children, can’t be encouraged to create and teach (under guidance) their own songs.

Telling stories is an enriching teaching and listening experience.

At the risk of sounding old fashioned, I extol the virtues of story telling. These days, with the advent and use of smart-boards and connecting devices, teachers often use audio-visual technology when it comes to story reading and story telling. The possible reluctance that teachers may feel about telling stories to children is not new. When I was a primary school student we used to have ‘Junior Listener’ stories broadcast to us by radio. For half an hour or so we would sit at our desks in rural Western Australia and listen to the story of the week being read to us by a presenter in Perth. Memory fades with time but I cannot remember our teachers being much into story telling. We were read to from time to time. However in those days, books were not attractively presented or full of colourful illustrations to be shared with children.

Teachers should not feel reluctant about telling or reading stories to children. Sadly, the skill of story telling is becoming a lost art. I always gained great satisfaction from being able to share stories with students from Transition to Year Seven. I believe that teachers of older students can fashion their delivery of material in a way that transmits it to students in story form. Story provided ‘setting’ and helps place the context of message into a feasible environment. It helps students understand the application of theoretical contexts.

To tell stories with and to children is to engage with them in a primary conversational context. Stories told with animation and conviction, with supporting gesture and eye contact, engage children and switch them on in a way that draws them close to the message being conveyed.

Advantages

Story telling offers many educational positives.

* The quality, meaning and context of language, word usage and meaning can be followed up by discussion during ‘conversational pauses’ within the story or at its end when the story is being reviewed.

* Questioning to test listening helps to build the notions of concentration and listening. To have ‘mini quizzes’ where there is some sort of contestation build within the group (for instance, girls versus boys, contest between class groups and so on) adds to student focus and engagement. This strategy discourages students ‘switching off’ and mentally wandering off into the distance.

* Having students work on ‘prediction. and ‘forecast’ by sharing their thoughts about where the story will head and how it will conclude can be an interesting and testing strategy. This approach helps develop the skills of logic and reasoning within thinking.

* Language study is enhanced. Asking children the meanings of words and words within context is an example. Similes and antonyms can be developed as a part of word study.

* Some texts which share stories are written in the ‘language of yesteryear’. There are two volumes that come to mind, ‘Grimm’s Fairy Tales’ and stories by Hans Christian Anderson. These stories not only introduce children to a vast array of very colourful old fashioned words that have been superseded by the idiom of modern language. They are also set in social situations of the past, largely replaced by the social attitudes and disposition of today. These stories lend to wonderful exploration of word development and a comparison of historical and contemporary social mores. They help with developing understanding of what has changed and why behaviours once acceptable have been replaced.

* The appeal of stories to imagination and ‘the mind’s eye’ is such that art growing or flowing from story presentation can be colourful and creative. If the story is one drawn from history, asking children to think of clothing, transport, buildings and other artefacts from the past can help with differentiation and clarify understanding.

* A great way of treating longer stories, is to serialise (or mini-series) them, with ‘to be continued’ as part of the understanding. That is a great way of helping children anticipate what may happen. A good story being well told can also be a motivator. Continuation can be applied as a reward for effort and endeavour.

Qualities

* Make sure when telling stories that you use clear, expressive language. Take the part with language variations, of the characters you are describing.

* Engage children by asking them to respond by being characters in the story. Have them thing about and describe the characters, moods and attitudes of those around whom the story is centred.

* Have children act or visit the story or parts thereof through dramatic expression. Drama is a subject very rarely considered these days.

* As a story teller, make eye contact with the group. Vocal expression is important including pitch, rhythm and other elements of speech.

End Point

I could go on about story telling. A good story well told, will be remembered for a long time. I still have people, now in their late teens and adult years, tell me they remember my story telling and how much they enjoyed stories I told.

It is a sad fact of life that adults tend to lose their imaginative capacities. To engage in story telling is to keep the imagination of the story teller alive and flourishing. As a school principal, I used to talk with children about the importance of imagination and imaginative thought. To tell stories has helped keep me in touch with this advice.

Singing and story telling are enjoyable activities. I recommend both.

Henry Gray

Leaders and members of staff in our schools are required to attend many different forums. These range from unit or section meetings, staff meetings involving all school staff members, to conferences, workshops and other professional forums.

Although they may not openly speak about their concerns, participants often feel a certain sense of resignation about having to participate in seemingly endless rounds of meetings. There is often a sense of resignation to this inevitability along with feelings of compulsion because attendance is required. If people do not attend, their absence is noted and they may be talked about in less than positive terms. They may be counselled for non-participation, with absences being held against them when their organisational futures are being considered.

All this adds up to an internalised reluctance on the part of people to engage in these forums. The thought of “meeting after bloody meeting” comes to mind and creates negative mental pictures about the worth of these gatherings. Of course, participants don’t speak this way, but thought processes may belie outward appearances.

This adds up to meetings and gatherings of all types being unlooked forward to events. There may be resentment and even bitterness on the part of some because they desperately want to be elsewhere. Some believe they should be at work, not again absent from their prime places of employment. Nevertheless, they are obliged to attend these meetings, forums or conferences. When attendance requirements end, there is often a feeling of immense relief that “finally” they can be elsewhere.

It would be a real plus for these attitudes to be overcome and replaced by positive reactions.

My propositions for modifying the end points of meetings may help to overcome these negatives. In the case of local or school based forums, school principals and meeting leaders could invite input by participants. In the wider context and when dealing with major conferences, those changes might be adopted by conference presenters and organisers. If that was to happen, those attending would be much more positive in their attitudes and feelings about engaging.

Anything to enhance feelings and belief about the benefit and use of forums, would be a positive outcome.

Engagement should not be overlooked

In many forums, meetings and conferences, the idea of “engagement” by audience and participants is minimised or downplayed. This happens even in workshop contexts, with the word “workshop” being misapplied. It often happens is that the group invited to workshop engage only their listening skills, with there being no active opportunity to participate in any exchange or sharing of ideas. The activity is merely about listening to the ideas espoused by the presenter or group facilitators .

