Posts by Rochelle Borton
Spring into the Equinox
Image: Dyana Wing So “There are always flowers for those who want to see them.” Henri Matisse Equinoxes are when the sun is directly over the equator. This occurs twice a year, and the length of the day is equal to the length of the night. The Spring Equinox will fall on the 22-23day of…
Read MoreLiteracy Across The Spectrum
Image: Greg Rosenke “Reading is important, because if you can read, you can learn anything about everything and everything about anything.” Tomie dePaola Can you remember the first book that you read? Did you read it cover-cover, or did you read the conclusion and then started at first page? Teaching reading, much like numeracy, is…
Read MoreInternational Day of Charity (5 September)
Image: Joel Muniz “Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.” Lao Tzu The role of schools has changed. There is a philosophical argument related to change. The concept and practice of charity has changed. Society has changed. Change is not a statement nor a noun. It is…
Read MoreHappy Birthday (Horses for Courses)
Photo by Amy Humphries “Every birthday is like a step you take. You have to observe your path first, to cautiously proceed without stumbling.” Ebelsain Villegas Horses in the southern hemisphere are recognised on August 1st – the Horse’s birthday. This is the date that all horses are judged to be one-year older. This date…
Read MoreMid – Winter Blues
Image: Annie Spratt The last two weeks of school holidays have offered some respite from the early mornings and late nights that many teachers experience during the term. The workload of Small School Principals often carries over the two-week holidays. The dual roles of teaching and managing the school as Principal is complex, demanding and…
Read MoreSemester 2 is coming!
Image: Oleksandr P “Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” Oprah Winfrey Are you jumping into July? The first half of the school year is nearly completed. Reports are being written, reviewed and printed. Principals will have…
Read MoreEOFY – What does this mean for teachers?
Image – Mikhail Nilov “Education costs money, but then so does ignorance.” Claus Moser What does the end of the financial year mean for teachers? Teachers pay tax as they earn (PAYE). How much tax you contribute is displayed on your payslip as a line item, listed in between other line items. Perhaps it is…
Read MorePlanning for Personal Growth
Image By Jill Wellington “I’m a great believer in luck, and I find that the harder I work the more I have of it.” Thomas Jefferson Describing success is harder as we get older. Milestones are set for childhood development, reading levels and benchmarks identify personal growth and success. Teachers write reports measured against outcomes.…
Read MoreStar Wars Day/World Labyrinth Day (May 4)
Image by Ksenia Chernaya “Life is a kind of labyrinth, with all its twists and turns, its straight path, and its occasional dead ends.” Jim Henson World Labyrinth Day is celebrated in walks and adventures on May 4. The Australian Labyrinth Network (ALN) was established in early 2018. The ALN stated purpose: “Is to meet…
Read MoreThe Work of Teachers and School Leaders
Photo by Arthur Krijgsman “You can’t stop a teacher when they want to do something. They just do it.” J.D. Salinger I am continually amazed by the work of teachers. I would be stumped if I was asked what makes the best school, the best teacher or school leader. Schools are busy places and the…
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