One of the many fantastic ideas I’ve seen recently. This is a Friendship Seat, one of several that are placed around the beautifully designed Willowbank School in Auckland. Basically, whenever children have no-one to play with at lunchtime, they can sit on this seat; and someone will come over and invite them to join in with their games.
Maybe we need variations on these all over the world. Why not put them in city centres? Or on neighbourhood street corners? Or even on the borderline between warring countries?
Some new directions coming up for me. And partly triggered by the amount of travel I’ve done recently. Up to last Saturday, I had been away for 23 out of 32 days (even though some of that was a holiday in Sth America). Not on. Well, not all at once anyway.
As part of those days, I had a fantastic series of visits throughout beautiful (although a bit cool) NZ. I’m constantly astonished by the professionalism of the Kiwi teachers who attend sessions during their holidays. Yeah, I know, they can be ‘legally’ required to attend. Yet they don’t sit there and sulk about it; they fully engage. Bliss. For me as facilitator, for them in terms of their spirit, and for their students, who (hopefully) will benefit.
And so, my new directions. Have been approached to conduct a series of sessions for various adult learning organisations, and I’m finding that I’m really enjoying the variations (andragogy as compared to pedagogy).
However, a really big one is the work that I’ll be doing over the next six months or so with AISQ (Association of Independent Schools of Qland). Probably a total of 30 days or so. With a focus on ICT + pedagogy. All very exciting, partly because it’s really going to stretch my thinking, and also because they’re a great group to work with.
And although it’s only a small part of the whole issue, I won’t have to walk through Brisbane airport as often. I’ll be able to stay in my hometown (which is basking in 21 degree sunshine right now). Bliss.
South American Learnings
Only in South America could you find some toilets that are this colourful! And this wasn’t an abberation on the norm either. This sense of vitality was evident in many of the places that I visited in Chile, Peru and Argentina in the past two weeks.
Given my world wanderings, I’m pondering my learnings during that time. I sometimes wonder if I’m downright weird (!!?), or perhaps even normal (even more doubtful); however, I don’t just sit back and enjoy wherever I travel in the world. I keep thinking about my learning/s. Do you all do the same thing? Or do I just think too much??
Regardless, here are three of those learnings:
* Lesson One: Take Endless Photos. When I carry a camera with me, with express intent to take photos, I look around more carefully. A great attitude to have about life in general. Maybe I need to live everyday life like this. And I especially look for the quirky, and/or the simple examples that demonstrate how people really live. I love side alleys (during the daylight); I love graffiti (as long as it demonstrates some wit and wisdom); I delight in the silly messages that are written on shop windows.
* Lesson Two: Be grateful for what you have. Visiting less affluent countries is always a wake-up call to how lucky I am by birth. I felt especially troubled by Peru’s capital, Lima. I’ve never seen so much barbed wire per kilometre. An unsettling place. And populated by many young people who appear to not have much to do. I can tell you now that books about being Happy, Healthy and Wealthy will not sell well in places such as this. As I walked around, I counted my blessings that I would soon travel back to a country that was safe, clean, and especially, had clear skies.
* Lesson Three: It’s often the little things that count. People everywhere appreciate the small things that you do. I usually travel with a collection of little toy koalas, and whenever I’m impressed with what someone does (eg a great tour guide), I present them with one of the koalas. At one stage, I stayed at a motel in Santiago, and gave one of these toys to the very impressive desk attendant. Well… word got around the place, and two days later, I had been asked for one of these koalas by two other people who worked there. They wanted one for their bambinos, they said. And judging by their response at receiving a koala, it made their day. What a simple way to spread international goodwill.