The singular requirement for listening is even more pronounced in other, more high level forums. Lengthy expositions, often supported by PowerPoint slides seem to have no end.

The sufferance attendees feel could be changed if they had the opportunity to participate meaningfully in planned activities.

In all contexts where people are gathered together for professional engagement, two way exchange is more enhancing than the prevailing practice of one way communication. When one does all the talking and everyone else all the listening, meetings lead to audience disaffection

What can be done

The following ideas are only suggestions. There could be more ways of enhancing engagement by participants in attendance at professional gatherings.

• In unit and staff meetings, consider asking everyone who is participating, to join in building a shared conclusion. This could be done by way of a round robin where people are asked to offer a commendation about the meeting, through verbally sharing something they have gained. Rotation could be clockwise or anticlockwise if the group is sitting in a circular arrangement. Comment could be invited from right to left or left to right if people are seated more traditionally. If they are so inclined, participants should feel free to “pass” to the next person without comment. To go around the group a second time asking for a recommendation (how something might be done differently or better next time), would offer valuable feedback to presenters. Seeking a second commendation or recommendation might enhance the exercise.

Having somebody record or summarise comments made, would offer valuable feedback to presenters. This participation would help those attending to feel they are part of the meeting.

.

• Professional forums and workshops could be planned so the same opportunity could be offered to participants. This would be an “enabling strategy”, providing presenters with feedback and clues as to what’s really appreciated by audience members.

This isa significant approach because the quality of feedback will indicate to presenters both perceived strengths and areas of need within the presentation. Those seeking to expand the knowledge of others through their presentations will gain insights into what audience members and listeners clearly understand, along with anything they do not understand. This information can be invaluable in re-shaping presentations or modifying what is being offered for subsequent forums.

• Conference organisers and presenters could organise for group participation to support any or all aspects of the program. Presenters could build feedback opportunities into their workshops or lecture based presentations. A period at the end of each presentation could be set aside for “question-and-answer” responses. Audience members might offer feedback aligning with the “commendation, recommendation, commendation” (CRC) feedback loop. This approach could be varied by pausing at the end of each section of the paper, inviting audience members to comment. Varying methodologies to sample responses could be employed, but the structure should be one enhancing two-way engagement and interaction. If they knew they were going to have an opportunity to join in, more people might be inclined to opt into conference programs. Two way exchange is a more appealing dynamic than ‘one way’ listening.

• I believe that this feedback approach could have a place at the end of conference formalities or during conference dinners.

• Feedback and discussion opportunities could be inserted at the end of each conference session, day or at the conclusion of the conference. This would vary the approach of having designated rapporteurs who summarise proceedings for a passive, listening audience. Enabling more people to participate in the conclusion of sectional or overall activities would be appealing for many participants. The benefit of this is a requirement that people would have to listen and understand in order to be able to make meaningful comment. That would help overcome the universal problem of people being in attendance but mentally shutting of from the program.

• This approach could take the place of guest speakers at conference dinners. Having a roving microphone which ‘visits’ from table to table asking people to comment on conference highlights and personal learnings, would be a way of sharing conference highlights in a semi social situation. Commendations and recommendations could be included. In order to introduce some variation, people sitting at each table could be asked to respond to a particular question in relation to the conference. This would broaden the scope of responses and keep people thinking.

Concluding Thoughts

The variations suggested are intended to be constructive. If adopted, they should guarantee a greater level of participation within meeting, workshop and conference forums than has traditionally been the case.

If people attending conferences are guaranteed an opportunity or option to participate, their level of enthusiasm and desire to engage will rise proportionately. In far too many cases people are summonsed or required to attend. They do so reluctantly and somewhat resentfully.. There is really no “heart engagement” or wanting to be there. It’s an obligation, a drudge and a chore. Attendance in part may be coerced because professional futures may depend on involvement. Of course, resentment would not be expressed out loud because it might reach the wrong ears, so people put on a bold front and attend. This is not an ideal situation but it is the way many people feel about having to attend a whole plethora of meetings.

Overcoming these feelings and taking away disconsolate attitudes may help boost enthusiasm about professional gatherings organised for professional pursuit. If mundane meetings can be made more meaningful, organisers, participants and everybody connected with these activities will emerge as winners.

Henry Gray

A great deal is made of the need for interpreters and translators to support Indigenous Australians in the NT who are said to have no understanding of English. English has been the dominant and prime teaching language in all schools, including remote schools, since the 1960’s and 70’s. To say that people have little or no understanding of English is totally wrong.

—

Speech and speaking clubs like Toastmasters are offered a new challenge; developing within members and through community workshops, the ability to speak clearly, expressively and audibly while wearing masks. With this facial coverage becoming an ongoing and prescribed need, such training is becoming essential.

—-

The closure of ‘Flip Out’ will be very disappointing for many children and young people in Darwin and the Top End. One after another, venues catering for the recreational needs of youth seem to be closing their doors. Hopefully this will not be a continuing trend, because they need things to do and places to go.

It happened in June 2020

A couple of days ago I heard an astounding item of news on the radio. It was so gobsmacking, I had to stop to express my thoughts for a blog entry.

The person concerned has worked in the aeronautical engineering industry for 50 years. At the present moment he is/was working for Jetstar.

Jetstar along with Qantas is downsizing its workforce. This gentleman received a message of a phone in and called the number.

He was greeted by 2 1/2 minute message which had been pre-recorded. It let him know that after 50 years his services were no longer required; he was being dismissed along with a good number of other people.

No ‘by your leave; , ‘I beg your pardon’ or anything else – just a pre-recorded, impersonal message giving him the flick.

As a person who worked for over 40 years with people in another context, I could not but think “how rude, how callous, and just how bloody awful.”

How was it possible that a person who is given half a century to an industry can be so offhandedly dismissed! Where is the world heading when faithful service rendered for so long, counts for so little!

