Reflecting on the beginning of the school year.

It's amazing how teachers adapt so quickly to the frantic happenings of the first days of the new school year. Since my first year of teaching, in 1999, I am amazed at how little changes in my preparation for the school year. Unlike our friends in the northern hemisphere, our school year begins in January and ends in December, to coincide with the summer break. It is an incredibly busy, exciting and stressful time of the year and it confounds me that I feel the same nervous and excited anticipation for the school year, since 1999.

It doesn't seem to get any easier. The three or four evenings before school returns seems to provide a menagerie of strange dreams about nothing at all related to school or anything in the real world. Last night for example, I had a dream I had a sore knee and went to the doctor and he extracted an Apricot seed. I NEVER dream in this way at all and have certainly never had a dream like this ever. I can only relate it to the beginning of the school year.

Don't get me wrong. I absolutely love the start of a new year. I like the anticipation and hope that comes with the planning and preparation. I love catching up with my colleagues. In fact I particularly enjoyed coming back this year, because we had some refurbishments take place in our staffroom which now looks amazing! It is a beautiful room that I believe will now inspire some positive work and positive energy.

I love the excitement and enthusiasm of my colleagues and the students. Everything (well mostly everything) is clean and fresh... we have a new driveway (well almost complete) at school and the weather, whilst it has been quite hot and humid, has been sunny which promotes positivity (light)

I do have to say, the other thing that doesn't seem to change about the beginning of the school year, is that I get so tired! I have only taught four lessons and already I feel as though I could sleep for a long time (which goes against every grain of my body that likes to be up and moving at a most unsavoury hour on a weekend morning)

I certainly hope that 2010 is a calmer year than 2009. I hope (being the eternal optimist) that students who don't ordinarily enjoy studying English, come to respect it and perhaps enjoy parts of it. I hope that our staff continues to build a lovely, collegiate environment. I hope that our department continues to inspire and foster a love of literature, learning and leadership within the whole staff context.

I hope that we never forget the privilege that we have, to educate our students. There is an incredible privilege in acquiring the trust of students and their parents. A trusting relationship between parents, students and teachers can truly work miracles in and out of the classroom. For me, it has always been an honour to have the respect of so many students and their parents. For all the criticism leveled at teachers and at times leveled at students, there is much good in what teachers achieve, often with limited resources and more often, with the disdain of radio shock jocks and narrow-minded politicians. Yes, there are some bad teachers out there. Yes, there should be a way to remove them from their posititions...yes, we should have a discussion about national testing and leagues tables... we should never shy away from those conversations... but I will leave that for another day.

There is much to celebrate in the anticipation and beginning of a school year and I give thanks that I am able to begin another school year, in a school that I love and working with teachers who I truly respect and admire and students that make it all worthwhile.

Have a lovely holiday and I hope that the beginning to your working year has been a good one!

Melbourne 2010 Around town

I thought I would post some photos from around Melbourne. There are so many to choose from. The first image was taken from the Eureka Tower - the tallest viewing platform in the Southern Hemiphere... was the tallest building until the recent building in Dubai.

The following three photos are from our boat ride on the Yarra River.


I love this picture of my gorgeous husband Mark! I think he looks very distinguished and dignified! He always does!!

Melbourne Holiday 2010 Tennis

The Australian Open

Well, as promised, I thought I should post some pictures of our holiday to Melbourne!

I love Melbourne city... as I do Sydney! Nothing can compare to the beauty and diversity of gorgeous Sydney! My favourite part of Sydney CBD is Martin Place. I will devote a post to Martin Place at another time, however, I want to share with you some of my favourite haunts in Melbourne.

Firstly, one cannot visit Melbourne in January without indulging in some tennis. The Australian Open, a grand slam event is THE calendar event in Melbourne. I went to the tennis with my fabulous husband Mark and his cousin Steve (who incidentally flew in from Sydney to join us for the tennis!)

We spent quite a bit of time watching matches on the outer courts, of some of the lesser known players and then watched two matches in the Rod Laver Arena. We saw Leyton Hewitt and Alicia Molik, two Australian tennis players that evening!

I have to say that the atmosphere (like any sporting event) is positively electric! The fans were jovial and the mood was all good!

Some pictures of the tennis:

Reading

I am currently reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. Have you read it? What are you reading at the moment? I have also started Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel which was the 2009 Man Booker Prize winner. I have found that I need to be very focused when reading it, so I have stopped for a little while to read a little of Larsson's novel. Both are quite different but I am enjoying both of them.

Holidays

Well my wonderful husband and I have just returned from a week away in Melbourne. We went to the Australian Open and watched some fabulous tennis matches! I will be sure to post some good pictures soon! I hope that if you have been on holidays, that it has been a time of relaxation for you! It was fabulous to catch up with the many friends that I have in Melbourne. We had a great time and we found some wonderful shops, wine bars, cocktail bars and restaurants. I have kept a list so that I can be sure to visit them when we return!

