Saffrons Blog

Yesterday NSW teachers had an industrial dispute, I thought I would take Sequoia in to see the action, we recognized teachers while we were sitting on the Ferry, then saw them on the street. I would love to see schools improve, a designated art/craft room for a start, a music room and I would love to see schools with gardens, all of which were part of my education in the 80's.

The funding just isn't there. It's sad! School is not as fun as I remember it. I sit in the class room weekly to help the teacher who is awesome but I can't help wonder how school became so uninspiring. I leave my daughter in tears, while I used to skip with joy to school. Funding would surely help?

As a surprise I wanted to show her the David Jones Spring flowers in the windows and on the ground floor. She loved them and wandered through the huge bouquets with utter joy.  Saying "come on Mum look at this, this is amazing"! And it was.

I just loved this bunch. The colours are just my colours.

These are the loveliest Banksias, they were in the windows so you can sort of see a bit of me reflected. There were so many people gazing it was hard to get a moment with this bunch.

Have you seen the Spring Flowers? Do you have an Art or Music room in your school?

Kirstin Bokor commented on 13-Sep-2011 12:56 PM

Oh Rhonda, if you find the possum answer let me know. Great pictures Saffron, and you are so spot on about education - every child deserves to access fair, excellent and inspiring education. An education system that prioritises the wealthy at the expense
of everyone else can change a society in just one generation. What a frightening thought. Anyway, what a great thing to do with your daughter, I feel like popping out now myself.

Rhonda Galloway commented on 10-Sep-2011 07:46 PM

My Grand-daughters school has a garden, they have flowers and grow vegies for the Canteen and the students all get to help out in the area - it is really lovely to see. Old cutlery is strung across the garden to keep the birds at bay and I have yet to
find out how they keep the possums out during the night.

Frockfarie commented on 10-Sep-2011 10:23 AM

My daughter has just moved schools and is now going to a P-12 school so we are lucky it has all the facilities that you see in a secondary school but they are available to the primary students as well. Music rooms, art studios, theatre, kitchen gardens,
everything you could want. She does dancing, cooking, gardening, violin, class Orchestra, Chinese, movement program, craft and then all the regular stuff. We have to travel across town (about 20 - 30mins) for her to go there but it is so worth it. While I
think funding is part of the problem a big part of the problem is this push to 'get results' rather than creating a love and wonder for learning. If teachers have to make their students perform well on national test then the more inspiring part of teaching
and learning takes a back seat. In Victoria the government has just cut funding for VCAL in secondary schools which will see the less academic students either struggling in VCE or leaving school all together. I think the only way things will change is if parents
start speaking up and demanding change. I am so lucky that my daughter is getting the education she is and that she has a wonderful inspiring teacher.

Cass Ward commented on 09-Sep-2011 09:32 PM

We are lucky at our school the kids do music once a week with s dedicated music teacher. They do lots of art in the classes. They also have band from year 3. Schools definitely need more funding though