Teacher quality is front and centre of educational discussion at the moment. “The Australian” columnist Glenn Fahey (18/2) has offered particularly telling and insightful commentary on the subject. Soul searching and comment about the need for change is futuristic in outlook, because focus and money has not resulted in accelerated learning outcomes. I believe that in looking forward, those responsible for teacher preparation need to reflect on the past teacher training practices, revisiting and including some of those key elements in our 21st century teacher preparation courses. When I trained in the 1960’s teaching methods were taught, practice teaching was paramount and phonics underpinned all aspects of language learning.

I worry that critical teaching and subject methodologies are now insufficiently stressed. Rather than prospective teachers receiving that understanding while in training, they graduate with degrees and as neophytes are expected to begin acquiring practical teaching skills and dispositions upon full-time entry into classroom teaching positions. Fahey extols the importance of graduate teachers learning from their experienced colleagues. That helps, but basic training is critically important. Superficial training means graduate teachers will flounder and students will suffer.

The Northern Territory Beckons (2)

About three months after we arrived in Perth, I saw an advertisement in “The Western Australian“, advertising on behalf of the Commonwealth Teaching Service in Canberra for teachers to go to the Northern Territory. We began to think that from the beginning of 1976 the Territory might be a place for us to consider. With that in mind, I made inquiries of the Commonwealth Teaching Service office in Perth about the possibility of an appointment from the beginning of the following school year. All in all, this was just an inquiry and the first lodgement of a verbal expression of interest in the possibility of appointment by the Commonwealth Teaching Service to the Northern Territory.

Within 24 hours of having enquired about the Northern Territory and possibilities for 1976, We were rung up and offered appointments either at Snake Bay (Milikapati) on Melville Island, or at Numbulwar on the Rose River. We were asked to consider one or the other location and told the appointment, if we accepted, would be immediate

We were keen to leave the Western Australian Education Department in good standing. A requirement if resigning was that a month’s notice of intention to resign had to be given. To jump ship and rocket off, would be frowned upon. Without a ‘good standing’ departure, we would never be welcomed back into WA Education, should we ever want to return.

Resignation had too be negotiated through the school principal, so I had a conversation with Mr Griffith. Ken was able to organise for us to resign, in effect giving less than a month’s notice, by backdating the date of our handing in resignation documents. His understanding and support were deeply appreciated. In fact, many of the leadership nuances I observed in Ken, became elements of the Principalship practices I tried to emulate through my own leadership performance.

With our movement to the Northern Territory all but confirmed, we were contacted by the Commonwealth Teaching Service (CTS) office and asked to come in for an interview as this important detail had been overlooked.

The formalities were completed, and our goods divided into two consignments. The firmest consignment was goods going into storage and the seconds for items we were having shipped to Darwin and them onto the barge service from Darwin to Numbulwar.

On returning to Perth we had purchased a Datsun 180B. This we were putting into storage in Perth with arrangements made to ship our Mini Moke (the one we had at Warburton in 1974/75) to Numbulwar.

Things were now moving quickly.

Living in Nollamara, Teaching at Glendale (1)

When transferred from Warburton Ranges at the end of April 1975, we were appointed as teachers to Glendale Primary School in Hammersley, a northern suburbs school in Perth. We were renting a house in Nollamara and we’re probably lucky to obtain that rental at short notice after leaving Warburton Ranges. Just for a short period between leaving and obtaining the rental we lived in a caravan.

The Principal of Glendale was an outstanding man by name of Ken Griffith. I found him to be of great support and understanding – whether he knew about our departure from Warburton or not! The interesting thing about our departure was the fact that the various allowances that I had for being at Warburton were maintained in my salary package and not stripped away. The “transfer” from Warburton was not at our behest but instituted by the Department of Education Western Australia as being “In its and in our best interest.” As my allowances had been for the whole of 1975, they were maintained.

(The “best interests“ of education in terms of the department at Warburton Ranges soon took off a life of their own. Shortly after we left behavioural difficulties erupted in and around the school. And the place was being taken apart.

The behaviour of students and young people in the school at Warburton after hours in over the weekends was dysfunctional and damaging to the point of fairly quickly leading to lead stories in newspapers, particularly “The Sunday Independent“, about what was happening on the school premises. It was pleasing to me in a rather sad sort of way that with our departure, things had rapidly gone downhill. To me that proved we were on the right track and that we were doing things that we appreciated whilst at Warburton Ranges.)

While the school and senior staff are Glendale were supportive, our living situation was uncomfortable. Part of this had to do with the fact that our three preschool age children had to go into childcare and we did not see them from morning until night. At the end of the school day we had a little time for shopping and the only time really that was available was Saturday morning. (Remember, during these years shopping hours was significantly less than what they are now and weekend trading was limited to Saturday morning.

Living and working in Perth was a far from ideal situation. Fortunately, this period was to be mercifully short.

Living and working in Perth was a far from ideal situation. Fortunately, this period was to be mercifully short.

Revisited

A great deal is made of the need for interpreters and translators to support Indigenous Australians in the NT who are said to have no understanding of English. English has been the dominant and prime teaching language in all schools, including remote schools, since the 1960’s and 70’s. To say that people have little or no understanding of English is totally wrong.

—

Speech and speaking clubs like Toastmasters are offered a new challenge; developing within members and through community workshops, the ability to speak clearly, expressively and audibly while wearing masks. With this facial coverage becoming an ongoing and prescribed need, such training is becoming essential.

—-

The closure of ‘Flip Out’ will be very disappointing for many children and young people in Darwin and the Top End. One after another, venues catering for the recreational needs of youth seem to be closing their doors. Hopefully this will not be a continuing trend, because they need things to do and places to go.

Warburton Ranges (WA) in 1974-75 (37)

POSTSCRIPT

I just wanted to reiterate that these reflections have been focused on professional issues associated with being at Warburton Ranges during the period reported.

There were lots of personal anecdotes and interesting experiences otherwise that took place during our time in this location. To reflect upon these within the setting of the document of this nature would be inappropriate. Anecdotal comment on personalities and appreciation are best confined to a different forum.

To that end, there was plenty that happened of a more social and personal nature upon which I often reflect.

What I may do is simply to make a list of these reflections as I recall them without going into written detail. Heading for one line about an incident generally suffices.

