Graduate Nurses

May you all be graduates who care about those to whom you are ministering.

May you all be people persons who are empathetic and humanistic in your manner of dealing with those in your care.

May you not let call bells ring for countless minutes before being answered. May you administer prescribed medications on time.

May you not shy from unpleasant nursing tasks, hoping that others will attend patient needs that are distasteful.

If on the service desk, may you respond to calls made by anxious relatives.

May you learn to speak in modulated tones, remembering that the volume of noise generated by loud talking and raucous laugher can be very disturbing to patients.

May you be staff remembered with appreciation by those with whom you are dealing.

Pointles Living

To me

At the moment

And for some time past

Life has lost all of its meaning.

Although alive and breathing

I am in a constant state of melancholy

There seems little point in living

I feel that I am waiting to die.

With that passing

Will come blessed oblivion

To the cares and worries

The concerns about relevance and meaning

That have become a part

Of my latter days.

With my mortal coil perished,

Sweet oblivion n

And anonymity,

Will mark the endpoint,

Of my time on Earth.

Along with the millions.

The tens of millions who have gone before,

I will become a memory,

That will fade

Into nothingness.

The entitlement to access euthasia provisions, with the passing of NSW Legislation, has now been provided for citizens in all Australian states. However, those of us in the NT and ACT continue to be nobbled by the federal government’s controlling caprices. PM Scott Morrison justified this during a radio interview (19/5). He said that territory citizens were ‘different’ to those living in the states. He inferred that these differences justified our exclusion from this entitlement.

The overturning of the Northern Territory Voluntary Euthanasia Bill of 1996 by Canberra the following year was both callous and cruelly indifferent.

My fervent hope is that with Labor winning the Australian election, an Albanese lead government will reinstate a territory legislative entitlement savagely stripped away by Canberra 25 years ago

There comes a time,

When it is time to cast,

Aside the trappings and the memorabilia,

The cards of appreciation,

The letters of thanks,

The pictures of people taken together,

Accumulated down the occupational years,

Which are part of a redundant history,

A period no longer relevant,

When the only thing left to gather on heaping files,

And settle on drawers full of history,

Is dust.

Times have now passed,

When that all burned brightly,

On occupational front burners,

When retirement was an experience and deep reflection,

On the years that had gone before,

But decades on,

With memories of what was, growing fainter,

It can be time to quit the accumulation,

To consign it to the tip of landfill waste,

To go back over time and to forever live on past memories,

Means that going forward as one should,

Cannot happen.

Memories of what went before,

Notwithstanding material reminders,

Burn less and less with the passing of years,

There are flashes of recall, revisitation to events,

But the mind and its internal reflections,

Move on with age, leaving behind what was,

Sometimes offering vivid but brief recall,

More often diffusing the sharpness of memories,

Dulled by age and tarnished by distance,

From happenings of the past,

Now history.

My thought in reply to a Linked In post from Scott Morrison today.

Thank you for your sentiments Mr Morrison. This was the way it was always going to go because liberal parties within Australia sell themselves short by infighting. I imagine there will be a bi-election in Cook before too long. There is much soul searching and healing that needs to take place within your party and that will not happen any time soon. With respect, your party is short on for leadership talent with synergestic focus. The centre of your party, the parliamentary wing, has lost its way.

I don’t know how good the new government will be but if it wants to succeed,it must develop an internal unity and oneness of purpose that came to evade your government.

Campaigning does not come into the shaping of voters perceptions that have been impacted by days, weeks, months and years. It is this long term development of regard and appreciation that eventually determines how well an incumbent government will fare when voters go to the polls.

I recommend a paper written by Frederick Wirt and shared with participants at the ACEL conference held in Darwin in 1992. Titled ‘will the centre hold’, it predicted what can happen when organisations are more concerned about magnification and image than consolidated and logical development.

M

If a re-elected Prime Minister unlocks superannuation programs allowing people access to super savings for house purchases, he will be committing a massive blunder. It has already happened once, with people able to draw down on superannuation during the Covid epidemic of 2020. This depletion of savings and the compounding interest they attract, will never be recovered.

I became a superannuation fund member in 1975. Then aged 29, I could not see much point in super programs, for one’s working and earning life had many decades to run. Now aged 76 and 10 years into my retirement years, I am thankful every day for investing in a secure financial future through superannuation.

