And so we get to the end of another year and yet again education is the fodder of the media and the politicians, all grandstanding about falling standards, PISA results, getting back to basics, reducing curriculum content, top 100 HSC ranked schools, funding debates, NAPLAN results, the linking of the education and employment public service departments at the Commonwealth level and the quality of teachers and teaching - all of which achieves little other than a good headline and overwhelms and demoralises the profession and distracts us from our focus – the education of children and young people.
Some of you may have noticed an article in the press recently in which a teacher of twenty-five years’ experience has walked away from the profession stating ‘his decision stems from a combination of factors, including a lack of systemic respect for teachers, over-compliance, superficial regulation and the erosion of teacher autonomy. He stated ‘the worse Australian education is perceived to be, the more layers of restriction and overbearing compliance and regulation are added, and the more impossible it becomes to teach’.
He goes on ‘At its best, teaching is the most fulfilling job in the world. But teaching is all about nurturing and relationships. Most students will only enjoy a subject if they believe that their teacher is interested in them personally. It is a performing art, not a science, requiring a multiplicity of skills, including communication, empathy, emotional intelligence and listening ability’.
I salute and acknowledge my colleagues for embracing their vocation and for doing so the Hills Grammar way. It is easy in this time of measurement, targets and league tables to lose sight of what the primary purpose of our schooldays should be?
The epitome of an education should be “best of what has been thought and said,” and the measure of any civilisation, of any culture, is the extent to which learning is held as important”.
However, there is a further reason for pursuing learning: it is a joy!
Anyone who has ever taught a child or young person will have seen the light in their eyes when they have finally mastered a tricky concept. Those Eureka moments are what make teachers continue in the profession, as they find joy in witnessing the joy of learning.
At Hills Grammar we keep the noise in perspective, we do not let it distract us from what we value and we are true to our profession as educators, knowing that by focusing on ‘education for education sake’ the outcomes, statistical and otherwise, will come, as evidenced by our Hills Original Alumni recipient Rebecca James and more recent students. To quote:
I have a tremendous sense of gratitude to Hills Grammar for my education and for the transition, I made from a shy 5-year-old to a mature 18-year-old ready for life beyond school.
Hills Grammar strives to harness and develop a wider set of skills and develop the well-rounded student.
At School, I discovered my passions for music and sport and my interests in hospitality, business and economics – and these were all developed within the gates of the school.
What I admire most about the Hills Grammar approach is the opportunity to do your personal best. You need to be prepared to work hard and take advantage of the endless resources available – particularly the facilities and the quality of teachers.
My Hills Grammar education has helped launch me into my next phase of life, equipped with all the attributes I believe are required for success, wherever life leads. Karl Jammal (Class of 2016)
My learning experience at Hills Grammar was nothing but fulfilling and rewarding. I was lucky enough to have inspiring teachers who established positive student-teacher relationships. I always felt supported and valued by my teachers, academically and personally.
After graduating in 2015, I realised that this relationship is rare and special, as many university peers did not have a similar experience in their own schools. I am very thankful to Hills for making the transition from school to university easy and manageable.
What I value most highly from my time at Hills is the development of the necessary life skills and foundation to enter the ‘real world’, post-graduation. My education has significantly shaped me to be the person I am and has taught me key foundations upon which to build a fulfilling personal and work life.
I reached my academic goals, but in retrospect, I achieved much more than this. Diana Demetri (Class of 2015)
We will not see reflections such as these in the media – but as a School, we hear them all the time, we celebrate them as they capture the essence and potential of an extraordinary education and the extraordinary individuals that result.
Congratulations to all students on another year of personal endeavour, achievements, successes, failures and most importantly for embracing the learning opportunities that your parents, in partnership with the staff, provide by sending you to Hills Grammar. Every student is a worthy recipient of our best wishes, commitment, respect and congratulations for the year they have just lived.
Thank you for your support and belief in the School in 2019. Wishing you all a safe and joyful Christmas and New Year.
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