If anyone would like a consolidated copy of these reflections posted over the last few months, please contact me either in a message on this site or to my email henry.gray7@iCloud.com and I’d be happy to send you an email of these Episodes as a single document.

Similarly, if you have any questions you’d like to ask about our time at Warburton or my thoughts about Indigenous education and community development, please feel free to make contact.

Henry Gray

February 15 2022

EPILOGUE

Warburton Ranges (WA) in 1974-75 (36)

In our closing period of time at Warburton, Civil and Civic were building a new hospital. It was divided into wards, an emergency department and other specialist areas. This project included a number of buildings most with circling verandahs and each overhung with a metal panoply roof to facilitate ventilation and cooling. Each building was also semi elevated

As the buildings were constructed, they became inviting play arenas for children. The verandahs were terrific play areas, while the space between building roofs and panoplys were great for upstairs activities. I often wondered how the company went in terms of completing the project and handing keys over to the health department. Contractors were certainly challenged while the work was being done. This was compounded by the fact that any damage caused by mischief was the contractor’s responsibility to fix.

We were in Perth for a few brief weeks after Warburton and before departing for the Northern Territory. On reflection during those weeks I dwelt that we had done a reasonable job, one with the best educational and developmental needs of children at heart. So it was with mixed feelings that I followed what happened after our departure.

Following our departure and on the appointment of a successor, all hell erupted at Warburton. There were stories on the radio news of children wreaking mayhem in and around the school. Within a month of our departure one of Perth’s weekend papers ‘The Sunday Independent’ ran a front page story about the fact that things were out of control at Warburton School. A segment of the story reported that after hours children were getting into the main school building and among other activities were riding bikes up and down the corridor that linked the classrooms. We most certainly had never ever had that type of behaviour manifest while at Warburton.

This news stirred mixed feelings in my soul. On the one hand I was not happy that this level of flagrant behaviour was occurring but on the other, considered it ‘payback’ or ‘reaction’ by children that we were no longer at Warburton.

The memory of one conversation I had with a senior officer within the WA Education Department during this period caused me to shudder at the time and remains with me as a memory of ‘blight’ within the then upper echelons of WA Education. It was put upon me that we were working in a way that was ‘over-educating’ remote area Indigenous students, who would not be able to use the understanding toward which they were being educated. That was a sad statement statement and one that I would never forget.

Regardless of what, my aim was always toward children reaching their full potential. Then and over the years to my retirement from front line educational delivery some 37 years later.

– Warburton Ranges (WA) in 1974-75 (35)

– ENDPOINT

The culmination of our experience and our exit from Warburton was based in large part on what followed a visit to Warburton in April 1975 by a very senior person within the WA Education hierarchy. As a staff cohort, we were given to understand that our tenure at Warburton had several benefits, including enhanced salary, rent free accomodation and a few other so called perks. Paid travel to and from the community to coincide with commencement and end of terms was one of these considerations. One of these benefits for me was being promoted to a headmasters position years before that might happen in a town or urban school. The shortcomings in conditions under which we lived and worked were understood but were offset by the several benefits outlined.

On the basis of the pro’s and con’s attached to our appointments, we should “…sit tight, shut up and not rock the boat.”

The visitors left by plane for Perth after their visit and meeting with us as a staff group. For a long time, the conditions of living and working at Warburton in facilities terms had been substandard. The lack of physical consideration had impacted alike on staff and students.

The lack of empathy by Education Department and system leaders, prompted me to suggest that we compose a telegram to the then Premier of WA Charles (letter Sir Charles) Court outlining our concerns. The telegram took some time to compile and ended up running to over 200 words. We pointed out the deficiencies and the challenges with which we were confronted. Included were details about promises about improvements that had never been actioned. The strong inference conveyed in the message was that words and promises were deemed a sufficient response to requests for action: Action that never eventuated.

There was no privacy about the telegram. It was transmitted by VJY radio during the regular schedule for sending and receiving telegrams and could be heard (and transcribed) by anyone tuned into the session. So the message was sent. It was sent under my name and concluded with the fact that we had been told to do what was impossible. It was not possible to ” sit tight, shut up and not rock the boat.”

Response

The telegram sent obviously touched a chord somewhere in the Premier’s Department. Within a very few weeks, money had been allocated to begin addressing some of the key issues of need. Workers authorised by the Public Works Department were dispatched to Warburton to begin undertaking some of the key work that was so necessary and so long overdue.

The reaction from within the Department of Education head office was as equally as prompt. We were relieved of our teaching duties at Warburton and relocated to an appointment in Perth.

Within four months, we began our teaching careers at Numbulwar (then Rose River) in the Northern Territory. That may be a story for another time.

Our last period of time at Warburton was marked by what I regard as some solid academic and personal progress by students. Parents and the community were generally supportive and could see our commitment to the educational roles we were filling within the community. Relating to people as equals was an attribute that built relationships. Not distancing from children in class, while at the same time ensuring respectful relationships also worked well. (That should be the way it is in all classrooms.)

Warburton Ranges (WA) in 1974-75 (34)

From quite early in 1974, it was apparent that we were largely on our own when it came to remote area education. We had to be imaginative, resourceful and able to find answers to problems and solutions to challenges. This was both educationally and in the wider social context of our living and working at Warburton. I found that the twelve months we had spent there in 1970, certainly helped when it came to me fulfilling the role of headmaster.

In overall terms, 1974 was a challenging year, in part because we were beholden to a system that, with respect, did not put a lot of credence in or value on education for remote area Aboriginal children. That was well drawn to my attention when I approached senior officers in the Western Australian Education Department at the end of 1974 with a request for additional teaching staff. A very high level officer told me that if I could persuade someone to come to Warburton as a teacher in 1975, that would be fine. The officer however was not going to appoint someone as a teacher by way of normal process because that could be a pyrrhic imposition upon them.

The officer also told me that the Department had and kept Aboriginal schools open because of legislative requirements binding educational delivery. I was told by this person that a personal preference would be to close all Aboriginal schools, with the students and their parents being encouraged to go back to the bush where they all belonged.