Please PM and political leaders, don’t let people prematurely break into their super funds. Such an allowance will abort the financial security they deserve during their retirement years.

The NT News story (Territory kids walk to school safely 17/5)

reinforced the fact that male teachers and principals need to be constantly on guard against community perceptions that can misinterpret and misconstrue their social behaviours. It was perfectly natural for Acting Larrakeyah School Principal Natasha Guse to be photographed holding the hands of two girls in preparation for this year’s ‘walk to school safely’ day. In fact, it would have been wholly appropriate for any female principal to have been in the promotional photograph.

That would not have been acceptable if the principal had been a male. At the very least, eyebrows would have been raised and there may have been more in depth questioning and follow up. A male principal holding hands or making physical context with students in such a photo could at the very least, expect to be counselled about the need for behavioural propriety.

Males connected with teaching in these modern times are faced with barriers and limitations on conduct that do not impact upon female teachers and educators. With the passing of years, those stringencies are becoming more pronounced.

J

With the build-up to the federal election and everything that has been happening on the local political scene, a very important and significant event has almost been overlooked. Between May 10 and 20 the 2022 NAPLAN program is taking place. Students in years 3,5, 7 and 9 are sitting their literacy and numeracy tests for this year. They, together with their teachers will be glad when the program concludes for this year.

Sadly, school and system leaders will then begin champing at the bit, anticipating outcomes. Judging school effectiveness on the basis of test results which were once advertised as being a minor ‘point in time’ assessment, over inflates the value of this testing regime. Sadly, too many children spend far too many weeks and even months before the tests in pre-test, practice and readiness mode. By the time tests are administered, they are often stale and probably do less well than would be the case if they were not so encumbered with this readiness strategy.

The over-emphasis on NAPLAN detracts from schools and diminishes education as a whole.

• The best person to approach in most situations is the school’s Registrar or Financial Manager. That is certainly the case with primary schools. Some Middle and Senior Schools may have a person other than the Finance Administrator delegated to handle contracts. That would be passed onto you on inquiry by whoever answered your call if making contact by phone.

• My thought would be that you phone and ask for an appointment to share your business proposition. The school type and size will determine who you speak with when an appointment is made.

• You might offer to share your website ahead of any meeting but in any case that address would probably be on your business card.

• I always respected businesses approaching our school to have arranged for referees contact. (Sometimes referees who are contacted can be surprised by the fact they have not been asked to provide feedback to an enquiring person.)

• Schools quickly turn off approaching businesses which take too much time to carry out work once a job has been arranged. At Leanyer, we went through a number of plumbing contractors before settling on Town and Country. T and C were always prompt, staff were courteous and worked around our school timetable. Accounts were clearly explained and charges reasonable. I think Leanyer still uses Town and Country.

• The impression left by those carrying out work is important. Language levels and ‘quality’ comes into play. Dress codes need to be appropriate to a school environment and it is important for workers to sign in and out before work is undertaken and once the job is complete. Ochre cards are usually requested even when direct contact by workers with children is not envisaged.

• Registrars and administrative staff have strong network connections with peers in other schools. Conversations might well embrace a comparison of the way in which contractors carry out work in particular schools. That ‘word of mouth’ contact can be both positive and negative, and may determine whether a school will or won’t approach particular businesses to carry out work.

• Schools value contractors who offer a decent level of service at a fair and reasonable price. There are some who think that schools can afford any level of charge. In these days of budget stringency that is far from being the case.

Today I feel very low and very flat. I am finding it harder and harder to feel worthwhile and am saddened by the fact that people in positions of caring for others seem no longer to care. Sympathy and empathy are dead qualities. There seems to be no way forward in care for people terms. I just feel the future is dead and that genuine ministration no longer counts for anything at all. The genuine spirit of care is dead.

It seems to me that many babies born into this world, who grow into their years of childhood and teenage years, are unwanted and unloved. While many are planned, loved and cherished, others are an accident born if carnal pleasure and sexual engagement gone wrong. They are nothing more or less than unfortunate accidents of birth.

Any money forthcoming by way of baby bonuses was welcome so it could be squandered and splurged on entertainment and goods that had little to do with the raising of children. (Remember the ‘plasma TV kids’ of the Costello baby bonus era.)

