Saturday, September 21, 2013

12 days til we depart for Paris….

(Just found this post draft and couldn't resist posting it.... I really need to find time to post the rest of our incredible adventure....)


Well, I think this is the very first time I have committed words to the blog around our big trip.  It is only twelve sleeps til we depart for Paris.  I can hardly believe that a lifelong dream and visiting Paris and Venice are on the horizon.  I thought it would be good to start sharing the build up and looking forward to the journey.
So far the things I am looking forward to most are:
·      A holiday away with Grant
·      Seeing the Eiffel Tower
·      Travelling up the Eiffel Tower
·      Cycling around Monet’s garden
·      The night time illumination tour of Paris
·      Walking around and soaking up all the sights and sounds
·      Visiting Rome
·      Getting a sense of history in Rome
·      The leaning tower of Pisa
·      The five fishing villages (strangely this is the thing I am most looking forward to – I think the photos I have seen have given it a MAGICal quality)
·      Venice
·      Singapore (As long as the air there has cleared a lot)
I do not remember Grant and I ever having three weeks away together and I am really looking forward to time talking, dreaming, planning, enjoying, and not thinking about work.  I am looking forward to exploring and relaxing, wining and dining.  I am looking forward to experiences different ways of life and taking a zillion photos along the way.  Most of all I looking forward to a relaxed time with Grant just enjoying our time.

Celebration of new CORE offices...

What an incredible privilege to be at the opening of the new CORE offices in Madras St, Christchurch. What an awesome celebration!




How awesome to really have the learner at the centre of the celebration!  

The time is now – the time to speak up


For a very long time I have been wanting to speak up about suicide.  For a very long time I have been worried about the danger of our population keeping quiet.
Too many people are dying….
Too many families are suffering…
Too many links are being broken….
I do not profess to know, understand or even begin to totally feel what it is like to lose someone to suicide but I do know that it is far too often we are left wondering, grieving, crying, screaming and suffering.
Last week on TV I was inspired by the hairdressers talking of the Caspar programme which is empowering hairdressers with possible communication tools to cope with a client who expresses suicidal thoughts. 

This week on TV I was inspired by a passionate caring volunteer who is running the ‘chat buses’ out of Dunedin enabling youth to talk to someone.

I certainly don’t believe there is ever an easy answer but NZ our statistics are shocking.  We are losing precious fragile human beings and we need to start thinking of ways to help.

Is it time to go more public and visible with suicide discussions?

What can we do?

What can we do as individuals?

What can we do as educators?

What can we do?

Travelling to the opening…


Here we are in the air after an incredible frosty start… -4 at Momona Airport and quite some time spent de-icing the plane….






Today I am very fortunate to be travelling to Christchurch for the opening of the new inner city CORE office.  Time for me to reflect on the year to date…

I am constantly in awe of the way in which I have grown into this role.  I am surrounded by people who support, challenge, motivate, inspire, entertain, trust  and value me.  I am constantly reflecting on my practice, my thinking, my facilitating.  I spend each and every day connecting, networking and collaborating with people in my schools, my team, my company. 

How is it that this company identifies nurtures, and grows you in your strengths?  It is no accident or chance? It is a direct act, and continuing acts to identify your strengths, connect you with like minds and grow you in your passions and abilities. 

This week sees me take on a new aspect to my role, moderator of the literacy on line listserv.  I see this as another challenge, another opportunity to grow myself and really network and collaborate. 

How are we doing this in our schools and in our classes?  How do we develop a culture of āko? How do we identify and share the talents, strengths, passions of all our learners?  How do we allow them to grow and lead?

How do we track our journey? How do we encourage our learners to track their journey?