(I am writing this section carefully, with a view to avoiding any possibility of identifying any person. I am also using language that is scripted to take out any unseemly language that was offered to me in dialogue.)

Suffice it to say I was able to identify a couple who were prepared to accept appointment from the commencement of the 1975 school year. We had one member of staff depart at the end of 1974 so had a net gain of one extra for the start of the 1975 school year.

Going forward into 1975 was not a happy period in overall living with the distress I felt as headmaster was the fact that the living and working needs we had, were brushed to one side by authorities with whom issues were raised.

It was hard to get any action to improve our conditions from the Western Australian Public Works Department as it was then titled. There was little response to needs from the education department although we were favoured with visits from time to time.

Although not able to prove ‘white-anting ‘ I suspect there was a little dissatisfaction with my insistence on us doing the best we could to develop quality teaching based on professional practice. In reflecting in years beyond Warburton on this issue and knowing more now than I did then about who was able to get into influential ears, I know this to be more than mere speculation.

Warburton Ranges (WA) in 1974-75 (33)

The further thoughts I want to share related to my perceptions of Indigenous Education at the time as it was regarded by educational authorities, particularly those with whom I connected with the WA Education Department.

Our appointment to Warburton was as a result of an approach made by the head of school staffing in WA, asking that we consider a twelve month appointment to what turned out to be the most remote school in Western Australia. An incentive was that after twelve months, the department would do its best to offer an appointment in a school or location of choice.

Our tenure at Warburton in 1970 was for the twelve months of that year. As a teacher on probation, I learned a great deal, and developed a beginning appreciation of the importance of learning what to do by learning what not to do.

From 1971 – 1973 I was Headteacher at Gillingarra Primary School, a one teacher school about 40 kilometres south of Moora, a regional centre and our home town. This appointment more or less fitted our circumstances at the time and I had requested that school if it was vacant.

Toward the end of 1973, I asked the department to consider us for a return to Warburton Ranges, with my wife as a teacher and for me to be appointed as Headmaster. (There must have been something about our twelve months three years earlier that was drawing us back.) Suffice it to say, our request for transfer was granted and we returned to Warburton for the start of the 1974 school year.

Aspects of our experiences have been discussed in previous pages. In writing, I have avoided negatives, the naming of people and personal, private circumstances. My writing has focussed on what might be termed experiential association with and within this community. However, in terms of evolving educational policy and as intimated, I need to prise a little into negative perceptions. Educational outcomes are driven as much by negative as they are by positive circumstances. It was my reaction to some of the negative contexts of policy and practice that lead to our departure from Warburton in April 1975. These matters are detailed in the next section.

Warburton Ranges (WA) in 1974-75 (32)

WD Scott, a management consultancy group had the overall responsibility for working with the community toward ongoing development. One of the projects that was planned and then initiated was the provision of deep sewage for the community. That necessitated the creation of deep trenches in strategic areas around the community to accomodate the new system. One of those trenches ran the length of the community from west to east, with the trench passing down the main thoroughfare past the hospital, school and store. Next to the store was an underground petrol storage tank holding some thousands of litres along with the petrol bowser. Other fuels were stored in drums on ramps adjacent to the satire and within the storage yard.

The community’s introduction to the blasting was an almighty explosion that happened after school one afternoon. We were relaxing at home when an huge explosion rent the air. Our whole house shook and shuddered. A glass light cover over a bed fell down on the spot which had been vacated only minutes before the blast. Then rocks which had been blasted from the trench being developed began raining down on the roof of our house, the one next door and the school.

Just minutes after the explosion, serious consultation was entered into with the blasters. It was determined that some ‘adjustments’ to process would need to be made.

The halt was only temporary. Shortly after school commenced the next day, blasting resumed. Children sitting at desks in the classrooms looked at each other as the first blast rent the air. Then in unison they exclaimed ‘yapu, yapu’ (rocks, rocks) and dived under desks split seconds before rocks began raining on the school roof. Parents and relations quickly arrived, children exited the school and left for proverbial ‘greener pastures’ with their parents and caregiving relations.

There were a few more blasts, children diving under desks and rocks falling on the school roof. In fact, rocks were raining down on other parts of the community. A group of young fellas were sitting on the ground floor of the disused church, playing cards. A decent sized rock came through the roof and landed in the middle of the card playing group. They exited in a hurry, abandoning the game in what had once been God’s House.

More investigation revealed that the blasting program was minus blasting mats that should have been used to smother the area being blasted, thus minimising flying rocks and debris. Short, not longer fuzes had been provided with the explosives, dramatically reducing the interval between blasts when multiple charges were set.

It was left to a very fleet-of-foot local to light the fuzes and then run like the wind in order to keep ahead of the rain of rocks and fragments that followed him as the blasts went off.

My reaction to these happenings was to make contact with authorities in Kalgoorlie who put a stay to the program until the person in charge ( who turned out to be not qualified for such work) had undertaken the appropriate training and received accreditation for the knowledge he acquired.

Maybe the stopping of the work was timely for another reason. Blasting has dent shockwaves through the ground, causing the underground concrete tank holding fuel for purchase by customers, to crack and begin leaking. There could have been one gigantic explosion had escaping fuel and vapours ignited.

Warburton Ranges (WA) in 1974-75 (31)

There has always been a need for teacher training programs to consider those who might be thinking of teaching in remote community situations. The importance of this was (and is) in part to disavow those considering remote teaching of false and fanciful notions based more on romantic misunderstanding than pragmatic reality. First impressions of remote communities are not always lasting one, especially for those who visit briefly and then return to full time occupation after a fleetingly cursory first glance.

As a person who worked in remote communities in both WA and later the NT as both a teacher and principal, I can say quite unequivocally that preservice teaching in remote communities is best predicated by offering exposure to communities during training years.

In these modern times, that opportunity has largely gone by the bye. However, during our time at Warburton, that opportunity was provided.

