Learning and Change

School can arouse many emotions in people (students and Staff), they can be - excited, nervous, unsure and indeed concerned about what the future may hold. These are all totally normal feelings in your educational journey – especially with COVID seemingly behind us now.

One thing is for certain – you can not be the same, act the same and stay the same when the world around you is changing. Look at how our world has changed over the last few years. Change has always been a constant companion of education and life, however over the last couple of years with the shadow of COVID, the notion of change now is very different. We must embrace change and use it to our advantage – use change to achieve our goals, hopes and dreams.

As you commence learning journey (at any point) – I challenge you to set aside time (soon!!) to actively think about and discuss your learning. This conversation may best be held with an adult - as they have experienced more of life. This companion to your learning may be a teacher or another trusted person in your life. After 41 years in education I strongly suspect that the majority of students roll from one year to the next, without giving thought to the change they may initiate to change their lives. The variables that COVID imposes on us – remote learning, the blend of remote and traditional learning etc – ask all of us to question our practices.

One of these thought processes must be around – what happens after I finish school, what will I do, what job will I get, will I study some more, where and what will I study, will I need to leave home – the list is endless!! Discussing these and other questions now, will de-stress the future; putting it off will guarantee clouded thinking at important time in the future.

So – my message to every Australian student at this time is simple – think, discuss, repeat!!

I wish you peace and every success in this endeavour.

Stay well.

Andrew