I was surrounded by sometimes inspiring and sometimes challenging leaders! All who influenced me.
After several great years at this new R-12 school in the metropolitan area, during which Bruce and I married, we transferred to Kingston S.E. to enjoy teaching in the country. We were next to head to enjoy living in the Barossa for 4 years – Bruce was promoted to a position at Gawler High and as I was 7 months pregnant when we shifted, I spent these years as a mum at home, a wonderful time as our boys developed and we discovered what parenting was about!
In 1989 we transferred to Cowell, on the West Coast of S.A. It was the middle of a drought – the dryness, the isolation from family and friends was quite overwhelming in the first 6 months but at the end of 7 years it was hard to leave this wonderful community! I returned to teaching part time and over the years at Cowell many opportunities in leadership positions came my way – Key teacher, shared deputy principal (great collaborative year) and Student Management Team Whyalla. This opportunity opened me up to the diversity of students and the capacity of people. I began to really look at the importance of positive relationships and how to build and nurture them. To be able to focus in this area I started to develop my own ideas about what worked best for students in social skills programs.
We were lucky to both get transfers to the same town and moved to Strathalbyn in 1995. I taught at Strath Primary for 1 year and then won a Primary School counsellor position at Port Elliot for 3 years, My job at Port Elliot finished and unfortunately the school was not eligible for a primary school counsellor the following year. I applied for and won a Primary School Counsellor position at Murray Bridge North School. The school had 750 students (almost triple Port Elliot) a very complex site, never a dull moment from the second I walked through the door. It was amazing, the complexity of the issues that were constant and the staff were brilliant.
During the years at Murray Bridge North many things happened. A couple of significant ones were I became aware of the Rock and Water program and met Freerk Ykema, its author. Also a bull charged and trampled me in the schoolyard after lunch one day – that is another story!
My recovery from the bull gave me the motivation to develop an idea I’d been contemplating for several years. I took some long service leave to work myself out. I began learning T’ai Chi; I found it quite difficult to slow down but loved doing it and persisted as I developed mindfulness and patience!
At the end of 2001 I resigned. I felt a sense of satisfaction that we had moved on in many ways – there were still many things to do but we weren’t in crisis all the time and the respect and tone within the site was noticed by those who came in. It had a good feel. I knew I had no energy left to offer – I had to replenish myself so I could start to support schools in a positive way.
As I established All About Attitude I was able to write and test out the All About Choice program in schools and develop a training program around teacher stress, I became passionate about supporting teachers to maintain their energy and balance as I knew what could happen if you didn’t take care of yourself.
All About Attitude continues to grow and as a person I continue to develop. Now I balance my time between schools teaching All About Choice, Rock and Water and Taking care of you and teaching T’ai Chi with a range of groups. I have realized the main person I have to keep working on is me.
Often I work over a block of weeks in classrooms and sometimes do staff training either in a school or offer it as a T&D across all sites. Some of the schools I've worked with recently are Nairne, Brompton, Waikerie, Noarlunga Downs, Seaford Rise, Farrell Flat and Watervale. Some schools revisit over several years (Nairne School has been working with the program now for 6 years). One of the things I love about developing this program is the way it has been tested and used by a range of schools that value social skills and are always looking to sustain positive patterns for students and staff.
Over the last few years I have gained experience in T’ai Chi by attending courses in Sydney run by Paul Lam. Tai Chi for Arthritis, 24 form in depth, Tai Chi for Diabetes and Osteoporosis, As I develop the principles of tai chi I have developed a simple form for students and for adults to use. These principles are with me everyday as I continue to develop as a person. My interest in T’ai Chi has led me to study acupressure and Chinese Medicine – another story!
I know that the world continues to provide challenges and opportunities for us to keep developing. As I research and learn more about life, I have gratitude for my teachers and the people I have conversations with everyday. They help me to look at the world a bit differently.
Life continues to unfold in interesting ways. My path now extends to business and community groups as I transfer the skills and experience I have. In this fast, busy world we have many options, As our own well being becomes a key priority I try to simplify and support, using the following key words.
Calm - To focus on what makes things better in a situation. To pay attention – develop mindfulness.
Flexibility – To cope with diversity, an ability to prioritise, to listen and find the good in situations.
Strength – Inner strength to read situations, listen to our body and manage ourselves well. |