During 1974, we accepted student teachers from Mount Lawley College of Advanced Education, which later became part of the Edith Cowan University. Our acceptance of students required us to provide them with accomodation and look after them for meals as well as supervising their practice teaching rounds. We were happy to do this and connect with what was an enlightened preservice teaching program conducted by Mount Lawley.

Students were supported by the College as well as by ourselves. There was a strong three way connection between our Warburton teachers, the students (two females and one male) and Mount Lawley supervising staff. At the end of the practice teaching period, the students had decided that remote area teaching was not for them. While some might consider their decision a waste of time and resources, I did not see it that way. Over the years, there have been far too many teachers who have decided on remote teaching, only to become disillusioned by the reality of their living and working experiences.

(It would be good if prospective teachers were given the chance to make considered decisions about remote appointments, but unfortunately this opportunity is rarely offered. Systems are keen to staff remote schools so the ‘sink or swim’ option too often becomes the way things are done. Lack of training funds is part of the problem, along with universities being keen to graduate teachers, then leaving their placement to education systems.)

I felt that Mount Lawley staff gained a great deal of understanding about the teaching competencies and personal characteristics those wanting to teach in remote areas should possess. Their learnings were put to good use in developing programs aimed at cross cultural understanding. We appreciated the opportunity to join with the Mount Lawley program, to share in teaching and learning opportunities the program afforded. Our inputs I know were taken into account with the development and shaping of ongoing preservice programs

Warburton Ranges (WA) in 1974-75 (30)

Dogs were very much an integral part of life at Warburton. There were few families without dogs, often in multiples. The dogs were thin, underfed, and many were riddled with disease. Heartworm was prevalent, the telltale signs being loss of condition, depletion of energy, dull coats, hair falling out and skin taking on permanent scaliness. Eventually the dogs would collapse and die. Very sick dogs were often attacked by other canines, the object being to kill and eat them. In similar vein, dead dogs were carcasses to be attacked and consumed by dogs remaining alive.

Hunger drove dogs to extraordinary lengths as they tried to sustain themselves. Rubbish bins, 44 gallon (120 litre) drums were jumped into by dogs looking for morsels of food to eat. Before burning accumulated rubbish in the bins, it was often necessary to shoo dogs away. I witnessed dogs who happened across unopened cans of food, work those cans over with their teeth until a hole gouged in the can revealed the contents. The dog would suck at the punctured tin until it was empty of contents.

At one stage in 1970 an artist, Mrs Souness, the mother of our headmaster’s wife, visited Warburton. She did a series of sketches of life around Warburton including her take on the impact of dogs. She gave me a set of her drawings which I have preserved to this day and would be happy to share by copying for others. Appropriate credits would apply. Her sketches and depictions were very true to life and showed just how dogs interacted with children and adults at Warburton.

During the cold winter months, nighttime temperatures often hovered in the single digits area on the thermometer. Windchill exacerbated coldness. People huddled in camps often with a minimal number of blankets and around meagre campfires, used their dogs to create body warmth as humans and canines huddled together. Common parlance described the environmental conditions as anywhere between ‘two dog’ to ‘six dog’ nights. The colder the night the higher the aggregate assigned to dogs to describe the level of cold.

The value placed on dogs meant that none were ever destroyed. Neither was there any veterinary attention given to these animals. The dogs were prolific breeders because neutering was not practised. Young pups quickly became ill because of heartworm and lived with their lives with this and other afflictions. They took their chances of survival in a world as harsh as any in which dogs have ever been asked to survive. They were a key and integral element of the community’s social fabric. While many dogs may have been inclined toward viscousness, this behaviour was dampened by their sickness and consequent lack of energy.

Warburton Ranges (WA) in 1974-75 (29)

There were from time to time, complaints about the way the Warburton Store operated. This had to do in part withe the selection of good available for purchase. The general fare was pretty basic, with ‘flour, sugar and tea’ being the product types generally visible to the public. Staff were able to place orders for a wider range of goods, but what the shop held in overall terms was not all that apparent.

On one occasion, the storekeeper and his wife had to depart Warburton for personal business. They left with little noticed given to the community and without arrangements being made from the store to open in order to provide for the people. After the store had been closed fore several days, community members were naturally on edge, with no-one sure about what was going to happen and when supplies would be available.

Several members of staff decided that the only options we had available was to open the shop. This happened, with the Welfare Officer, myself and several other people going in to play at being shop persons and counter managers. While in the shop, we did some exploration and discovered goods we did not know the shop stocked. Unknown goods included delicacies including confectionary and in particular, chocolate.

These goods were produced and put out for sale. Stocks were rapidly exhausted and the needs of customers satisfied in ways they may not have previously been met.

The corollary was that when the store manager and his wife returned, there was some ‘concern’ about the sales policies we had established when managing the store in their absence. They eventually resigned and left, with the person replacing them quickly and absolutely overwhelmed by the raft of responsibilities confronted. These were magnified the week following his ascension when the supply truck arrived with perishable and general goods. He was overwhelmed and did not know what to do with delivery documents or the goods that flowed liberally from the back of the truck and its refrigerated unit. I remember him sitting on a pile of goods, tossing the paperwork attached to the load of freight into the air, before putting his head in his hands in despair.

While the new era of Federal Government aimed at self management and determination for communities, it was a sad reality that key staff in many communities were not themselves, sufficiently skilled to handle responsibilities, let alone impart management skills to others. I believe this deficit continued well into years beyond 1974 and 1975. Intentions may have been good but there was a world of difference between change in theory and its effectiveness in practice.

Warburton Ranges (WA) in 1974-75 (28)

Background to changes and impacts of government policy

There were pro’s and con’s to the way in which Warburton had been managed in mission days. With the coming of the Whitlam Labor Government in 1972, there were changes mooted for community evolution and this was across the board. Impacts were Australia-wide. Central to the change was a determination that communities should enter into the era of self-determination and self management. (This was discussed in an earlier section of my writing.)

