I mentioned earlier how I took to the debating platform on Wednesday for the first time in about 20 years. I was on the negative team for the topic: Learning today is more important than it was in the past. Here is my prepared speech, although I deviated from it to include rebuttals and had [...]
High ranking in maths assessment
The chart is part of Michael’s Year 7 student report from the National Assessment Program. It arrived in the mail today from his former school at Kalgoorlie. In May this year, national literacy and numeracy assessments were administered to students across the country. While parents don’t receive actual test results, they do get to see [...]
Stop poaching doctors from poor countries
I’m not sure about the desirability or sustainability of Australia poaching doctors from poor countries to fill vacancies in our depleted medical workforce. The “great brain drain” it’s known as around the world. The United Kingdom, United States and other affluent nations also recruit third world doctors. In Australia, more than 10 percent of the [...]
Celebrate Christmas
Christmas exists for a reason. Whether you subscribe to the theory it’s a pagan feast transformed to Christianity, or believe it is the birth of the Messiah, it has a meaning. Australia has a public holiday for Christmas Day and most Australians are Christian. So why are our public schools averse to celebrating Christmas? Not [...]
School awards
Hannans Primary School held its end-of-year concert and awards presentation tonight. Young Michael received the excellence award for his Year 6 class. That’s basically the academic prize. John Paul College is having its awards ceremony on Friday night, which unfortunately I’ll miss because I’ll be in Melbourne visiting Dad. He’s in hospital tonight with fluid [...]
