It was great to see our students return this week – school is a lifeless space without the bustle of people (calmer, for sure!). To start our term with grandparents and significant others was a blessing.  The book fair was a great initiative – and our library stock is filled with donations from Dymocks, Zanni and Grandparents.

As I presented to our whole school, a key to unlock lifelong learning is curiosity.  Having that uncontrolled urge to solve a problem, enquire about a thought, explore a hunch.  The late Ken Robinson examines the power of creativity in his TED talk, which has been viewed nearly 78 000 000 times!!  I urge all of our community to view his talk – CLICK HERE – aptly titled: Do Schools Kill Creativity?

Engaging our thinking process is different to filling it.  As Plato’s much-used quote states: A child’s mind is not a pail to be filled but a fire to be kindled.  This quote adorned the first step of five flights of stairs at Hill House International School – my first ‘teaching’ role.

So – HOW?  How do we nurture the ‘curious’ mind?  How do we ‘kindle’ interest?

I share an anecdote.

At Onland Learning, I received a message on Thursday evening that a teacher would be away.  The absenteeism of school is not just children – and the larger the staff, the more this occurs: people get sick, people get tired, people have others who are sick, people manage others who are tired.  I could count on two hands the days this year (and last) where we have had a full contingent of staff – where no one was absent.  I cannot count on one finger, a day over the past five years where we have had EVERYONE in our community attending a full day of ‘school’. 

Anyway… I received notice that a teacher would be away, and a class needed to be taken.  I quickly shaped a learning experience.  When I say ‘quickly’ – let me share what happens – as this may give some insight.

The Director of the Learning Neighbourhood put on WhatsApp the need for support.

I responded and jumped in – as my interview scheduled had been postponed (blessing!).

I considered the focus of the Onland was meant to be a hike.  I took this on and thought – what I would like to ‘teach’ – or attend.  I thought it would be great to show ‘service’ as a key theme – but that’s pretty hard when you have only an evening to prepare.  But I thought let’s look at local beauty spots – and consider how they ‘serve’ us to feel ‘well’ (to fill our well).  I thought headlands, waterfalls, lakes.  I thought – rocks.  How do we get students to understand the bedrock of our society and humanism is steady as a rock? 

I love going around Sharpe’s Headland – and showing the basalt flows and discussing the igneous rock platforms.  BUT – I have taken this trek too often and the kids would grumble, “Not that again!”

I thought, “Whites Beach” – and having been curious years ago, I remember that this area has some of the oldest rocks in this region (metamorphic).  And then I could take them to Killen Falls – to compare and contrast the basalt (igneous).

So… I had formed a plan within about 15 minutes.

To enact this plan isn’t just to ‘think’ up a great idea.  What follows is a brief (Stewart, brief? Never!) outline.

• I replied to the Learning Neighbourhood Director – sorted.
• I asked Mike if there was a bus available – yes, a bus would be available.
• I drafted an email – cognisant of hats, footwear, towels, sunscreen, water…
• I emailed all of the Y9 parents – because to break down the mailing list to just the small group I was taking would have added an additional 30-45 minutes.
• In so doing, I noticed a past parent was still on the email list, so I had to go in and remove both parents.
• I then had to go into our Consent2Go platform – as there needed to be an excursion form completed – and a risk assessment.
• I went through the drafting of the ‘excursion’ and had to outline all of the risks – including bus trip, sun-care, snake bite, swimming, exhaustion, trips and grazes, etc..
• The Consent2Go draft needed to be approved.
• I checked the requirements for swimming – as Killen Falls is an area where people do swim but, to be certain, I Googled to see – and discovered Ballina Council advises no swimming – so that meant there was to be no swimming by our students at Killen Falls.  I was thinking of the timing in any case – as travelling up to the back beaches of Broken and then to Killen would take out around an hour – hmmm…
• Jane contacted me and asked whether there was swimming going ahead at Killen Falls – and I responded, no, as of my research.  Jane responded that was great, because I would not need to get parents’ approval as there was already a cover-all for the local beaches.  And any detour from the cover-all would require parents to approve.
• I then researched the locale – and focused on the learning intentions: geology, geography and science – with some maths.  The ‘service’ element was a bit tenuous .  It took me quite a while to find anything that gave me the insights into the geological features – and I wished I had kept the pages I had read over a year ago.  Try finding it out yourself – it is not a quick search!!  But I did find it was greywacke and very unique for this area as it represents the Moreton Clarence basin – formed by turbidity – and was not covered in basalt from Wollumbin.
• The next morning – about 7:00am – Jane contacted me as before she could approve the excursion, there needed to be more assessed risks. There was to be tramping and hiking.  I went back into Consent2Go and updated the risks – which then allowed Jane to sign-off on the excursion.
• I now had to gather all the things needed – I was running a bit late!  I had to find a whistle, my hat, my backpack, additional sunscreen, my water bottle, a shade umbrella…
• I was ready!

If you read this short outline, you will see there are quite a few steps to ‘plan and prepare’ for an Onland learning session.  It has a LOT of research and there is such an incredible opportunity for ‘teaching’.

However, when we arrived, the students did not seem that curious.  I guess rocks for me hold a lot more interest than rocks for teenagers.  The trip up in the bus highlighted the teenagers’ interest in singing Swifty songs – very loudly – which was not piquing my interest, either!!

But – I did share the learning, via explicit instruction and field-trip exploration.

I showed the folds of the rock – standing at 45 degree angles.  I shared that these rocks were layered – and represented the sediment of the ocean floor millions of years previous.  I highlighted the quartz streaks – and pointed out features of metamorphic rocks.  I discussed timelines – how these rocks were way before the Cenozoic igneous basalt rocks that feature in the headlands of Lennox and Ballina.  I shared that we are moving northwards on continental drift about 7cm a year – and shared that in my lifetime the earth has moved over 35cm. I even mentioned information around the Moh scale – about 6 – and hardness… at this point, even the most obliging listeners had switched off!

At the end of the day (I loathe that cliché), the students had a great day – they had a swim, they played charades, they sang their hearts out, they were collaborative and kind… but, when I stepped out of the bus and asked what type of rock I was holding – a few guessed.  I guess for a fire to be kindled, Plato must have had a lot of repetition to be the friction for interest to become memorable!

HOWEVER… 

On my return home, I was feeling that inquisitive niggle. I spotted lots of vesicles in the greywacke – and although I knew of honey-comb weathering – I was troubled as metamorphic greywacked doesn’t have vesicles like scoria found in vesicular basalt.  Although I do not like being an AOSM (Adult On Social Media), I posted into a geology group – and received educated views.  My curiosity led me to discover more knowledge.  My vessel was filled.