The intentions were good but for many communities, the practices associated with this new approach did not work well. Readiness for taking on responsibilities requires education and for people in many communities, this was not provided. Many communities took on Caucasian staff to fulfil management functions, way too many of these people being ‘found’ by advisory firms appointed to oversee the evolvement of community management. Aboriginal people living in communities were often the meat in the sandwich.

Warburton Ranges suffered because of some of these changes. European staff were often poorly prepared to take on management functions. It seemed that some accepted appointment for reasons associated with the need to be away from normal mainstream life. For some, their moves were to do with failed relationships or threatening social situations. Others were seeking to escape from unfortunate social habits including drinking and gambling. While not specifying any particular traits or habits as impacting upon staff at Warburton, it was common knowledge that these were situations that motivated some people to remote area service around Australia.

One of the things absolutely an issue was that people appointed to communities were too often not educated toward understanding the specifics of those places and the characteristics of people living therein. To this end I offer a compliment to the WA Education Department. As I was going back in 1974 as school principal, the department supported me to undertake a two week program at the Bentley Institute of Technology to facilitate my understanding of the local language, Ngaanyatjarra. The course was facilitated by one of Warburton’s long term linguists, Dorothy Hackett. Aspects of this program touched albeit briefly on social and cultural aspects of living and working in the Aboriginal community of Warburton.

With the passing of time, familiarisation programs were developed with greater or lesser success. With the above background in mind, I will return to elements more focussed the remained of our time at Warburton

Warburton Ranges (WA) in 1974-75 (27)

We had some interesting and varied life experiences at Warburton Ranges during the course of both our terms of appointment. Some had to do with people, others with environment. One thing for sure was that no two days were ever the same. And some periods of time were more environmentally challenging than others.

There had been little rain at Warburton during our time there in 1970. In 1974, the story was somewhat different. There was an abundance of rain that fell through to the community and in all directions, north, east, west and south, at one point during the year. The rain was soaking, the ground becoming saturated.

Elder Creek came in from the north and swung west around the community at some kilometres from the community. It overflowed to the north, with floodwaters coming into and inundating a good half of the settlement. Fortunately our school and houses were in the part remaining dry. The floodwaters only stayed for a day or so before retreating. However, the saturated soil burst forth into green, with vegetation and plants coming to life. Growth was quick and the green hue surrounding the community offering what was all too rare visual attractiveness.

Further out from Warburton, trees and shrubs burst forth with new and vibrant greenness. Spinifex, the predominant ground ‘grass’ in the Warburton, Peterman and Blackstone areas grew with a prolificness that was totally transforming of the species.

Animal life was renewed; part of that renewal brought forth a plague of mice which quickly overran the community. The mice bred prolifically and got into everything. Clothing in drawers and foodstuffs in cupboards fell victim to the feeding caprices and nesting habits of these vile rodents.

Mouse traps were at a premium. I managed to come up with three single spring traps and one that had four holes inviting mice to tasty cheese used to bait the traps. Outside our house yard and up against the fence was a 44 gallon drum we used for incinerating rubbish. During the day whenever we came home (from adjacent classrooms) and at night (as the traps went off to signal more victims), I would take the traps and release the now dead mice into the drum. We caught a huge number of mice during the weeks of the plague. The most disposed of in any one night was 64. I was up and down all night long.

The mice were into everything. Plastic lids on tins of food formula did not protect the contents of tins. Mice would chew through the plastic lids, fall into the food, gorge themselves and then die because there was no escape from the prisons they created for themselves. It was reminiscent of a last hearty meal before execution.

The mice would scurry across our bedding during the night. They could be heard scrambling between the outer wall and Masonite material that doubled as wall lining. They could be heard in the ceiling cavities.

Fortunately the plague did not last for too long. However, the mice were certainly active while the plague lasted

Warburton Ranges (WA) in 1974-75 (26)

On movie films. There was one night when a staff member decided on a private film showing for himself. That was fine. The projector was set up in the classroom nearest to our house, where a breezeway was the separation between the classroom and our house. We and our children were in need of rest. The project with its audio support droned on into the night. It was getting later and later and it seemed the watcher was going to make an all night marathon of the viewing.

Enough is enough! I jumped out of bed, went into the school building, opened the switchboard and pulled the fuse. The projector stopped dead, and you could hear the teacher (who will remain nameless but who was the same person responsible for the film spillage problem from an earlier time) begin to panic.

The panic lasted for the rest of what was left of the night. The next morning I restored the fuse and the problem was solved. That was the last time we had an all night movie marathon.

We used to have a great number of visitors come into Warburton connected with education and other government departments. Often visits were fleeting, lasting several hours at most. Planes would come in during the morning and be gone by mid afternoon. There were occasions when people would come in and stay for longer.

Very rarely would anyone coming to visit, bring their own food or food supplies. They expected to be catered for and must have imagined that ingredients for meals came out of thin air.

During our second period of time at Warburton, we were looked after by a butcher in Kalgoorlie. We had a rotational arrangement for food supplies, again supported by the indefatigable Dennis Meaker who drove the TNT truck supplying Warburton with goods. We had several large eskies in which the butcher sent goods including meat, frozen vegetables and ice cream. When he arrived, Dennis would drop the eskies at our place. All the goods were unloaded into our freezer. We would then return the eskies with Dennis to the butcher together with an envelope listing preferred goods and a blank, signed cheque. This the butcher would fill in after getting our next order together.

Thanks to the goodwill of both the butcher and Mr Meaker, the system worked wonderfully well. It enabled us to have a good supply of decent, nutritious quality feed on hand for our family. And it was from this ‘larder’ that many meals were provided to visitors. I would pay tribute to my wife who did a huge amount with limited facilities when it came to meal preparation. Much cooking was done in an electric fry pan for as I have pointed out, the cost of gas made using the gas cooktop and oven far too expensive.

On one occasion, several contractors in town asked my wife if she would cook an evening meal for them. There were no food outlets or take away facilities available in Warburton. She agreed and was paid for her work. I make that point because very, VERY infrequently did anyone contribute ingredients or offer to reimburse meal costs.

