Dear Parents/Carers,                                                                        

I am constantly surprised by the messages I hear and receive from the children at St Paul’s. I spend much of my time on the playground each day because I have learnt that presence is the most powerful gift a principal can give the children and the community. So where am I going with this? As I was out on the playground one morning, one of the students came up to me and said to me “Mr Reardon you’re my role model.” I must admit the words did stop me in my tracks and I asked him “What is a role model?”  He said that he looks up to me because I am kind and you care about us. I then thought, “Lucky you didn’t see me last night when I was lecturing my 28 year old son about picking his glass up off the floor and putting it in the dishwasher!” I must admit, when my son says to me “Dad I could never do your job!”, in a way he is also telling me that he looks up to me. I’ve long learnt, I am actually giving such messages to people, no matter whether they are 10 or 28, all the time and I need to be on my game. 

This is the unconscious part of our work, in my case as a teacher and principal, in yours, as a parent that we are doing all the time. It is non verbal and is strongly influenced by the quality of the relationship that exists between the model and the learner. I must admit it, when I put the parent hat on, it is a little scary. Someone is constantly watching and copying every move we make; the good and the bad stuff, the behaviours we are proud of and the behaviours we want to forget.

For healthy development our children need to be surrounded by adults who model responsible, caring behaviour. If they experience nurturance, they are more likely to be nurturing. If they experience encouragement they are more likely to encourage others and if they experience optimism they are more likely to develop a positive view of the world and themselves.

Twentieth Century poet Edgar Guest best expressed the power of modelling in his poem “The Living Sermon”:

“All the lectures you deliver may be very wise and true,

But I’d rather get my lesson by observing what you do.

Though I might not understand you and the fine advice you give.

There is no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.”

I leave this with you to consider!

Go gently,

Michael Reardon
Principal

World Teachers Day

Teachers all over the world celebrated this special day last Friday. Teacher’s work is complex and never ending. I am in awe of our teachers as they go about the many complexities of their work, then go home at the end of the day to prepare their work for the next day. Yet they very rarely complain and just get on with it.

I’d like to SHOUT OUT a special thank you to the P&F for providing our staff with lunch last Friday. The food was great, the acknowledgement fantastic!

Principal Awards

Congratulations to the following students who have recently received a Principal Award. 

Ryley Wisby, Paige Campbell, Laylah Gray-Green, Aubrey Cox, Isla Moon, Cameron Smith, Bianca Zovi, Holly Henin, Brooklyn Leahy, Cooper Johnston, Luana Devey, Nishan Singh, Louis Steck, Ariella Gomez, Alessia Faga, George Zammit, Lily Mackechnie.