So many children are unwanted and unloved. It is awful to contemplate them starting life as accidental outcomes.

Sometimes people are so emotionally close to situations they are needing to manage, test they do a far poorer and less effective at their job. Emotional closeness can be a killer. Dispassionate or empathetic rather than sympathetic care can be superior.

It is easy for a caring person to become disoriented and bushed. They are so close to the person needing care, they can’t see the wood for the trees.

M

WORKING IN THE BUSH

My first appointment as a teacher was to Warburton Ranges in 1970. My wife and I were there for 12 months. We returned in 1974 with three children, the youngest only six weeks of age. From July 1975 until December 1982, we taught (and I was Principal for most of this time) at Numbulwar and Angurugu in the NT. During those years, we always felt safe. Our home was not overly secured. Our children were safe and free from threat within all three communities. We were criticised by family and boy some professional superordinates who felt we were doing our children much harm by being on those places. I like to think we made a positive difference during our years of tenure. Our three children grew up to become professionals in the areas of science/teaching (daughter) while our two sons are qualified engineers. So much for their deprivation. That said, I would not countenance remote community service these days as things have changed. Safety and well-being are history. How sad it is that this deterioration has taken place.

Being an old one

I am a 76 year old boomer. My Father taught me save, not to spend what I did not have. That lesson was one I followed all my working like. Fortunately, I was introduced to superannuation during my working years and am thankful every day for the blessings it brought. I do not accept that I am privileged by the system and should be envied. What I have, I earned. I did not go over the top with socialisation, spending on alcohol and substances nor taking extravagant holidays on borrowed money. A house mortgage was our only borrowed money and that got paid of as quickly as we could manage. You guessed it, I hate debt with a passion. Every day I thank my Father for teaching me the wisdom of saving and for going without until I could afford to pay for what I wanted and needed.

The Australian’s editorial (‘Time to get real about teaching’ 6/5) paints an expectational picture of change to teacher training methodologies that, as the editorial states. may not come pass post election, when promises often remain unfulfilled. As the editorial intimates, entry into universities has too often been allowed simply to generate dollars from students and government subsidies.

Literacy and numeracy competence for those contemplating a teaching career should be an absolute prerequisite entry into any training program. There should be no need to contemplate catch up teaching of essential literacy and numeracy skills.

The issue of illiteracy and innumeracy as barriers to be surmounted by those in training to be teachers is not new. Over three decades ago, a senior lecturer in education at LaTrobe University who was visiting said to me, “We used to teach trainee teachers to teach. Now we have to teach them (the basics of literacy and numeracy) and having donor that, teach them to teach.” Since then, the erosion of teacher capacity has reduced further. It IS time to get real about teaching but I am not holding my breath about that necessity becoming a realiity.

Teachers who trained in the 1960’s, 70’s and until the very early 1980’s will think of ‘The Australian’ headline (‘Basics test for trainee teachers’, 5/5) as being about ‘back to the future’. Those who trained as teachers during those years HAD to pass basic literacy and numeracy tests before graduation. Those deemed not to be literate and numerate (by passing without error a Year 7 maths test and a 100 challenging word spelling test) were failed and could not graduate. I recall that our training college, we were allowed one spelling error in 100 words – any more errors and the test had to be resat.

In addition, we had pass reading and speaking competency tests and needed to demonstrate a general ability to work empathetically with all students during practice teaching rounds in schools. Our overall teaching was assessed, which included ability to both timetable and maintain appropriate levels of discipline and class management. We had to pass our practical teaching rounds.

Over the years, teacher preparation has drastically departed from what were prerequisite competencies. Sadly, a degree does not mean graduates are competent in the domains of literacy, numeracy and general modelling. May these proposed changes become reality – and a return to past high standards of pre-service preparation.

School canteens used to sell a mix of food and drink ranging from the nutritious and wholesome to sweet drinks and snack food. Student choice was paramount. Education was part of helping children make choices.

Then the food police happened along abd school canteens were limited to selling everything nutritious. Fun foods and flavoured drinks were outlawed.

Now sales have gone down, canteens are struggling or closed and students buy what they want from shops before and after school or by going off at lunchtime to the nearest delicatessen.