To most meals were ‘freebies’ which cost us, but allowed those consuming our hospitality to keep intact their incidentals travelling allowances

Warburton Ranges (WA) in 1974-75 (25)

One of the programs we were about to establish at Warburton, was that of regular interdepartmental meetings. This enabled health, welfare and education to come together with representatives of the local community so we could share information and plan together. These meetings helped with the development of understanding between us all. An outcome from these meetings was greater understanding and cooperation between us all.

It often seemed to me that if interdepartmental cooperation existed at higher levels within our respective organisations, benefit would accrue to the system. It seemed that our superiors within respective organisations we represented, acted without any recourse to other connected agencies. Reduplication and misunderstanding resulting from a lack of shared focus was a result.

One of the things we were able to do for the community, was to organise periodic film nights. We sourced most of our films from the Shell Travelling Film Library and also drew on films available through the Education Department.

There was a nice patch of green lawn which established on the western side of the main school building. An outdoor projection screen had been permanently constructed, enabling projection from one of our classrooms through an open window once louvres were removed. We had a quite ancient Bell and Howell projector which gave the locals many an hour of film entertainment during the two years of 1974 and 75. Shell films were never the latest release movies but the fact that the company made them available, meant they provided us with a valuable service. Films were transported to and from Warburton courtesy of Dennis Meaker the TNT driver.

On winter nights, audience members would turn up with blankets in order to keep warm. There was no need for this consideration during summer months.

Teachers used every to take it in turns to fill the tole of projectionist. It was important to stay with the projector for the whole time it was being operated. On one occasion, the projectionist decided the projector could do the job on automatic. Unfortunately, the spool receiving the viewed film was bent inward. Rather than the film rewinding in normal fashion, it quickly started to wind through the projector and onto the floor. At the end of the reel, when the projectionist returned, there were many, many hundreds of metres of film lying on the floor. We eventually, and after several hours got it sorted by working the film like a skein of wool up and down the long passageway connecting classrooms and from there getting it back onto the spool. Never again was the projector left alone.

However, that dilemma did not stop the audience enjoying the film

Warburton Ranges (WA) in 1974-75 (24)

In order to afford the best opportunities possible to our student cohort, we planned and programmed in a way that developed logical and sequenced learning. Engagement by students in learning was also a priority, with this adding a dimension to what might other wise have been a chalk and talk approach.

We followed the WA Education Department curriculum requirements but took into account the need to adjust content in a way that recognised the learning of children to date. There were learning shortfalls that result from sporadic school attendance and we worked to make up for gaps in learning by revisiting subject areas where students needed remediation.

In order to familiarise senior students with community contexts, we developed a wall and ceiling dictionary organised in an A-Z manner. This was an exercise with a time daily commitment. Students drew a picture of the object, person or subject on a large sheet of cartridge paper. The name or title of the picture was then added, with that dictionary/ identity sheet being added to the dictionary. All wall space was eventually covered. When writing, students wanting spelling assistance relating to items covered by the dictionary, were able to check the walls and ceiling until they found what they were seeking. This added to both student independence and confidence when they were writing.

Creative and imaginative writing was a focus. I found that older students, both females and male, came to derive quite a lot of enjoyment from producing written text. On occasion, children were given pictures and photographs to incorporate as illustrations into stories. Correct spelling of words was encouraged.

There was a focus on handwriting including the ‘three p’s’ of pencil/pen hold, paper position and posture.

Maths, as far as possible, was situational with examples supporting operations drawn from local experience and the environment of Warburton and its surrounds.

Children were encouraged to read orally and also to develop skills of understanding and comprehension from the written word.

I kept records of student progress in key learning areas (long, long before the concept of KLA’s was formalised) and we had a good understanding of how well children were doing. While the interest in school by adults was somewhat remote, we offered anecdotal comment and feedback, but in the social context of informal discussion.

Practical and focussed learning opportunities were offered For instance, the use of and understanding of money was aided by the setting up of a pretend shop with goods for sale. Goods (empty cans, packets and so on) were provided and money was used. An understanding of adding, subtraction and money management ways an outcome of this program.

There was a focus on both art and drama to reinforce other learning areas, particularly literature.

You Doing the best we could for the betterment of students was uppermost in our minds. As will be revealed later, this motivation was not one that met with the approval of educational authorities

Fixing the quandary of sexual harassment in the Federal Parliament.

A number of things need to be done in order to fix the situation of sexual harassment in the Federal Parliament.

It is devastating that in this day and age I am reminded of a statement made by a lady who lived to be 104 years of age. She said that in her experience “the thoughts of men never rise higher than the bed.”

The whole harassment and bullying issue needs to be fixed and I suggest three things.

• Immediately, alcohol should be banned from Parliament house and all functions should be supported by non-alcoholic beverages.

• Secondly, a move should be made toward all staff supporting parliamentarians being female. Any position that becomes vacant should be available to women only. As tenure for male staffers comes to an end as contracts expire or male staffers resign, only women should be allowed to take their place.

• Over the next 10 years all parliamentarians should be transitioned to a women only status. Male politicians presently in the parliament should be able to continue putting themselves forward for only another two terms. Retiring male politicians from now on. should be replaced only by female persons in the House of Representatives and the Senate. No male should be eligible To seek preselection for any seat becoming vacant.

The problem has to be fixed and it would seem from history and current experience that the fixing just does not happen. The alternative is to get rid of the problem! That means getting rid of the men.

If there are harassment issues in state and territory parliaments and assemblies, the above methodology should be implemented.

I have written a series of reflections on outback education in the not too distant past.

It was and is a series about my experiences as educators at Warburton Ranges in 1970 and then from 1974 into the first part of 1975. Twenty four episodes had been published. The 24th episode was published in July 2021.

Since then I’ve completed the series and from tomorrow will go back to writing or publishing about our experiences. For the sake of a crossover I’ll reproduce the 24th episode and then the following day go to the 25th episode and so on.

I hope you enjoy reading of my educational experiences going back some 46 or 47 years.

Comments and reflect actions by readers are always welcome.

I have published the whole as a single document and am happy to share that single document with anybody wanting a copy after I finish publishing the daily except.