Friends and Food

Anybody who knows me well, could greatly attest to my passion for good food. Slow cooked food, home made, in a wonderful restaurant, trattoria or cafe... it makes no difference. Nothing can beat the combination of fresh ingredients to create delicious and tasty meals. I love the way that food can bring people together. A close group of girlfriends and I, have for the past three years created our own tradition. We call it the Ladies' Luncheon. The day to day aspects of our life seem to pause on this day, when five of us get together to have a long lunch at one of our favourite restaurants, Summersalt, Elouera. We enjoy a five hour lunch, over three courses and an extra tasting dessert plate. We enjoy the views and most of all each others' company. We love talking and laughing and taking photos of our experience. I have included some photos of the day to share with you.

We do this every year (this year was our third lunch) at the same restaurant. We do not invite more than six people in total. Our husbands, or significant others take it in turns to drive us there or home, so we can also enjoy the wine list! It is the one day of the year when we can all get together and enjoy a relaxed meal together.

I hope you enjoy the photos.

These images are our entrees

Some photos of my friends and I at our lunch

Holidays

For the last couple of days, I have had the distinct privilege and pleasure of looking after my gorgeous little niece Emily, as both of her parents have returned to work (neither of them are school teachers) and because my parents (who care for her three days a week) are away on holidays (retirees enjoying the summer on the mid north coast.)

Yesterday we played loads and loads of games...games that Emily made up herself. She is an inquisitve young girl and she loves learning. Today I promised that I would take her to the movies. It is the first time she has been to the movies. She is 3 years old. I took her to see "Alvin and the Chipmunks 2" - not the usual genre of film that I would go to see, however, I don't think Avatar or It's Complicated would work well for a 3 year old.

It was such a wonderful day - she sat through the whole movie. We had afternoon tea together. I couldn't get over how well-mannered and placid she was. I had such a lovely couple of days looking after her. I certainly felt tired after both days - I don't know how mum does it three days a week. I certainly don't know how parents do it! The energy that you need to expend! Mind you, I would gladly do that at the very least for my little niece.

I am culling... have decided I need to say goodbye to some magazines. I have so many Gourmet Travellers, Vogue Entertaining and Travel magazines... some as far back as 2002. I also have my Vanity Fair and Martha Stewart Collections. I am holding on to both of those and just keeping a couple of the Vogues and Gourmet Travellers. Unfortunately I cannot really justify collecting four magazines... holding onto those collections.

I am planning some amazing dinner menus. I am really excited about food (as any close friend will attest) and can't wait to try some of the more complex dishes!

I hope, that if you are on holidays, that you are enjoying it!

New take on a timeless classic

Today Mark and I really wanted to see Avatar, however, it had sold out. We decided that we would see Sherlock Holmes, starring Robert Downey Jnr as Holmes and Jude Law as Watson. I wasn't really sure what to expect, prior to seeing the film. To be honest, I was a little sceptical, thinking that it might have too much of a manufactured, hollywood type of stamp on it... however I have to say that I was (as was Mark) pleasantly surprised. The setting was fantastic as were the effects. The script was witty - in keeping with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. I think the dynamic worked well, between Law and Downey Jnr. As a side issue, it is good to see Downey Jnr back infront of the silver screen, after years in the wilderness.

Happy New Year

Dear friends,

I would like to wish you all a very Happy New Year! I hope that this year brings you much happiness, great joy, excellent health and much prosperity. We enjoyed a wonderful dinner last night to see out the 'noughties.' We went to "Shipwrights" which is a wonderful seafood restaurant in Blakehurst, Sydney's south. We had the best table which was right on the marina. The gorgeous sailing boats were only a stone's throw from our table. The water was still and calm. The fireworks were lovely as well - in the distance, from many different locations!

We enjoyed a set menu of mixed platters for entree, main and dessert. We of course enjoyed a great bottle of wine - one of my favourites, "Stella Bella."

It was wonderful to be able to spend a few hours just talking with Mark and enjoying the moment. The owner of the restaurant, is a friend of my husband's so we got to sit and enjoy some good conversations with him as well.

Today we will visit my sister and have lunch with her and her in laws. It will be wonderful. My parents are enjoying their holiday at Forster / Tuncurry, on the mid north coast of NSW. We also have a wedding to plan ! My brother in law (Mark's brother Paul) proposed to his girlfriend of about 6 years last night in Dubai! They are over there visiting Mark's other brother John and his girlfriend Benita.

2010 feels like it is going to be a wonderful year! This will be the third wedding of the decade! What do we call this decade?