But the food police are happy.

The only way to fix aged care is for its total control and management by government. Greedy private providers charge much, offer little, and cream off profits that are generated by the misery of residents who are more akin to prisoners.

During the past 46 years, the length of time I have been in the Northern Territory, there has been ongoing downturn in the level of respect paid to our social institutions and those who are responsible for leading and maintaining their functions.

The time has long since passed, when the general public as a whole extended courtesy to those responsible for delivering essential services. Members of the police force, paramedics, bus and taxi drivers and emergency services personnel are far too often made the butt of community discord and anger. School teachers and support staff, health department personnel and those administering housing and community services also have to endure the spite of vindictive and disgruntled ‘clients’. In more recent times, service station operators and shop assistants have suffered abuse.

Key community organisations and those employed to keep them functional are increasingly at the mercy of verbal, physical and often violent assaults at the hands of the public.

When matters are reported, follow up action rarely occurs. Sadly, victims are often told to put up with abusive behaviour in order to avoid ‘inflaming’ situations. This supplication simply serves to make aggressors even more antagonistic. They go the harder with aberrant conduct because of the blind eye turned on their previous actions.

The degeneration of community respect for service providers is patently obvious. I can only wonder at the general level of law, order and attitudes that will be shown toward key institutions and personnel in another 40 years

Everyone is someone with a special skill, capacity, ability or talent. We do well to reflect upon what we DO WELL, rather than being envious or jealous of others. What we do effectively and efficiently, may be a skill or skills that have passed them by.

Using our talents for the betterment of others and the good of all is a worthy ambition. And all the better if the giving is genuine and humble, not done for the sake of glorification or to be noticed.

May we be contributors for the good of all. And let us give thanks for the skills, capabilities and talents with which we have each been blessed.

M

To all those teachers who put the education of children above all else in their professional lives.

To all those teachers who always remembered that schools are for children.

To all those teachers who earned respect from students and their parents.

Natasha Bita’s column “Crunching the numbers to halt the STEM decline” (30/4 & 1/5) points to an absolute despair confronting Australian education. For far too long, education has been subjected to a diminution and dumbing down of standards and expectations. With less than 10% of year 12 students opting to study the highest level of mathematics, we seem to be sinking to ‘alarming new lows’ (as started by Australian Mathematical Sciences Institute director Tim Marchant) in our ambition for students.

What should and shouldn’t be included within the domain of curriculum priorities involves never-ending conversation between education ministers, education department heads, business and industry representatives, professional groups, school councils, teachers unions, subject specialists and others. Juxtapositionally, ambition for a better tranche of graduates, multi-skilled in areas necessary for manufacturing, industrial, commercial and environmental enhancement, does not seem to be forthcoming. There is an abundance of talk about what we need to do, in order to enhance the educational standards of students. However, there seems to be a lack of will on the part of authorities to translate these ambitions into action outcomes. Despite the concerted efforts of those with stake and interest in the issue, the inclination of students toward STEM subjects continues to decline.

Without change, there is a real danger that the term ‘dumb and dumber’ might take root when describing the accomplishments of far too many students and the Australian educational system as a whole.

All the very best to all students, teachers, school support staff and school leaders as we enter the month of May. We are now well and truly into the school year with well established school routines, processes and procedures. May each day bring educational fulfilment for students and teachers alike. May students perceive education to be an offering of the gift for learning and may each day be a joy for teachers.

The NT looks set to undertake some massive expansion in the domains of construction and development. This is a especially the case for Darwin, Palmerston and nearby areas. The words ‘boom’ and ‘booming’ spring to mind as planned expansion titillates our senses.

I recall words of wisdom addressed to school leaders at a national conference that took place in Darwin in 1992. Frederick Wirt, now the Professor of Political Science at the University of Illinois (USA) spoke with delegates. His address was titled ‘Will the centre hold?’ Wirt lauded growth, development and expansion but cautioned it should never be at the expense of consolidating and reinforcing infrastructure already in place. His suggestion was that developments should always be based on a solid foundation. He urged leaders and developers to avoid recklessly frog hopping from one initiative to the next without careful planning and intuitive thought.

We would do well to keep Wirt’s advice in mind as we move from the past and present into the NT’s future.